#TW3: Port of Call, Antarctica

Welcome to Day 4 of my fictional ultimate Youth Week, based on a week I planned 3 different times and never got to do.  To understand what I am up to, check out That Was The Week That Wasn't.  To understand me- well, good luck with that!

It's Wednesday of this very special week, and we have an amazing day planned for our cruisers!  It's a long day, so just jump in and hang on!

Port of Call:  Antarctica
9 AM-  We'll gather at the church and take "shuttle boats" over the coldest stop on our trip- Antarctica! You probably knew that there would be ice and penguins and snow- you may not have known there would be totally awesome water slides as well! That's right, we will spend the day at Disney's Blizzard Beach. You can zoom down the Summit Plummet, float on the Cross-Country Creek, ride the Downhill Double Dipper or just hang out and catch some rays. Blizzard Beach will rock, and you will not want to miss it! It's going to be an awesome day, so be sure to bring your sunscreen, your towel and a change of clothing because our trip to Antarctica includes one more stop. We will get back on the shuttles at 5 PM and head over for a very special night...

5:30 PM-  Our "shuttle boats" will then take us to a restaurant hidden deep in the heart of the frozen continent- or better yet, to Planet Hollywood! We have the third floor reserved for a private party (This ridiculous idea is one I actually explored. We could have done it.  I would have had to sell all my possessions, both lungs and a kidney...), featuring dinner, a skit on Thawing Out Our Chilly World and some karaoke with at least 23 people singing Let It Go or Do You Want To Build a Snowman? The night then wraps up with our old friend Curt Cloninger performing his one-man show, Witnesses. You'll meet characters, real and fictional, who knew Jesus when he walked on the earth. It's fun, it's moving and it will make you want to know that same Jesus even more! Plus there is all the fun that is Planet Hollywood!  It is going to be an amazing night. The shuttles will return you to the church at 9 PM. Then go home and get some sleep. You are going to need it. Day 5 will be a doozy...

#TW3: Port of Call, Hawaii!!!

I hope some of you are enjoying this fake week as much as I am!  Welcome to Day 3 of my fictional ultimate Youth Week, based on a week I planned 3 different times and never got to do. To catch up on what this is all about check out the label #TW3.  This week is much like the movie "Inception" or the tv show "Lost." If you can figure out where or when any of this is supposed to be happening, and which parts might be real and which parts are only a dream, then please-  TELL ME!  It's all a bit strange... 

"Howareya, 5-O?" Day 3 (Tuesday) of the the "best Youth Week ever" finds us heading to the beautiful Hawaiian islands for an amazing night of tropical fun and fellowship. But first, we have some interesting activities to keep you busy while we are at sea. Enjoy!

On-Board Activities
10 AM-  Meet at the church (Which one? Your guess is as good as mine!) and you'll be given a team, a driver and a list of Random Acts of Kindness you can do in the name of Jesus! The list will take you all over Tampa, and you will document your team serving others with a digital camera. See how many people you can make smile with simple acts of service in a two hour period. Then gather back at the church...

12 noon- It's time for buffalo wings (courtesy of PG's in Kissimmee) and Beach Volleyball (you didn't really think I would have a "dream church" and not have a beach volleyball court, did ya?)! In addition to regular volleyball, there we will play some Ultimate Volleyball, with everyone on the court at one time as we seek to break our all-time record by keeping a beach ball in the air for over 150 hits. At 1:30 PM it's time to go home and shower- but hurry back!

5 PM- Hula Dancer Practice. If you would like to learn to Hula, and you are willing to perform in front of a crowd, then come to the Youth Room and learn from the best! Matthew and Brook Teoli, Elizabeth Dykes, Kim Heiter and Ben Thacker will teach the ancient Hawaiian art of Hula (OK, full disclosure- I don't know if any of those people can actually Hula dance.  But they get the job because they are the best dancers I have ever known.  Except for Ben...).  The dancers will then perform as part of our Luau! No talent required- just exceptional bravery!

