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

Super Bowl of Presence

On a Sunday morning in church, the actual church building, I am there.

On a Thursday night, huddled around the little table with the dancing flames of the candle that is lit, with you, I am there.

During the most chaotic time of your life, I am there.

In those moments when you get goose bumps because you have heard something profound, I am there.

When you smile because of good news you have received, I am there.

As you sort through all those tough questions about where I may be and even when you know for sure I am not there, I am there.

At a packed football stadium in Miami, I am there.

In the middle of the devastation of an earthquake, I am there.

In the house jammed packed with 25 students and some older folks, I am there.

Jesus once said to those who were following him that, “Wherever two or three are gathered, there I am in the midst of you.”

Sometimes we may need to look a little harder than other times, but no matter what we are doing or where we are, God is in the midst of it. In our laughter and in our tears, in our chatter and in our singing, in our groaning and in our smiling, God is present with us. This was evident this past Sunday night as we gathered.

Many people gathered with their closest of friends the other night to watch a football game. It was the ‘game’ of the year some say. In fact it in so influential in our society and culture, there is a move to get the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday off and make it a “National Holiday”. I even saw one person’s Facebook status say, “If Martin Luther King Jr. was still alive, he’d have a dream to have the Monday after the Super Bowl off.” This sporting event shapes our culture if not because of the event itself, than for sure the commercials and entertainment they provide for us. Either way, whatever your reason may be as to the reason you watch, you gather with others to do so and in that gathering, with the TV up loud, the dip falling off the chip and on to your white t-shirt, and the drink that was just spilled, God is there.

Imagine watching the game alone this past Sunday? Would you have had the same experience? Would you have been as involved in the game if you were alone? Sad you not come, Katie Duncan would not have one the quiz with her 11 out of 14 correct answers and Graham Duncan wouldn’t have anyone to tell how he almost guessed to the exact what the combined score would be. He guessed 47 and the actual score was 48. Or what about the dance party which happened after the start of the second half? Would your moves have seemed as cool, and perhaps as lame, if you did it alone? You wouldn’t have had the laughter you had without the others doing the sprinkler, the running-man, and lip singing to Miley, would you? Then there is the football game which broke out during the game in the house! Two of our KFC’ers started their own game after their interest in the one on TV dwindled but what was fascinating about their game, and more entertaining mind you, is their field wasn’t 100 yards long, played on soft grass. No instead it was played on staircase: one end zone at the base of the stairs and the other one, one top of the stairs. The miracle, no one got hurt!

Then there is the table and how it hosted a great meal provided by our host, Kim. The spread was great: chicken wings, chips and dip, vegetables and fruit, cold beverages, and candy. How good it was to see us with plates in hand and empty cups, come to the table to be filled not only with food and drink, but with good conversation with our good friends. In that moment, in those moments where we sat eating together, talking, giving thanks, and enjoy the game, a holy moment happened. Even if it was just a second long, we sat, worried free except for who would score next and what the next commercial would be, and we were gathered together, in a home, breaking bread. Sounds familiar doesn’t it as we approach this Lenten season.

Peacefully you gathered too. It is said you can’t have a party with people too different from each other. You guys the other night proved you can. Despite being junior high and senior high, despite being from different schools, despite many things, you guys came together and lets be honest, partied! To see you interact and to see you converse with each other brought much delight to me. For the most part, your inclusion of everyone was inspiring and your ability to adapt is always remarkable. Yet what gets me every time is your creativeness and making sure you keep things interesting. Your care free spirits, along with your good willed attitudes facilitates a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Sometimes it is hard to see God’s love in the world, let alone in our own lives. But that night, I had no problem seeing Christ’s face in the 25+ of you who attended our party. Your laughter, your conversations, your presence is and was proof alone God is with us. The fact of the matter is, there was lots of fun happening and a fair amount of jocularity, which provided a great sense of peace that night and which carried into the start of the week. Incredible you are.

Friends the next time we gather, look closely, listen intently, and simply pay attention to the faces of one another. And when you do, you too will see proof of Jesus’ promise to us that he is there with us, when a few have gathered or when an entire stadium of people are together, Christ is in our midst.

Peace to you until we gather again.

Souper Bowl of Caring Week 1

Grace and peace to you friends.

