Chicago was beautiful when I was there last week for Meadville's January Convocation. Temperatures in the 50s (in January!) will give way to something rather chillier by the time I return to Chicago at the end of this week, but it was fun to see people strolling by the lake in their shirtsleeves at this time of year. It was also fun and comfortingly familiar to see my classmates again. I look forward to seeing many of them when I return in a few days.
It is odd to be headquartered in downtown Chicago (smack-dab in the middle of the Loop) rather than in Hyde Park. The larger scale of everything is difficult for me to get used to. And, while the city is beautiful, it lacks the charm of some of the little neighborhoods surrounding the University of Chicago.
Having said all that, I am pleased that Meadville has found a home for the next little while. And, while the physical surroundings are very different, the heart of the seminary is still there, beating strong. To be sure, there is a great deal of turbulence surrounding this move and the many other changes that have taken place, but I still can't think of any other school where I'd rather be.
One of the highlights of convocation for me was being in conversation with so many teaching pastors--those ministers who are serving as our mentors and internship hosts. What a terrific bunch of people they are. Our conversations are definitely enriched and expanded as a result of their presence among us. Meadville's practitioner-oriented program really depends on the wisdom and patience of the teaching pastors, and they seem very much up to the task.
