Until We Meet Again

I do not know really where to start. I sit staring at this blank document wondering just how I can fully express how I feel as I prepare to embark on the next adventure in my life. As I think about it, I get sad knowing we will not be able to journey together. I realize too we are only a couple hours away and a phone call or text message away, but those first few empty Sunday nights and weekends will be, well, strange. This is going to be a difficult reality to come to terms with as I say goodbye to you.

For three years together we have shared stories and our lives together. We’ve talked about many things, we’ve traveled many places together, making memories and sharing stories all along the way, and it just seemed like yesterday we arrived in Owensboro. Our time together has gone by fast as I sit back and reflect on where we have been. Sunday nights in my life won’t quite be the same as I will no longer head to church at the four o’clock hour, stopping by Starbucks to grab the energy I’ll need for that night, and then prepping and praying in my study as we prepare for a night together.

As difficult as this is going to be for me, I know deep down inside that it will be alright. I know, although my time on Sundays may be spent reading, writing papers, and attending study groups, I know you all will be here, praying, laughing, listening, sharing, and being together. It is hard to imagine a Sunday night without you in it but again, after all that we have been through and all that we have learned, I know you all won’t miss a beat.

I guess then, friends, this is it. This is the tough part, where I say goodbye to you. Where I fight back the tears, look to you with a joyful and hopeful heart, and tell you that I love you, will miss you and will think of you often. When I go, remember those things which you have done together and what your group is all about. Remember that above all it is important to the community that you are there. Remember that the community is not complete without you. Remember that everyone, at one time or another, needs someone to help them along this journey we call life. Remember that at the center needs to be love.

Thus, love one another, welcoming all who walk through those doors who longed to be touched by the living Christ. Welcome them and each other always with open arms and loving spirits. Then when you gather together, break bread and tend to your souls, be still, as often as you can, and be reminded that God is with you. God is always with you.

I hope you have seen Christ alive in our lives and active in our friendships. I have. And, I hope that you will remember to take seriously those times when you have felt God’s presence in your life and continue to fully commit yourself to being a disciple of Christ. Continue, good friends, to do the hard work of the soul as you discover yourself. My hope for you as a community is that you all will find your unique path; the one God has for you. And in the process, you become fully yourself, after all this is salvation. May you always, friends of First Presbyterian Church, be covered in the dust of your Rabbi.

As a faithful, committed community, never forget that your call is to love the Lord with all your heart, your mind, your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. As it is written in the book of Joshua, “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Trust always in God and rely on your brothers and sisters. Lean on each other the way you have done for three years and to those adults who will be there for you. Be Christ to one another.

Good friends, may you continue to let God work in you and through you. If you remain open and willing, God will show you the way, and God will see to it you receive life. What is soon to happen is a good thing. You my friends, will be taken care of well, with little to worry about. As I go, a new youth director will come in, with beautiful gifts and ideas which will take this group to places we’d never thought was possible. Welcome them and show them what an inclusive and loving community looks like.

So remember where we have been together and laugh. Think back to the dance parties on the bus, trips to Loucon and Kum Ba Yah, the many lock-ins, Cracker Barrel Birthday parties, the LOVE discussions, the mission trips, Thursday night Sanctus/bible studies, your friends in the Western Kentucky Presbytery, and smile. Hold on to these and accept it, the past that is, for what it was. Celebrate it and breathe it in. Then grieve it, let it out, recognize the sadness within.

But then friends, let it go. Let go so that you may embrace this new adventure.

Youth of First Presbyterian Church, may you receive from God, as you let go of one legacy and embark on a new one, a new spirit, one for here, now, today.

We will miss you dearly and know always, we love you, but we trust God has greater things ahead for the both of us. Take good care, Youth of First Presbyterian Church. Teresa and I will miss you.

Shalom my friends, shalom.

Adam & Teresa Quine

July 2010 Youth PresbyNotes

The Messiah is With You
There is a story out there about a monastery that had fallen upon hard times and was soon to close its doors. Once a great order, as a result of waves of antimonastic persecution in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the rise of secularism n the nineteenth, all its branch houses were lost and it had become decimated to the extend that there were only five monks left in the decaying mother house: the abbot and four others, all over seventy in age. Clearly, it was a dying order.

On the grounds of the monastery stood an old hermitage where a rabbi would come rest, write, and pray. He visited frequent and upon his last visit the abbot, having been agonizing over the sadness of the monastery closing, he went and sought advice from the rabbi. He asked the rabbi if there was any advice he could share to help save the monastery. The rabbi explained how he too has noticed how the spirit seems to be gone in his synagogues too and the two of them wept together.

After many minutes of embracing one another and crying, the abbot finally said, “It is good for us to have been together but I did not accomplish what I cam here for. Is there any advice for you to give us in an attempt to save the monastery?”

The Rabbi said, “No, I’m sorry. I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you.”

The next few weeks for our youth group is going to be exciting, with a lot of unknowns. Such as….

What will happen when what was once familiar no longer feel this way? What will happen when the ones we love, will be gone? Not gone but not here with us. What will happen when our normal routines, our normal time together doesn’t look, or even feel, like it used to?

What are we to do?

Perhaps we can find truth and comfort in these words,
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another…Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me [Jesus]…I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you…Those who love me, will keep my word, and God will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them…Do not let your hearts be afraid. Do not be troubled…”

As our time draws nearer to an end, as we become aware of the realities of our Seniors Katie and Jill leaving us, we may indeed become frightened, nervous about what will happen next. Yet, what will happen next is unforeseeable, but there are things we know will happen.

We know that we will still have the opportunities to gather together. We will still have the opportunities to break bread together over shared meals on Sundays and we will have the same friends who will be there when we go. Our calendars will still be made, Sunday school will still happen, and you can guarantee Loucon and other events will happen too.

There isn’t that much that won’t happen. Some of us may not be there, but you all will be and this is important. Remember when Jesus had ascended into heaven and the disciples were left alone? Do you remember what they did? They didn’t go to more athletic events, they didn’t go to other places, and they didn’t leave their friends. No they continued what they had done for 3 years. They made sure everyone was accounted for, checking in regularly with each other, and gathering together.

Even when times became extremely unsafe for the disciples, they continued to meet together, celebrating the joys of life, praying through the pains, rejoicing and loving with one another. Even amidst the chaos, they found comfort in each other, their fellow travelers. As they met together, they did those disciplines and practices Jesus gave them: devoting themselves to prayer, to the teachings of the apostles, to the fellowship of one another, and the breaking of bread. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper with each other. They kept meeting, committing themselves to the promises they made to each other.

In so doing, all that was scary, unsure, annoying, hurtful, and even amidst the disorganization, they discovered the face and love of Christ in one another.

“Peace, my own peace I give to you,” Jesus tells the disciples, reminding them that although he is gone, Jesus remains with them. Jesus makes a promise to send his comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will guide them and go along with them wherever they find themselves. Even when Jesus was gone, the disciples continued to learn, continued to rejoice, and continue to discover what it meant to love.

Youth of First Presbyterian Church, what is to come, we are unsure of but find comfort in knowing you have traveled quite a ways with one another. Find hope in the fact that you all are friends, you’ve gone on mission trips, you’ve gone to youth council’s, you’ve gone to Sunday school together, celebrated birthdays at Cracker Barrel, swam at pools, sung songs, and shared life as a community together. You know each other and God, God knows you and loves you.

