Gammon Theological Seminary

Have you ever watched an episode of Cheers?
Someone walks into the bar and everyone is just so happy that they're there? Smiles, and handshakes, and that strong positive greeting?
Welcome to my visit to Gammon Theological Seminary.




I spent a lot of time talking with Dean, Dr. Albert Mosley after I arrived on campus. He is a vessel for history and information that he loves to share with anyone and everyone- let him teach you! During this time I discovered that the school has a rich history dating way back to the mid-late 1800's. Originally, the seminary took the form as the religion department of Clark University in Atlanta, but later formed it's own institution. Currently Gammon is the United Methodist part of the Interdenominational Theological Center- ITC- which is home to the seminaries of several other different denominations including Baptist, Church of God, Presbyterian, African Methodist Episcopal, and Christian Methodist.


This was so interesting to me!!
We attended the student-organized chapel service which was filled with prayer, scripture and beautiful music and all of the various denominations worshiped together. And while it was different from what I'm used to, I loved it because it painted this beautiful picture of what Christianity could look like. This service let me see God differently and I am so thankful for that.
Even in their classes, these denominations are brought together to learn and to converse about their beliefs. And while, especially in the class that I was able to sit in on, there were strong opinions and disagreements, I still felt as though the students were learning from each other and taking in to consideration a viewpoint different from their own. In these classes, students are encouraged to voice their convictions but also to raise their doubts and to be shameless about it! This school produces proud and faithful "Gammonites," as they like to call themselves :)



Gammon has other opportunities to grow and apply your learning to the outside world. Through The Center for the Study of Religion and Race, you can choose from three different programs focused around different areas of spiritual growth. The one that spoke to me the most was the Racial Justice Institute which works to equip people of the church with tools that will allow them to confront and act upon racial injustice. Check it out- I know I will!

So you're thinking: this is historically an African American institution and you, Amy are...well...not African American.
Of course, I'll give you my response to that:
Initially, I was really apprehensive about visiting Gammon. I knew that my preconceived ideas of what the school itself would be like had somewhat clouded my hopes of the visit. So I had to throw out the rule that I made up for myself that said, "Oh I'd never go here," "There's no place for me here." And I was right to do so because the eight hours I spent on campus were some of the most enjoyable that I have spent in a long time. I learned, I worshiped, I laughed, and I shared- none of which I could have done without breaking down my assumptions and just being present where I was.
In that space, I did not see color; it was impossible to even try. Instead of looking for the differences, it was profoundly easy to see that our common thread was this love for God and for exploring our calls. I didn't feel like a brown person in a sea of black, but instead I just felt like Amy among Clement, Dean Mosely, Derek, Kevin, Tariq, Elyse and countless others. There was that feeling of being accepted despite being different...and that's the key.
You have to know, as I learned, that the Gammon community is open to everyone with a heart for ministry and they will welcome you and your call with great warmth and love.



I relaxed...for the first time in weeks.
I found wise and revered guidance from a new friend.
I learn what a "hush puppy" is...!
And I found another piece of the puzzle that I have been looking for throughout this journey.

This day was a Holy day.
& Gammon is a wonderful place :)

Candler School of Theology

Atlanta in itself is a beautiful place.
There's this perfect balance of suburbia with the beautiful houses, the tree-lined streets that wind up hill and down hill with parks and picket fences; but there's also this great city life where the different parts of town come alive through live music, countless numbers of small businesses in areas like Little Five Points, Midtown, etc. where you can find anything you want to eat, buy or look at all within walking distance. There's the space downtown that holds the CNN headquarters, the famous Atlanta Aquarium and iconic eateries like The Varsity.
And while I have attended all of these places, one of my most favorite places in Atlanta is Emory University, home of the Eagles, and home to Candler School of Theology!