Port of Call:  Hawaii
6 PM- Join us at Disney's Polynesian Resort where we have taken over their outdoor Luau area for a Hawaiian extravaganza!! The evening will begin with an a amazing dinner featuring all sorts of authentic island dishes and drinks- the non-alcoholic type! As you eat, you can see the pictures that groups took earlier in the day as they performed Random Acts of Kindness. Dinner will be followed by a Hula contest, a performance by our nearly-professional Hula dancers (the ones you see on the right WILL NOT be asked to perform!), a Limbo competition and Body Surfing (Remember that one? Someone stands on my back and tries to "surf" while I attempt to throw them off.  Watch out for the big waves...). Our Disney Video Moment will feature Lilo and Stitch.  The Drama Team will present the skit Ohana Means Family (featuring an appearance by Elvis!), which will lead us with music (Chances we open with Lahina are 100%!) followed by worship with our guest speaker, Hawaiian pastor Rick Bundschuh (father of Justin "Pepe" Bundschuh of Spooky Tuesday fame). Rick will help us Save the Humans by reminding us that church people can be a difficult bunch to get along with sometimes, as he speaks on the topic Jesus, Please Save Me From "The Christians!" We'll close with some more music and a time of commitment. Be sure and bring everyone you know to this great night of fun and faith! And be sure to visit this blog again next Thursday as we head for Antarctica. Penguins!!!

Because of Jesus,

#TW3: My Dream Youth Week, Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of my fictional ultimate Youth Week (TW3- That Was the Week That Wasn't!), based on a week I planned 3 different times and never got to do.  Confused?  Go back and read the Thursday posts from the past 2 weeks. Still confused? Then I can't help you...

It's Monday on the Youth Week Worldwide Cruise, and we are at sea! Enjoy the day with some great adventures and our explore our exotic location in the evening. Here's the schedule:

On-Board Activities:

9:30 AM- Meet at the church (still don't know which one!) and we will head over for our annual Putt-Putt Masters Golf Tournament at Walt Disney World's Fantasia Gardens course. This is your chance to compete against some of the worst mini-golfers in the world, including 1998 Festival of Fools champion Adam Hill (pictured). You'll play in 4-person teams with a "Best Ball Captain's Choice Scramble" format, and the winners will take home vintage 1999 "Comin' At Ya' Like a Blitz" t-shirts! How great is that? You can use golf words like Par, Fore and Bogey that you seldom get a chance to drop into everyday conversation. The golfer with the lowest score will take home the coveted Purple Jacket. Plus we will have a Hole-in-One contest and several other surprises. You can be picked up at the church at 12 noon if you need a nap after all of the excitement, or.... 

12 noon- You can join us for The Lunch Bunch! We'll be going to Pizza Inn for the incredible buffet (Yes- I know Pizza Inn is in High Point, NC, and the first event took place in Florida. You still aren't getting that this is my dream week and EVERYTHING is possible!) and lots of great fellowship. And after all, what is a cruise without food? Be sure and try the cherry "pizzert." We'll be done at 1:30 PM. And then it is on to our first port of the trip...

Port of Call:  Australia
7 PM- Our first stop on the Save the Humans worldwide cruise is the land down under!  Join us in the Youth Room (could be The Attic, could be the Dungeon, could be the Overflow or The Love Shack) and we'll play some Australian themed games (Kangaroo Hop Technicolor Stomp, anyone?) and make our very own Vegemite sandwiches. Our drama team will present a skit featuring the world's worst Crocodile Hunter, and we''ll have a Disney Video Moment with The Rescuers Down Under. Our friends from Gatorland (yes, we are back in Florida) will stop by with some friends for us to pet, and the good people of the local Outback Steakhouse will provide some snacks for us. And the night will end with music and worship featuring a message from all-time favorite guest speaker Duffy Robbins, entitled Real Christians:  An Endangered Species.  Bring all of your friends and come join us. We might even throw some shrimp on the barbie...  

 Be sure and join us next Thursday as we lift anchor and head for another exciting port!

#TW3- Welcome Aboard the Worldwide Cruise!

I hope you all are ready- it's time to launch the Youth Week that never happened!  Join us on our Worldwide Cruise each Thursday or follow along with the hashtag #TW3- That Was The Week That Wasn't! To read more about WHY I'm writing these posts, click HERE. And remember- it's a fictional dream week, so we can do anything I want to! Cost and location are no object. This is going to be fun!

"One hope, baby- only God can save the humans now..."

The Youth Week Worldwide Cruise departs today! You will not want to miss this fictional adventure with a different Port of Call each day, as well as many festive On-board Activities! We will be pulling restaurants and attractions from pretty much every place I ever served a church, including sometimes several in one day! To paraphrase Walt Disney, "If I can dream it, we can DO it!" Each day will be laid out like it would have been in one of my summer brochures, complete with times. Exactly where we are when we do things "at the church" will remain a mystery! Here is the schedule for Sunday:

6 PM-  All students and their families are invited to join us for the Captain's Dinner in the Fellowship Hall, featuring catering by Stamey's BBQ! This is a great opportunity to meet your crew (our fabulous Youth Ministry Team) as they serve you dinner. You can also connect with passengers you may not yet know as we play some dreaded Name Games. It's a great time to get your passports that serve as tickets for the rest of the cruise. And did I mention it is all-you-can-eat? Plus have your picture taken with a very special guest- and it's not Jerry Hanbery! Then be sure and stick around for an evening of entertainment. 

