An Invitation to Discernment

Answering God’s call is rarely a straightforward business. While some people feel drawn to ministry or other religious vocations from an early age, most people sense that deeper longing after they’ve already made a life for themselves, pursued careers, formed families. At that point, the prospect of entering seminary can feel daunting—particularly for folks without prior theological education or who have a nontraditional academic background. Other people may want particular skills for preaching, biblical study or church administration to better serve their communities but have no desire to complete a two- or three-year degree. That’s why Garrett Seminary created the Laity Discernment Cohort (LDC), a semester-long opportunity for lay persons to take a deeply-discounted Garrett course and explore their call through conversation with Garrett faculty, staff, and alums. This fall, more than twenty folks chose to deepen their relationship with God and explore how they can better serve an aching world. Their stories reflect an abundance of talent and passion; already many are using the experience as a springboard to follow the divine voice.

Missy Thrasher-Lyon felt a call to ordination in the United Methodist Church, but applying to seminary gave her pause. “I have an atypical track. I don’t have my bachelors, I dropped out of college twice, so as the deadline drew nearer, I was overcome with anxiety about not being able to get the work done,” she explains. “So, this was a great way for me to get a practice semester before enrolling.” A cook by trade, she says it was inspiring to sit in classes with other Garrett students who shared an unorthodox journey to seminary. “Seeing the wide diversity, people who have atypical paths, who enter seminary later in life, that was a big deal,” she reflects. “It was huge to realize there could be space for my life experience, and how directly my calling can employ the gifts God has already given me.”

Bob Neuhaus entered the LDC after a 40-year career in banking and market research. A member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), he accepted a role in the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance national response team, but realized he wanted additional education to support that work. “After a major disaster, I would be part of a small team going in to a community. To be effective in that, I saw Garrett as a way to build up those skills,” he says. “I didn’t come with a specific idea of what I will do with this education, either during the process or after. I have the luxury now to be open—eager to hear different ideas, meet professors, meet alumni, get to know school leadership. The the discernment now is really started.”

LDC participants can choose the class that best suits their interests and schedule. For Thrasher-Lyon, that was a hybrid, asynchronous course on global Christianity in an interfaith world. “I partially chose it because I was working full time and it required the least time off of work,” she says. “But I learned so much about responsible evangelism and it was such a sweet community! It took a minute to ramp up into how much reading and studying needed to be done. Once I found that rhythm, though, it became easier and I was able to use the organizational skills I developed as a cook and see how those translated into a different context.” Neuhaus chose an introduction to Christian ethics and was likewise impressed by the classroom energy. “Many of the students have been acting as ministers for a long time, so I love to learn from them,” he shares. “I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the international student base! It helps keep your mind very open—what you think you might know can change significantly when hearing others’ experiences.”

The LDC also invites participants into discernment about how what they’re learning can be applied to meet the world’s needs. For Thrasher-Lyon, she birthed a program at her Rogers Park church’s thrift shop to help newly transitioning neighbors develop a wardrobe as their bodies change. “It’s a very queer and very trans neighborhood. When my wife and I moved here, I started to hear my friends talk about how they were just wearing their aunt’s hand me downs,” she explains. “I was always led to believe that my social skills and interest in fashion were superficial things, but through the LDC I learned that those things aren’t silly—they’re gifts I can use to be a nexus for community.” Neuhaus is excited for the ways that participating in disaster relief will help him live into his values. “We can sit and criticize the government, but we wind up only talking to people who agree with us, that’s frustrating and not very useful,” he confesses. “People from any faith or political persuasion can be hit by a disaster, providing assistance feels like a constructive calling, one that’s complimentary to education from Garrett.”

At the end of the program, both students chose to enroll in Garrett’s Master of Divinity program, to further the education they started. “It’s deepening my faith and understanding,” Neuhaus reports. “I’m thinking about ethics in a different, broader way and learning to read the Bible more critically.” For Thrasher-Lyon, the flourishing ministry at the United Church of Rogers Park continues and has only deepened conviction in her choice. “God calls us all at different phases,” she reflects. “Restaurants were the right thing for me for a long time, but they aren’t anymore. I’ve been shown this path at a time when I’m equipped to follow. And I’ve found a community in Garrett that’s not just affirming, but celebratory.”

LDC participants are not required to pursue a degree upon completing the program, some choose to take the experience and return to their current life with new skills and understanding. For those who do decide to begin a degree, however, they enter with the coursework they earned while engaging in discernment. “You get credit for the introductory course. So I’ve got one in the bank and am completing my second in the January intensive term,” Neuhaus says with a smile. “In a couple weeks I will have two, so I’m off to the races.”