Desperately Seeking Ordination

There's something about aligning myself with a group, any group, that I find... distasteful.

Why then am I desperately seeking ordination? I need a job! I have been putting off joining a denomination because of this history of disgust with groups but now I must suck it up. In particular, aligning myself based on my beliefs is quite difficult for me. I was called a heretic at Biola, I was called a heretic at Talbot, too conservative for some of the other chaplains, something about how people want to place themselves within the bounds of a group is confusing to me.

So I applied for a per diem chaplain position with San Diego Hospice last month. Requirements: MDiv... check, 1 unit of CPE... check, endorsement of a denomination.... ugh. They would not pass on my resume because I didn't have my ordination/endorsement. Since that time I have diligently been working toward making it happen.

Normally a minister seeking ordination would simply work through their current church, however our current church is not formerly affiliated with a denomination. Our previous church in LA, Whittier Area Community Church, was awesome and part of the Baptist General Conference. Pastor Bill said that he would write a letter on my behalf to any church I became affiliated with, which is extremely helpful. The only other church I know in San Diego is also BGC and came highly recommended is Flood. I met briefly after a service with the lead pastor and he seemed to think that I would be able to work with them toward my ordination. I left there encouraged and I'm hoping to meet with him again and talk about how this might work.

So it's in process. I'm sort of waiting for the leaders of Flood to make the next move though. I already sent them an email, I'm trying to be patient. Never have I been so close to being able to do what I want to do for a career.

Way Freakin' Busy

This has been an immersive few months at the hospital, that's why I haven't been able to write much. That and the fact that all the cool stories I could put in a blog would be illegal thanks to the HIPAA bastards. My goals for this unit have been much heavier than they were last time, focusing on caring for chronically ill children and being a support to families who experience death in the hospital. And so far I have been able to work with many families that fit those two categories.

I have gotten to know a lot of families in our Oncology unit. I would have to say that it has been some of the most meaningful work I've done so far. Some of these families are at the hospital for months and we get to come along side them from the day of their diagnosis to the day they finish treatment. It's a bond that is powerful if correctly fostered by staff and utilized by families.

400 hours down! 400 more by June 5th!