Grief & Anger

For the past few days I have struggled with writing this post. It did not seem enough to express my emotions about the massacre in Orlando; I needed to say more, to say things that are on my heart and that need to be said. The shootings hit very close to home for me. Living in Tampa, and having lived in Kissimmee for 6 years, I know the area. Will was born in the hospital where many victims were taken, and one of his co-workers at the Olive Garden near UCF was there and survived, but lost three friends that night. I have friends who live only blocks from Pulse. The friend of a dear friend lost a niece that night. One of my former youth, a gay man now living in Arizona, had spent many nights in the club and did not know for many hours if he had lost friends. Pain is everywhere. And it is from that pain that I write today. You may not like or agree with the things I say here, and normally I am the first to tell you that "it is entirely possible that I may be wrong." I also freely admit that many of my statements are generalizations, and that there are many wonderful people and sincere churches out there who do get what it means to love like Christ. But today, I seek to write uncomfortable truths. Do with them (and me) as you will. If anything I say rings true, then you will understand that we can disagree and still be friends. We just can't hate. So here are 7 things that are on my heart this week...

• This was a Hate Crime- to call it anything else is an attempt to make the crime more political and less personal. The shooter had terrorists ties, and his warped philosophy may have come from ISIS (not Islam- ISIS!). But he targeted this specific club because he wanted to see gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people die. This story is being spun by people who believe that USAmerica belongs to them, and who, like the Lt. Governor of Texas, believe that these helpless victims "reaped what they sowed." The sooner we (especially those of us who claim to follow Jesus) confess that the shooter was not the only one with hate in his heart, the sooner we can begin to deal with the root of our problem.
• The framers of the constitution meant for the 2nd Amendment to protect your rights to own an assault rifle just as much as they wanted to protect the rights of the local fireworks tent to sell nuclear bombs. In colonial times guns were tools in the hands of the public and weapons in the hands of the militia. You needed guns to put food on the table and to protect your livestock from wild animals. No one- not one living person on planet earth- needs an assault rifle for anything but killing people. Ban them now!
• Most of you know that I am a Christian, and spent 28 years of my life working in churches. So this is hard for me. But the #PrayForOrlando memes have made me a little sick to my stomach. We are telling a community of people- the LGBT community- for whom we have done little (except to marginalize and dehumanize) for many years that suddenly we feel their pain. We are telling people that our institution has told over and over again will "burn in Hell" that we now love them. Churches are now saying that LGBT lives matter- just so long as they don't wish to get married, be clergy, adopt children, chaperone youth group trips or do anything else that matters inside of our walls. We have taught people to hate the sin- and so those who see the LGBT community as sinners have hated who they are while claiming not to hate the sinner. It doesn't work that way. If you hate the fact that I am a glutton, and I am indeed a glutton, then you hate who I am- and therefore hate me. The Orlando shootings, just like the bombings of abortion clinics, are what hating the sin looks like when taken to a extreme conclusion. Jesus taught that everyone is our neighbor. Too many of our churches teach that everyone like ME is my neighbor. And then say, "But I'm praying for you..."  I have seen the church chew up and spit out pastors and members who came out of the closet. I myself was questioned about my sexual orientation because I had a gay youth pastor friend- and I would have been immediately fired if my answer to the question "Are you gay?" had been yes.The gospels say to love all, judge none and reach out to those we don't understand. Many USAmerican Christians have become far more likely to judge all, love some and hang out with with the people who are just like us. There are many exceptions- but they are still the minority. It is time for the Church Universal to assume its role as a catalyst for positive social change. Christianity is not some moral improvement plan through which we can fix people, it's about building loving relationships and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through them. Too many of us have forgotten that.
• I am not sure I can live in a nation where a man can say things as vile and abhorrent as the pure sewage that Donald Trump has been spewing since Sunday morning and actually become more popular. No doubt, radical Islam can be a terrible thing. So can radical Christianity when it leads to groups like the KKK and events like the Crusades. The Church propped up slavery and ignored women for many years. The LGBT community has been our most recent victim. Every religion has failings and skeletons in the closet. God have mercy on us. Ignorance is a dangerous thing, and Trump is counting on the ignorance of voters and the fear it can create to get himself elected. That is not a partisan statement- if he were running as a Democrat he would still be the worst possible candidate I can imagine. And oh by the way- the oncologist who over the past year has done so much to save the life of someone I love? A Muslim immigrant...
• There was something interesting on Twitter earlier in the week. A bisexual man wrote that one of the reasons that clubs like Pulse came into being in the first place was that many times LGBT people did not feel safe in public places, so they created their own space. The tweet ended with this: "Now we don't feel safe anywhere." How horrific is that? Our African-American friends have known that fear for many yeas, as have many women and other ethnic groups. So why...WHY?????...is the Church of Jesus Christ not a place where all feel safe?
• Hundreds of people posted memes on Facebook this week that said guns aren't the problem, people are. "After all, Cain killed Abel with a rock." True- but Cain couldn't have killed 49 people with that rock. People's hearts are indeed the problem, but giving such troubled people such weapons is begging for the culture we now live in- one where guns are taking out groups of people nearly everyday. Led by the NRA, people are forever saying gun control will never work. In 1996, there was a mass shooting in Australia where 35 people were killed. The politicians sucked it up and said never again. They enacted tough gun control laws, bought back hundreds of thousands of guns and set about changing the culture. In the past 20 years there have been exactly ZERO mass shootings (more than 4 dead) in that country. In the USA we have had 7 in the past 10 days. Canada has had 8 in 20 years. We have had 7 in the past 10 days. Something must change. And it must change now.
• For Christians, the stakes have never been higher than they are right now. Who do we trust- the powerful, corrupt and greedy who seek to lead us or the One who died so that we may truly live? Will we put our hope in Jesus or in the right to own an AK-15? Will we follow the Prince of Peace and actively work to change a culture of violence? Will we follow the Giver of Grace and lovingly reach out to those who may appear to be different from us, understanding that in God we are one family? Will we listen to the voice that throughout scripture, whenever things get scary, reminds us to "FEAR NOT?" Or will we listen to a culture that proclaims violence as the answer, judgment as the rule and fear as our only option? My friend Eric wrote in a comment on Facebook the other day the following challenge, aimed at Christians like me who have been too silent for too long: "Jesus would be upending tables and screaming about this. It's time for you guys to suit up and do the same." I could not agree more.

