A new class and new jobs
I decided to drop my class on Comparative Missiology. The professor decided to change the course from the description, and in doing so, he made the course into a study of Ghanian Christianity in Northeast America -- an extremely specific subject which does not interest me very much. Instead, I will take a pastoral studies class on "The Minister as Counselor." Not a really thrilling subject either, but it's at least something that might prove more beneficial to me in the long run.
In other news, I now have a job in Special Collections at the library. The job will definitely help me and Amy financially, although it looks like Amy definitely will have a job as a youth pastor at a Korean-American Presbyterian church in Philadelphia. This is a big answer to prayer. Jee, a Korean senior here, and his wife are a couple Amy and I met the first day we arrived. His father is the pastor of this particular church, and they have been looking for something to run the youth/English language ministry. This might require some explanation. In Asian-American churches nationwide, the youth are leaving in large numbers because the church seems too old fashioned -- not American enough. Services are traditionally done in the mother tongue of the congregation, but the youth don't speak their parents' language on a regular basis outside of home. Thus, when these churches hire someone to run the youth program, they are in reality hiring someone to head up the English-language services on Sunday morning. Such is the case for me and Amy. The church itself is quite small (roughly 80 members), and so is the youth group (which is around 10-15 including local college students). Amy and I -- it's really a joint effort -- will facilitate the Friday night "youth" program/bible study, in addition to running the English service on Sunday morning. That means teaching a kind of Sunday School program in the morning, doing the actual Sunday service (including giving the sermon), and then facilitating after-church Bible studies with the purpose of helping students improve their English.
The job is pretty well paid ($1400/mo), and the work is exactly what Amy wants to be doing for a living. I really cannot think of a better match for her skills. It would be nice if the church were closer to our apartment; it's about a 50 min. drive. Even so, the longer drive is an acceptable burden for having such an incredible offer given to us so early in the year! I am quite amazed. But now it means we will have a lot of work to do, assuming we decide to take the job. We actually haven't visited the church yet, so this Sunday will help a lot in our decision process.
In other news, I now have a job in Special Collections at the library. The job will definitely help me and Amy financially, although it looks like Amy definitely will have a job as a youth pastor at a Korean-American Presbyterian church in Philadelphia. This is a big answer to prayer. Jee, a Korean senior here, and his wife are a couple Amy and I met the first day we arrived. His father is the pastor of this particular church, and they have been looking for something to run the youth/English language ministry. This might require some explanation. In Asian-American churches nationwide, the youth are leaving in large numbers because the church seems too old fashioned -- not American enough. Services are traditionally done in the mother tongue of the congregation, but the youth don't speak their parents' language on a regular basis outside of home. Thus, when these churches hire someone to run the youth program, they are in reality hiring someone to head up the English-language services on Sunday morning. Such is the case for me and Amy. The church itself is quite small (roughly 80 members), and so is the youth group (which is around 10-15 including local college students). Amy and I -- it's really a joint effort -- will facilitate the Friday night "youth" program/bible study, in addition to running the English service on Sunday morning. That means teaching a kind of Sunday School program in the morning, doing the actual Sunday service (including giving the sermon), and then facilitating after-church Bible studies with the purpose of helping students improve their English.
The job is pretty well paid ($1400/mo), and the work is exactly what Amy wants to be doing for a living. I really cannot think of a better match for her skills. It would be nice if the church were closer to our apartment; it's about a 50 min. drive. Even so, the longer drive is an acceptable burden for having such an incredible offer given to us so early in the year! I am quite amazed. But now it means we will have a lot of work to do, assuming we decide to take the job. We actually haven't visited the church yet, so this Sunday will help a lot in our decision process.
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Doug