Meet Ashish Singh

Tell us about yourself.

I currently live in Arlington Heights, IL, and I am a first year Master of Divinity student. I was born in St. Louis but moved to Chicago at the age of 5. I graduated from Loyola University in Chicago with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2000 and a Master of Information Systems Management in 2002. Before becoming a student at Garrett-Evangelical, I worked for ten years at the Walgreen’s corporate office in a variety of positions focused on marketing and merchandising analytics.

What caused you to become a seminary student and change your career path? 

I grew up hearing stories about my grandparents who had converted to Christianity in India, even though they knew it would lead to persecution. My father also told me about his journey to become a pastor. Through these stories, as well as my own experiences, I realized the transformative power of the Gospel, and I was baffled by the idea that this life-changing message could mean nothing to so many in our society today. I felt God calling me to spend my life sharing the message of transformation and liberation that is made known in and through Christ.

What has been the most challenging transition from your career to being a student, and how have you dealt with that?

I can safely say that I didn’t read this much before coming to seminary!  In my career, many days I would be able to come home and turn my brain off from whatever projects I had going on in order to focus on things at home. Now I am being challenged at school with so many new ideas that I have not encountered before, so it is hard to stop thinking about school. I’ve learned that at some point you just have to force yourself to take a break from schoolwork and tend to the other needs around you and within you.

What do you plan to do after seminary and has it changed since you began seminary? If so, why?

I am currently in the candidacy process working towards ordination as an elder in The United Methodist Church and feel that I am being called to pastoral ministry. Although as I talk to other students and see how many different and unique ways there are to serve, I can’t help but keep an open mind. Over a year ago I would have laughed at the idea of being in seminary, so anything is possible!

Why did you choose Garrett-Evangelical as your seminary?

Being a United Methodist who lives in the area, I knew that I had to at least check out Garrett-Evangelical when looking at seminary options. I came here for an open house with my wife, and as we walked around campus and met other faculty and students we both felt that it was the right choice.

How has Garrett-Evangelical fulfilled or surpassed your expectations as your seminary?

The level of academic quality and personal care shown by the faculty has really surpassed my expectations. Faculty members want to make sure students finish the required coursework, and that what we learn helps to shape our future ministry in a significant way. The passion they have for training future leaders is very evident because that is what they are called to do and not just what they are paid to do.   

What has been your favorite class/biggest revelation during class and why?

Honestly I am not sure if I can narrow it down to just one class. After finishing my first semester, I am realizing that Christ is so many things to so many people. Reading a variety of authors and listening to lectures from different professors, it is amazing to see how different people from different walks of life have interpreted Scripture and tradition by viewing it from the lens of their own unique experience. Every time I think I completely understand something, someone introduces a new interpretation that challenges me. 

What do you do to find Sabbath during the hectic school year and managing family life?

Our VFCL class challenged us to create a Rule of Life to help us try to structure our lives so that we remember to take time for ourselves and with God. Adhering to some of the rules I created is helping me to keep from losing myself in the hustle of everyday life. When life gets really busy, I have learned how to find Sabbath within the activities I am already doing. That way, time I spend with my family also becomes a time of rejuvenation and a communal time with God. 

Do you have any advice for potential students who are considering Garrett-Evangelical for their theological education?

There are a lot of great options out there, but I can say that my experience here at Garrett-Evangelical has truly been an incredibly fruitful one. I would definitely advise visiting Garrett-Evangelical’s campus and speaking with some students and faculty. I have found the mission statement on the Seminary’s website to be very accurate in portraying the character of the school. I feel that when my time here is done, and by the grace of God, I will be a more effective witness wherever I end up. 

The Church as Shelter

The aftermath of the tornado
in Washington, Illinois

Photo credit: State Farm

When you look at Crossroads United Methodist Church’s Facebook page, you instantly get a glimpse of the aftermath of Sunday’s tornado that ripped through the Washington, Illinois areas. Prior to their Sunday morning service, Crossroad UMC had posted a reminder to its parishioners to remember to bring their “Operation Christmas Child Box.”  At 5:17 p.m. they posted, “All church classes are cancelled. We're functioning as a shelter for now.”