Here is a quick update on how the different "team's" ended up after the first week of our month long of a congregation who SOUPERLY cares for hunger.

Souper Bowl of Caring 1st Sunday Results:

Kids for Christ--15 pounds of canned goods and $10

Junior High--12.2 pounds of canned goods and $9

Senior High--10.6 pounds of canned goods and $15

**There was a general donation for $25 that will go in to the 'large pot' at then end of our drive

Keep up the good work folks!

Holy-Huddles Not an Option

The room sits still.
Messy, yes, but still.
The humming from the heater disturbs the now quiet youth room and it is peaceful.
This room, which was host to 30+ students Sunday night, now sits empty and still.

Light shines in on the table which is catering to two very tired Foosball teams.
Bottles of paint still gather around a large painting which has lies draping across the ping-pong table.
Chairs are out from under the table and in an order which leaves good evidence to the fun which was had the last time the it was used.
Looking around, the stories of some of those youth are speaking loudly and give good testimony to what this room is for.

Community.
Laughter.
Playing.
Praying.
Church.

An incredible evening we had this past Sunday night when all 3 of our children and youth ministries got together for a night of celebration and well, community. Every Sunday for worship all of God's children come together to share life together but rarely, do all the younger children get together to embrace each others stories. But we did and yes, it was quite tight and loud in that upper youth room.

It was incredible to see how we adjusted as the room continued to fill up with faces we know well and faces we are just learning about. As mentioned earlier, there wasn't much room to breathe, but we managed to carry on delightful conversations and share in a few laughs together. In a sense we stared diversity in the face and took on the challenge. Ranging in ages from kindergarten to seniors in high school, we acknowledged our differences and committed to be a part of ministry together.

We began to take a stand against a major issues facing our world, nation, and community these days: hunger. What you guys are doing, what you guys are learning about, what you guys have committed yourselves to do will bring a great hope for a people in our community who may very little at this point. Even in the good fun of 'competition', what you will accomplish with your dedication to bringing awareness of hunger to our congregation is a work which will not go unnoticed. In the end the efforts which you have put into motion will indeed bring good news to those who are in dire need of such news.

Would it be possible though, to accomplish that which we are hopeful for if we did it alone? Instead of working together, we hung out by ourselves, recruiting only those whom we like and worked by ourselves? Perhaps we could accomplish some of the tasks at hand, but would our efforts be completely fruitful? Our intentions would be good yes, though some could say they lacked integrity and purity as they would be flawed with in-authenticity and perhaps, corruption, as limitations were set in order to keep some people out. It would be creating of a system just like the ones we face today which prevent people from experiencing a love that God had intended for all of God's children.

We are not a 'holy-huddle' if you will, rather we are a community committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in participation with each other. Much like the Apostle Paul explains in his first letter to the Corinth Church, we need each other. The nose can't say to the ear, be gone, for what would we hear with? The hand could say to the eye be gone, for what would we see with? Inclusion of one another in the action of our ministry is a must if we are to see the change we have dreamed of. Our efforts by ourselves come with limitations but when we join our causes, we can accomplish more than what we could by ourselves.

Many of us have experienced growing pains in our lives. Our muscles ache and our bones seem to be growing at an obvious rate which brings teeth-gritting pains to our knees and other joints. We know it was inevitable for we all grow. We all can't stay an infant all of our lives and our bodies know this and are designed to grow, so we do. We adjust to our growing pains and take necessary action to make sure we adapt to our growth. Growing makes us weird. Our bodies begin to take on new shapes and sizes and sometimes this is uncomfortable and we don't know what to do. Eventually over time though, we find our 'swag' and we become content in our own skin and we finally enjoy who we have become. It doesn't stop there though for we make adjustments in our eating habits, exercise habits, and daily activity to make sure our bodies stay healthy. For if we don't, serious consequences could occur.

As a youth group of First Presbyterian Church, it is important for us to constantly evaluate our selves, check our growth, and respond to the needs of the community, kind of like we are with the Souper Bowl of Caring. We have to engage in the difficult conversations a community must have in order for peace to occur. We cannot begin to develop 'partners' and detach ourselves from the community at large and turn appears to be whole, into individual fragments. At all costs, we must avoid any sort of segregation and facilitate opportunities for all of us to participate in the life and ministry of the youth group of FPC. It is our nature to for cliques, after all it is quite inevitable in a system which encourages different group of people to participate with their own age groups, but we can find ways to serve and live side by side as a youth ministry. If you cannot and do not believe, perhaps Sunday night can attest to this claim.

