Kerux: a portfolio of Calvin Theological Seminary - Volume 42.1 - 20 Sept 2007

Setting Out

A Summer Reflection

by Kristin Kuzera, Junior M.Div. Student

Today marks my eighth day of classes at Calvin Theologically Seminary. With this week's unusually cool temperatures, summer already seems long gone. And I find myself immersed in a whole new world, the world of “Calvin Theological Seminary.” For those of you who are middlers or seniors, perhaps a short trip down memory lane will remind you of what it's like to be a new student. I asked around, and these are some of the things first-year students are saying:

As first-year students, we spend a lot of time meeting new people. We spend even more time wondering if they'll like us. We want to find a church where we can belong, though we get caught up in worry about how to avoid the pitfalls of a “church shopping” mentality. Some of us have been working for years now, and we're trying to adjust to the student's lifestyle again. Maybe our families are adjusting along with us. Others of us are simply getting used to the frequency of hearing, “Hey, I really, really, really need $0.50. The coffeemaker only takes change!” And we're learning that things like milk, eggs, furniture and the latest season of “The Office” are all available at one magical, wonderful store called Meijer. More than a few of us are dealing with doubts, or at least lots of questions.

That said, let me describe my particular experience as a first-year student and how I came to be here in the first place. I've been working for the past two years as a writer at a non-denominational mega-church called Mars Hill (Grandville, MI). It was during this time that my passion for the Church grew; however, I found that my passion began to be directed toward the Christian Reformed denomination in particular. I've come to love Reformed theology and I value the accountability of being in a denomination, especially a smaller one like the CRC. I'm in the M.Div. program, and my long-term plan is either to pursue a Ph.D. or ordained ministry. This year, I am working part-time as a Web writer for the Worship office of the CRCNA. I'm also looking forward to my cross-cultural internship this summer, wherever that might take me. I hope to be inspired by my classes and to live out a Rule of Life as we're taught in our Formation For Ministry class. And I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new people and hearing your own stories of how God brought you here.