Jesus said, “Peace be with you.” It was at a party on the beach when the disciples saw the risen Christ. Jesus invited his disciples to come, eat breakfast with him, and he asked Peter, “Do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord; you know that I love you!”

Jesus stands, in this time of uncertainty, asking you…

“Do you love me? If you do, know I am here with you, always. Take comfort in each other and know that when two or three of you gather together in my name, I am there with you.”

As for the story at the beginning of the article…
When the abbot returned to the monastery his fellow monks gathered around him to ask, “Well, what did the rabbi say?”
The abbot replied how he couldn’t help and explained how they read the Torah together, wept and that the only thing he said was, “The Messiah is one of us.”

In the days and weeks and months that followed, the old monk pondered this and wondered whether there was any possible significance to the rabbi’s words. The Messiah is one of us? Could he possibly have meant one of us monks here at the monastery? As the monks further pondered the rabbi’s cryptic message, they went through each monk there as to why each one could be the Messiah.

As they contemplated in this manner, the old monks began to treat each other with extraordinary respect on the off chance that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off, off chance that each monk himself might be the Messiah, they began to treat themselves with extraordinary respect. As people began to visit the monastery and its beautiful campus, people began to notice the extraordinary respect that now began to surround the five monks. What was once a dilapidated monastery became alive with people visiting more and using its facilities to pray, meditate, and gather.

Then it happened that some of the younger men who came to visit the monastery started to talk more and more with the old monks. After a while one asked if he could join them.

Then another.
And another.
And another….

May we, in these coming months, come to better understand the love and peace of Christ, so that in doing, our understanding of how important our community is will be revealed with tenderness and mercy. Then in all of our doings, now and always, may we come to see the face of Christ, the Messiah, in everyone we meet.

After all, the Messiah is with us.

Peace of Christ to you friends.

July 2010 Events and Dates
July 1st—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 4th—(Adam will be out of town) No Youth Group 4th of July
July 6th, 7th & 8th—City Sights/City Lights in Murray, KY
July 8th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 11th—Youth Group 5-8pm
July 15th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 18th—Youth Group 5-8pm
July 22nd—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 25th—Youth Group (Maybe trip somewhere overnight?!?!)
July 29th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm

Happy Birthday To…
Will Shelton on the 7th
Kate Bowley on the 13th
William Free on the 13th
Delaney Hayden on the 14
Happy birthday to all of you!!!

Don't forget this week, July 6th-8th, is City Sights/City Lights in Murray, Kentucky. Make sure you are signed up and registered. It'll be a good time had by all.

Misc. Notes
Attention all junior and senior high students and parents!
Be on the look out for additional information about a Six Flags St. Louis trip, along with another day trip. Also, there will be a meeting held with Jonathan and Leslie and myself to discuss future activities for the youth group.

July 18th—Swim Party and John and Marna Loucks’ home for all students. Her is what the schedule will look like:
• 2-4pm—Kids for Christ-bring snacks to share
• 4-6:30pm—Junior high-bring food to share (Contact Debbie Bowley)
• 6-9pm—Senior high-bring food to share, we will eat with the junior high (contact Debbie Bowley)

July 28th—Trip to Holiday World: Splashin Safari—this event is open to all students 6-12th grade. We will need parents to chaperon and possibly drive. We need at least 15 students to go so we can get a discounted price.

Youth Council Meeting held Friday, August 13th and we’ll be back on August 14th in the evening. All youth who went to the mission trip are encouraged to attend. See Adam for more details.

A Discipline of Service

Jesus did not cure the crowds applying proven ministry techniques. He spoke from his heart, acted out of compassion, and left the results to God.
~Henri Nouwen

We are just days away now from heading out east to Swan Quarter, North Carolina, where we will be spending the week offering assistance and service to fine people of this small town, fishing community. For many months we have prepared for our adventure and have prayed diligently about what it is we will be doing. Along the way we have indulged ourselves in a study of spiritual disciplines—the skills and techniques by which we begin to see the image of God in our heart—which have been assisting us in preparation for our trip. Mission work and works of service are just another puzzle piece to the picture of spiritual disciplines and formation. Thus, our time away, venturing off into a new community is yet another discipline we are picking up.

It is helpful to remember that spiritual formation is the careful attentiveness to the world of God, our master sculptor, as we submit to the gradual chipping away of all that is not of God, until the lion is revealed, until we realize that which lies within. Mission work is a time for us to stretch ourselves, denying our own ambitions, and to offer ourselves on behalf of the gospel to those who are in need of an extra hand. However, we must also be mindful of doing the work of service with an attitude of compassion and genuine charity, knowing we go into these places not ‘better than them’ but as brothers and sisters. We mustn’t go in thinking we can provide everything these people need, for if we do, if we focus our entire energies on the ‘good work’ we are doing, we risk not seeing the good work being done to us through the folks we will be helping. We need to approach each trip, each instance of service with eyes wide open and tongues stilled, with no other expectations other than to love and be loved.

To think of service in regards to scripture, there are numerous stories of what service looks like and how to do it. Yet the image which comes to mind is when Christ, the messiah, the Son of God, gathers his 12 closest friends and begins to do something which makes the disciples, makes me, quite uncomfortable. It is cliché it seems to always bring up this particular scene with Jesus, after all it is everywhere in the Christian world, but how fitting it is, and how simply profound too.

Imagine you are in your living room, with your eleven closets friends awaiting a dinner, awaiting the servant of the house to come and prepare you for dinner. As you wait though, you notice Jesus, remember you are in your house, begin to open cabinets and drawers. You can tell he is looking for something but you are not sure. After a while though, the shuffling and searching stops and in walks the Prince of Peace, half naked with a basin of water a few towels.

Jesus then begins to gather you around the circle and gets down on his knees. Now it is really awkward and you begin to shift around in your seat. How can he do this? This isn’t his job. This is not what he is supposed to be doing. After all, he is the one whom we should serve.

Jesus continues to make his way towards you. You sit, fidgeting almost uncontrollably, knowing what is about to happen and not wanting it to. How can He be washing their feet, our feet…my feet? I don’t like my feet. I don’t like washing my own feet, let a lone someone else after I just got done walking and running everywhere. This is quite uncomfortable. I don’t want it to happen…

But it does happen. You stare into the Christ’s eyes and you see the compassion and the tenderness. You see how much he loves you. You see how he looks past the things which you get hung up on. You sit, goose bumps coming over you, as you feel the cold water drip in between your toes and listen intently to the water making its way back into the basin. You no longer feel alone as you feel the once warm, dry towel being wrapped around your feet and feel at peace with every pat of the towel.

Then Jesus says to us, “I have set you an example that you should to as I have done for you.”

And so we are to go, with kindness in our eyes and tenderness in our heart to be Christ to those we meet. We go listening to what God is saying, to what God is calling us to do, and we go with faith. We go with humility, leaving all self-righteous desires at the door. And we go, joining in ministry with one another; after all we are the body of Christ, called to serve one another. Let us be assured though again of the promise Jesus made, “When I go, I will send my spirit, and my spirit will empower you. All things the Father told me, I’m telling you. All the things I’m doing, you will also do, even greater things than I.” We go being a servant, giving up the right to be in charge, the one who will do great things. We go, longing for God’s presence, being freed and available and vulnerable.

We will do greater things than Jesus. We need to trust in the healing power of God, recognizing the ways we have been healed, and allow the same for all of those we encounter along the way. Great things can only happen though when we are ourselves, aware of the gifts we have and sharing them with one another. This work, this service is not to be done alone, it never has been, nor will it ever be. Thanks be to God we have one another. Thanks be to God our body is made up of many parts. Thanks be to God for community.

