What a great weekend...though I need a weekend to recover from it! I spent it at Lazy F Camp and Retreat Center (located just outside of Ellensburg, WA) with 20 youth from the district (and about 6 other adults)to reflect on the topic, "Change Your World - Now"
This was the first district youth retreat in a number of years, and the timing of it kept many away because of sports, band, and other kinds of school commitments. And, the flu too, took a toll. But those who came?? Oh. My. Goodness!!
I knew it was going to be a different kind of weekend right from the start. You know that awkward registration time when people are arriving and don't know each other yet or feel comfortable? The youth had a lovely way of welcoming people as they arrived, pulling them into a game or conversation. It wasn't anything planned. There was no script that said, "go up and talk to new people when they walk in the door." It was their natural instinct.
Marieke (on the camp staff) supervised one of the three work groups on Saturday that tackled projects that needed doing around camp. "They worked really hard, and they had this great way of making it all really fun, too...they're really full of life and joy"
Ryan (also on the camp staff) was blown away. He opened Saturday evening's dance with a hoe-down and square-dancing. (you'd have to know Ryan to know that this would totally goofy fun) After he left, the youth took it to brand new realms - square dancing to hip-hop music.
They really seem to get that church is about being a community of practice, where we develop certain "muscles" within ourselves, practice them with one another, and find support as we try to use those muscles in how we live our lives and interact with all people and situations.
For those of you who have been reading Bishop Schnase's book, "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" - that's exactly what he's getting at. Radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith-development, risk-taking mission and service, extravagant generosity.
The retreat approached it all from a totally different angle...but in the end that's what the retreat was about and what the youth embodied. Being in the midst of that kind of community is energizing and inspiring...and to this 51 year old introvert also a tad bit exhausting.
But it's Monday morning, and I had a long nap yesterday and a good night's sleep and I'm missing those kids.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Ancient words for today's people
Everything matters.
You are not alone.
You are more than you know
The awful thing is not the final word.
Today is all we have. Today is enough.
We need each other.
St. Benedict's Way of Love
I love this rephrasing of St. Benedict's Rule. It feels like the lifeline that the Christ's message is supposed to be. So many live the hopelessness of the opposite of these thoughts; that's why there's church. So there's a place where people can hear and learn to live this message.
(One of the pastor's in the district has this painted on (his/her) office wall. Any guesses who?)
You are not alone.
You are more than you know
The awful thing is not the final word.
Today is all we have. Today is enough.
We need each other.
St. Benedict's Way of Love
I love this rephrasing of St. Benedict's Rule. It feels like the lifeline that the Christ's message is supposed to be. So many live the hopelessness of the opposite of these thoughts; that's why there's church. So there's a place where people can hear and learn to live this message.
(One of the pastor's in the district has this painted on (his/her) office wall. Any guesses who?)
In the beginning...
...was the first post. And here it is.
This is a blog as I work with the Seven Rivers District of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (try saying that 6 times fast). We're a geographically and theologically diverse bunch of Christians located in the center of Washington State. The district is bordered by Canada to the north, Oregon to the south, and the Cascade range to the west. Our eastern border ranges from Walla Walla and Dayton in the south end to Grand Coulee in the north.
We have the unique distinction of having 2, count 'em, 2 district superintendents. Steve Schroeder and I (Mary Huycke) job share the position. As far as we've heard we're the only district in the US that has two people sharing the work. Steve and I each work 1/2 time in this role and 1/2 time in another role -- Steve as the pastor in Twisp, me as a church consultant and ministry coach with CourageousSpace. I liken our work as superintendents to being the round connector piece in a tinker-toy set, (OK, that's dating me). In the ds role, we help connect local congregations and clergy connect to one another, to other congregations, and to the ministry done jointly by larger groupings and agenices within the United Methodist Church.
Communication is basic to how we connect. Hence this blog. It's one way we can share what's going on as our congregations explore what it means to be a faithful, fruitful Christian community in their own particular setting at this particular time in history. That's always the key question for a church, but more than ever, churches are intentionally addressing it.
According to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, the goal and work of each local congregation is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
This fall each of our congregations will be receiving a self-assessment tool from the Annual Conference (via Steve and me) to help them assess how they're doing in that work. What's working...and what may need some shifting.
The questions are designed to help a congregation look at themselves through 3 lenses 1) Who are we and who is our neighbor? 2) What's our definition of a Christian disciple, how do we think they're "made", what are we doing to do that, and how successful in it are we? 3) To what extent is our work impacting the lives of people beyond our doors; to what extent do we as a church walk alongside the community in direct ministry to community needs?
Much of what we'll be sharing in this blog are what these conversations stir up and what's it's like to be engaged in this work. That's what the title of blog refers to. God is deep at work in our communities. Our call is to listen and then step into the flow.
This is a blog as I work with the Seven Rivers District of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (try saying that 6 times fast). We're a geographically and theologically diverse bunch of Christians located in the center of Washington State. The district is bordered by Canada to the north, Oregon to the south, and the Cascade range to the west. Our eastern border ranges from Walla Walla and Dayton in the south end to Grand Coulee in the north.
We have the unique distinction of having 2, count 'em, 2 district superintendents. Steve Schroeder and I (Mary Huycke) job share the position. As far as we've heard we're the only district in the US that has two people sharing the work. Steve and I each work 1/2 time in this role and 1/2 time in another role -- Steve as the pastor in Twisp, me as a church consultant and ministry coach with CourageousSpace. I liken our work as superintendents to being the round connector piece in a tinker-toy set, (OK, that's dating me). In the ds role, we help connect local congregations and clergy connect to one another, to other congregations, and to the ministry done jointly by larger groupings and agenices within the United Methodist Church.
Communication is basic to how we connect. Hence this blog. It's one way we can share what's going on as our congregations explore what it means to be a faithful, fruitful Christian community in their own particular setting at this particular time in history. That's always the key question for a church, but more than ever, churches are intentionally addressing it.
According to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, the goal and work of each local congregation is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
This fall each of our congregations will be receiving a self-assessment tool from the Annual Conference (via Steve and me) to help them assess how they're doing in that work. What's working...and what may need some shifting.
The questions are designed to help a congregation look at themselves through 3 lenses 1) Who are we and who is our neighbor? 2) What's our definition of a Christian disciple, how do we think they're "made", what are we doing to do that, and how successful in it are we? 3) To what extent is our work impacting the lives of people beyond our doors; to what extent do we as a church walk alongside the community in direct ministry to community needs?
Much of what we'll be sharing in this blog are what these conversations stir up and what's it's like to be engaged in this work. That's what the title of blog refers to. God is deep at work in our communities. Our call is to listen and then step into the flow.
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