Update from internship from one of Good Shepherd’s seminarians, Vicar Jen Moore
September 25, 2018
Dear Friends,
Well, it happened. I’m on internship! As you may know, there was some doubt over the summer that it would actually come together, but it finally did. I am now serving two congregations in the North Carolina, in the Research Triangle area of the state, or just “The Triangle” for short.
The Triangle gets its name from an enormous research park that is anchored by major universities on three points around it: Duke University in Durham, NC State in Raleigh, and UNC in Chapel Hill. In addition to these major universities, there are quite a few other institutions of higher education, including three prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This means that most of the people in the congregations I’m serving are very highly educated, many of them current or retired faculty from one of these institutions. I’m trying not to feel intimidated!
These two congregations are very different from one another. The church in Raleigh is relatively large for North Carolina, with around 300 families, and between 150 and 200 worshipping on any given Sunday. The congregation is mostly white, and they have a very active campus ministry program at NC State. The pastor has been there for four years, and, from all accounts, has worked wonders in establishing good procedure and building engagement throughout the congregation. They are just now launching a capital campaign, and there is a lot of energy about the future. The church is very proud of its history and its role in birthing many other churches in the region.
The church in Durham is much smaller, with an average of 35 – 40 worshipping on any given Sunday. The congregation is mostly African-American, and it has in previous times had an active campus ministry program to the adjacent HBCU, NC Central University. They, too, have a proud history in the region, and like the church in Raleigh, helped to launch other black Lutheran churches in the state. This congregation is in “redevelopment,” which means that the synod has committed funding and leadership to help the congregation develop a new mission and a plan for enacting it. They are also in a pastoral transition, but they are committed to continuing their visioning, which I have been able to participate in.
The NC Synod has never placed an intern at two churches before, so this arrangement is a bit of an experiment. There is a lot of freedom in that – there are no precedents already set! No “this is how we’ve always done it” arguments to contend with! On the other hand, there are no precedents already set, so I’m literally making it up as I go along.
For example: every intern has an internship committee comprised of 4 – 6 members of the church. I have an internship committee comprised of three members from each church, and we meet in a neutral location, a third Lutheran church in the area where the pastor has been very supportive of this experiment. I have had to take a much more active role in organizing and leading the committee than most interns, simply because the committee members did not already have a relationship with one another.
Another example: Most interns preach once per month. I started that way, preaching one month at the church in Raleigh, and one month at the church in Durham. However, that means it’s two months between sermons for everyone! It’s hard to evaluate a person’s preaching when you’re only hearing them preach every other month. So, I will now be preaching twice a month – once at each church.
Another interesting facet of serving two congregations is the feeling that, in a way, my “congregation” expands well beyond the church walls. By nature of my assignment, I am bridging two communities. This appeals to, and gives a platform for, my natural inclination towards collaboration. So, I have been attending conference clergy gatherings and Bible studies, and I have received training from the Synod to facilitate anti-racism trainings at various conference gatherings beginning in January. As I plan to finish my last year of academic work online, I expect to stay engaged with the synod and the congregations in this area after my internship ends.
In other news, the cats are home! I picked them up from Mom’s house this summer, so family movie nights are complete – Noah and I share the couch and our laps with our two “fur-babies,” while Caroline the chameleon googly-eyes us warily from her cage. Sadly, we lost our fat-tailed gecko, Nancy, to cancer just a few weeks ago. The veterinarian was so impressed with her advanced age and the rarity of the type of cancer that she asked, and we agreed, to submit her for scientific study. It feels good to know that our loss might help other pet owners some day!
On a personal note, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and the occasional notes of encouragement you send. Unfortunately, Noah lost his job in August, and while he was able to find another job right away, it is discouraging to him that, in spite of all the ways we are feeling fulfilled in our lives, he is experiencing a setback in his career. It’s certainly helping that we are finally under the same roof, but it means a lot to us both to know we have friends out there praying for us and encouraging us.
I think about you often, and I miss being able to talk to you face-to-face whenever I feel like it. Just so you know, I totally stalk you on social media. But like, only for good reasons.
Peace,
Vicar Jen Moore
A Sacred Space 