CPE - Wk. 1, et al.

A week ago yesterday, I was in St. Louis to collect the keys to my summer apartment, a studio in a building built in the 1920s as a luxury hotel. It is no longer anywhere near luxurious, but it is in the first block north of Forest Park and is close to Barnes Jewish Hospital, where I am interning as a chaplain in an accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program.

The Westmoreland, 425 Union Blvd., St. Louis MO

5:00 PM, Saturday, May 28, 2011
Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (Roman Catholic)
After I collected my apartment keys and put a box of books into it, I headed down Lindell to start home to Mt. Vernon. But at the corner of Kingshighway, I looked at the clock and saw it was nearing 5:00 PM. Time for Saturday evening mass, and I was just a few blocks from the cathedral. Walter and I had attended concerts in the cathedral, but I had never attended mass there. So I parked and went in.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Photo by Colin Faulkingham (public domain)

The mass was perfunctory, nothing distinguishing it. The homily was conservative and political. And the acoustics made it so the organ drowned out all congregational singing. Even the miked cantor was only barely audible. The reader and the priest, though, not fighting to be heard over the organ were perfectly audible and quite good at pacing their readings to avoid getting muddied in the echo. The experience was an anonymous one. Even passing the peace seemed to avoid connections except with those one came with. People were dressed in jeans and shorts and sandals and minis, with only two suits visible in the entire cathedral. The priest smiled and shook my hand as I left. As I've said before, the acres of mosaics, of which the cathedral congregation are quite proud are of widely varied artistic value. Some of the scenes look like Protestant Sunday School literature's images of New Testament stories that I remember from my childhood. Rather kitschy, really. But other portions of the mosaiced surface is quite high quality.

10:30 AM, Sunday, May 29, 2011
Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship (Unitarian Universalist)
This was my last Sunday until mid-August at my Teaching Congregation. The service focused on the meaning of Memorial Day. My Teaching Pastor, the Rev. Bill Sasso, presided and preached at this service, but because it was my last Sunday there before a summer away pursuing other activities, he asked me to compose and deliver the Prayer of Remembrance and the Closing Blessing/ Benediction.

Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, Carbondale IL

My benediction was as follows:

As we go our separate ways, some of us for a summer apart, some for only a few days, may we live into the values that we share and express to each other when we are together. May we honor those we remember today by fulfilling the best of their promise. While our chalice sits in dark anticipation of the time we come together again, may the light of love for each other and the world shine in our hearts without dimming. Amen and Blessed Be

Memorial Day
I spent the day doing laundry, packing, and moving into the studio apartment in order to be there to begin CPE the next day.

View from my apartment (eastward).
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is the farthest right cluster of buildings.

The panoramic picture, if magnified, shows the Gateway Arch and the cupola of the dome of the Basilica Cathedral of St. Louis, as well as the Federal Court skyscraper in the downtown distance.

Tuesday - Friday, May 31-June 3, 2011
Week one of orientation to Clinical Pastoral Education at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in the Central West End of St. Louis, Missouri.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center, St. Louis MO
Photo by Richard Chole, via US News and World Report - Health

We are a class of five intern chaplains: 2 men, 3 women; 3 in our 50s, 2 in their 20s; 1 gay, 4 not gay; 1 African-American, 4 white, 1 of whom is Jewish; 1 Unitarian Universalist, 1 Reform Jew, 1 Catholic, 1 United Methodist, 1 Baptist/ nondenominational Christian; 2 want to be chaplains, 2 want to minister to congregations, 1 is uncertain yet which path to follow. Our supervisor is a married white male somewhat older than I, ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

So far I have shadowed 4 staff chaplains to observe their styles and the differences between the departments/ floors of the hospital that they serve: a Buddhist/Humanist leader of the Ethical Society and member of a Vietnamese Buddhist temple, with many years experience as a minister in the Assembly of God, Southern Baptist, United Methodist and United Church of Christ denominations, who provides spiritual care for ICU and the Psych wards; a Christian man ordained in the Way of Life Outreach Ministries, with a prior work background in accounting and electrical engineering, who provides spiritual care to the Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neurological ICU floors; a United Church of Christ minister with experience providing spiritual care in other healthcare institutions, who provides spiritual care for Women and Infants floors and Gynecological Oncology; and a nondenominational Christian minister who provides spiritual care in Emergency, Urgent Care, and Trauma, with special expertise serving victims of violence and mass casualties. On Monday I will shadow a Jewish Renewal Rabbi who provides spiritual care in the Oncology department.