So please continue to pray for the victims of this tragedy and their families. Pray for the politicians who proceed so blindly with the status quo. And pray for our churches, which are filled with people who can make a difference if they choose to do so. And then we (starting with ME!) need to get off of our knees and DO SOMETHING! We can help put a stop to the madness, to prejudice and gun violence and so much more. Jesus taught that if we want to follow him we must put ourselves aside and love others as he loves us. It's not safety first, or theology first or politics first- it's love first, last and always. Let us find a better way...

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: Spanish Wells, 1997

Our 1997 Spanish Wells Mission Team

Jennifer did not appreciate the snacks, apparently! 

Lately I have found myself daydreaming about a nearly 20 year old mission trip we took from Kissimmeee, FL to the Bahamian island of Spanish Wells. It is a place that is indeed worthy of daydreams- and worthy of a Flashback Friday post! That 1997 Mission Trip (July 21-27) was special, and here are 7 things I remember about that amazing week...

1)  The previous summer another church had brought their youth group to S.W. to do VBS (Vacation Bible School) for all four churches on the island, just like we had done in 1995 and were ready to do again.  The church that came in-between our trips brought way too many youth, which put a serious strain on the hospitality of the locals. Rev. Bill Higgs, pastor of Spanish Wells Methodist Church, asked me to limit our group to 15 or 16 people. Since we had abut 50 kids who wanted to be part of a trip to the Bahamas, we made our students fill out applications and do interviews before we selected the team. It made for some tough decisions, but we ended up with a mature, talented and dedicated group (that's us all dressed up at the top) that understood our mission was to serve.

Jerry and I in...action?

2)  To leave as many spots as possible for our youth, the only adults who went that week were Jerry Hanbery and myself.  And we did absolutely nothing! The youth were divided into teams working on various areas of VBS such as crafts, music, recreation and Bible study. The preparation all had to be done before the trip, because we had to take everything we needed. There is no Wal-Mart (or much of anything else) in Spanish Wells. They did the preparation, they did the setting up, and they did the teaching. Jerry and I simply set back and basked in the glory...

3)  In addition to the Craft Nazis (Lisa Kraus and Sara Thacker) running roughshod over small children, forcing them to do crafts while Erin Bay, Caron Cook and Kristin Landry cowered in fear!) I particularly remember the guys doing music. Jacob Luper was on piano, Jamie Parker on ukulele and Jay Lynes and Ben Thompson were leading singing. Having that sanctuary full of children every morning and watching them have so much fun praising Jesus was a blast. Plus Jacob would break into Les Miz music during breaks!

