Aside from coming down with the flu, in which case my husband kindly told me to stay in bed Saturday night and Sunday morning, Phoebe Academy College went off very well I think, for a CTS first. The events were carefully planned, but some unexpected good things occured during the weekend that managed to make the Academy better than expected.
The classes that the women attended were Church History I with Prof. Bushur, Crisis Pastoral/Diaconal Care with Dr. Shroeder, and Catechetics with Dr. Senkbeil (Dcs. Intern Dorcell Dowdell presented during catechetics, thus giving the PAC women the opportunity to meet another intern and see what we do in the class).
Another highlight that was spontaneously dropped in our laps was an invitation to a student debate on contraception. The format was well done, and the PAC women couldn’t stop talking about how interesting it was to get the chance to hear students amicably debate what is a hot button issue among Christendom. It’s forums like this that I think bring our seminary together in a “meeting of the minds” for the edification of the Church and healthy exchange of ideas.
Saturday morning, President of the CDC- Dcs. Pamela Nielsen and Parish Deaconess, Dcs. Jennifer Phillips, presented to the PAC attendees on their respective vocations and opportunities, highlighting the many queries the women had prior to attending the Academy. The weekend was topped off with a banquet and reception on Saturday night, with guest speaker President Wenthe, and esteemed faculty, staff and student body officers in attendance. I was delighted to hear (from my “sickbed”) that 4 of our women won a drawing for Starbucks gift cards during the banquet festivities-there were only 5 gift cards.
Finally, both Christ Academy and Phoebe Academy attended church in downtown Fort Wayne at historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Sunday morning, received Holy Communion, and returned to the seminary in preparation for their respective departures.
It has been an honor and blessing to have had the opportunity to plan this event, with many peoples’ help, and my hope is that Phoebe Academy College 2008 sets a precedent for future Academies.
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And, might I add, about 1/3 of the women also got sick during the weekend, many at the tail end. They were troopers, although I know it wasn’t easy!
Perhaps for the sake of recruiting future PA/CAC attendants, you should keep this last bit of info on the DL!
About the women getting sick? Well, the flu was going around, and it was out of any of our hands. This is good information for us to consider as we plan for the future, actually! Everything is a learning experience.
Also, the women can and hopefully will speak for themselves on the impact of the Academy, on their understanding of the deaconess vocation and formation, in spite getting ill.
Thanks for the comment though, Aaron!
How many girls attended?
Phoebe Academy was a wonderful experience. I especially enjoyed hearing the deaconesses speak to us, going to classes, and of course, worship multiple times during the day. I hope that Phoebe Academy will continue in years to come.
A baker’s dozen were in attendance, Mary.
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