Sunday night, all 30+ of you gathered together in our small room, crammed onto couches, and sat peacefully amongst each other. Together as a community we listened to the instructions of the evening and worshiped together. From there we embark on a ministry opportunity which includes all of us, yet we each went at it a different way. The signs and yes even those silly slogans some of you came up with, were brilliant and clearly demonstrate your awareness of the project at hand. This speaks truth to the idea of how we can be church together, despite those things which are obvious, along with the hidden ones too.

Together we can make a difference and we will but we must be attentive to those things which are happening in our community life. Then my prayer for us as I reflect on our time we had together this past Sunday, is that God may gives us eyes to see the injustices in our society and yes even in our own group, that God may grant us ears to hear the cries of those who's voices have been muted by our laughter and fun, even some of our own voices, that God may grant us courage to bring justice and peace to these people in our lives who are in need of God's love. It is my prayer we continue to listen to God in the silent moments that occur in our lives and attentively engage in hopeful, life-giving activities with each other, with the end result being the kingdom of God here and now.

To all of you who are a part of Kids for Christ, junior high, or senior high, I am thankful and grateful for your vow to our community.

Grace and peace to you all.

February 2010 Youth PresbyNotes

February 2010
Youth PresbyNotes
01/28/10

Tell me what you have seen?

There I sat in my eighth grade Social Studies class with a task to complete. You probably think this task was an assignment of some sort, like read a chapter or two, finish the test, or something else dealing with academics, and all of these guesses are great…

But that is not what I had to do.

Instead, without any hesitation, I agreed to do a favor for a friend who wanted to know if a particular girl liked him. Believe it or not, I was quite shy in grade school and talking to a girl was the last thing I wanted to do. After all, they had coodies!

As I made my way to this girl I asked my self, “Why couldn’t this guy do it? Why couldn’t my friend find the nerve to go and ask this girl if she liked him?” I didn’t like her and I didn’t want to give the wrong impression, right.

Anxious, nervous, scared, and uncertain; these are the words I would use to best describe what I was feeling that day. Indeed it was a terrifying situation for me all because I had to ask a question and it wasn’t for me.

There is this scene in the Bible, Matthew 11, where John the Baptist’s sends one of his disciples to ask Jesus a question: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” It is one thing to do the dirty work for a friend and ask a girl whether she thinks he is cool or whatever, but it is another thing to ask the Messiah if he really is the, well the Messiah.

Are you really the one?

How would you answer this question knowing what you know?

Jesus then turns to the poor fellow, whose knees are knocking as loud as the bass drummer in the grade school band, and says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

In wake of what has happened recently, people may wonder if God is here with us. People observe bad things happening all across the world and wonder where is God. No matter what precautions we may take, bad things are inevitable. Nonetheless, how we can answer the question is exactly how Jesus responded; tell of the things which you have seen.

What are some of the good things you have experienced?

What are some of the ways you have experienced God’s love?

Where have you seen God’s love happen?

These won’t answer all the questions but it can provide hope for some. Your lives are a testament to God’s love for the world. Jesus mentions in his response that the poor receive good news. This called to my attention the good work we are a part of as a youth ministry as First Presbyterian Church. We have offered a helping hand to many people and organizations and because of this we have brought good news to whomever it is we have helped. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

Our feet will be busy for the upcoming month too with a variety of opportunities to engage in God’s love for the world. February 7th we will be having our Souper Bowl of Caring where we will raise awareness of poverty in our world and in our city, while standing with soup buckets hoping for donations. Then on the 14th Kids for Christ, Junior High, and Senior High will be making a trip to the Hermitage Nursing Home where we will be handing out Valentine’s Day Cards to the residents there. Then to help one of our very own members, on Saturday, February 27th, we the youth have been asked to be servers for a steak dinner to help raise money for the Gilliland’s. More information will come about this.

