My Two New Brothers
Well, I just got back in town (Pittsburgh) after spending the weekend out east (Philadelphia). I—along with wife and all four kids—drove out to Bryn Athyn, PA to witness two good friends graduate and then be ordained as priests of the New Church.
Godwin Zatay-Agboga and Ekow Eshun both entered theological school the same year I did. I graduated a year early becuase I took the compressed three-year schedule while they took the standard four-year path. We took the same classes, but not always at the same time. Still, for most of our time at the Academy of the New Church Theological School, we were interacting with each other one way or another.
Both Godwin and Eshun are remarkable men. Each became New Christians by their own paths, in their native Ghana, many years ago. They studied the Word and our religion's theology before coming over to the states for formal training, and in my opinion arrived knowing more about it all than many others who in the past have come into the Theological School after four years at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church. (That's not a strike against the College but a testament to their training in Ghana.)
Anyway, this past Saturday they each graduated, having completed the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program, and on Sunday they were ordained. Not long from now they will both be going back to Ghana to bring New Christianity to all who can benefit from it in their home country.
It was a priviledge and a pleasure to go to school with them, and I am blessed and excited to now call them my brother ministers.
I am also very happy to be home. It's over five hours each direction (almost exactly 300 miles each way), and, while I loved seeing family and friends, as well as the graduation and ordination ceremonies, I am now very worn out and happy to not be sleeping in a strange bed tonight.
Oh, and one other fun part of the trip. My wife and I got to listen to about two thirds of the unabridged audio of The Long Tail. This amazing book has major implications for online (and even traditional) churches that we are exploring as we go through it. Perhaps more on that later. For now, I need to eat dinner. If you don't know about the long tail, here are some links: