thank you

Sorry, again, for not blogging for so long. Hopefully this will not be the start of every blog to follow. I've been trying to think of what to say to catch you up on my life for the last month without writing so much. For now I'll just tell you what I'm thinking, and any bits I forgot to tell you will fall in later.

I'm thinking right now, about the similarities between the Mennonite and Anglican church traditions. I actually noticed quite a few at the last service I was at. Some time ago at my home church we started a tradition of after the Gospel is read during the service, the pastor will say "The Word of God, for the people of God," and the congregation will respond with "Thanks be to God!" Thanks be to God was somewhere in the liturgy at St. Wilfrid's here in Bradford. I'm learning to appreciate more about the liturgical tradition, and I can't wait to keep learning about it. I did notice in one service, that it seems that the Anglican church emphasizes that Christ was born on earth, died for our sins and rose again, but not so much about His life and teachings. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is just what it seemed to me.

I'm also remembering quite a bit and noticing parallels between what I've learned in the classroom in the past and current situations. Books, movies, songs, sermons, conversations, will spark my memory to something from the past. So thank you Hugo Boschman, Bradley Kauffman, Ken Rogers, Marion Bontrager, Michele Hershberger, Lael Ewy, Kevin Wilder, Tony Brown, Todd Lehman, Karen LeVan, Dan Harrison, Rebecca Schloneger, Emily Yoder, Neal Friesen for all you taught me that has actually stuck with me. Also I apologize for any mispelling of your names. Reading Shane Claiborne, and Dorthy Day, and singing with a community choir, and being backround music for very appreciative art exhibition goers has reminded me of what I learned, and allowed me to glean even more from what I've learned in the past. It gives a feeling of accomplishment, and self worth.

So right now, I'm very thankful for my Hesston experience, and for the opportunity of this year. I'm reminded every day how hard it is to live with 3 other people in a small house, to keep long distance relationships, to acclimate into a new culture that even the language seems different in at times. But I really wouldn't want it any different. So at the risk of sounding cornier than I already have, thank you to everyone in my family, my home church, Hesston, SLCC, Radical Journey and the partners here in Bradford for giving me this opportunity. Thank you God, for the gifts and opportunities to use them you have blessed me with. Amen.

Hopefully future blogs will come to you less corny and more often (that could be a trade off, right?)

Blessings,
Rebecca