Reverend Ref +

THE FUTURE

Exactly 6 months from now I will no longer be a seminarian. I won't be ordained yet either. I'll be in the land of flux -- or the twilight zone. Needing to move out of my cinder block cell that I've come to affectionately refer to as home, but not knowing if I'll have a place to go. Afterall, what parish wants to hire an unordained seminarian grad?

I've started to get hints about looking for a job -- my home rector asking if I've filled out a CDO profile yet; Betsy dropping notices of parishes out west looking for clergy. But, as you ECUSA folks know, the bishop still basically determines what's what. So I sent him a letter asking how to deal with the Catch 22 of needing to apply for a position but knowing that he can call me back. In all fairness to my bishop, he said, "Sure, go ahead and look but make sure you talk to me before anything gets finalized."

Bought a book yesterday about a seminarian's first job search. Hopefully that will help. If not, it was only $10. Also have a meeting next with with Dreibelbis to maybe get some of this sorted out. Or at least learn how to get myself in the CDO system.

I guess the big question is, "How much to I want to try to bite off?" Do I look for a position as rector of a parish that is willing to work with a newbie, or do I look for a position as a long-term assistant, or do I look for a position as a short-term curate? Or, as my insecure-job-hunting-reptilian brain is screaming, JUST FIND A JOB BOZO!!!

I keep telling myself (and anyone else who will listen), I'm really not worried about getting a job -- it'll happen. What I should be worried about are these papers that aren't finished and the GOE. So yes, everything you've just read is a thinly veiled attempt at being thoughtful and concerned, when in reality it's been a way for me to procrastinate for the last 15 minutes and not write papers.

Off to work -- really

Peace