Update

A brief update!

Almost two weeks ago I began a three year Master of Arts in Counseling program at Covenant Seminary here in St. Louis. It’s a seminary in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) one of the more conservative Presbyterian groups. My father received his Mdiv from the same seminary over 35 years while he was still a member of the PCA. I’ve been blessed to know several friends from my undergraduate who attend as well as several alumni who are now Eastern Orthodox. The school is known for their counseling program in particular and has provided St. Louis and many other cities with hundreds of gifted counselors. I knew going in that It would be a challenge interacting and engaging with a reformed protestant theology on a daily basis as an Eastern Orthodox believer. However, I truly believe that God has used my time in an Evangelical Presbyterian campus ministry to help prepare me for these next few years as well as my parent’s long history in the same community.

I am very blessed to attend school with many Godly men and women who are all seeking to dedicate their life to serving Christ. The professors have a deep, deep love for their students and for scripture and their pastoral care runs deeply throughout the school. In addition to the school’s foundational theology class I am also taking an Introduction to the New Testament, Intro to Counseling, and Marriage and Family Counseling. This semester I am also auditing a class on “Unholy Matrimony” which looks at various challenges to marriage. Homosexuality has already come up and I and several friends are looking forward to engaging the subject as well as a discussion of singleness with the rest of the (mostly married) class. Another perk of Covenant is its growing community of side-B Christians and the school’s welcoming, graceful and humble approach towards men and women with same-sex attractions.

I am also continuing this year to volunteer as a co-group leader with a local ministry helping to lead a men’s Same-Sex attraction support group. My involvement with the group over the last year has had a deep impact on me and I’m excited to continue learning from their stories and living life along side of them as they work through many difficult questions. It is incredible to think that I as a former member of the group am now able to now offer something back!

So as you might imagine things are pretty busy! In my free time I’m continuing to develop my friendships and community here at school in St. Louis and across the country. I hope to continue to occasionally post on here as well as at Spiritual Friendship and you can always keep up with me on Twitter! Thank you all for your prayers and support and I look forward to continuing this conversation!

In Christ,

Gregg