So as you make your final preparations, take time to let Jesus wash your feet. Take the time to listen to what God is whispering in your ear. Take time and get familiar with your gifts. As you prepare and as we go, may we never forget what God’s name is, Emmanuel—“God with us!” May we find courage then knowing this, knowing we travel not alone, but with each other. May we find the courage needed to be vulnerable with one another, exposing our wounds in order to bring healing to the wounds of others. May we become for the world, a group of wounded healers.

As we prepare to go, find the places where you are called to serve. Find the places where you can be freed by acts of service which will go unknown. Was the dishes, mow the lawn, read to a loved one, visit a nursing home, or walking the neighbors dog. As you middle high prepare for our trip to Murray for City Sights/City Lights, begin to write down your experiences of service, how you felt before and after. Write down those instances where you felt God’s presence and where you met Christ. Begin to think of this discipline of service and how you can begin with small things to do.

Richard Foster says, “The risen Christ beckons us to the ministry of the towel. Such a ministry, flowing out of the inner recesses of the heart, is life and joy and peace. Perhaps you would like to begin by experimenting with a prayer that several of us use. Begin the day by praying, “Lord Jesus, as it would please you bring me someone today whom I can serve.”

Grace and peace to you.


Calendar

June, July and August 2010 Youth Events

June 2010 Events and Dates
6th—Kirk Night
10thth—Youth Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
12th-19th—Youth Mission Trip—Merritt Thomas providing send off meal
June 13th—Junior High 5-7 pm mini golf golfland drivers needed
June 20th—Junior High Pool Party at the Loukes’ 5-8pm bring friends (5th-8th)
June 24th—Youth Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
June 27th—Senior High Pool Party at the Loukes’ 5-8pm
June 28th-July 2nd—Vacation Bible School

July 2010 Events and Dates
July 1st—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 4th—(Adam will be out of town) No Youth Group 4th of July
July 6th, 7th & 8th—City Sights/City Lights in Murray, KY
July 8th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 11th—Youth Group 5-8pm
July 15th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 18th—Youth Group 5-8pm
July 22nd—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
July 25th—Youth Group (Maybe trip somewhere overnight?!?!)
July 29th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm

August Events and Dates
August 1st—Youth Group 5-8pm
August 5th—Youth Group Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
August 8th—Youth Group (off campus trip somewhere????)
August 12th—Youth Bible Study/Sanctus 6:30-8pm
August 13th—Youth Council TBA
August 14th—Youth Council/Presbytery
August 15th—Adam’s last Sunday!!!—Youth Sunday potentially?

Things to take not of:
• In July we usually take a trip to Holiday World on the 28th
• Parents who are interested in what happens next, we are in need of a meeting with Jonathan the week of VBS, it is important you give me a good date which will work for you
• I would like to make a Six Flag Trip happen or some longer weekend stay adventure for our groups (this could even take place of the holiday world trip)
• There will be lots of miscellaneous things to happen to—lunches, etc.
• Would like 1 more lock-in before we go too

Nature Disciplines

with spring being here, it is easier for us to get outside and to enjoy the beautiful weather, when it is not raining at least. to get up, to head outside, to breathe in the fresh morning air, to be warmed by the warm sunshine, and to stretch our legs on a nice walk.

or if you are not a morning person, it is nice to come home after school in the spring, eat dinner, do homework, and right before the sun makes its final appearance, head outside for a nice long walk. there is just something about being outside in the spring.

is it because maybe after 4-5 long months of cold, snowy and icy weather, we can finally go outside without a jacket on? or could it be that after many months of plants lying dormant, things are beginning to bloom? we walk outside and we smell the honeysuckle, we see the purples and pinks, and now even, a little yellow, as flowers and dandelions begin to bloom.

personally, one aspect of being outside i enjoy in the spring is how one man's garbage can be a...

baby rabbit?

the other day i was on my daily walk with silas when i noticed something off to the right creeping ever so slowly as silas and i approached. at first i didn't think anything of it but with each step i began to get a better look at what i thought was a leaf or a piece of old paper. once silas and i got up to this brown and gray object, i realized that what i thought was a piece of garbage/debris, was actually a baby rabbit sitting all alone in the sun, soaking it up. luckily i noticed it before silas did and we slipped on by without disturbing the little fellow.

as we continued to walk i thought about how wonderful it is to see new life all around us: in the baby birds chirping from the robin's nest, to the little plants in my neighbors garden stretching ever so tall to the sun, life is all around us. had i just assumed it was what i thought it was, i would not have had the revelation of god's goodness coming to us in creation.

this sunday it will be pentecost, the day the holy spirit was poured out upon the church, but until then, we are still in easter, having just worshiped on the 7th sunday of easter. we continue to acknowledge the resurrection of jesus christ from the tomb 2,ooo+ years ago, and the way we encounter the resurrected one today. isn't it fitting how the liturgical year compliments the seasons which accompany it? especially in the spring, we can be reminded of just how much we are connected to nature and all of the other creatures around us.

imagine this for a moment: that indeed we are connected to all creation. that everything you did outside, all the products you used, all the choices you made in fact does affect creation and its inhabitants. would how you go about your everyday be changed? when you walked outside and saw the flock of geese flying overhead in the late autumn months, would you stop and gaze a little longer, being inspired by their honking as they fly over? or the community of ants working ever so hard to get the things they need in order for their community to survive, would you stop and give thanks for the ways we benefit from their diligence?

as we begin to add to our repertoire of spiritual disciplines and as we continue to do the difficult task of tending to God's presence within us, thomas merton says we will begin to see the holiness in the world around us. seeing in this way has power, because we no longer encounter the world only as a physical reality but a revelation of love. "such seeing has the power to transfigure the world and, at the same time, deepen our respect for nature.' we seek harmony with the universe rather than domination, and we walk with a sense that the ground underfoot is truly holy.

much can be discovered in nature: not only about god but ourselves too. merton goes on to suggest that if we open our hearts to the fact that we are part of nature and called to kinship with all, we will begin to see the transformation which awaits us in all of the created order. "one of the most important--and most neglected--elements in the beginnings of the interior life is the ability to respond to reality, to see the value and the beauty in ordinary things, to come alive to the splendor that is all around us in the creatures of God."

to come alive to the splendor that is all around us in the creatures of god....

what more does god want for us than for god's children to be completely themselves and to come alive. perhaps then, we can learn how to do this by taking notice of birds of the sky, the fish in the water, the flowers of the fields, and the roots of a tall oak tree. in doing so, in our attempts to see the presence of god in the mundane, ordinary things of life, perhaps we will encounter paradise, heaven if you will. if we have god dwelling with us, making our souls god's paradise, then the world around us can also become for us what is was meant to be for the first of the garden--god's paradise.

i encourage you then, this weekend, to go outside, take a pen and journal with you, and sit, listen, watch what is going on around you. in the stillness that his nature, listen for the still, small voice whispering in the depths of your being and take note. as you do, maybe you will be reminded of who you are and become fully alive with all creation.

Spiritual Seeing

On an iPhone you can get/buy "app's", which are media resources for your phone. You can get game apps, you can get sports apps, you can get weather apps, you can get dating tip apps, you can get social networking apps, you can get twitter apps, and you can get...

news apps.

