We are now in Week 2 of the Fall 2 term. This week I want to talk about the growth that happens in seminary even when you can't see it yet. I also want to point you to a tool that lets you see your progress through your degree for yourself.
In this email:
- Student Tip: The Pumpkin Patch
- Program News: The Degree Audit
Student Tip: The Pumpkin Patch
Every year on my birthday weekend, we go out to Gallrein Farms to the pumpkin patch. And every year it's a little bit of the same. We feed some of the animals, go to their little store, take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch, pick out a couple of pumpkins, then hang out a little bit, get some food, and head home. It's always a great time.
But over the years I've noticed it's one of those times when I can see how my son has grown and matured over the past year in some small ways such as just going along picking out the pumpkin himself with no guidance, carrying it back to the hay wagon, and then loading it into the wheelbarrow to pay for it.
Since it's something we only do once a year, you can see the maturity and everything he's learned over the past year from just getting older and stronger. It wasn't that we were training for the pumpkin patch. But as he grows in school and at home and everywhere else, so does our time at the pumpkin patch.
Your time in seminary is oftentimes like this. Not everything you do is going to be immediately applicable, though many times it is. But you may look back in a couple of years and realize that the foundation you're building in seminary has equipped you for all sorts of things in ministry, whether you were thinking about it or not. That theological question a church member asked that would have stumped you a couple of years ago, your classes have equipped you to give a better answer.
Or in that elders or deacons meeting, when you're trying to figure out how to handle a situation, you feel a little more confident in the direction you're going. It can be little things along the way that you can't immediately point back to and say, "Oh, I learned this in seminary." But seminary has a way of shaping you for ministry in all sorts of ways, whether you recognize it or not.
So as you go through this week, and seminary as a whole, remember that even when you can't see the direct application to what you're doing, you're building the foundation to handle whatever comes at you. Each class and each assignment is helping you become a better, more equipped minister of the gospel. So continue on. Do the hard work now and you'll see the payoff sometimes tomorrow, but more often in the years to come.
Program News: The Degree Audit
Did you know you can see your own degree audit anytime? It shows you which courses you've already completed toward your degree and which ones you still need to take.
This is a helpful way to track your progress and make sure the courses you're taking are counting toward your degree the way you expect. It's also a good first step when you're planning your next term, since you can see what's left in your degree plan before you register.
If you have further questions, it's always a good idea to contact an Academic Advisor as well. They're happy to help you figure out your next courses and answer questions about your degree.
Quick Reference of Upcoming Term Dates:
- Current Week: Fall 2, Week 2 (October 12-19)
- Winter Term Begins: November 30, 2026
- Spring 1 Term Begins: February 1, 2027
