by the Rev. Britta Meiers Carlson, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor in Practical Theology
The School of Theology’s Beginning Pastoral Spanish II class visited El Jardín in Cowan in late April for an opportunity to use Spanish in a real-world context, connect with the local community, and reflect on their learning from the year. Students ordered their meals in Spanish and had basic conversations with restaurant staff. Over lunch, they discussed strategies for maintaining their language skills during the summer interim. Dr. Meiers Carlson shared insights with students about coursework and contextual education opportunities available through the Hispanic/Latino Ministry Certificate program, sharing recommendations for planning out their degree programs to take advantage of these offerings.
At the heart of the Pastoral Spanish program in the School of Theology is a concern for the spiritual well-being of Spanish-speaking people and their descendants, especially when their lives are touched by ministries in the Episcopal Church. The class outing gave students an opportunity to hear stories and ask pointed questions about the linguistic and cross-cultural challenges of parish ministry as well as accompaniment work with Spanish speakers and immigrant communities. In a surprising coincidence, students witnessed such ministry in action in the parking lot following our meal.
Many thanks to the Center for Teaching. Our experience demonstrates the learning and connection that can happen when a classroom becomes a community over a shared meal.