What I have come to experience with these apps is that they can get you what you need to know in a hurry. You get onto the facebook app and the next thing you know, you're updating your status about how you just got done going through a McDonald's drive through while speaking entirely in an English accent.

Or...

You can get up to date notifications on how UK lost in the NCAA tournament, having yet another let down of a season.

Or...

You can get updates from the certain news app you recently downloaded, letting you know all of that is happening in the world of politics, US news, World News, and Entertainment.

These handy, easy to access apps have many benefits and have had an impact on our society and the way we view media and news.

Yet I've noticed something else too.

I have an app for a particular news channel and I have my settings set up so that when 'breaking news' happens I would get an alert, letting me know, just minutes after 'it' happens, what just happened. It is great too. I was one of the first to know when many events occurred.
But here is what I've noticed....

Most of the time, most of the dings I get when I get an update, most of the 'breaking news' is nothing but...

bad

news.

Death toll is up to ____

So and so said this about so and so.

Plane crashes....

River floods....

Volcano erupts...

Terrorist plot....

You get the point.

Too often all we get is bad news. When you turn on the TV, what do you see? Floating heads, accusing someone of saying something and then on the other channels you have so and so saying they never said anything like that. You have one station too ____ and another station to _____.

All of the bad news being reported about makes me wonder, is there any good news out there? Are there any good things happening to people? Are there any good people out there providing hope to those who are hopeless?

It is quite understandable then when we hear people ask...

Where is God...

amidst these floods, bombs, earthquakes, killing of animals and oil spills, death threats, and political mumble-jumble?

God, if you are real, where are you then? Show us a sign. Show us you are with us.

Let's be honest though, what we are really asking , what we really are projecting, is our own fears, anxieties, frustrations and doubts. We join our voice to the cacophony of negative voices that surround us and we get caught up on 'just how bad things really are.'

Again I can't help but to ask, are they really that bad?

Or is it, we focus too much on the negative and spend too little of time acknowledging those good things that are happening in our lives, the good work that is being don, the good news that is coming to us in different ways?

I understand and realize too there are times when we need to express our frustration. There are times when we need to express our anger. There are times when we need to express how upset we are with the way things have turned out. For if we don't, we aren't being honest to ourselves and we begin to hide behind a facade of 'religious and spiritual' nonsense, stripping us of any authentic voices we may add to the community at large. Suppressing any emotion, both positive and negative, can have a lasting and harmful affect.

What to do then? Where does one begin?

This is what is exciting about what we will be doing this Sunday. As we load up in vehicles and as we grab our camera's, we are going to make time to look for the good in our community. Our exercise is to drive around the city...

looking for those places where we know Christ is present...

and...

go to those places where we would least expect to meet the risen Christ.

Henri Nouwen says, "Spiritual disciplines are the skills and techniques by which we begin to see the image of God in our heart. Spiritual formation is the careful attentiveness to the work of God, our master sculptor, as we submit to the gradual chipping away of all that is not of God, until the inner lion is revealed (referring to a marble artist carving a lion of a marble stone, freeing the lion from within)."

I mention this to remind us of the discipline of holy listening...

and watching.

Living a spiritual life is far from easy. Being attentive to God in our lives, amidst our busy schedules, bad news reports, and all the other distractions which get in the way, is difficult. Yet, being formed in God's likeness involves the struggle to move from absurd living to obedient listening, Nouwen would say. Absurd includes the word sardus, which means 'deaf'. Absurd living is a way of life in which we remain deaf to the voice that speaks to us in our silence. Nouwen also said, "It seems that the noisy, busy world conspire against our hearing that voice and tries to make us absolutely deaf. It therefore is not surprising that we often wonder, in the midst of our very occupied and preoccupied lives, if anything is truly happening."

Replace 'deaf' with 'blind' and this is where we find ourselves, looking and seeing God in a different way.

Prayerfully seeing God in our lives, in our community, in our nation, and in our world.

Being able to embrace the good in our lives, see it, and maybe even embodying it, our attentiveness can grow too. Growing in faith requires a growing attentiveness to perceive where God is active and to where we are being led.

This Sunday, and for the remainder of this study, we shall ask:

Where is God active in my life or community right now?

This Sunday, we go out into the community, we go out into the city and ask:

Where is God active in the community of Owensboro, Kentucky?

May it be then, as we begin our journey down the way of spiritual disciplines, that we will create the spaces in our lives for God to reveal God's self to us in a variety of ways. And in doing so, may we recognize God's claim on us, and may our eyes open, and may we begin to see what God has already been at work doing, even when, while, and during, those times when we asked, "Where are you God?"

See you Sunday!

May 2010 Youth PresbyNotes

Finding Our Way Again
May 2010
Youth Ministry of FPC

Growing up, I lived on 15 acres of land. Mostly open fields and about 5-6 acres of timber. Before our neighborhood became the ‘place to be’, my parent’s property was surrounded by cornfields and more timber. Now though, if you were to go to their house, you’d think I was lying. Some of my fondest memories growing up as a child are those spent exploring with my 3 older brothers in those woods. I was told when we first moved out to the country not to go into the woods by myself because I could get lost. What was funny though was that our acreage of timber was small enough that if I entered one way, kept going forward, I’d exit the other side and know exactly where I was. With all the freedom that comes with being a child with lots of land, I knew that land like the back of my hand.

Or so I thought…

One evening in October, as the sun was going down, I happened to look out my window and see a deer in our field. Me being the young tracker I was, or wanting to write my own version of My Side of the Mountain, I went tracking the deer. Little did I realize though how dark those woods I’d explore a hundred times got even with the sun still barely poking up over the trees. After a few hundred feet in my pursuit of the deer, I’d realized I couldn’t tell where I was anymore. I was lost in a familiar place.

While I was in the woods, I felt my heart rate go up, the adrenaline began to overwhelm my body, and I shook a little bit, even though I was in my woods, I couldn’t figure out which way to go.

What was I going to do? I’ve been here so many times before yet it wasn’t what I’d though it’d be.

Until I saw it, the biggest tree in the woods we named the ‘T-Rex’. Immediately I sprinted over to the tree, my clothes getting caught on the thorn bushes as I ran by, and sounding like a herd of elephants, I hugged the tree and used it to keep myself up as I caught my breath. Then, I began to head in the direction of my house, indicated by a mark on the tree, and finally with the last fading light from the sun, I was out. Pretty scary moment in such a familiar place.

Had it not been for the tree, something to guide me, a sign along the trail, who knows what could have happened.

Perhaps this then is where we find ourselves journeying together in these next few months. We’ve established and are continuing to learn about the importance of community and what it means to love on another. Now we will explore how our community can be transformed by looking forward by exploring a path, trail, of love and practicing it. Being a traveler along the way of Jesus, with our fellow journeymen, is not a momentary incident. No it is a journey, a process, it is a way of life which can be learned and strengthened through a wide variety of practices which have been developed by Christians across the centuries and across traditions. In other words, in times when we may have lost our way, there are different practices and disciplines we can return to, ones which have been a part of the church for centuries, to aid us, to be that sign of hope, in our journey towards our faith in God.

As a community travels together and begins to come head on with life circumstances, it is important to be able to see what we have learned and can learn from both the good and the bad, as a community and as individuals. Instead of being a people of, "Why did this happen God?” we will be transformed into a people who ask, "Where is God in the midst of all this?"