Tell them what you have seen. Tell the world of God’s love by showing them God’s love. Change the world by loving! Change the community by loving! Change yourself by loving! Many opportunities await us in February to bring GOOD NEWS to people and you, the youngest among us, will be leading us in the march towards hope!

At times it can be difficult to bring good news, just like it was for me to help out a friend. Our words may get in the way, we may be nervous, but God’s love isn’t limited to the words we offer but by the lives we lived. God loves you; there is no getting around that. Let your life speak of this love, let the Light shine, and even with butterflies the size of pterodactyls in your stomach, proclaim the good news of Christ’s love for the world!

Thanks be to God for your life, ministry, and work together. Peace be upon you and make sure you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, during this month dedicated to LOVE!

Shalom friends.


February 2010 Calendar

4th—6:30-8pm Sanctus Bible Study All Youth Encouraged to attend

7th—Souper Bowl of Caring @ 9am 7 10 am

Super Bowl XLIV party at Lashbrook’s from 5-9 pm. You can meet at the church. This is a Junior and Senior High Party!

11th—6:30-8pm Sanctus Bible Study All Youth Encouraged to attend

12th-13th—All students grade 8-12 are encouraged to attend the Youth Council meeting in Henderson. We will leave at 5pm on Friday and return around 12pm on Saturday. Bring $5

14th—Youth Group at the Church from 5-7pm—All youth, Kids for Christ, Junior High, Senior High—We will begin at 5 pm and we will be taking Valentines day cards to the residents of the Hermitage Place on Parish Avenue. Please bring an appropriate box of Valentine’s Day cards you can pick up at the local grocery store.

18th—6:30-8pm Sanctus Bible Study All Youth Encouraged to attend

20th—Confirmation Orientation beginning at 10 am

21st—Youth Group 5-8pm DESTINATION UNKNOWN

25th—6:30-8pm Sanctus Bible Study All Youth Encouraged to attend

27th—Gilliland Steak Dinner—All Youth Needed to Help Serve! 5pm

28th—Youth Group-5-8pm/Kids For Christ 5-6:30 pm

Something to Chew On

One of the highlights of being together is having the opportunity to sit around a table with our youth and listen to their stories, get a peek inside their lives, and to experience Christ’s love in them. Meals have always been important to the people of God and this is definitely the case for us here at church too. Something mysterious happens at the table when we gather together, we become more ourselves, and usually great memories are had. Eating together is special, it definitely shows unity.

Recently our youth ministry team met to discuss how we can better facilitate our meals and eating habits on Sunday evenings. Also, we wrestled with the issue of over abundance and hunger in the world, which made us aware of our own eating habits. This conversation led us then to making subtle changes in our eating of meals, which will allow us to cut back on food consumption, wastefulness, and give space for the youth to be attentive to what they are eating. In doing so, we hope a new conversation will arise about hunger in the city of Owensboro and what we as a youth group and minister can do.

Aiding us then in our attempt to do our part in bring awareness of hunger to our church, we have derived a new calendar of meals. Our meal planner, Carla Clancy, has been hard at work preparing this calendar, pairing up families to provide the meals, and making sure our youth will have snacks of some sort available to them every Sunday. The calendar is as follows:

The families of our youth have been paired together to provide meals for Jr and Sr High Youth during 2010. We ask you plan a meal for 25 people, this will allow for the Youth, Chaperones, and individuals providing the meal to eat and enjoy fellowship together. Some specific needs include two youth who are vegetarians and one youth who is allergic to peanuts, peas, beans and carrots. Keep in mind, with a receipt and the correct form completed (which can be found outside Adam’s study), FPC will reimburse up to $60 per meal. Contact Adam for additional reimbursement details.

Some general requests we have:

• If you are unable to participate on your scheduled day, please make arrangements to trade with someone.

