Welcoming a New Semester and a Fresh Start!

It’s been a challenging 18 months with COVID and so much political division and devastation from natural disasters. We have missed gathering in person, and we’ve been a bit weary from limited connections over Zoom. We’ve missed several graduation celebrations, Alternative Spring break trips and engaging in campus life, service and worship! It’s disappointing to say the least, to find ourselves once again dealing with a COVID surge. In addition to serving part-time as the campus minister, I am also a chaplain at Flagstaff Medical Center, which makes me a bit more cautious about COVID than many. We are still #covidcautious at the Campus Ministry Center, with limited in-person connections. Mostly, we’ve been planning activities “on the patio” and drop by to pick up a care package, and starting out with virtual Faith & Life small groups. We hope to be back to in-person Sunday dinners, worship and conversation by October 17th and are planning several fall hikes throughout the semester so we can be safely outdoors. Stay Tuned!

During this past year, In the Shelter, Finding a home in the world by Padraig O Tuama, has been one of my spiritual companions. He speaks about the importance of naming things, and asks, “What is the name for the place where you are now?" He invites us to resist dreaming of where we should be and look around where we are—to find the words to tell the truth of where you are NOW. He urges us to have courage to name “here” for yourself.

Greet the truth—the Here of now. Have the courage to name ‘Here,’ especially in the places we do not wish to be. Padrig advises us to ask ourselves some questions and tell ourselves some truthful answers. Tell the truth to ourselves without the shame. In doing so, he believes we can find space for our own lives and to find words that are both generous and fierce to name our “Here.”

I wonder what name you would give for this past year—for the place where you’ve been w/ all things related to COVID. Is the place for you “bored” or “lonely” or “missing people,” or “needed this break from everything?” What is the name you would give for this time in our country? And, how would you name this time for you—the here and now at NAU as Fall 21 semester gets underway?

The wisdom we find from Padraig O’Tuama’s invitation is that to greet sorrow, loneliness or uncertainty does not mean they will be here tomorrow. Happiness comes too, grief and tiredness, adventure and love, surprise and energy, fulfillment, hope and despair. So, wherever “here” is for you today, embrace it—name it and learn from it. Know that you are not alone. God of love, new beginnings, redemption and friendship accompanies us, abides with us and goes before us. Always. We are “here” too. A campus ministry that is inclusive and welcoming, questioning, believing, wrestling with doubts and contradictions. Through it all, striving to deepen our connections to the mystery of God; to hope and faith and our present moment and the myriad of connections to others and this big, beautiful and complicated world.

I hope we have a chance to connect this fall. I would love to hear Your Story and to learn about and from the place you call Here.

Peace,

Pastor Kathleen

Campus Minister