It is our hope then, as we begin this new journey as a community together exploring spiritual disciplines and practices, we will allow our faith to not simply be something we 'do' on Sunday's only, but will set it free and become for us a transforming way of life. As a community, we will begin our 3rd part of our journey to better shape our lives together, learning, practicing, and exercising disciplines which will shape our lives and help us see the sacredness in the normalcy of everyday living.

We will explore the ancient ways that can teach us to practice peace, joy, self-mastery, and justice. The old disciplines--fasting, contemplative prayer, and simplicity, observing the holy days--do for our souls what exercise does for our bodies or study does for our minds. Our youth group and our upper room then will be transformed into a people and place of sincere spiritual formation.

It'll begin this Sunday after dinner, in the upper youth room where you will receive your 'gear' which will provide good assistance to you as we explore the spiritual disciplines.

Happy Birthday to...
03--Meredith Coomes
22--Katie Duncan
27--Tori Gossett

Youth News – upcoming events, May 2010

We had a short meeting on Sunday, April 25th, at the church wide meeting. This is a letter to inform you of upcoming events in the life of our youth ministry. Please take a few minutes to read through this information, and mark the dates on your calendar. Also, every Sunday, please check the board outside Adam’s office for any additions/changes. Thanks.

a) Thanks to all who helped with, and donated to the breakfast on Sunday 25th, it was a great fundraiser and we made about $250 to help defray costs for the mission trip.
b) The kids attending the Mission trip went to a team building event in Princeton on 25th April, meeting with other youth that are also going. It was a great event, well worth our time, with the students hanging out and getting to know the other people going with them to do God’s work.
c) The “fast that lasts” had to be postponed because of conflicting schedules. This will be rescheduled at a later date.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Bible Study dates in May: 6th, 20th and 27th, 6.30pm-8pm. NO STUDY ON 13th.

2nd May : 5-7pm Youth group, Junior High, 5-8pm Senior High

9th May : No Youth Group for Mother’s Day, spend quality time with your wonderful Moms!

15th May : Car Boot Sale. Encourage your friends and family to come and support our sale out of our cars. The cars that are selling stuff will be parked in the lower parking lot. The kids working it will need to be here at 6am to help with set-up and parking, and then work for as long as they can. All who attend will have money added to their account for the mission trips, or other youth group events. CANCELLED IF RAIN.

16th May : Youth Group 5-8pm for all. DESTINATION UNKNOWN. We are in desperate need of parents to be drivers for this event – please contact Adam or Debbie asap if you can help with this event. If we do not get enough parents to help with this we may not be able to do this.

21st May : Presbytery Youth Council meeting. This will be hosted by us, an overnight here with kids from other churches in the Presbytery, from 6pm until 11am on Saturday. Contact Carla if you can help with providing a simple breakfast.

22nd May : Senior Banquet for Katie and Jill. All other youth need to be here at 5pm.

23rd May : Spring picnic for all youth and families at Panther Creek – 4 – 7.30pm. Please see below for RSVP form.

30th May : Drive-in movie night for senior high. * this is dependent on availability of appropriate movies. If none are available, this will be held at the church.

June dates : Mission trip, June 12th-19th. VBS June 28th – July 2nd

July dates : City sights City Lights, entering 6th grade through exiting 8th grade students. More info later.



RSVP FOR Panther Creek family afternoon 5.23.10

Family attending_____________________________ Number of family members attending____________


Will bring: Hot dogs_______ Hamburgers________ Buns________ Dessert_________ Fruit________

Chips________ Drinks_______ Plates and cups ________

Spiritual Disciplines Sunday

As a community travels together and begins to come head on with life circumstances, it is important to be able to be able to see what we have learned and can learn from both the good and the bad, as a community and as individuals. Instead of being a people of, "Why did this happen God?” we will be transformed into a people who ask, "Where is God in the midst of all this?"

It is our hope then, as we begin this new journey as a community together exploring spiritual disciplines and practices, we will allow our faith to not simply be something we 'do' on Sunday's only, but will set it free and become for us a transforming way of life. As a community, we will begin our 3rd part of our journey to better shape our lives together, learning, practicing, and exercising disciplines which will shape our lives and help us see the sacredness in the normalcy of everyday living.

We will explore the ancient ways that can teach us to practice peace, joy, self-mastery, and justice. The old disciplines--fasting, contemplative prayer, and simplicity, observing the holy days--do for our souls what exercise does for our bodies or study does for our minds. Our youth group and our upper room then will be transformed into a people and place of sincere spiritual formation.

It'll begin this Sunday after dinner, in the upper youth room where you will receive your 'gear' which will provide good assistance to you as we explore the spiritual disciplines.

On Thursday nights for Sanctus, we will continue in our study of disciplines and begin to practice them as well as study a book, An Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Book is $5 a person.

Sunday Night we will gather from 5-7pm jr&sr high. sr. high 7-8pm.

Peace to you t his week.

24 Hour Fast 2010

Amma Syncletica once said, "Just as the most bitter medicine drive out poisonous creatures so prayer joined to fasting drives evil thoughts away."

John Calvin, our church father, once said, "whenever men are to pray to God concerning any great matter, it would be expedient to appoint fasting along with prayer. Their sole purpose in this kind of fasting is to render themselves more eager and unencumbered for prayer...with a full stomach our mind is not so lifted up to God."

This Friday night and Saturday morning, we will be participating in our annual 24 hour fast, which begins 1pm on Friday and concludes 1pm on Saturday.

Here are the specifics:

Be at the church Friday night @ 5pm where we will help out our CDO program and an event they are offering until 7pm.

7pm-7:15pm we will have a water break

7:30pm we will have some time for worship

8pm we will watch a movie

10:30pm we will have compline prayer

12am bedtime/lights out

Saturday we will have morning prayer @ 8:30am

We will wake up and head out collecting canned goods from the neighborhood @ 9am

10am we will head to Boulware to drop off the canned goods

10:30am we will study hunger in the world

1pm we will break our fast with communion and a lunch

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me. This is for 8th-12th grade.

The Art of the Mask

About 16 years ago, a movie came out that was, well, quite ridiculous. It starred a rising hot actor Jim Carrey and an unknown at the time rising actress Cameron Diaz.

From zero to hero, is a tag line from the movie's trailer.

The synopsis of the movie is this: ordinary man, who can't say no, who works hard, to never catches a break, finds a mas, in a river, and when he puts it on, this ordinary man, suddenly becomes and entirely different person, a superhero type person.

Honestly, this movie is quite obnoxious for is predictable and there isn't much depth to the humor. However, it was one of the movies which launched Jim Carrey's comical career. Oh where would we be with out the Mask?

Stanley Ipkiss is the man Carrey plays who has become discontented with is life and how nothing seems to work out for him. Perhaps he is a little reserved and not as assertive as he should be, but he tries to be nice to everyone he meets. He lives alone and his closest companion is a dog. The fact of the matter is, Stanley Ipkiss isn't much of a social person and no one would consider him to a social butterfly....

Until he finds the mask.

This wooden, green colored mask, Ipkiss finds in the river has these miraculous powers which transforms him into somebody...something else. This once quiet, respectful, reserved banker, soon becomes an arrogant, out of control, thing who is inconsiderate and disrespectful to all of those around him. Not only does his face change from normal to bright green, but his entire persona changes--his personality and everything. This mask, this thing Ipkiss puts his face in to hide his anxiety and fear, turns him into someone, more like something, who is nothing like who he really is. This mask deceives those who know him and it even begins to mislead Ipkiss himself.

All because Ipkiss didn't want to wrestle with the realities of his life.