In addition to these staff chaplains, spiritual care is provided at Barnes-Jewish Hospital by a mix of men and women, black and white, American, African, Filipino, and Indian, Christian, Jewish, and other, and so on. It is an amazingly diverse group, amazingly amazing, and yet there are no East-Asian chaplains, no Native American, Latino/a, or Middle Eastern chaplains, no Pagan, Muslim, Hindu chaplains. I wonder about the representation of these groups at other American hospitals. But everyone I have encountered here so far has been wonderful. And my colleagues and I have quickly developed what promises to be a good rapport and mutual respect. I know the summer will be very challenging, but I feel comfortable with the instruction and structures of support that are already in place.

7:30 PM, Friday, June 3, 2011
Central Reform Congregation (Reform Jewish)
After Friday at the hospital, I went back to my apartment to rest for a few before walking the four blocks to Central Reform Congregation for Shabbat services. I arrived before anyone else except the person getting the siddurim ready for the service. I was told that the sanctuary was occupied with a wedding rehearsal but that the service that evening was a special one in recognition of a long-time choir member who was moving the next day to Philadelphia.

Central Reform Congregation, Waterman at Kingshighway, St. Louis MO

In addition to the usual sung prayers, there was special music and memories to honor the departing member. She and her husband gave memory-laden homilies. But that was just part of the service. That very day, three people had gone to the mikveh to complete the process of conversion to Judaism. At this service, each gave a teaching on a portion of the day's Torah portion. Each unique in style and insight, they were all quite good! The synagogue service concludes with members saying Kaddish for their loved ones on the anniversary of their death and with blessings for many situations. Among the blessings was a wedding blessing for a couple getting married two days later. The priestly blessing. Then everyone headed out to the entryway for the blessings on the challah and wine to commence the oneg - eating sweets and finger foods and schmoozing together. I had arrived early at 7:00 PM and left earlier than much of the crowd at 10:00. It was a warm and satisfying service.

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Errands to run, then home to Mt. Vernon.

10:00 AM, Sunday, June 5, 2011
Mt. Vernon Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Today, for the first time since January 2 this year, I was able to attend my home congregation. Attendance was sparse. And in the absence of someone signed up to lead the service, it was an Open Readings service.

Mt. Vernon Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Mt. Vernon IL

Angela Czapiewski played some recorded music and led us in a hymn. Walter, Larry Sidwell, and Theresa Rowe read readings from the hymnal. I talked about the Central Reform Congregation's saying Kaddish for deceased loved ones and about the Memorial Day service at Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship last Sunday, then reading the Prayer of Remembrance I had led at that service. Then later, I led the congregation in a reflection on the Principles and Sources embedded in the Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and which member congregations covenant to affirm and promote.

After the service, we shared coffee and cheesecake and fellowship with each other. I will be back at the end of June.

Now...
I have to work on a campus ministry project for my Teaching Congregation, coordinate the Pride Sunday service for my home congregation, check e-mail, finish laundry, read a chapter and various handouts for tommorow's orientation class at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and return to St. Louis to sleep.

By the way, the grant check came from the UUA to fund the campus ministry project at my Teaching Congregation. When they had e-mailed me earlier saying the grant was approved, they told me that we would receive $500.00. The check that came was for $1,500.00! I wondered if it was a mistake, but the accompanying letter also said, $1,500. I think we can deal with that kind of surprise. In gratitude.

Sleep...