Kate in Omaha

Why would someone drive across 11 states, leaving behind familiar faces and places, take a leave of absence from seminary after one year, and move to Omaha, Nebraska to live with two complete strangers (both boys by the way)? Maybe because they are a little crazy, maybe because they are seeking God's purpose and yearning for their life, or maybe a little of both. 

My name is Kate Hahn, I am 24 years old, I am an only child from Arlington, VA, where my parents are still living. Halfway through my Junior year of seminary (that is the first year) I decided I needed extended time and space for true discernment as I wrestled with the possibility of a call to the priesthood. In May 2010 I graduated from Randolph-Macon College (R-MC), a small liberal arts school in Ashland, VA. I attended this institution with the help of a pre-ministerial scholarship, The A. Purnell Bailey Scholarship, which required me to attend seminary for one year directly following graduation from R-MC. So, in August 2010 I entered Virginia Theological Seminary as an M.A. student, still discerning a call. 

After returning from a visit to the Holy Land in January 2011 it became clear that I was not ready to accept a call, especially without any type of real, "long term", experience outside of school. And, I quickly began applying to Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) programs hoping to find the answers to my questions, deepen my spiritual life, and learn more about myself through the intentional living model that the ESC offered. In the spring of 2011 God granted my prayer requests as I received a call from Resurrection House, and in September 2011 I gave away a portion of my belongings, and packed up the rest to move to Resurrection House for my year of intentional living.

 

It has been a little over a month since I arrived here and I am beginning to get adjusted and settle into my house community, both my non-profit and parish placements, as well as the larger Omaha community. My parish placement is Church of the Holy Spirit in Bellevue, and my non-profit placement, the Miller Park Elementary after school Community Learning Center (CLC). I am coming to love and cherish my parish placement by the day, the parishioners have welcomed me in with open hearts and arms and Father Tom, the Rector of Church of the Holy Spirit, works to give me exciting a challenging responsibilities, such as a Bible study which I began last week, and the opportunity to give a sermon this upcoming Sunday. At the Miller School I have been working with the third grade class, and we are getting to know one another as I help them with homework and work to be a familiar face within their CLC experience.