Random Ramblings (Springfield Edition)

As my blogging about my years at Springfield Friends Meeting (SFM) draws to a close this week, I have a lot of random thoughts from those years that don't quite merit a post of their own.  I will share many of them with you today, so just jump in and hold on!  And as always I would love to hear your comments and stories- e-mail me!

• I loved going to sporting events and seeing the youth play (in return they got to watch me play for the always entertaining SFM softball team each spring).  I always got into the games and became just another idiot fan pulling hard for "my" team, no matter which of our high schools or middle schools was playing or which team our kids were cheerleaders for.  Thanks to the Moran family I even learned to appreciate (be it ever so slightly!) soccer.  Perhaps the most exciting sporting event I have ever seen in person (and I have seen a lot) was watching Jeremy Godwin (pictured at right with Jennifer Simmons) win the NC state heavyweight wrestling championship his senior year at the Greensboro Coliseum.  Jeremy was loosing with just seconds to go in the match, when suddenly he escaped, flipped his opponent over and pinned him!  It was just simply amazing.
• In December of 1987 we had the first ever Friend Day at SFM, and the meeting room was packed!  It marked the beginning of a new enthusiasm and new spirit of outreach for the Meeting.  I think they still do the event.
• During my time at SFM we hosted a number of youth events for North Carolina Yearly Meeting, including Saturdaze '89.  We had groups from all over the state come in and we had a great program including Doyle Craven in The Orkrah Wimpy Show. 
• Speaking of Doyle...his leadership and faithfulness inspired me in so many ways during his tenure at the Yearly Meeting youth director, and to this day I still consider him to be one of the best youth pastors I have ever known.  His "career" in ministry ended when he announced he was gay.  Shortly thereafter, a "witch hunt" began in NCYM and anyone who had been close to Doyle was at the top of the list.  One of the most surreal moments of my life was the day Max Rees called me into his office to ask me if I was gay...I wasn't, by the way.  Not that there's anything wrong with that...

• I had two official college-age interns during while at SFM.  Tim Fountain, who had been in my youth group at New Garden Friends (and is pictured, on the left with Amy Simmons, Todd Farlow and myself) and Rebecca Howard of Quaker Lake fame.  They were both awesome, and they paved the way for the coming of Jerry Hanbery once I reached Kissimmee!
• On September 13, 1993 we changed the name of our TNT program to MARS (Mondays are Really Special?).  I have no idea why...but everyone who showed up was given a Mars candy bar!
• While serving SFM I worked with Youth Specialties on promoting a National Resource Seminar and and Understanding Your Teenager workshop, both of which we hosted.  I also was published as an author for the first times, writing articles for GROUP Magazine and Quaker Life Magazine.  I also wrote a chapter for a GROUP curriculum aimed at 4th and 5th grade students, and I actually got paid for it!  All of these things helped me establish a reputation outside of NCYM.
• Most of the posts about my Springfield years have been about the things that worked.  I could do another 100 posts talking about the things that didn't, or that didn't work for long.  We tried 10 different ways of starting small groups that never took off.  We kept trying new ways to get students more involved in leadership, but that never really happened.  I planned three small-scale mission trips that no one ever signed up to attend.  But the important thing was that we kept trying new things...
• We did 8 Youth Sunday worship services while I was at SFM, and each of them was moving and well received...at least they were after the first one.  I went on a rant at Monthly Meeting about how the youth were not just cute and sweet and the church of the future, but how they had important things to say and were a part of the church NOW!  Never heard any of that cute and sweet stuff again...
• I got to preach a couple of times a year when Max was away, and here are a few of my sermon titles from those years:  We Didn't Start the Fire, I Won't Back Down, The Heart of the Matter and I Go To Extremes.  Anyone see a theme there? 
• Marilyn and I were both in the choir and got to work with three wonderful choir directors- Brenda Haworth, Laurel Zeiss and Bob Spencer. Laurel taught us what became the official anthem of the church, In This Very Room. Mel Downing had been the organist for nearly 30 years before we arrived and remained in that position until his passing last year.  He was a Springfield institution.  One of my all-time favorite lines came from Brenda's husband, noted neurosurgeon Chester Haworth.  When Brenda asked the choir what we should do to honor Mel for 30 years of service, Chester responded "I think we should bronze his organ..."   I am still laughing!

There are so many memories, so many stories to be told from those years- but it's time to start wrapping it up.  My service to SFM ended with a bang, not a whimper, and the stories of how it all came to be are coming in the next few days.  Enjoy!

Because of Jesus,