Chicago

One way to get the most out of half time church work is to take vacations during the week.  That way, instead of using one of my four precious vacation weeks, I only use a day or two even while traveling Monday through Saturday.  This, of course, is all possible because of the frequent 10-12 hour Sunday made possible by the great gifts and trials of youth ministry. 

Anyhow, the point being that I spent last week back in the central time zone with my twin sister, Hannah.  Among ten of the top highlights for the week:

1.  Lake Michigan -  ahh, the wide open view it affords and the big sky that goes along with it.

2.  Oak Park -home of a lesbian Mennonite to UCC couple who shared their home and son and their steak and potatoes meal with us, along with authentic conversation and deep sharing of stories. 

3.  Chicago Theological Seminary  - Hannah's systematic theology class is taught from a liberation perspective, a radical thing in theological education, when most classes teach "systematic theology" and then throw in liberation, feminism, womanist, or queer ideas.  Talk about subverting the dominant paradigm.

4.  Alice Hunt - the esteemed Reverend Doctor, who happened to facilitate my field ed small group at Vanderbilt, who took time to share a table with me at community lunch, who leads the seminary (as the current President) with courage and conviction and the kind of vision that makes me want to send anyone interested in theological education straight to CTS.

5.  Lunch with Megan Ramer - Hannah's pastor at Chicago Community Mennonite Church, and a gifted young leader in Mennonite Church USA as well as a former Seattle Mennonite Church member and attender of a non-Mennonite seminary, Iliff, in Denver. 

6.  The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel (see picture above) - It was a spontaneous trip to the Navy Pier in search of a t-shirt to bring back to Jamie.  It was an even more spontaneous purchase of tickets for the Ferris Wheel.  We had just sat down for our seven minute ride when we remembered our shared fear of heights.  I believe Hannah actually closed her eyes for part of the circular journey. 

7.  Hyde Park Produce - Pink Lady apples for 99 cents a pound.  Need I say more?

8.  Chicago Public Transportation - I found the buses and the L to be easily navigable, clean, and on time.

9.  Racial/ethnic diversity - obvious and apparent wherever we went.  I love hearing the many languages and accents and seeing the many colors and cultures, which varied by neighborhood.  Also of note: segregation by neighborhood, closely tied to race and economics.  The amount of broken glass on the sidewalks increases exponentially as one crosses the road that separates Hyde Park from Woodlawn.

10.  Lindsey - we spent a long and wonderful evening with my old friend from Vanderbilt and Hannah's new friend in Chicago.  For me, this was an evening to know and be known in ways that happen with friendships that last across both time and space.