Since Sunday, Crossroads UMC has used Facebook as a primary means of communication calling for a variety of donations; announcing school closings and updates from officials; invitations for food to storm refugees; and calls for prayer, lots of prayer. To shift from church to shelter in a matter of hours is no small feat and a reminder that not all first-responders wear a government or hospital issued uniform. 

I met the directing pastor of Crossroads UMC, Rev. Thomas Goodell, in 2012 when he was awarded Garrett-Evangelical’s Distinguished Alum Award.  He is a third generation pastor and a third generation Garrett-Evangelical graduate. He spent most of his growing up years in the Peoria and Dunlap, Illinois, areas.  He is now in his ninth year at Crossroads UMC and in his time there he has overseen the rapid growth of the congregation from 400 members to over 900 members, with an average worship attendance of 800. This, along with numerous other reasons found in the nomination information, is why Garrett-Evangelical was delighted to honor Rev. Goodell in 2012. Rev. Goodell’s response in this time of crises has once again confirmed why indeed he is distinguished. In addition, I am certain Rev. Goodell would insist that I say the entire staff of Crossroads UMC is to be commended for their tireless efforts to serve the community of Washington, Illinois and beyond and indeed he would be right. 

Since Sunday’s storms I have offered up daily, if not hourly, prayers for all of those affected by tornadoes, not just in Washington, but across the Midwest and for those who are still recovering in my home state of Oklahoma. Today, my prayer has turned to one of thanks.  I am grateful for theologically trained pastors like Rev. Goodell who can model Christ, especially in the greatest of crises, for their parishioners, their community, and me.

Shane Nichols

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Director of Communications

To learn more about Crossroads UMC, go to www.crossroads4all.org.
To learn more about Rev. Thomas as Distinguished Alum, go to www.garrett.edu/distinguishedalum

What are you Reading? Part 3

In anticipation of summertime reading, we recently asked our faculty to tell us what they have been reading and the answers may surprise you! Throughout March and April we will be sharing their book recommendations on the seminary's blog.

This week's entry comes from Angela Cowser, Assistant Professor, The Sociology of Religion, and Director, The Center for the Church and the Black Experience (CBE)

Dr. Angela Cowser
Assistant Professor, The Sociology of Religion and Director, The Center for the Church and the Black Experience (CBE)

The book I’ve just finished reading is entitled How the Church Fails Businesspeople (and what can be done about it) by John C. Knapp.  Dr. Knapp is a former president of a corporate communication consulting firm and serves currently as University Professor and founding director of the Frances Marlin Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership at Samford University.

The Problem

In this book, Knapp argues that the church has [through omission] largely failed Christians who struggle daily to live out their faith commitments in the workplace.  After interviewing 230 people nationwide [corporate CEOs and elected officials, barbers and bookkeepers, Catholics and Protestants, male and female] about how they experience work and church, two conclusions emerged:

• Those interviewed had little difficulty recalling ethical challenges encountered in their work lives
• An overwhelming majority of respondents reported that the church had done little or nothing to equip them for faithful living at work.

Knapp argues that church priorities in the US and other Western countries emphasize private faith and shy away from ministries that equip congregants for a robust public faith.  To wit, crucial questions about vocation and money are met, in many churches, with indifference, confusion, or even hostility [Knapp, 2012, xiii].  Believers confront a workplace moral terrain defined mostly by law and economics rather than theology, which leaves people to grapple with an uninspired ethical pragmatism that asks not what is pleasing to God but rather what will make financial gain possible.