7 PM-  We set sail and celebrate with a Bon Voyage Party! The evening will begin with a concert from our favorite Slinky players- Lost And Found! You'll hear Lions, Slide Girl, Baby and many other classics! Be sure and come dressed in blue- 'cause that's what slide girls do! A skit featuring some of your peers will follow, helping us introduce our theme and scripture for the week for the week. Our scripture comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:8- "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel, but our very lives as well, because you have become do dear to us." This amazing evening will wrap-up with the improvisational antics of CPR- Carl, Pete and Ringo (I know they broke up 10 years ago, but this is my dream week, so shut up!)! You and your family and friends will become part of the show, so don't miss out on the fun. Plus there will be prizes and surprises galore as we set sail on our week-long adventure, going worldwide to Save the Humans! It's all over by 9:30. Join us- and Stein Auf! See you next Thursday for Day 2 of this fabulous fictional adventure!!!

Because of Jesus,

That Was the Week That Wasn't

The month of May is right around the corner, and that always gets me thinking about all of the summer youth ministries I was involved in over the years. Beginning in the late 1980's (see The First Youth Week) we included a Youth Week in every summer that we planned at every church I served. The week always had a theme, and always featured at least one event each day. It most often began with something at the church on Sunday evening and ended when Rec Around the Clock finished on Saturday morning. It was always one of my favorite weeks of the year, both in the planning and the execution.

In September of 1999 my future at FUMC-K was a bit up in the air, but I was still expecting to be there the following summer. The year 2000. It seemed like it should be big deal, and we began to formulate a plan to make Youth Week 2000 the most amazing ever. We had always joked about taking a group cruise; that was cost prohibitive, so we began thinking about a cruise themed Youth Week instead. But then life happened and I left the church in March of 2000. Fast-forward to late 2004. I was the speaker at Youth Tremors, a post-Christmas camp for students held at Quaker Lake. My old friend Tim Vestal, who coordinated the event, used a cruise theme for the long weekend. It reminded me of my previous plans, and upon my return to Wesley Memorial UMC we began to put together a special Youth Week for 2005. The theme would be the 2004 Ian Eskelin song Save the Humans (you can hear it at the bottom) and we would "tour the world" with the message of Jesus. I wrote scripts for skits, and we even went to the beach and made our very own Save the Humans video. Then once again life intervened, and I left WMUMC in June of 2005. My last official act was a scaled down Youth Week- just not THAT one. Again my plans went unused. In January of 2007 we began to prepare yet another cruise themed Youth Week for the students of Trinity UMC. But due to my own sin and stupidity, my career ended in February, with the plans already in my computer. Three times I tried, and three time I failed. Clearly, that was the week that wasn't (TW3)!

Now all these years later it occurs to me that this is still a great idea. My life may no longer include student ministry, but my heart and my head still go there on occasion. All this thinking (it's always dangerous when I think!) makes me ponder what TW3 would look like in 2015. It makes me wonder what we could do with modern technology and (I can dream, right?) unlimited resources. So I have decided to plan another Youth Week, this time without the restrictions of reality! That means for the next 6 Thursdays this blog will be will be fictional! Instead of memories of events and people that were part of my life, there will be stories of things that never actually happened. I will combine some of the original elements from FUMC-K with some of the ideas from WMUMC and TUMC (and lots of brand new stuff!). What you will get in the end is a killer (if outrageously expensive) dream Youth Week Worldwide Cruise as it might happen in the Orlando/Kissimmee/Tampa area today. It will be totally unrealistic, but hey- it's my dream, right? So don't get hung up on the facts- just enjoy the ride! Each day's events will be drawn up just like we would have done in a summer brochure if we were actually doing it- so feel free to sign up for the events you like! And the great part is it's all free!!! This little experiment is my way of taking care of some unfinished business. For my former youth, I hope it will remind you of the excitement of looking ahead to great youth events. This may be even more fun now that you are an adult. And for my friends in student ministry, perhaps you will find a bit of inspiration in my over-the-top plans. The fun begins May 7th!

Because of Jesus,