Advent Labyrinth and Dreams of Deans and Fiber Liturgies

A few items that I want to record so that they don't slip away:

--Because this blog is a repository of ideas that I may or may not use in the future, I wanted to record this picture that a Facebook friend posted; I edited it so that a child is not part of the picture.  It's an Advent labyrinth from an Advent Quiet Day at a local Episcopal church:

It would be a very easy labyrinth to set up, if one had enough greenery--it's a big spiral with candles throughout.

The person who posted the picture talked about this labyrinth in the context of a church that offered an Advent experience in mid-December, with the above labyrinth, and some interactive stations in Sunday School classrooms, like a "praying in color" station, which looked like coloring sheets.

It seems like the kind of idea that has a lot of potential.  But I do wonder if it would work at a smaller place, a country church like the kind where I am now.  December is a busy month after all.

But I wanted to record it.  I wonder if a Spring event has potential.  A Lenten Labyrinth experience?

--Last week I had a vivid dream.  I was pastor of a church, and I had created some sort of weekly worship based around quilting and other fabric arts.  It was a worship service, not a craft time.  

It had a catchy name, like the Mimosa Mass that I created for my idea of a worship service that combines liturgy and an actual brunch.  Unfortunately, I can't remember the catchy name that my dream self came up with.  I want to think it started with an F.

I also don't remember any details about worship.  But I remember that I was having a conversation with fellow pastors and Synod folks about the worship and what a surprise it was that it continued to be so filled with seekers who went on to become members.

--Yesterday, Wesley Theological Seminary, my seminary where I earned my MDiv, announced that Dr. Carla Works would be the new president.  I never took a class with her, but I never heard anything but wonderful things about her teaching.  I had a few brief encounters with her when I lived on campus, back before she was appointed dean.  She became dean in the summer of 2023, and now, in the summer of 2026, she'll be president.

I immediately wondered who would be dean.  Will they hire from within?  Will any of the faculty be interested in this kind of promotion?

My spouse and I had a bit of interesting conversation about being a dean of a seminary, about whether or not I'd say yes if they called and offered me the job.  I am not remotely qualified, so my first thought was no, I wouldn't say yes.  Then I thought about how many people in my work life have been in charge, and they weren't qualified and they didn't realize it or they thought they could rise to the occasion.  Of course, that's hardly a ringing endorsement--so many of those people blundered ahead and hoped for the best, and maybe it would have been a disaster regardless.

I am always happy (SO HAPPY) to be out of administration, so it was intriguing to me to realize that if Wesley called me with an offer, I wouldn't say no right away.