The ways in which we dichotomize occupations into sacred and secular means that in congregations, people are presented with a hierarchy of occupations, with clergy and missionaries at the top, social workers, nurses and others in the helping professions in the middle, and the majority of Christians [everybody else] at the bottom.  While the callings of clergy folk are celebrated by the church, postal workers and salespersons’ callings, for example, are not.  Knapp argues that this theology elevates an  ecclesiastical elite while subtly devaluing the rest of the body [Knapp, 27].  Further, theological education typically does not equip students with a perspective on business and economics which in turn means that most pastors fail to more intentionally connect the dots between theology and the public lives of their members [Knapp, 38].

Because of the church’s implicit hierarchy of occupations, Christians are seldom encouraged to think of “secular” work as truly important to God.  And yet, the Reformers remind us that God places great value on work, not necessarily because it yields individual wealth or happiness, but because work (should) nourish life and prevent suffering [2 Thess. 3: 10-11]. For Calvin, work is not merely a means to survival but is a service to God in the ongoing process of creating and ordering the world.

Some Answers

The practical application of Micah 6:8 can powerfully shape individual workplace practice.  To do justice in the workplace, Christians should be challenged “to ask questions about the human impact of their actions as workers, managers, consumers, and owners on their fellows” [Camenisch in Knapp, 103].  To love kindness means to emulate God by intervening on behalf of another, by loving kindness, by raising uncomfortable questions, and by embodying a workplace ethic that is generous, patient, and compassionate.  A humble spirit seeks wisdom and admits shortcomings, welcoming constructive input from others.

Many successful lay-led workplace ministries, born out of frustration with the church and its failure to respond to obvious need, have been created.  For example, Christian-based companies [e.g., Interstate Batteries, Allied Systems Holding, Covenant Transport], BAM-business as mission companies, workplace chaplains, and pastors meeting parishioners at their workplaces to learn more about their daily lives, are examples of a new movement forward.

Knapp ends his book with a powerful story.  In Topeka, Kansas, the Rev. Charles Sheldon [Central Congregational Church] preached a series of sermons that were published in 1896 as a novel [In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?].  What Pastor Sheldon and his congregation did was undertake a 1-year experiment to apply Christ’s teachings to everything they did, especially at work. Sheldon devoted 12 weeks to “practical sociological studies”, spending a week with a homeless person looking for work, attending classes at the community college, visiting the homes of African-Americans, living with railroad workers, and accompanying doctors on their rounds, among many other activities.  Sheldon emerged from his experiences “less inclined to judge men [sic] harshly or hastily.  I find myself constantly putting myself in the other man’s place, and the effect is to quicken my sensitiveness to the man’s actual needs” [Knapp, 148].  Sheldon learned valuable things and conveyed a sincere interest in his parishoners’ whole lives.  His preaching, teaching, and outreach changed, and his congregation grew.

But wait.  The impact of those 12 weeks of learning and accompaniment yielded greatly beyond anything Sheldon could even ask or imagine.  Upon learning that black children were behind their white peers in academic achievement, Sheldon established the first African American kindergarten west of the Mississippi in order to provide early childhood care and better education.  One graduate, Elisha Scott, went on to law school. Scott’s son, Charles Sheldon Scott, became a lawyer, who in 1954, was one of many attorneys who successfully argued the Brown vs. Board of Education case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Knapp ends by arguing that the faith community should foster discernment to understand our situations, to seek God’s will, and to take the best action; promote discourse about the difficult issues of work life; exert influence to bring about positive change on behalf of people harmed or neglected by the system; offer encouragement to beleaguered workers; and be an example of justice, love and humility so that the church itself models responsible workplace and financial practices.

Knapp's excellent scholarship has inspired me to draft a course outline on Radical Discipleship, perhaps create a team-taught course with a Kellogg School of Management professor, and help organize a wide-ranging Christian Vocations Fair here at Garrett-Evangelical.