• A few days prior to your scheduled meal, Adam should be contacted to verify serving time and any special instructions. You can contact Adam by calling the church or his cell phone, 313-9375 or you can email him at: youthdirector@firstpresbyterianowensboro.com

February

7 Super Bowl Party @ Lashbrook’s

14 snacks

21 Shelton-Zengel

28 Adam’s choice

March

7 Kirk night

14 Coomes-Davis

21 snacks

28 Adam’s choice

April

4 Kirk night

11 Barber-Smith

18 Snacks

25 Adam’s choice

May

2 Kirk night

9 Mother’s Day

16 Triplett-Tinsley

23 Snacks

30 Adam’s choice

June Bowley-Clancy

July Lashbrook – Hayden

August Duncan – Norris

September Shelton – Zengel

October Coomes - Davis

November Barber – Smith

December Thomas – Armstrong

Again, this decision to cut back on our food intake is not only a health-conscious one, but it is an attempt for us to also bring awareness of hunger in our community, nation, and world. After presenting this to one of our students this question was asked, “Do you think the money we save from not eating as much we could give to an organization?” Friends, the conversation has already begun and it started with our youth!

If you have any questions, please contact Adam at any time! Thank you for your commitment and participation with the youth ministry of First Presbyterian Church.


Happy Birthday!

2nd—Harper Lashbrook

5th—Catherine Tripplett

15th—Martha Hughes

18th—Wil Smith

You all are a gift to us! Happy birthday!!

Youth in the NEWS!

Wade Zengel for making the All A Honor Roll at DCMS.

Meredith Zengel for making the All A Honor Roll at East View.

Katie and Graham Duncan for their accomplishments on their swim teams and for the breaking of a few school records!

Gabby Barber and Meredith Coomes for their Dance Competition placements!

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!

Events to Take Note Of

Mission Trip Information--Attention Youth Mission Trip 2010 Participants: There is a MANDATORY meeting March 21st, 2010 in Madisonville @ 2pm. All you who are going on the mission trip MUST be there and their parents are ENCOURAGED to attend. More information is soon to come!

February 7th, 2010—Souper Bowl of Caring will be held on this day after the 8:15 service and before the 10:30 service. Come help raise awareness of poverty in our community and do something about it!

Super Bowl Party
February 7th @ 5pm
Wear your favorite teams apparel and come root the Saints to victory! Jr. & Sr. High

February 27th--All youth are needed to be servers for the benefit dinner for the Gilliland's. An orientation will be held on the 21st of February and we will need you to be at the church at 5pm on the 27th. More information is to come.

Our Kids for Christ will be meeting twice in the month of February: the 14th and 28th. More information will come in the PresbyNotes and Post-Cards in the Mail. For sure we will meet at 5pm on the 14th at the church! Come with your Valentine Day cards for the residents of the Hermitage Place!

BOOT SALE 2010--On May 15th we will be having our 2nd annual Boot Sale. All youth who are going on the mission trip will need to participate. It will be from 7am-12pm but we will need you there @ 6:30am. Any questions please see Adam!

Dinner to Honor our Seniors: Jillian Thomas and Katie Duncan—On May 15th, 2010, around the supper hour, we will have a dinner to honor and celebrate our two seniors in high school. All youth not graduating will be needed to help serve and splendid dinner to Jillian and Katie’s family. Please see Adam for more details.

***For a HARDCOPY of this newsletter please pick one up from the bulletin board at the base of the stairs leading up to the youth room. Also look for a link for this newsletter in the next PresbyNotes. Please look for this newsletter under the youth section of youth group on the website. Or you can check out our blog http://fpcowensboroyouth.blogspot.com/ or you can contact me with any questions you may have!***

Rhythm of Life

Getting started on a Monday can perhaps be a difficult task for you if you're coming off an exciting and eventful weekend. The drive to work, the bus ride to school, you yawn and fight back the temptation to close your eyes and sink back into wake up mode.

Perhaps we do different things to wake us up. Some of us may have a pot of coffee waiting for us in the morning, others start their days by a hearty breakfast, warm shower and a tall glass of OJ, while others make sure they drive by Starbucks to grab their favorite Mocha beverage. Don't limit though the start of the morning to just these few practices for there are many more. Either way, there is usually a routine we follow and if we for some reason miss one part of the routine, our days could potentially be shot. Then there are the days when we are in such a rhythm with the early morning events, we feel as if we can take on the day. Again though, finding the rhythm is important for us.