Ipkiss didn't know how to wrestle with these realities.

Ipkiss compared himself to those around him and wasn't pleased with who he was.

So he got this mask.

Became an entirely different person.

Began to hurt those around him.

Finally, someone had the courage to tell him, you don't need the mask in order to be loved...

In the end, all we really want is to be ourselves.

Free from masks.

Free from expectations.

Free from stereotypes.

Free from prejudices.

Free from the labels people put on us.

Free to be ourselves.

This Sunday we will complete our masks by reflecting and doing the difficult task of self-exploration and listening to what Thomas Merton calls the inner voice within. Too often we only see ourselves by the way others see us. Literally speaking here: who we are is defined by which sport we play, which car we drive, which group of people we hang out with, which brand of clothes we wear, which movies we like, and this list is endless. We put too much emphasis on the exterior of our lives and give too many people too much power over us.

It is our hope then as we begin to listen to the still small voice and become aware of our own poverty within, we will begin to rediscover those things which make us who we are and become rich in hope and peace. Instead of searching for ourselves in the 'doings' of our lives, we want to be found in the 'beings' of our days.

Thomas Merton says, "We are warmed by fire, not by the smoke of the fire. We are carried over the sea by a ship, not by the wake of the ship. So too, what we are is to be sought in the invisible depths of our own being, not in our outward reflection in our own acts. We must find our real selves not in the froth stirred up by the impact of our being upon the beings around us, but in our own soul which is the principle of our acts."

Come then Sunday night as we continue to walk with Christ, holding ourselves up to his mirror and seeing how we have conformed ourselves to the likeness of Christ. Come ready to wrestle, to explore, to pray, to contemplate, and to the difficult task of being ourselves and not being anyone else. Come ready to contemplate why we wear our masks and who tells us to wear them. Come with the good expectations that in the end, we will see who we really are, a child of God, who is in God, who is in us.

Peace to you all.

Food Drive Results

Food Drive Results
In an age when over 1.2 billion people live on a dollar or less a day and during a time when 30,000 children die everyday of hunger, the children and youth of First Presbyterian Church decided to do something about it. In an attempt to bring an awareness of hunger not only in the world but also in the community of Owensboro/Daviess County, our students extended a one day fund raising/awareness event into an entire month long food drive. After making signs, coming up with clever jingles, and discussing hunger, the Kids for Christ, Junior high, and senior high youth began the food drive known as “Souper Bowl of Caring” on Super Bowl Sunday and ended on the 28th of February. Here is what we came up with:

Kids for Christ raised—81.0 pounds of food
Junior High raised—86.8 pounds of food
Senior High raised—46.0 pounds of food

When we began our food drive, we set a goal of raising 100 pounds of canned goods. We went far and above this goal with 213.8 pounds of food raised!

On behalf of the Kids for Christ ministry, Junior high and high school youth group, I want to thank you, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church, for joining with us in assisting in the steps towards ending hunger in our community. We have gathered up the food and put it in the grocery cart, which is parked outside the chapel, and the food will be taken to the H.E.L.P Office. In addition to our 213.8 pounds of food raised, we also raised over $75 which will be donated to the Backpack Ministry.

May we as a church, continue with our compassionate giving in aiding the poor by finding ways to contribute to the need of ending hunger in the community. Perhaps every time you come to the church, whether it be for Morning Prayer, Wednesday book study, choir practices, Circle meetings, or when you come to church on Sundays, you could bring a canned good or drop in some of that loose change you keep in order to by that over priced coffee or soda, and drop it in the money boxes which can be found at the Clinton place entrance and the Griffith avenue entrance.

As a Eucharistic practicing people, may we continue to give to those in our community and the world with our generous hearts and contributions.

Thank you again!

A Community of Fighters Post 1

"No, I do not agree with you. I think what you have to say is completely irrelevant and disconcerting."

About this time, you can feel it, can't you?

You begin to breathe a little heavier.
You notice your heart rate pick up.
Your hands maybe even become sweaty.
You try to speak, and your tongue is heavy and numb.
You feel the steam boiling up within....

The air gets 'thicker'.
You begin to get uncomfortable.
You squirm in your seat.
You might even crack a joke, with hopes it eases the tension...

No one understands you.
You speak up, you voice your opinions, and still, on one 'gets you'.
We know your intentions mean well and their is truth in what you say.
You didn't mean for this to happen...

Perhaps one of the most uncomfortable positions to be in is one where conflict is present.

But why? Why is it when people disagree on something, we become...

Taken aback, feeling as if we are being attacked...
or
Awkward position, so we avoid addressing it by joking with hopes that if we ignore it long enough, the tension will go away....
or
We mean well, we spoke our mind, but we think the world is against us...

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is that we are created uniquely. Not one of us is created the same thus, our thoughts are different. We approach situations differently. Some of us have to problem voicing our opinions, while others of us are a little more reserved and not as 'outgoing' with our thoughts. One is not 'better' than the other and we are who we are. What is important in these situations where opposition may occur, is how we respond, how we present ourselves in conflict, and how we articulate what it is we want to express, not only with our words but with our non-verbal as well. Often times we communicate more with our nonverbal than with our verbal. Our nonverbal communication are things like: facial expressions, body movement and postures, gestures, eye contact, touch, and space. All of the before mentioned expressions have the opportunity to change the mood of a conversation as much as words and the tone of ones voice.

Controlling ourselves is quite important too when we dialogue with one another. Again, the importance of keeping our frustrations under control and hidden, is key to having a good conversation. When we do experience frustrations or something we disagree with, instead of rolling our eyes, throwing our hands up, detaching ourselves from the community and sit with our head down, arms folded, perhaps we need to name our frustration and opposing views. When we see conflict arise, one of the worst ways to deal with it is ignoring it and keeping it to ourselves. You see, the fact of the matter is this, when we live in community, we will experience conflict.

Luke 9.46-56

True Greatness

46 An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. 47But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.’
Another Exorcist

49 John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ 50But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.’

A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53but they did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. 54When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’* 55But he turned and rebuked them. 56Then* they went on to another village.

Often times we forget we will not always agree with each other. Maybe even at times we forget even those who were with Jesus experience conflict, even within the 12 disciples. What is fascinating about this is that all 3 of the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, include this text about the disciples arguing who is the best, greatest, coolest, the ones who's swags are the tightest. They, like us, let their egos get the better of them. They even went as far to say, "Since these folks aren't one of us, can we disown them, stop them, and prevent them from coming to you?" How selfish, right? Jesus holds up the situation and says, "Those who aren't against us, are for us." Although they may not be like us, although they may see the world differently than us, doesn't mean we rule them out and un-friend them on Facebook.

Then there is Paul and Cephas' (Peter) conflict in Galatians...

Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; 12for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. 13And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?’

When we live together, no matter how good of friends we may be, no matter how alike we see the world, there will be parts of it we won't see eye to eye with, and this is OK!!

Regardless of who it is you are with and regardless if you agree or disagree with them, we are called to love one another. We are called to speak positively of one another, saying nothing which is slandering to ones character. Gossipping and talking behind one another's back will do nothing but bring on disunity a conflict which is quite uglier than what we have recently experienced. Perhaps we are in difficult seasons right now and yes, maybe so and so and I are not on the best of terms, but we still need them in our community. Their and your voices add to the cacophony of voices which speaks good, hopeful, truthful, and loving words to us, your faith community.

