The Diaconal Ministry Formation Event is taking place on the campus of Gettysburg Seminary over the next two weeks. The Formation Event is a requirement of all those planning on being rostered as a Diaconal Minister. It is recommended that you attend the event before your first year of seminary. However many attend after their first year of seminary because they are not sure of their calls etc. Hard to believe that I attended the formation event three years ago. It was definetely an eye-opening experience for me. It truly solidified my call to Diaconal Ministry. At the formation event, I made some great friends who have been there for me throughout this journey. I opened up to them about my life experience; sharing about living with a mom who is mentally ill etc. I remember a bunch of us going to DC and just spending the day together. I dont know what it was about the formation event but it was definetely an experience that has put an imprint on my heart. I also remember one night my friends Blaire, Nicole, and I walking out to the Eternal Flame. We just sat there, prayed, listened to each other, and basked in God’s amazing grace. It was a moving experience and there was just something about that night that makes me so thankful for the friends I made at the DMFE 03. It is so cool that many of us are now consecrated diaconal ministers. So I ask you to be with those at the formation event this summer, that they are moved by their experience as well and that they make friendships that will be forever. I know that I sure did and I hope that the candidates this summer can do the same. They just need to let the Spirit move them so I pray and ask you to pray with me that the Spirit moves in them and with them these two weeks as they attend the DMFE 06. And as I think about my DMFE experience and look back at my binder from that week, I have found some interesting things from that week. We did a session in one of our spiritual direction sessions in which we listed things that had happened good or bad that showed us good. I had put things like being told I looked cute, getting a napkin from someone when I needed one, a hand on the shoulder, a nice tight hug. I think so often we lose track of these awesome moments of God’s love. I ask us each to pay more attention to these moments. Can you think of something someone did for you recently that showed the awe-someness of God’s love? And not only that, lets try to bring those moments in other peoples lives. So my challenge to you all is to see how many smiles we can put on peoples faces by leaving a comment on their blog, sending a quick email, making a phone call, writing a letter, etc.