Graduating from Seminary

Last May 9, 2009 was my graduation from Seminary.

Of course the Divinity School had their own graduation ceremony. The next day was the University Graduation with Oprah as the speaker. i am tempted to talk about many stuff here. But I would like to note a few of the most important memories that I cherish.

My father came for my graduation. It was his first time at Duke. I wish my mom was also able to come but she was sick thus she could not travel.

I had gained so many friends during my stint here at Duke. These friends knew that I was going back home and maybe this was our last day to see each other physically. So I was thrilled when they wanted to capture our friendship with photo-ops after the grad ceremony.

My family here in the US also came in full force. My Uncles and Aunties and cousins and distant relatives came all the way from Virginia just to join me in my celebration. I was so touched by their show of support.

I just had some regrets for not being able to have taken good pictures with my dad, my friends, my family and even with myself. I just forgot all about that with my emotions so high during that day.

But the most thing that I remember that day was the anxiety of moving forward in the ministry. I was supposed to have learned all the necessary tools that I need theologically and mentally. I am a graduate of the seminary and I am supposed to have completed the requirements for the ministry. Tools that I will need. But did I have all the necessary things that I need to survive and be efficient in the ministry? Graduating from seminary is not a guarantee of anything. But I know that God is and will be with me. That is the best tool that I know in my heart will get me ready. This is the speech that Oprah did not give to us during graduation. But I learned this from seminary and more.

So, thank you all. I pray that many will help me as I continue my journey as a clergy-to-be.

Araw ng Kalayaan 09

Ginagalang ko na Dr. Jose,

Ngayon po ay araw ng paggunita ng kalayaan ng bansa nating minamahal mula sa mga kamay ng mga mananakop na banyaga. Ngunit ang kalayaang inyong hinahangad at pinagbuwisan ng buhay ay hindi pa rin lubos na tinatamasa. Ang bayan po natin ay bihag pa rin ng malubhang karamdaman na sumisira sa kalusugan ng ating bayan. Bilang isang doktor, inyo pong nakita ang kanser ng lipunan na sumisira sa ating lipunan upang maging tunay na malaya. Isang kanser na unti-unting na ngumingitngit sa katawan ng bayan upang sirain at gawing bulok ang kanyang laman. Ikinalulungkot ko pong sabihin na ang kanser na inyong pilit na pinagaling at pinagbuwisan ng buhay ay bumabalik at lalong lumalala. Higit pa rito, ang kanser ay nag-ibang anyo ngunit siya pa ring dahilan nang karamdaman ng ating bayan. Ang kanser po ng lipunan ngayon ay hindi lamang tagos hanggang buto kundi pati kaluluwa. Ang karamdaman ng lipunan ay nagmumula sa isang maling moralidad na nananahan sa karamihan ng mamamayan. Ang mga lider ng lipunan ay hindi na maaasahan. Mangilan-ngilan na lamang ang tuwid ang katayuan. Karamihan ay baluktot ang kanilang pamamaraan. Ang higit pa dito ay ang moralidad din ng taong bayan. Tila ba kami ay nasanay na sa baluktot at maling moralidad na bumabalot sa ating bayan na amin na itong pinababayaan. Ang hindi namin pakikialam at ang kawalan ng kagustuhan na labanan ang sakit at sirang moralidad ng bayan ang lalo pang nagpapakalat sa kanser ng lipunan. Dahil po dito ay hindi pa rin ganap na malaya ang ating bayan. Kailangan po naming ipagpatuloy ang paglaban sa kanser ng lipunan bago maging malubha ang kanyang karamdaman. Kailangan pa po naming ituloy ang inyong sinimulan upang ang ating bayan ay maging tunay na malaya sa kanser ng lipunan.

Jesus has bobo...

It's Holy Week. And we are trying to tell our 2 years old daughter what it is all about. Her mother told her about how Jesus came in a parade on Palm Sunday but that later some "not good" people took him and put him in "timeout." It becomes tricky because she gets "timeout" when she does something not nice to make us upset, but Jesus did not do anything "not nice." It confuses her how Jesus got "timeout." Then the "not good" people hurt Jesus and put him in the cross. With a sad look in her face, she replied, "Oh, Jesus has bobo."
Now, it's only Good Friday. We still have to tell her the story of Jesus's death and resurrection on Easter. That will be a challenge...

Friday Fellowships

Last Friday, during our fellowships, one of our friends celebrated his birthday. It was a very significant moment. Birthdays are usually spent with your family. But because Haejin, our firned, was another international student, he did not have any family here. Not really. We are his family here in seminary. So he celebrated his birthday with his family. In a place where you are away from home. Seminary students can define what a Christian family looks like. In the celebration of Haejin's birthday, we also celebrated the blessing of God for us to embody the Christian family.

Troubling...

I was a little troubled this afternoon after I read in a Filipino Methodist blog a question from a Filipino pastor about baptism. I was not troubled by the discussion nor by the content of the question. The question, what is thhe Methodist belief in baptism, is a valid question. But for this question to be asked by a pastor, someone who leads a church and guides the faith of his congregants is a little troubling. How can a pastor (much more if he/she is ordained elder) not have any clue about Methodist belief on baptism? Are these the kind of church leaders we have? Then what kind of christian followers (who are guided by the pastor) do we have? I hope the laity know better than the pastor. But this is not to blame the pastor. This is to question the church, the church structure, the District COM, the Conference BOOM, and everybody responsible for affirming and ordaining a person to be a pastor who may not yet be fully ready and equipped. We must consider this. Pastoral ministry is not a job or occupation. It is not to be taken for granted. That is why, we must take courage to educate our pastors for us to have quality church leaders.

"You don't need a cross..."

Last Sunday, when the children came in for Children's church, they were so proud to show me the cross necklaces they got as gifts. One of my students, Kayla who is 5, came to me and said, "Look, Pastor Neki, (holding her cross pendant) I have a blue necklace. This cross shows I am a Christian. The cross is Jesus so I have Jesus with me always... (she paused for a moment) But you don't need a cross to have Jesus with you. Jesus is always with us." She explained. I was amazed how a 5 year old can articulate so clearly the presence of us always. Immanuel - God is with us. Always. With or without a cross necklace.

Preaching

I preached last Sunday in my field ed church. My pastor have to be out of town to attend to some important matters so I have to do everything on both services. It has been a while since I prepared a sermon. When my pastor said that I have to preach on both services, it was already on a Friday. So I either have to prepare a new sermon or I have to recycle an old one.
Because I already took preaching classes, I should know better. The sermon is the word of God for the people. Although it is a discipline to write and prepare a sermon what is more important was to speak to the particularities of the congregation. Thus, in a sense even a recycled sermon being God's word have to address and speak to the congregation.
And so I went to the library after my Hebrew class and prayed hard for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I prayed so hard that I fell asleep. But when God is at work, nothing is impossible. And so I was not troubled even if it was already Saturday morning and I have only done the exegetical part. From there on, the Holy Spirit just guided my hand to write God's word to the people. And yes, the Holy Spirit also works overtime so I had to stay up late to finish the sermon for Sunday. But everything is well. Without the guidance of the God, the almost one year of not writing a sermon could have taken a toll on me.