Again, it can't be emphasized enough that when you share life with someone, whether it be your brother or sister, mom and dad, boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, conflict will arise and yes, perhaps fights will occur. As frustrating as this may be, as disheartening as this may be, there is hope and good things can come from such disagreements and perhaps heated arguments. It takes maturity, responsibility and learning/knowing how to fight well with grace.

We find our community in a crucial time in our formation as we have come to realize our differences and as we move out of a long period of what some could call, pseudo-community, we will need to begin to wrestle with what a community looks like when we may not see eye to eye on things.

It'll be tough.
It'll be a long journey.

But it is one we can get through, for God is in the midst of what may appear to be chaos.

After all, it was God who brought order and life from chaos.

Until then, love the face of Christ you see in one another and embrace that which we are experience with maturity and grace.

Peace of Christ to you friends.

March 2010 Youth PresbyNotes

March 2010 Youth PresbyNotes

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” asks the beautiful yet narcissistic queen.

Without hesitation, because this question has been asked regularly now for years on end, the mirror replies, “You my queen, are the fairest of them all.”

Most of us know where these famous lines come from, don’t we? We hear them asked in the Disney tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Without going into too much of the plot and all the juicy details, we know Snow White’s mother had wished for a daughter “that had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony". Soon after that, the queen gives birth to a baby girl who has skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony. They name her Princess Snow White. As soon as the child is born, the queen dies.

This then is where we encounter this new queen and her magical mirror. One day when the queen was in front of her mirror she asked the question again, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

What started out as any other normal day quickly turned into devastation for this queen as the mirror then replied, “Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true, but Snow White is fairer than you." This happens when Snow White turns sixteen and the queen seeks vengeance and does what she can to make sure Snow White is no longer an option for the mirror but as we know, this too did not happen for even after several attempts to kill Snow White the mirror replied, “You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But the young queen is a thousand times fairer than you."

All of this started because of the queen’s infatuation with this mirror. All she apparently cared about was looking the ‘fairest in the all the lands’ and not much else. She was so consumed with her beauty that it became an obsession and led her to act irrationally. This due to what she saw in the mirror.

Our culture has a weird obsession with mirrors, don’t we?

Take some time now and think of where you have seen mirrors in your every day lives.

Bathrooms.
Kitchens.
Many rooms in the house.
Small compact mirrors in our purses.
Mirrors on the walls at the YMCA and other gyms.
Dressing rooms have mirrors.
Some ceilings are mirrors.
Restaurants have mirrors.
Mirrors are in microscopes and telescopes.
Mirrors in cars, on cars, and around cars.

Mirrors, mirrors, everywhere. Mirror, mirror what shall I wear?
Now, think about all the times you stand in front of a mirror.

Brushing your teeth in the morning…and at night.
Washing your face in the morning…and at night.
Putting on our make up…
Checking out our clothes as we walk the cat walk in our own rooms.
Running on those treadmills when you are at the YMCA.
You use the compact mirror during the day after you had lunch to make sure you don’t have food in your teeth.

I’m curious as to the number of hours a person spends in front of the mirror in a lifetime. In fact, if one of you finds out and tells me with proof, you will win $50.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, sometimes you don’t make me feel good at all.

Mirrors reflect. What you see in the mirror is what you get. Some days we are happy by this and other times, not so much. Because we use the mirror to see what is on the outside of ourselves. How strange would it be to have a mirror which can show what we look like on the inside? In fact, perhaps the closest thing we have is that little mirror dentists use to stick in your mouth to check out your molars. Even then, this is quite uncomfortable.

Much like mirrors, we can get hung up on what we see. Often times we judge ourselves by what we see, our own appearances and if we are feeling “good”, we approach the day with perhaps more confidence than if we looked in the mirror and weren’t happy with what we saw. Some days, we wish we would never have had stepped in front of the mirror because of what we knew we’d see.

Lent then is a season which is like a mirror for our lives. For forty days we pray, read, search, and pray some more as we reflect on our lives and examine them. We sort through the lies we have been told, we wrestle with those lies we have believed, and we long for the truths we know but have hidden them deep within our souls. In general, we take a step back from the routines and habits in our lives, to adjust our lives accordingly to the life of Jesus Christ.

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” ~Luke 4.1-2

This past Sunday in worship we read from the Gospel of Luke and his account of Jesus’ time in the wilderness. For forty days Jesus spent time alone with the wild beats and angels which accompanied him, and he wrestled with the Devil. Temptations were thrown at Jesus where he wouldn’t have to worry about food, where he could be powerful, and he would have all the protection in the world. As this tempter offered him these attractive baits, Jesus responded with truth, confidence, and trust God was with him. Jesus had the opportunity to fall to these temptations, to have his life become quite comfortable, but instead, he resisted. His companions, the Spirit, the Word, and the traditions of his faith comforted him and got him through these forty days.

It has been suggested that perhaps Jesus wasn’t wrestling with a half man, half cow person, who carried a pitch fork, but instead, Jesus was looking in a mirror, a mirror which revealed his heart and wrestled with what was going on internally. Perhaps this is the case and I find it to be life giving as I think about those temptations in my life which cause me loneliness and despair. Greed, unhealthy guilt, lust, selfishness, hatred, bitterness, and the list of ugly words could go don. Instead, Jesus resisted but he didn’t do it alone. He found strength and courage through the Spirit which is always with him and us, through God’s word which reminded Jesus and us of God’s faithfulness and the traditions of his faith as Jesus and yes us too, were reminded of how God loves us. Jesus fasted, prayed, wrestled, and then gained the strength to go about his ministry.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, is it possible that I am beautiful after all?

Yes, yes you are. All of us carry around those things which make us feel as if we are unbearable and there are things we have done and said which were indeed ugly. But the fact of the matter is this, beneath all of these faces we put on and the lies we tell and believe the truth is God loves you the way you are and wants you to be this person at all times. Find those things which bring out your beauty and let your true self shine. In fact, apply them daily to your life as you stand in front of mirror, reflecting on who you are. Stand in front of the mirror and with an erasable marker, write all the words you know are true about yourself: beautiful, funny, creative, kind, caring, selfless, humble, and go until your hand cramps up. Then during this season of Lent, take these words which are truths and share them with those who may perhaps cause you great pain and hurt. Trust and know God loves you and is with you wherever you go.

Friends, Lent is a time to rely on the Spirit to aid you in your exploration of your life as you reflect on where you’ve been. Like a mirror, use this time to consider what adjustments need to be made in order for you to align your life to the calling God has on your life. As you do, you might be surprised at just how beautiful you really are and in fact, those things people get hung up on, like the queen’s thought of Snow White, will not prevent you from being who God has created you to be, no matter how scary this 40 day journey may be.

