Erica’s Seminary Journey Update

Dear Friends of My Seminary Journey,

What will I do with my one wild and precious life???? That was the question….  And now for an update with what I have been doing.

The second term of the ‘Walking with Christ’ program has been completed and I have begun the final term.

This year of classes has been beyond my hopes and dreams.  The studies have been full and deep, and have met me in the deepest places of my soul.  There is a forming quality to the studies that I have not been able to fully bring to expression — I think because I am still in the forming process!  Everything I have been doing has interwoven together to make a whole — everything supporting the learning of the other in so many ways in a full round of church services, classes, reading, homework assignments, and prayer.

The studies include Rudolf Steiner’s lectures to the founding Priests, study of the Gospel of St. John, Anthroposophy and Christianity, work with the inner life, and Cultivating Ecclesia - a class about everything practical from board work to pastoral care.  I also join the local congregation for a study called Living with Christ.

Art is also a part of the training, including movement, speech formation, and painting.

The first painting is a watercolour that started with very light colour patches that were slowly darkened until an indication of a figure showed itself.  Then I brought the figure out of the colour to show itself completely.

The second painting (below) started with the same light colours but then I copied another artists' painting (more in the abstract vein) and added my own touches. It’s actually very close to the original painting as far as colour intensity and form.

Another class I have been taking is called Sermon class.  It took a whole term of exercises before I wrote my first sermon.

This week I begin giving sermons during the weekday services – what a threshold!

These classes continue for the term with an added evening class studying the Seven Sacraments.

All of this has been possible for me with the help of your generous donations and I’m filled with gratitude and appreciation.  I can’t believe how close we are to the fundraising goal, it's beyond my dreams. If you are able, I would appreciate having the GoFundMe link posted on social media to spread the word.   Thank you everyone and thank you to my GoFund team for all the help.

I’m aiming to make my next post in mid May, maybe it’ll be a sermon I’ve written. Until then — Happy Easter, Happy Spring!