One of our many boat rides between islands!

4)  The hospitality of the people of Spanish Wells was overwhelming.  We stayed in their homes, where we were treated as visiting royalty. I know we certainly ate like kings! Fresh conch, fresh lobster, fresh mango...well, you get the picture. They took us out on their boats and took us to hidden beaches for picnics and some fabulous swimming.  The folks that Jerry and I were staying with took us (along with Teresa and Jennifer Minnigan) by boat to Harbour Island, home of the famous "pink sand." We ate lunch there and I had the most amazing grouper sandwich in history! I always felt a little guilty that we were the only ones who got to go- but not that guilty! It sure made for a very special day and some great memories! There were special events planned for us almost every afternoon after VBS, including some cliff jumping and a unique battle featuring Ben and Jamie throwing jellyfish at each other. We ate a great meal at one of the two restaurants on the island. The only downside to the friendliness of the locals was that some of their guys were getting a little too attached to some of our girls. This was a serious issue because on the island the girls already outnumbered the guy by a 3-1 ratio. New females who might steal the young men were not encouraged to do so. But somehow we escaped without marrying off any of our folks...

5)  One of the families of the church had a little boy named Ferris who had a serious medical condition. The entire church family showered love on Ferris, and we joined right in. On every occasion that week when the church family was together (and that was often) the number one question coming from our group was, "Where's Ferris?" We all fell in love with that little boy.

Jill Souther was in every picture...  :)

6)  It was quite warm in the Bahamas in July (surprise!) and special recognition should go to Catie Cook, Jill Souther, Matthew Teoli (all pictured at right) and everyone else who pitched in with the recreation area. It was entirely outdoors, and was at times just a miserable place to be.  

7)  Do you want to know how strong the connections were we made that week? After we returned, we had one of our SHO-Time dinners at the local Cracker Barrel in Kissimmee. Many of the folks who gathered that night had been on the trip. At the time Cracker Barrel served drinks in replicas of old Mason jars. When the waitress brought our beverages, Jill Souther and Erin Bay looked at their glasses, then suddenly sobbed, "Ohhhhh...Mason jars. There was a boy named Mason in Spanish Wells..."  As is often the case in mission work, the people of Spanish Wells had a greater impact on us than we did on them.

My 6 years at FUMC-K provided me with more great memories than I could ever list, but this trip to the Bahamas ranks right at the top. Did I mention that there was lobster in the coleslaw?  And fresh mango and "Johnny Cakes" every morning for breakfast?Serving Jesus through serving the people of Spanish Wells was one of the great privileges I ever had in youth ministry. If you have memories of that trip, please feel free to share them. Marilyn and I are having lunch today in downtown Tampa with Jennifer Minnigan Kuramochi. Sure do wish you all could join us...

Because of Jesus,

Throwback Thursday: Floridays 1990

Today's Throwback Thursday takes us all the way back to our 2nd trip from Springfield Friends Meeting to Walt Disney World- Floridays 1990! I wish there were more pictures to share, but we took slides for our post-trip slide show, and those slides were lost in one of my moves. Still, here are 7 things that stick out in my mind from that adventure:

1)  We had many great "performances" while at Disney. We saw Heather Beggs and Mike Mercadante dancing in front of the "Chinese Theater" that houses The Great Movie Ride. There was J.J. Carter delivering his line to David Letterman- "Hey Dave, why don't you ever do anything educational?"- at Superstar TV. But the performance of the week had to belong to Kelly Allen (pictured, on left) and her ongoing portrayal of Lucretia Soul Disney Murphy Johnson, who could never figure out "who da hat be wif" and who was constantly on the lookout for Tyrone Mouse- "cause he's a liar!" Best supporting actor awards go to Wendy Mattocks and Jennifer Woods, also pictured.

2)  Russell Farlow ran out of money on about the second day and was constantly trying to borrow from his friends. At the awards ceremony following the trip he was awarded the Brother, Can You Spare A Dime Award.

3)  Jon Moran (pictured, along with Bryan Dowling) celebrated a birthday while we were in Orlando, and we did a birthday meal at the Olive Garden. I remember it was fun and that we had a great time, but I it seems like we were there forever. There were 60 of us, and they just couldn't seem to get our food out, our drinks filled or our checks out so we could leave. Jon may have aged a year while we partied...