March 2010 Youth Group Calendar

Thursday 4th – Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8:00pm
Sunday 7th -- Youth Group 5-8 pm (Kirk Night—Kids for Christ Too)—Also we will be heading to the Hermitage to visit with the residence there!
Thursday 11th -- Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8:00pm
Sunday 14th -- Youth Group 5-8 pm
Thursday 18th -- Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8:00pm
Sunday 21st -- Mission Trip Meeting in Madisonville @ 2pm. Bus will leave at 1pm. All parents are encouraged and all Youth MUST attend.
Destination Unknown 5-8pm
Thursday 25th -- No Bible Study
Sunday 28th – Mission Trip Fundraising Breakfast for Sr. High @ 8am; meet at the church
Easter Egg Hunt will follow the 10:30 service outside in the prayer garden on Psalm Sunday.
Youth Group will be that night from 5-8pm

Happy Birthday to…
4th—Reid Thomas
4th—Brock Brubaker
19th—Adam Quine
22nd—Meredith Zengel
28th-- Jordan Walling and Hallie Walling

Happy birthday gang! I hope you have a great day!
Break Down of the Calendar
March is a pretty laid back month which also finds us in an in-between stage of weather. For most of March we will be on campus participating with the church at our Kirk Night and continuing our Lenten journey as we anticipate Easter morning. Here are a few things to take note of:

March 7th—Kirk Night host by Presbyterian Women as we celebrate the Gifts of Women in our church. Dinner will be served at 5pm and the study will begin. All groups will meet this evening! Around 6:15 we will pile in the bus and head towards the Hermitage Place where we will visit with the residents there. Come ready to have a smashing great time!

March 21st—We have our 2nd Mission Trip meeting and all students are REQUIRED to be there. The meeting will be held in Madisonville and the Madisonville Presbyterian Church. We will leave via the bus at 1 pm and the meeting will begin at 2. We shall return around 5pm. Again parents are encouraged but mission trip participants are REQUIRED!

March 28th—The beginning of Holy Week and we will kick it off by our annual Easter Egg hunt which will happen in the prayer garden, granted the weather is nice. We will gather in the prayer garden following the 10:30 am service. In the mean time, bring in plastic Easter eggs and candy, leaving them in Adam’s study!

March 28th--We are encouraged to eat breakfast every morning and we are also told this is the most important meal of the day. Sometimes it is difficult to grab that bagel, pour that bowl of cereal, or eat the yogurt and granola as you head out the door to start your day. Don’t you worry, the youth ministry will help you out with this important meal. Starting at 9 am on the 28th of March and the 25th of April, the youth will be hosting a pancake breakfast in the fellowship hall to help raise funds for our 2010 mission trip to North Carolina. The meal will be on us but we will be accepting donations. We hope you can attend as we provide an opportunity to start your day off right! (These 2 breakfast dates will be in place of the Annual Sunrise Service Breakfast. There will be NO Sunrise Service breakfast this year.)

April 4th—There will be NO YOUTH GROUP on April 4th. Happy Easter everyone!

Kids for Christ—We are in full swing again KIDS FOR CHRIST and March will be just as exciting for you all. You will meet March 7th and 28th! Some come ready to have a good time, bring a friend, and come hear about how much God loves you!
Events Down the Road
May 15th—All youth are encouraged and invited to attend the Senior Celebration Dinner which will be held at 6pm, Saturday, May 15th. On this particular evening we will be honoring Katie Duncan and Jillian Thomas and their lives as they embark on a new journey in their lives. More information will come soon.

May 15th—Our 2nd Annual Boot Sale will take place in the parking lot of First Presbyterian Church to act as a fundraiser for our varied trips. All youth are encouraged and needed to help with this great event from 6:30am-11am Saturday, May 15th.

Students in the News
Congratulations to Sydney and Wil Smith who both made all A’s the past two grading periods. Keep up the hard work!

Congratulations to Jordan Walling who made the All A honor roll at Estes elementary and Hallie Walling who made the All A/B honor roll at Estes elementary. Great work girls!

Congratulations to Sarah Bowley and her recent gymnastic achievements!

Good work to Graham and Katie Duncan, along with their parents, who participated in the KHSAA Sate Swim tournament. Keep up the great swimming!

Congratulations to everyone! Parents and youth, please remember to send me the highlights of your student’s achievements so we can recognize them in our newsletter!
Parents do not forget to check out who is preparing meals for us. You can email Adam or revisit our youth blog to see the list of who has which month. Thanks!

A Night of Lovely Valentine Hearts

"What does 'POSH' mean?"

"A crown? Really a crown? What are we to say about the crown?"

"Text me, you're kidding me right?"

"First kiss--how am I to communicate this into something God would say?"

How exciting it was for us, a people of Love, to have a cultural event fall on Sunday!?

We gathered again, like we have been for quite some time, together, all of us from Kids for Christ to junior high and even the high schoolers, packed ourselves again tightly into the upper youth room where we found ourselves sharing our lives and telling stories. Yet what was different about this past Sunday night was our stories focused on LOVE and our lives, we examined them through the lenses of God's love for us, God's people.

One of the characteristics I enjoy most about you the youth, is your ability to think critically and quickly, all the while using your imagination. Your creative juices are always pumping and your humor, which is bright, always shines through. Your capacity to think on the spot provides many entertaining conversations and it usually leaves me and the other adults scratching our heads and thinking, "Why didn't I see that?" or, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Our conversation with all of us again, began with us going to the source of love, our sacred readings. We took two of what probably are the most well known references to Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 4. What you did with them was remarkable. Your ability to tell story through cleverly written summaries and your cunning narratives left us for sure in the presence of love.

Though what was impressive was your desire to work together. It can be quite the task to find roles for 10-12 peers in a matter of 15 minutes with a 'script' that may not have as many options. These 'limitations' did not prevent you from going forth with the show. I remember as we were preparing for the skits, one of our KFC students said what might have been the funniest thing I've personally heard in a long time, and it was quite silly. But the way you all responded with grace and laughter, made them feel comfortable enough to rattle off the next outrageous comment. Your inclusiveness is evident within our groups and this is a perfect example of demonstrating God's love the world.

To tell a good story is a great way to grab people's attention. After all, the Master Story teller himself, was often scrutinized because of his stories. You all are story tellers and you friends, are finding ways to let your lives tell your stories. You friends, are finding the mysteries of LOVE in the world and communicating them to others in ways I'm sure you are unaware of.

Trust yourselves. At times revisit your imagination, get lost in creative dreaming, and dream wildly. Don't worry about who or what may be around, but hope with entirely with your heart for what you wish LOVE would look like. For when you do, you create things like Catherine and Marie did:

Faith is now
Love is now
Hope is now
And now, we show the greatest--
Love
Love is eternal
Love is true
Love is God
Lois is you
Love

Then this is what you came up with as you gazed at the cheesy pick up lines on the hearts:

For the Crown--You belong in the Kingdom of Heaven
For Holla--Hello my child
For Marry Me--Dedicate yourself to Jesus
For real love--God
For Love Ya--Love Everyone
For LOL--God Loves your Laughter
For Dream Big--God has many dreams for you
For Hottie--Everyone is a hottie

Or again how you took Scripture and created something beautiful like this:

God wants us to look past stereotypes and focus on inner beauty and love what you love because you love it

Love is not limited to romance or significant others. It transcends these things which we limit it to, like how we love tacos and muffins and how we love our mom and dad. Love, as demonstrated in the last sentence, can and is, quite confusing. Yet no matter how much we claim loves confusion, we often times prevent Love's capacity to woo us. We are quick to label love and even quicker to pick who we will love. In a sense, our attempt to define what LOVE is often times leaves us looking harder for it because where we once encountered love in some capacity, is no longer there. This is what is beautiful about love, it surprises us, even when we have it figured out.

We still have a lot of LOVIN left to do and we are still in need of much love. Many of us are longing for love and some of us have plenty of love to give away. Be attentive to the places where God's love appears and take note of them. Look for those in your life who is in need of God's love and give it to them. Find ways to creatively proclaim Christ's love with the stories you are telling with your lives. All the while, trust and know, God loves you and I more than we will ever know. Remember too:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Peace to you these Lenten Days friends.

Shalom.

Adam