CPE has begun. I'm thinking that I'll actually begin to post a lot more here about the day-to-day events. For those of you that don't know, I will be spending my summer at the Samaritan House, which is a residential hospice for AIDS and HIV patients. I will be the staff chaplain for the summer, sponsored by the United Methodist Mission Board and the Pastoral Care Staff at Harris Methodist Hospital in downtown Fort Worth.

Things have been a little slow this week - orientation at the hospital and the Mission Board. The pace should pick up soon, but for now, I'm stuck using the wireless at Barnes and Noble, busying myself with not buying their books, mooching as much as I can.

The great hope for this summer is to simply learn - about death and dying, AIDS, pastoral work, and simply being representative of the Church in the World - major diaconal work, simply without orders.

The other occupation of the summer has been the leading of the youth bible study at St. Laurence. We're covering Galatians, all the way through, a chapter a week, plus a two-week series on the Fruits of the Spirit, which as my Roman Catholic friend pointed out are not affirmation, tolerance, diversity, comfort, wealth, etc. So far, response has been strong, this week should be light, a good lot of them are at Camp Crucis for the week.