the start of things to come

Well this is my first Blog. A few of my friends have started ones and I think it's a fantastic idea. We all lead insanely busy lives and it is hard to remember who has been filled in on what. A quick update so we are all on the same page. I have been married for 2 years and 2 months now. My husband, Dan and I are living in Wilmington, North Carolina. He is a youth minister with a local church and currently (though I'm trying to change it) I work for a vet's office as a receptionist. We have a dog named Manis Malam, but we call her Mani (said Man-ee). She is a 1 year and a half old black lab mix that we rescued from animal control. She is my sweetheart and am so thankful to have a dog in my life again. We have started looking for a brother for her.

My parents have moved back from Indonesia and are living in Houston, Texas. My older brother, James, is married (to my ex-roommate) Danielle (Dani) and living in Austin, Texas with their two cats. My younger brother, Scott is in San Antonio, Texas going to med-school as of last month with his new wife Amanda and their two cats. My in-laws live outside of Houston in Katy, Texas. My brother-in-law Peter is in Korea with the US Army working as a paralegal.
I think that is the basics of where my family is right now...

The latest big news is that Dan has started The Process to become and ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. It is a very long process that easily lasts 6 years, including 3 in seminary. This process is the main reason I have started this blog. All those who are interested can check this blog for the latest on the tribulations of the process, rather than me filling your email boxes with mass email updates. Many of you just received an email about all this. I have included in this post the description of the process as a reference as we tread through this. A few terms I guess I should probably define first though. The Episcopal Church's basic unit is the parish with a Rector who leads it. Parishes are grouped into Diocese (abv. Dio). The Dio are headed by a Bishop. Bishops have a Presiding Bishop who leads them and meet every 3 years in a convention to sort out national church buisness. The Episcopal Church of the United States of America is in communion with Anglicans across the world. So currently we live in the Dio of East Carolina with Bishop Daniel. In order for a person to become an ordained priest they have to go through a process to determine if the person is truly called to the priesthood, will be an asset to the church, and then to educate. The part for now until seminary is what I normally refer to simply as "The Process." The entire path is longer and the description follows. I'm sure there will be more details and definitions later. The Episcopal Church is good at giving everything a different and complex sounding name, whose purpose seems at times just to confuse people. I will try to make things clear as most people I know have no clue what is involved. I did not even know there was such a think 4.5 years ago when I met Dan. So here goes...

Stage I -

Dan meets with Bob (the rector) for a minimum of 4 times. The end of which Bob decides if Dan should continue. If yes, he sends a letter to the Bishop with Dan's spiritual autobiography.

Stage II -

A committee of 6 members of various background from the church meet with Dan for a minimum of 6 times to discuss a set of questions from the dio and anything else they want to know. At the end of which they write a report that is sent to the Bishop, vestry, and Dan.

Stage III -

Vestry and Bob meet and vote to send Dan to the Bishop of not. If yes, they write a letter to the Bishop. Dan sends everything to the Bishop again with a letter from himself.

Stage IV -

Dan meets with the Bishop. He must do this by July 1st in order for Dan to go to the next stage during 2006 if not he must wait until 2007. (For those who don't know National Convention is June of 2006 which of couse the Bishop will attend.)

Stage V -

If the Bishop approves him, then he goes to an overnight with the Dio. Commission of Ministry in the October of whatever year allowed for by the date of meeting the bishop (see above), hopefully 2006.

Stage VI -

If approved by the Commission, Dan applies to seminaries, takes the GRE's etc.

Stage VII -

Dan goes to seminary for 3 years. (There are 11 Episcopal seminaries. Bishop Daniel often sends to Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA (VTS), sometimes to General Theological Seminary in NYC, NY (GTS), and occasionally sends to some of the other 9 seminaries.)

Stage VIII -

Normally in June, after graduating from seminary, the seminarians are ordained transitional deacons.

Stage IX-

After a year of being a deacon he can be ordained a priest. YEA!

There is more things to be completed such as psyc evaluations, medical physicals, trips to check out seminaries, paper work, etc.