approved!

as i posted on facebook: by the grace of god, i have been approved for ordination in the evangelical lutheran church in america!!

yesterday i had my approval interview at our synod offices with members from the synod candidacy committee.  it was a wonderful and affirming conversation (quite possibly the best conversation i've had with my candidacy committee).  it was a joy to talk with folks about where i'm feeling called and how i think about god, the church, and ministry.

then i went out and celebrated with a dear friend at buenos aires pizzeria :)  good times.

for those of you who are curious, the next steps for me are:

paperwork!  i have a variety of documents due by december 1st (since i'll be in ecuador then, they're really due for me by about november 24th), including a rostered leader profile and paperwork for first call assignment.

in february, bishops, regional coordinators, and representatives from each seminary will gather together in chicago and figure out where (which region and then synod) we first call candidates are being called through prayerful discernment.

in all of this i am also going through the process to try to be a mission redeveloper.  the next steps for me for that are to fill out paperwork and then i will schedule a day-long behavioral interview to see if i am a good fit for a mission redeveloper.

lots of stuff in the next few months and for now i'm fine with sitting with being joyful and affirmed about approval