It's official. Day 3 is over.
Yesterday in orientation, we learned a lot about housing, healthcare and how-to's. I was doing fine up until they showed about a 20-minute video concerning post-graduate student debt. After that video, I think everyone in the room had to take a minute to breath. Jason Gill, Director of Financial Aid at Garrett, had us each look on our left and right. On my left was Adam, a 2nd career 30-something with a doctorate in geology. On my right was a gentleman, right out of undergrad with a steady position within a church in Wisconsin. Jason then informed us that statistics show that 10 years ago, one in three of us would be leaving the ministry due to financial obligations. Today students borrow the maximum amount at higher percent than 10 years before.
As you can imagine, my immediate reaction was that out of the two beside me, it was going to be me who left. After continuing conversation between myself and my colleagues, I soon realized that I wasn't the only one with the feeling of panic in my chest. I may be coming in with undergraduate debt, but others are coming in with full families, as single parents and with no support. The fact of the matter is, we are all in this together, for better or for worse.
This conversation got me thinking, what is the responsibility of the church to support seminarians?
Not only with prayers and well wishes, but financially.
As a seminarian, should I feel awkward picking up the phone to call my local church to ask for support?
Should I have to? Should they know? Should the offer?
Growing up, I attended a church that supported me far beyond what they were obligated. They became mothers, fathers and grandparents to me. They let me watch their children to earn money, they picked me up for youth group and they let me stay in their homes. They gave me a quiet place to study, helped me with the college application process and even decked out my dorm. Needless to say, I have been SPOILED by the church.
Does this support stop when I reach seminary? I was always told that my congregation of 12 years would support me in all that I do. A part of that support came when I decided to change my membership last November. The reasons behind changing my membership were purely political. It was easiest on me to be a member of the district in which I was attending school. The church that I moved my official membership too was also the place that I attended service, tithed and gave of my time to. In essence, this church had taken the place of my home church while I was at college.
Since November, I have been church floating. Between internships and jobs, I haven't had much opportunity to attend either church. Yet, here I am again, church shopping in Evanston. With many students in my position, it makes the idea of "supporting a seminarian" that much more complicated. The church that I feel the most connected to, is not where my membership is. It is where I grew up. They are the ones that helped to foster my calling. The church where my membership is has been there to be a support system for the last four years. It was within this congregation that I accepted my calling. And the next church that I choose to attend will have the benefit of my gifts and talents for the next three years. For lack of better terminology, they will be my "guinea pigs" as I learn more and develop my own theology.
I haven't quite figure out where I am going with all of this nonsense, but it has been weighing on my mind a lot today and I wanted to get it all out! For those of you that have been through this, what do you think? And, how did you go about "formally" requesting support from your congregations?
I don't want to do this alone when I KNOW I have a support system to rely on!
Faith and Peace,
Anitta M
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