WANTED: A Challenging and Stretching Experience

Ultimately, I chose Garrett-Evangelical for several reasons. First, Garrett-Evangelical’s reputation preceded it. At least one of my undergraduate classmates pursued graduate study at Garrett-Evangelical and recommended it highly. One of the things I was seeking was a high level of academic rigor, because it is my lifelong dream to pursue doctoral studies. As I have learned from these first few weeks of “introductory” classes, academic rigor is one thing that Garrett-Evangelical has in spades.

More than just academic rigor, though, I was in search of an experience that would stretch me and expose me to different ways of thinking and seeing both God and the world.

You see, before coming to Garrett-Evangelical – in all my studies, which include three different degrees in religion or ministry related areas – I had never had a professor who didn’t look a lot like me. Eight years of Christian theological education from people that looked and talked like me. Don’t get me wrong, those were good years and I cherish the knowledge I gained from them...but I didn’t want more of the same. Instead, I wanted to hear from professors who didn’t look like me or talk like me or share a similar story with me.  Again, Garrett-Evangelical has that in spades.  It is obvious from even a quick look at the website.

Here in my first semester, I have two classes on campus. Both are taught by African American professors. It is challenging and exciting to engage learning from a different perspective, and I am grateful to Garrett-Evangelical for providing me the opportunity to do so.  Moreover, I eagerly anticipate the years to come when more and more such opportunities will present themselves.

When I began searching for a school at which I could complete my Master of Divinity studies, I had two main standards: academic rigor and a multi-cultural learning environment.  Oh, and it had to be close to home. I was concerned initially that I would have to sacrifice one or the other in order to stay close. I needn’t have worried.

Garrett-Evangelical is already proving to be just what I was looking for, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the journey holds.

---

Joe Boggs is a first year, Master of Divinity student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

New Friends, New Insights

Classes have been underway for two weeks now and our students are already reflecting on their classes, chapel sermons, and their journey to seminary. First year, Master of Divinity student, Annie MacNeal, posted her reflections on a sermon by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary's associate professor of church leadership, Rev. Dr. Mark Fowler, on her blog, Journey of Faith: Seminary, titled, "New Friends, New Insights."


Sometimes I sit back and I cannot believe I am actually in seminary...finally! I was sitting by the lake with one of my new closest friends yesterday, reading. I stopped for a minute and looked out onto Lake Michigan, at the city of Chicago, and at the waves crashing onto the shoreline. It took my breath away and I could not believe I was finally at Garrett after all of this time waiting to follow through on God's call for my life.

Today during chapel, the sermon preached by Dr. Mark Fowler made me think about another aspect of God's call that I had not really thought of before. He spoke about Moses and the burning bush and how Moses turned aside to listen to God. Dr. Fowler pointed out however, that this was not the whole story of Moses' call. In the few verses before this, people were broken and crying out for God, so THEN God called Moses to address the needs of these people and minister to them. His sermon went on to talk about how when we were called by God, it was because there were broken people crying out and God knew that we would be the right ones to minister to those people, wherever they are. When I think back to my call from God and my warmed heart experience with God, I knew that I wanted others to feel that same peace, warmth, and love. However, I had never thought about who these people were, what they looked like, where they were located, and what exactly they needed. God knows who they are and God knows that I will be able to minister to them. It is so strange to think about, but it is also so humbling.

Something I am truly thankful for since coming here are the amazing people I met: students, faculty, staff, and others outside Garrett-Evangelical. There were a lot of things I was worried about as I prepared to transition into seminary, but I thank God that God has put these specific people in my life. It might be strange to those of you who know me from other places besides seminary to be hearing how I have all these amazing friends already that I am really close to. I do not really know how to explain it, but I am extremely thankful for the fact that I have close friends. I guess it is a combination of having a strong belief in God, a calling to ministry, passion for the same things (social justice, helping others, ministry, etc), and just appreciation for being at Garrett that brings us all together. I pray that as we move forward on this journey together that our bond as friends becomes even stronger.