A rhythm of mine on Monday morning is key for me and the result of my week. On Monday's I wake up early, take Silas on a walk, come back to the smell of coffee filling up the house, shower, grab my Prayer Book, Bible, and what ever else I am reading, pour myself a cup of coffee, and read. From here I go to church. If I get there in time I join Jonathan and the others who show up for morning prayer in our Chapel and for 15 minutes, I join my life in prayer with those who are there with me and we pray: for the world, the nation, the community, and you. At the conclusion of the prayer I make my way down the freshly vacuumed hallway and I grab the Vacuum and ascend up the darkened hallway to the youth room and I begin to meditate.

Closing the door behind me, I peer across the room and smile. I think begin to reflect on how messy the room is and how it got that way. The smile grows wider and wider as I pick up Sunday school papers and remember our great discussion on Luke 4, Jesus' reading from the scroll of Isaiah. I think about how you the youth defined justice and equality and then how you made the connection of the injustices in this land, the land of the "Free". My attention is then grabbed by the bread crumbs which appear all across the room from our "Agape Feast". I begin to vacuum and think about Sunday worship and how I have the honor of joining with you in the Eucharist and offering to you, "The bread of heaven," "The bread of life," and I give thanks for your lives and the way you have taught me about community. I make my way into the classrooms and see the puzzled you all worked on, or the world's you all dedicated yourselves to fix and restore. Your commitment and dedication to finishing what you started reminded me of God's promise to love us, to bring restoration to that which God created.

My reflection doesn't stop there for I stand now with a hammer in my hand and begin to hammer nails into the wall to hang up your paintings. These paintings remember were done during Advent, to aid us in our journey to worship this child who would change the world. We hoped together, we longed for peace together, we share in each others joys, and we learned more and demonstrated love to each other. This then reminded me of the journey we have been on and gave me much hope for where we are going next. I hung up posters that have fallen down over time and ran across our Wii Bowling tournament and again, gave thanks for the fun times we have had together. I gazed at the names and prayed for those whom we haven't seen in a while and gave thanks for their lives too. What fun we have had!

Having moved the furniture once to vacuum, after completing this task, I began to rearrange the furniture, putting the pieces back together and setting up our table: new candles, setting up the Christ candle, and a fresh stick of vanilla incense awaits to be lit and to rise like our prayers. It dawned on me as I moved the furniture how you all have began to take steps many months ago of rearranging your own lives so you can further enhance your encounters with the Holy. I thought about how you all have been gracious to me and have been willing to move, experiment, and make things up, as we have went a long and I am grateful for this too. Remember though dear friends, you all have done, are doing, and most guarantee, to do great things in the future. Your insights, willingness to go with the flow, and commitment to one another inspires not only me to continue to be in ministry but the church at large. You are the one's Paul was encouraging when he said, "Don't let anyone look down upon you because of your youth." As the Gandhi poster says in our room, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," and you are guys are doing it.

After an hours worth of work, it was completed. In one hour of 'cleaning', I was able to take a peek down memory lane, give thanks for our time together, pray for you and your families, and dream about what is going to happen next, a rhythm which is essential to the life of this ministry. Had I not taken the time to stop, move slowly but deliberately, and be quiet, I would have missed God reminding me of God's love for me through the indications of it from the 'mess' in our youth room.

Daily rhythms are important and can be very insightful. Often times we call these things habits or disciplines. In the Christian community (and others for that matter) there are different disciplines we can practice to help us in our faith journeys. They range from long hours of silence, deep attitudes of prayer, walking a Labyrinth, to reading the Bible and taking a long walk. Yet what is great about spiritual disciplines is their ability to take on many shapes and their general definition. Your morning routines can be just that: a spiritual discipline.

In your activity, where do you see God? Perhaps you hear God's voice claiming God's belovedness on you in the gurgling of the coffee pot. Or maybe you see God in your toast, reminding you of the Eucharistic meal you ate just yesterday at church. Maybe you are reminded of God's grace as you stand in the shower and feel the water pouring out upon you, while you remember your baptism and give thanks. Possibly you encounter God in the silence you experience as you sit, gazing out the window of your ride to school. Or, may you feel God's presence when you arrive to school and are greeted by your best friend.

Friends, be attentive to the rhythms of your life. Find the things you do every day and see the sacredness lying in them. Discover God's presence in your unfolding of the clothes and how you are covered in God's grace. Take time to pause, look, and listen for that rhythm which gives the beat to your life's swagger. In doing so, may new life and peace come to you.