4)  One night, after a very long day at the parks, we arrived back at the Gold Key Inn only to find that we had lost Dana Oxendine. We were searching and getting a bit frantic when someone discovered her asleep in the back of the Suburban that Butch Moran was driving. Given that Butch had been accused of falling asleep at the wheel on occasion, it was a miracle she could sleep that soundly!

Stinky also reads the blog!

5)  I have been on a lot of youth trips in my life, and on most of them there is one room that develops a smell that is, as my friend Alan Brown used to say, "taint"-  as in, "that jus' taint natural!" The award for worst smelling room ever (mostly from very natural causes!) goes to Jamie Robinson, Danny McCorquodale, Ken Hill, Jeremy Godwin and (part-time) Todd Farlow. They blamed it all on Jeremy's stuffed animal Stinky (who still takes trips with Jeremy on occasion!). Danny took most of the credit for himself...

6)  On the afternoon we spent by the motel pool, Tim Harding (our trip pastor), Robin Thomas and I wandered across the street (Well, sprinted!  You don't wander across the Orange Blossom Trail and live to talk about it!) to an A&W Root Beer store. Those were without question the best root beer floats in history! They made them with Breyers vanilla ice cream and put them in frosted beer mugs. We had more than one that week I can promise you!

7)  The New Mickey Mouse Club was popular in 1990, and the show had produced a spin-off band called The Party. One of the guys was named Chase Hampton. He was spotted at the Magic Kingdom one day by some of our girls- Jennifer Simmons, Emily Beggs, Elizabeth Tillman and others- and was then pursued until they caught him and got his autograph on their hats. The restraining order took effect the next day...  

So there you have it- a few classic memories from Floridays 1990! There are more stories on this blog from that trip, and you can find them by searching the label below this post. Have a great Thursday and thanks for sharing in this trip down memory lane!

Because of Jesus,

7 Things: A Youth Ministry Evaluation Quiz

Much of my adult life was spent working in student ministry. I was employed by a church to work with teenagers when I was still a teen myself, and for the next 28 years that was my life. I loved it. But having said that I should also point out that success in youth ministry can be very difficult to judge. Youth Pastors are always seeking out some new way to measure their effectiveness and help make sure they are on the right path. Today I want to help. Here are 7 questions that may be a little different from the standard "How am I doing?" checklist. In fact, you may have never considered some of these questions to be an indication of anything positive. I am quite certain these are questions you will never be asked by your church board or HR committee. I simply invite you to answer them honestly for you and your ministry, and then think about the implications of your answers. It may change the way you see success. Here we go...

1. When was the last time you had an all-out debate about a hot topic that is impacting the church today?  Not a program that informed students what they should believe, but a chance for them to talk about what they DO believe! Not a controlled, reasonable discussion, but a flat-out debate, with no holds barred?Remember, if you tell a teenager often enough that "we don't talk about that here" then pretty soon they won't talk about anything. And we want them to develop their own faith, not just be able to mimic ours. I can promise you if you do this, I already know your answer to #2...
2. How long has it been since a parent complained about what you are teaching?  Obviously, there are standard things we should be teaching to our youth. But far too often parents (and church leaders) want us to sanitize the Gospels. Following Jesus is messy. It often goes against what the world teaches. If we really teach that Jesus is the way, then we will occasionally be saying that parents are wrong.  Oops. Consider the importance of money and material possessions, for instance...
3. When was the last time you tried something that failed?  Whether a program, a trip, a mission project or a lesson, teenagers thrive on being challenged! If everything you do is safe and comfortable, with no risk of failure, then you are missing a chance to meet them where they are in a profound way.  Use your God-given creativity. Believe all those hats and t-shirts that say, Fear Not! Step out in faith. Do something wild and woolly! And if you fail, simply get up and try again. Jesus will always be with you!
4. Does your church have a rule in place because of you?  This was one of the late Mike Yaconelli's favorite questions for youth pastors. Have you been so creative that the church trustees have met just to figure out how to stop you? Have you tested the limits of the church buildings, the church grounds and the church vans? Not because you have been thoughtless or reckless, and not because you lack respect- but because you know and love teenagers and keep discovering new ways to keep them involved. In my case, one of my favorites was the banning of playing Kick the Can in the church cemetery. Seriously.
5. When was the last time you made your students uncomfortable?  We all want our youth ministries to be a safe haven for students in so many ways. But we also need to remember that following Jesus will ALWAYS take us outside of our comfort zones. We need to do ministry in neighborhoods that may not feel safe. We need to talk about subjects that our youth would just as soon ignore. And we need to take mission trips to places where our youth will encounter "the least of these." If your kids have not been uncomfortable lately, they are missing out.
6. Do your youth know that you are real?  Your students do not need to know if you are having marriage problems or have a secret addiction. They do not need to know if you dislike your pastor or really can't stand the new worship leader. But they do need to know that you have frustrations and problems. They need to know that you are a real person. Part of youth ministry is being a model of Christian living for the students you serve, and a real model has flaws. You and I are not perfect. Students need to know that. Be honest when you mess up a program or hurt someones feelings. Be real about frustrations. How can we teach about the amazing grace of God if we spend our lives pretending we don't need it because we have out acts together? It's time to get real.
7. How much ministry time are you spending outside of your office?  How many students who don't attend your church have you met recently?  I have written entire posts about this subject, but it remains a key question. If you are not out meeting students where they are and building relationships with youth throughout your community, then your ministry is missing a key element.  If meetings and paperwork have you trapped behind a desk, change something. Doug Fields once moved his office to a Taco Bell for after-school hours so he could be available to students and away from the "busy work" of the office setting. What do you need to do to make meeting students on their turf a priority?