P.S. Classes are going really well too! I am not really a history person, but I loved my first history class last night on the early church. Old Testament is fascinating and I will have my first Christian as Citizen class at the Chicago Temple this Thursday night.

Welcome to a New World!

Our newest students are currently in the midst of a three day orientation for Garrett-Evangelical. We are excited to welcome 110 new students to the seminary community this fall semester and have enjoyed getting to know them even more this week.  Current M.Div student Paige Boyer posted reflections from the first day of orientation on her blog, Social Ministry, and titled it "Welcome to a new world!" 

Coming to seminary for me, was a culmination of a long journey of trial, error and starting over. After nearly a decade of working full-time, I decided to quit my job and leave my home town to become a full-time student again. Having been out of the classroom for some time, the start of orientation is extremely exciting. I was looking forward to meeting my new classmates, professors and get to know the campus.

The first day, we had three main themes – Hospitality, Change and Self-Identification. We started the day discussing two short-stories and two books with Seminary president, Dr. Phil Amerson. The first book was on Hospitality and the discussion challenged us to have respectful discourse on what hospitality means for us on this journey, especially about being hospitable to strangers. The discussion veered a bit political, as one might expect in our politically charged age, but I was thrilled to see it be done respectfully. I’m certainly looking forward to many wonderful discussions with my classmates!

After that discussion, we headed off for our first worship service in the Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful with a wonderful message on Change and self-identification from Dr. Barry Bryant, Associate Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies. Using references to Alice in Wonderland,  poetry from a Persian poet and the scripture 1 John 3:1-3 Dr. Bryant reminded us that no matter how we change during our theological studies, we are children of God.

This theme of change continued through discussions with a faculty panel who gave us tips for what seminary education would be like. Some themes they touched on were:

• We will be challenged to re-examine our faith assumptions by learning to think theologically
• Christian education is providing opportunities for transformation to occur
• We will help you become competent in theology so you are able to apply it in a contemporary setting

After lunch, we had some reflection time, where Rev. Karla Kincannon, Director of Field Education and the Vocational Formation and Church Leadership program, invited us to reflect again on who we are and to find, and journal about our self-identification.

After meeting with IT, the Registrar and the library staff, students were given library tours and got student IDs. During this time, we were also given a chance to meet and get to know our classmates, which was honestly, my favorite part of the day. We wrapped up the day with a Barbeque hosted by student council.

With 110 entering students, coming from different parts of the country and world and with varied religious traditions, it will be an exciting time to meet a diverse group of people with common interests. It was a great start to the year and I am thrilled to part of this program!

Seminarian Travel Tales

This summer, a number of our students are traveling across the globe - literally - and blogging about their experiences along the way. Below are snippets of blog posts from two current Garrett-Evangelical students.

Emily is a 3rd year Master of Divinity student who is spending part of her summer in Pietermartizburg, South Africa at Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary. She is attending some classes at the seminary while also serving in ministry in the rural, mountain areas. 

Whitney Simpson is pursuing a Certification in Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical and recently returned from a travel course to Philadelphia with Garrett-Evangelical Professor Dr. Mark Fowler. The course, "Wesleyan Beginnings in America: UM Studies 19th Century," focused on  the beginnings of the Wesleyan movement in the American context and included visiting some key historic churches to the UMC and AME traditions.

---

Still Another Side of South Africa 
By Emily Lutz

Garrett-Evangelical Professor

Dr. Mark Fowler and Emily Lutz after Emily's

collaring ceremony in South Africa.

You can read more about the ceremony here.

(Photo Credit: Nathan Falla)

After spending my first couple of weeks (outside the seminary) in the rural hills and Zulu-speaking Methodist churches in the township area of Edendale outside Pietermaritzburg, I have since seen several other sides of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

I’ve been to the Tala Game Reserve, saw the giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, rhinos, hippos, ostriches and the ever-so-cute warthogs. (Hakuna Matata)

I’ve visited two of the battlefields of the Anglo-Boer and Anglo-Zulu Wars of the late 19th century. I’ve seen mass graves of British soldiers and Zulu warriors. I’ve been reminded of the depth and longevity of the struggle over land here in South Africa, which continues today as a consequence of Apartheid.

