Hebrew Part 3

Second week of Hebrew, and now the grammar rules are really getting complex. We even get to learn about verbs on Friday! That'll be... difficult. For now we're figuring out roots and the fancy dictionary.

Hebrew Part 2

I have survived the first week of summer Hebrew. They say if you do that, you'll be fine the rest of the summer. At least, that's what I hope they say. Today I'm only going over vocab. Will spend the time tomorrow doing the homework and learning the new grammar rules from yesterday's lecture. Now, I need a nap...

Also, Harry Potter 7B is awesome.

Adventures in Hebrew Part 1

As a Presbyterian on the path to ordination I am required to pass both Koine Greek and Biblical Hebrew. Two summers ago I took Greek, and this summer I am taking Hebrew. Now I took Hebrew in my senior year of college, but it's a different level at seminary. Everything's a different level at seminary...
You may be thinking "why are the biblical languages such a big deal?" I'm glad you asked. And, yes, the answer does go back to John Calvin. Calvin and many others of his time were Humanists, and one of the Humanists' main emphases was learning original languages to better understand a text. This idea has trickled down through Reformed history to make itself known in current Presbyterian systems by having all potential pastors learn the original languages well enough to inform our preaching. Before ordination I will have to pass an exam where I translate, exegete, and write a sermon on an assigned passage. Don't worry, we get almost a week to do it. But that's later on. For now, I need to go quiz myself on vocabulary.

Earth and All Stars

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls; from the NASA website

Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,

Sing to the Lord a new song.

Hail, wind and rain, loud blowing snowstorms

Sing to the Lord a new song.

God has done marvelous things!

We will sing praises with a new song!

(Herbert Frederick Brokering, 1964; Presbyterian Hymnal #458)

I have great respect for NASA and the USAF space program and all space programs. Most of my favorite TV shows and movies are science fiction, and I have great memories of watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my dad.  More than anything, NASA's programs have opened our imaginations to push beyond what we thought were human limits. In high school I was convinced by the time I was middle aged the human race would have colonized at least the moon if not further. Today was the last launch in NASA's shuttle program. I understand the economy is difficult and the US budget is difficult, but I can't imagine a US without an active NASA shuttle program. Not only does NASA employ a lot of people, a lot of people want to work for NASA. People want to grow up to become astronauts, engineers, software writers to work in the space program. If NASA ever decides to hire chaplains, I'm applying ASAP. (How awesome would that be?) The International Space Station has been a symbol of what connects us as human beings. We need NASA. We need events, for both the national and international, that bring people together for a common goal that ignites our imagination. We need the shuttle program.

Fire of the Spirit

Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures,
Spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures,
Goal of charity, lights of clarity,
Taste of sweetness to sinners, be with us and hear us.


Composer of all things, light of all the risen,
Key of salvation, release from the dark prison,
Hope of all unions, scope of chastities,
Joy in the glory, strong honor, be with us and hear us.


--Hildegard of Bingen, 12th century Benedictine abbess


(Chalice Hymnal, 52)

Lessons from Gordon Ramsay

Chef Gordon Ramsay

Most of my friends know how much I love watching shows about food. Last week a friend told me about a show called Kitchen Nightmares where chef Gordon Ramsay goes into failing restaurants and tries to save the business. So I went to Netflix and found the UK version of the show (which is documentary-like and has a lot less screaming than the US version). Many restaurants have the same problems:

1. Things are too complicated and take too long
2. There is little or no organization
3. There is little or no healthy communication
4. People are too stubborn to change even though the doors are ready to close forever
5. The owners and/or chefs won't listen to the expert who has been brought in to help them

This sounds incredibly familiar, doesn't it? I hear the same kind of complaints about churches all around the country.  The parallel is actually a huge part of the Christian faith. (Communion, anyone?) So it's not surprising that restaurants sometimes have the same problems as churches. Food feeds the body, and spirituality feeds the soul. So what lessons can church leaders learn from Mr. Ramsay and the struggling restaurants he tries to help?

1. Use what's local. Good restaurants use fresh, local ingredients. Churches can use resources including congregants, buildings, denominational resources, and local non-profits. Not every church can be a part of every ministry; so it's crucial to connect with others across denominational, religious, and political differences.
2. Churches are not businesses, but organization is just as key to a church's health as to a businesses'. Roles need to be defined for paid and volunteer staff with everyone knowing who their supervisor is. Training and education is thought out and, when necessary, people are sent out or brought in.
3. Communication needs to be clear and active. Everyone (hopefully) is in the loop of what everyone else is doing. Goals short-term and long-term are clear. The building and grounds committee chair has been talking to the finance committee chair and is aware of where the budget is going and preparing accordingly.
4. Congregants and staff are honest when things aren't working and are open to change. It's not about blame or disrespecting the past. It's about effectiveness of ministry.
5. Listen. Listen to the Spirit. Listen to the people who are trained. Listen to people who are there every week. Listen to the people on the edges. Listen to people of different ages. Listen to people who have stopped coming. Listen to outsiders. And, listen to the Spirit. With listening we can start building a vision of what we can be.

I've been working on personal organization in the past week, and it hasn't been easy. So I know it's not easy for a church. The biggest problem, I think, is how difficult all of this is. Each idea by itself (using local resources, organization, communication, openness, and listening) is difficult, but when attempted together is downright daunting. Plus, it's easy for a person sitting alone in her apartment thinking lofty ideas about how to build an effective church while watching a reality show from the UK. But if I don't think these lofty ideas on my off time, I may not think about them when I'm part of a particular church.


There is one thing Chef Ramsay wants to pump into people: passion. When people who don't seem to care about the restaurant find passion for their job the restaurant is far more likely to succeed. Passion. If that doesn't have spiritual overtones, nothing else in the show does. Without passion, businesses fail. Without the Passion, churches fail.
And that's all I have to say about that.