So there you have it- a list almost guaranteed to get you in trouble with the local Pharisees! It is also a list that will help you seek out new ways to bring the teenagers you serve into a deeper relationship with Jesus. I have one more suggestion that is sure cause a little commotion. Share these questions with the Youth Ministry Committee, your church staff or anyone else you feel is appropriate. Seek their input and guidance. Maybe...just maybe...such discussions can lead to a little more organized chaos in your church. I will say it again- following Jesus is messy. Has your ministry become a little too "sanitized for your protection?" Finally, the ridiculous picture at the top makes a little sense...  Blessings to you as you serve in the name of the risen Savior!

Because of Jesus,

7 Things: Growing Up In Youth Group

If you've followed this blog from its inception then you know these stories and have seen all of these names before. Lately they have taken on added significance to me, and so today you hear them again. Much of my time here is spent telling stories of my days as a youth pastor, but I would have never become a youth pastor without my own youth group experience as a teenager. Between 8th grade and the end of high school (1972-77) I was a part of a very special youth ministry at New Garden Friends Meeting. You can read about how that happened in the 2nd post ever made here, called Beginnings. Today is about some of the great people and few of the random events that still stick out in my mind some 40 years later. There are so many memories. Here are 7 of the best...

Becky, Tammy, Lisa & Beth

1)  Our group was never huge, but we did have a fairly large group of people who passed through during those years. My best friends were Steve & Carl Semmler, Beth Vestal, Tammy Doggett, Becky Meredith, Lisa (Ram-It!) Ramos, Tim Vail, Andy Maynard and Martha Ratledge- but there were so many more who made that group special. We were blessed to know them, and Julie Oden, Jeff Vestal, Melissa Meredith, Roy Parkhurst, Jane Reynolds, Joe Willlingham, MaryLynne Burris, the Ossman family and more were all part of the fun. We also had incredible leadership from the Guilford College students who served as our part-time youth pastors- David Brown III, Beth Phillips, Rob Mitchell, Barb Brown and Louise Critz. They all made an impact on my life.
2)  There was this kid named Gurney Kaufman who was also part of the group early on in my time there. On one of my first trips with the group, to Camp Pla-Mor in Myrtle Beach, Gurney shot bottle rockets at unsuspecting civilians and threw a smoke bomb in Jeff Vestal's shower stall. Somehow he was still alive when we returned home.
3)  For reasons I do not remember, at some point DB3 had us making up our own musical version of Julius Caesar, set in Rome, GA. We all used our worst southern accents to say lines like, "Tis I, the sooth sayer!  And the sooth sayer say...Beware the Ides of March!"  At some point a couple of us had a scene where we skipped long singing, "Hanes makes me feel good all under..."  Thank God that there is no video of any of that...
4)  Every autumn we would go up into the mountains and spend a few nights at Sam Levering's apple orchards, just hanging out under the stars together. Those were amazing times. If I recall correctly, the evenings usually ended with us guys giving some of the girls back rubs, with a promise of reciprocation. I am pretty certain I am still owed a TON of back rubs...
5) In addition to Sam's Place, Myrtle Beach and Quaker Lake, a number of us went with a group to New York in November of 1976. I remember 2 things about that trip. One, while we were there the Guyana Jonestown Massacre (in which cult leader Jim Jones poisoned hundreds of his followers with Kool-Aid) took place, and was a major item of concern at the United Nations. Secondly, Lisa Ramos and Dan Moran met for the first time. They are still married today.
6)  Roy Parkhurst had a friend named Annette Wells (I think?) who had an absolutely beautiful singing voice and wrote a haunting song about a female race horse named Ruffian who broke a leg and had to be put down. Always wondered what happened to her...
7)  That group taught me great games like Sardines, Secret Documents and Kick-the-Can (in the Graveyard!) from my days in the New Garden youth group. I learned to play guitar from Martha, Rob and Steve. I learned to hold doors (and many other good manners) from Beth, Becky and Tammy. I learned how to be both youth pastor and friend to students from DB3 and Rob. I understood how to make bible study and programs fun and educational because I saw it modeled every week- by college students who were paid next to nothing for their work. The life-lessons were many, and the teachers were the best.