We gathered in the Admissions Office with Candler's Associate Director of Admissions, Kerr Ramsay. He started by explaining the "World of Candler" in one sentence that really encompasses what I feel the school is about. He said this,
"It would be easy to make everything the same, but that's not the point."
What a way to start the day!
We "meeted and greeted" each other and then learned all about the exciting and bold things Candler has to offer it's students.
At Candler, all students take their core classes together. They do this because they feel as though it's important for everyone to be on the same basic page, to build a solid theological foundation before moving forward. Color me impressed!
They also require TWO years of field education working at some kind of community center and then working in a local church setting so that the things students learn in class can be made real by actually doing it.
A couple of the classes described to us really stuck out to me. For instance, Candler requires a World Religion class for the Masters of Divinity degree. They value the importance of the conversations and the growth that happens when those of other cultures and religions take time to understand each other. It's vitally important, especially in this time, that those in ministry are well-rounded, "outside of the West."
Along with these classes, some certificate programs, and a faculty partnership with the Desmond Tutu Center in New York City, Candler presents several dual-degree programs through Emory- one of the perks of being affiliated with a larger University! This could be so helpful if there's a super specific area that someone has been called to and provides an opportunity to further narrow their academic and spiritual focus area.

...Whoa. That was a lot of stuff.

From that meeting we got to choose a class to go to. I have to admit, I was a bit of a follower that morning just because I wasn't feel very confident in my navigation skills (or lack there of) so I joined the majority and went to the Old Testament II class taught by Dr. Joel LeMon (no, not Lemon). I was so glad I did because not only is this one of those core classes that I was talking about earlier that everyone has to take, but I got to play scientist and observe the class to see how the students interacted.
I saw a large majority of them were young adults but make no mistake, there were older folks in the room and they were just as engaged and excited as their other classmates. I saw everyone soaking in information, laughing at the professors jokes, contemplating what all of this means in their own lives and ministries. It was a perfect picture of discernment.
I was sitting there and I started thinking...
As I continue to think about where to go for seminary-which, let's be clear, is still very much up in the air- I actually got worried. And not so much worried about the work load or relocating to a new place or finally having to realize I'm like, a big kid now; but I worry about what seminary will do to the belief system that I've been building for 2+ decades. I wonder if sometimes I let my own beliefs of theology impact the expectations that I have when thinking about the different schools. Then as I thought more about it, I started to realize how much I was doubting the strength of my own stance and my own sentiments about faith.
So if I'm so worried about finding the "right" school with the "right" beliefs, am I really open to the process that seminary is offering regardless of where I end up?
What I saw in the classroom at Candler were students that were trying to figure out what "right," looks like for them and the more I went about my day on campus I found that each student does it differently. But they still cling to their community of seminarians and staff and faculty to support and guide them.

Again...a lot of stuff.

The rest of the day was wonderful.

We went to chapel to experience what their service was like. Spanish, Korean, African Spirituals, traditional hymns- you name it, they did it. It was like being on a Christian Small World ride at Disney. There were moments of meditation and prayer, beautiful solos and harmonious congregational singing. It was probably one of the best parts of that day for me.



Later we were led through the blooming campus, past the Tuesday Farmers Market (yum!) and into the dining hall by two current students to lunch and were able to talk about what it's like for them to be in school at Candler. When asked about the concept of Spiritual Formation, one student said that there's really no formal approach to it, but rather it is experienced through things their chapel services and a supportive staff. She said that the students are the ones who are responsible for their own spiritual formation and that there are plenty of healthy and available opportunites to make that happen, you just have to be open to them.
Afterwards, I attended another class, Theology of Wesley & Methodism with Dr. Rex Matthews. Now talk about interesting! And maybe a little controversial? I liked that a lot.

Meanwhile, back at the Admissions office...
As we wrapped up our visit, Mr. Ramsay was able to give one of the kids in our visitors group, who happened to be an admitted student, an envelope telling him he had just received a full scholarship to Candler! Yay! And not only was this kid really excited, but so was Mr. Ramsay! He said one of the best parts of his job was to tell people that their calling would be possible. Now if that doesn't say something about the school, I don't know what does. I feel like there will be a running trend with all of these admissions directors: the joy of giving people money :)
Moral of the story? Don't ever be afraid to ask these people for the help you need to get to where you feel you should be! They want to help you- they LOVE to do it.


Candler has this way of encouraging their seminarians to grow deeply into this intellectual and spiritual place to which each of them has been called; to further explore the diverse gifts that they have and utilize them for not only the betterment of the United Methodist Church, but also the surrounding Atlanta community and the extensive world.
The people at this school are happy and proud to say that Candler's staff, faculty, and academics are "second to none." And I am blessed to say that I could be a part of that for a day!