Shalom good friends!

Adam

Sanctus 01.21.10

Jesus Stills a Storm Mark 4.35-41

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

Jesus Stills the Storm

There it sits, bobbing up and down like an apple in a bucket at a Halloween party. As you walk closer to it, you glance off to the west and see the colors of orange, red, and violet are turning into blue and black as a storm seems to be approaching.

After an hour or so you and your comrades are in the middle of the lake and the storm clouds are right above you now. The tiny hairs on your neck begin to rise as the first sound of thunder cools off the bright lights of the lighting bolt which just displayed the gray clouds which hover above your soon to be rained on head.

Chills soon follow as the first drop of rain finds itself on the bare skin of your neck and slides down your back.

You sit now in the boat, with the storm starting, and you begin to feel your heart start racing and the thumping sounds louder than the bass drum of a middle school band. Your legs begin to get weak and your feel the adrenaline beginning to pump…

First in your knocking knees, then in your thy, your arms get heavy, and your numb fingers begin to tremble…

Where are you now in the boat?

You scrounge through your bag looking for your yellow rain coat, only to remember you left on the kitchen chair and now this though goes away with the first splash from the waves spilling into the boat.

The howling and gusting winds is a terrifying sound, reminding you of wolves crying out in the wilderness.

You get thrown from the left and then to the right. Finally after a long tug of war with your seat, your grip, which was accompanied by your white knuckles by now, gives out and you are thrown onto the floor of the boat…

How do you feel now?
Where are you?

Crawling in a pool of lake water, you try rising to your feet and with the after taste of salt residing in your mouth, you cry out only to be knocked off your feet again, this time to your knees…

What do you say?

Your eyes open and you begin to frantically look for help. You know he is on this boat, somewhere. He was on it when you left, after all it was he who suggested, “Let us go to the other side.” Yes your friends are there but when you look at them, you see the terror and fear in their eyes, a reflection of your face…

What do you feel after looking at them?

Their looks of terror are no comfort to you…

What then do you say?

As screams begin to resonate in the hull of this small fishing boat, your eyes catch a glimpse of him…

What do you see?

Still grasping tightly to the nets, which smell of rotten fish, you try to somehow steady yourself, you take a deep breath as you cry out to Him…

What is it you cry out to him?

Your eyes lock with his and your fingers release their grip on the net, and your hands no longer hurt. You try to look away but you are captivated by the peacefulness on his face. Sternly he looks at you but in the words he tells with his eyes, you are comforted…

What do you feel?

Like a ghost, he gently moves to you and extends out his hand and says, “Peace! Be still!” You grasp his warm, wet hand and your body once filled with an uncomfortable rush of adrenaline, now tingles in delight.

How do you respond?

Things stop moving. The boat sits peacefully on the water, whose appearance looks like a sheet of glass. No less than a minute ago your life was in limbo, being tossed to and fro, and now, peace.

As soon as you realize this, a smile comes over your face…

Smile. How does it feel now to smile?

But as soon as your pearly white teeth appear from your vice-gripped tight mouth, Jesus says to you, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”

And your smile fades…

What happens to you now?

Peace is here.
Even amidst the storms, Christ stills them.

What storm are you currently in?

Do you see storm clouds on the horizon?

Where do you see the sunset and the light from the sun?

We are quick to ask, “God don’t you care?”, yet are quicker to forget that God is in the boat with us…somewhere. In our own times of distress and in the sharing of the disciple’s anxieties, Christ reassures us of his presence with us, concerned even when we can pin-point exactly where He may be.

So, what now?

Psalm 139.11-12
1If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night’,
12even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

To say we’ve never been in a storm or we have never seen one, would sell ourselves short of telling of our stories of how God’s grace has met us and overwhelmed us. “Storms” happen, not only in our lives but the lives of the world too. We know God does not cause these storms but they still happen and God is still God, even in the thickest of foggy weather. God offers a beacon of light to those in the darkest parts of the storm; God offers calm waters to those who are frantically swimming in dangerous waves; God offers a life preserver when we find ourselves gasping for air. God wants us to …

Be still…
Look for peace…
And know, God’s present with us in the storm.

Where then now, in your life, can you find peace?