(Read More)

---

Simplicity from the Sanctuary

By Whitney Simpson

An area of my life that I’ve been working on in the last few years is simplicity.  I need more simplicity, from my closet to my daily bible study routine and even those nifty tools in the kitchen.  I struggle with falling victim to gadgets and gizmos that claim to make my life easier.   However, when I realize that a new gizmo only requires another washing and space to be stored, I’ve learned that I have fallen prey to missing out on the benefits of simplicity.

There really is a lot to be said for simplicity.  I still struggle with the concept of simplicity, but I see the benefits and am beginning to understand them more clearly.  One thing that really struck me during my trips to these historic churches was the beautiful simplicity of St. George’s Church.  The wooden floors, the simple paned windows and the practicality of the wine-glass pulpit remind me that over the years, the efforts toward simplicity have remained a priority in this building.

(Read More)

Amy Wills Visits Garrett-Evangelical.

It was windy and it was cold during my time in Evanston, Illinois but the feeling I got inside my heart was anything but cold. With a gorgeous campus, a thoughtful, kindhearted staff, and a mission to know God and to help others know God, I was able to get an extensive look into Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

I want to first talk about the lead-up to getting there. I remember meeting Reverend Becky Eberhart, Director of Admissions, during my time at Exploration 2011 and seeing how warm and friendly she and the rest of the staff was. As the months have continued on, I've received letters (which in the Seminary world is extremely common) and emails (also a frequent occurrence) both of which helped keep me up to date about the happenings around Garrett but also about deadlines and such.

Note: So far, all of the seminaries have done this and I have found it so helpful. Yes, even amidst all the other emails I get on a daily basis. I encourage you to let the schools keep you on their mailing lists. It allows you to see what each school values and supports. After all that's what they're there for...to teach you!

The thing I loved most about Garrett before I visited, was that I received not one, not two, but three personal phone calls. Now these weren't just logistical, "let's get you to our school" phone calls. Instead, these were calls that I would receive from someone like a friend that I hadn't talk to in a while; someone who was sincerely interested in my life, my call and so they took 10-20 minutes to talk with me. I really appreciated this.

We were so eager to get to Chicago. (When I say "we," I mean me and my friend Katie. She was lovely enough to accompany me on this trip even though she has followed her own call that will take her to Asbury Seminary in the Fall. Go Katie!)

We ended up getting into town about 4-5 hours earlier than we had planned...what can I say? The coffee must have worked particularly well that morning! Luckily that wasn't a problem and actually turned out to be perfect timing because the 5th Annual Student Theological Conference was going on that day! This event was co-founded by Jason Gill who serves as Garrett's awesome Assistant Director of Admissions (and knowledgeable campus tour guide!). Because of his work, both in the office and with the current student body, we were able to learn about this year's conference theme, "Church & State"- a tricky topic for anyone to openly talk about, let alone a seminary. With eloquence, grace, and tact, Marci A. Hamilton was able to give us an insight into the world of government and church. I am so grateful for that new information.

Speaking of new information, Reverend Karla Kincannon spent part of our morning talking about all of the excellent Field Education and Spiritual Formation opportunities that Garrett has to provide. Every seminarian in the M.Div. program participates in this. During your first year you will deal with the entirety of your calling and what that looks like for your ministry.  Rev. Kincannon gave us an excellent quote that I hope helps you when you think about where and what you are called to do:

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.” ― Frederick Buechner

Both the Field Ed. program and the spiritual formation class and the practices it teachers you, is for you to gain a deep clarity about what God has called you to do, about who He's called you to be. We were reminded of the Hebrew people, about how their calls weren't always crystal clear, that there were times when things were uncertain and vague. Garrett believes in the importance of nurturing our relationship with God and the reflection of the countless possibilities that that relationship opens you up to. That is the purpose these academic and spiritual courses seek to do: remind us and bring us back to where we're meant to be.
 