Candler is a wonderful place :)

Such a mess.

The hope was that Atlanta would be like this magical space where the uneasiness in my heart and soul would disappear and where my confidence level would begin to rise again. I hoped that it would wipe away everything that was back home. Let's see how that worked out...

The night before my Candler visit, I got a solid 3 hours of sleep. Boo!
And when I got to Emory's campus I was all kinds of turned around. I missed the door to the Admissions Office, lost my parking ticket, couldn't find the elevator. Ahhh!
HOT.MESS.

But when I finally got settled into our Meet & Greet time, one of the first things Candler's Associate Director of Admissions said was, "We do messy here. Messy is OK." I remember smiling and exhaling.
Then I came to Gammon, after spending 4o minutes in traffic and running late.
Same old story.
But through out the entire day, I kept hearing, "we want you," "we claim you," "Come back, you're more than welcome!"
That warmed every inch of my being.

In various moments, Atlanta has done the job I had intended it to: When I'm out eating pizza with my brothers(or tacos or burgers); when I'm trying dominate ATL's death trap...err I mean freeway; or when I'm meeting new & lovely people at these schools.
The visits I've made this week have reminded me that you don't have to be fully put together, have your ducks in a row if you will, in order to be worth something. It's in those "messy" moments that you realize just how much others care and how they understand what it feels like. These are the times that strength emerges and you can grow more fully into the person you were created to be.
And though they're hard times, trying times, there's undeniable beauty in them that sometimes only others can see (and I'm beyond grateful for the one who saw it in me today.)

Embrace that messiness. Use that messiness to fuel your journey forward.
We're ALL messy.
And we're ALL wanted and claimed.

As for the rest of my time in HotLanta, well that's reserved for my brothers :)
I'll be posting about each school later next week, so keep an eye out!

Slow Down.

You know it's gotten to a certain point when it's your dentist who's the one suggesting that you "reduce the stress" in your life and that it would be wise to "take bed rest."
My initial reaction was to just laugh while thinking, Lady, please. If you slow down you die.
To be honest, though, I didn't realize just how much I have had going on until I took ten minutes to sit down to consider why in the world I would need bed rest.
Despite that fact that I kind of live in my car, it's not like I don't see my friends and family, or have fun while I'm with them. I know how important it is to take care of myself and have time to do the things I want to do.
But I'm also constantly reminded about how much needs to be done; that those things have deadlines and that they affect other people- this is also known as responsibility. Blah.
I'm afraid that if I slow down, my motivation to keep pushing forward will cease.

After a conversation with my friend Brittany, I realized just how much stress is both an external and internal thing.
While going, going, going, all day, every day wears on your physical being and makes you drop-dead, drag-out tired, the way that what's going on in your mind affects your being, your soul is just as dramatic. I forget that even when I'm not physically moving, my mind is making up for it.
Even sitting here writing this post my mind is in every direction:
Holy CRAP, it's finals week.
When is that water bill due?
I am soooo nervous for Spring quarter.
Is my family safe?
Dating can be so overrated.
Did I remember to put that kids sippy cup back in the fridge?
I hate this song that's playing.
Am I doing well enough?
I would rather chew glass than go see a doctor!
What's the next step!?

So how do you do it?
How do you take time to regroup, to process but also get everything else in the world done?
Which battles do you choose to fight?
Where is the line between how much you can give before there's no more left?

I'm bound and determined to find that balance- which just adds another thing to my To-Do list, haha!
The balance between being a learning, growing, faithful disciple of Christ and the 21-year old girl that enjoys being with her friends, reading for fun, drinking a glass (or two) of D'Asti Moscato, and saying "to hell with it all! Let's just have FUN!"

I'll be on my way to Atlanta to visit both Candler School of Theology & Gammon Theological Seminary in just one short week. This week serves as my Spring break so while I'll be there for "business," I'll also be spending time with my awesome brothers and hopefully just kicking back and enjoying being in Georgia.
It will be a balanced trip: work & play.