As with the other schools, we attended a class. Though there were no current students in the class with us, that didn't stop people in the group from pulling out their paper and taking copious notes- or in my case, taking notes for this blog post. Dr. Jim Papandrea distracted me however, from doing my task! With his humor, his knowledge and his evident passion for teaching, he captivated all of our attention with information on the formation of the Christian Bible (not always an easy job I'd imagine). He encouraged asking questions during the lecture, not just after which eased my mind, especially at such an academically profound school. We were told that Garrett is home to one of, if not THE most expansive and helpful libraries of all of the seminaries, which I kind of believe since as a student at the seminary you have full access to the Northwestern libraries, too!

We met Dean Reverend Cynthia Wilson and learned all about what it's like to be a student at Garrett. The students of the school are probably some of the most diverse I've seen so far and because of this, there are several opportunities to get involved with different groups that they have established such as a women's center, centers for Latinos, Black Seminarians, Asian Americans, and couples. This was also the first school that has mentioned having a group for LGBTQ members. As a Garrett student you have the option of three different kinds of worship services throughout the week and a weekly "community lunch" with your fellow classmates and staff.

Next stop was the Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful. Time of worship during these visits have consistently been my favorite part of each school. That time is always such a critical experience to me personally because each service is uniquely it's own. It is it's own representation of God and God's presence in that school. The chapel itself was exquisite. High vaulted ceilings for perfected acoustics, stained glass for eye candy, and chairs gathered together to create community. On the campus tour that Mr. Gill led us on, he spoke of the unique stories the colorful glass tells about the Old and New Testaments; about the influential people that have been forever "set in stone" in the place.

 

To accompany the the beautiful scenery was beautiful music played by a small but mighty crew of three students. They didn't know it, but they played all of my favorites: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, Hosanna, Come Thou Fount. I had goosebumps and chills during the entire service. The sermon was given by a current Masters of Divinity student who blew it out of the water! And the gift of communion, of sharing it with other people on their own separate journeys was something that in that moment, united us.

Afterwards we were able to sit down with students at lunch that shared their experiences with us and opened the floor to any and all questions that we had. This time along with the dinner at The Celtic Knot (students only!) was an excellent time to relax and really get the inside scoop about life as a student. Which helps soften the anxiety-ridden time at least for me when the financial aid and housing parts come along. But take heart, despite the cost of higher education, the staff in the admissions office has plenty of ways to make it possible for you to fulfill your call. Check out Dollars for Scholars and don't ever be afraid to go to your local conference. Remember when I talked about gifts?

We concluded our day with a tour of the Northwestern campus. Like I've said, it is just absolutely breathtaking. From the Gothic towers to the Shakespeare Garden to the shores of Lake Michigan, God is present in that place and as students, you are encouraged to enjoy it!

Evanston is this town that is a little urban, a little hipster, a little classic, a little old fashion. It's a little bit of everything and I find it appropriate that that it is home to Garrett which so reflects that same kind of diversity. One of the women who was visiting that day brought her young teenage son with her. Simeon (I'm pretty sure that's his name- I know it was one of the 12 awesome names of the sons of Jacob) didn't say much. He stuck to his drawings and was politely quiet during our order of events. But when it came time for questions, Simeon's hand shot up in the air with the fervor of curiosity and he ended up asking more questions than the group of 15 or so of us combined. I was in awe of this kids inquisitive mind and his excitement for Garrett. With his question asking and his humble animation, I am thankful for Simeon. He fits right in at Garrett.

Garrett is a place for those thirsty for academic and spiritual knowledge to be filled.

It's a place to be challenged and to grow.

It's a place to rejoice in diversity while learning from it.

Garrett is a wonderful place.