There are so many stories to tell. The night we carried a sleeping Carl Semmler out of a cabin at QLC without waking him up. The afternoon at Sam's when Becky was sleep talking about saving a tree. The New Year's Eve square dances and our wild, very sweaty rendition of the Virginia Reel. So many memories. Outside of my parents, nothing had more impact on my life in those important years than the youth group of New Garden Friends Meeting.  I thank God everyday that they are still such an important part of my life. Love you guys.

Because of Jesus,

#TBT: Easter Sunrise Services

Happy Maundy Thursday! As long as I can remember Easter Sunrise Services were a part of my life. Beginning when I was in middle school our youth group always played a part in the service, and from the time I took over as Youth Director at New Garden Friends Meeting in 1979 they became an important part of our ministry. Today, with the glorious celebration of Resurrection Sunday awaiting in just a few days, I give you 7 random Sunrise Service memories from over the years. Enjoy, and have a blessed Easter weekend. He is risen!!!

1. At New Garden Friends Meeting (1979-83) we had the service (weather permitting) in the church cemetery. The cemetery is very old, with graves dating back to the Revolutionary War. There was something unique about celebrating the empty tomb in a graveyard. It was a 6 AM service and the youth provided a breakfast afterwards. I remember picking up hundreds of Krispy Kreme doughnuts one year, and making something called Hot-Crossed Buns another. Seriously. Insert bun joke here.
2. At Springfield Friends Meeting (1986-1994) we tried a variety of services (including another very old cemetery) but finally hit upon one that worked- the Flowering Cross. Everyone would bring cut flowers from home, and at the conclusion of the service we would turn an "old rugged cross" into something alive. I usually sang the old Don Francisco classic He's Alive, made famous by Dolly Parton. I did not do any Dolly impressions...



Avis & her Bunny Creation

3. While technically not at a Sunrise Service, I did do an Easter Bunny impression one year. Avis Rees, wife of our pastor, told a resurrection story about an empty egg, and asked me to dress as a bunny for the drama. Against the advice of her own children, I accepted. She even made the costume. I wore it- and many people were never the same. One of our dear old friends from those days, Lori Cox, maintains to this day that her family joined SFM because any church with a youth pastor crazy enough to dress like that must be OK.
4. During my days at FUMC-Kissimmee (1994-2000) we did a 6 AM service down by the Kissimmee lakefront. It never failed to be an adventure. The youth group did the entire service, and at 6 AM you were just never sure who would actually show up. It didn't help any that the time seemed to "spring forward" that weekend every year so we would lose an hour of sleep. One year we were doing a drama, and the student who was playing Jesus over slept. Another year it was a young woman who was supposed to sing a solo. Andrew Lewis and I would be down at Lake Toho around 4:30 on Easter morning setting it all up- and then we would do breakfast afterwards for the church. It was always just a little insane. And that's not even counting the year the city didn't turn off the sprinkler system. We had a mass baptism. complete with screaming.
5. Easter Sunday was spectacular at the Union Church of Hinsdale (2000-2001) but the youth had nothing to do with it- and there was no Sunrise Service despite having a gorgeous setting just across the street. Even at Easter there was no way all those rich folk were getting up that early for church! Yet another bummer for UC.
6. At Wesley Memorial UMC (2001-2005) one year our music director Jason Deese decided to use the Youth Praise Band at the Sunrise Service out in front of the church. Electric guitars, live drums- the works. The neighbors (not only of the church, but of my family- we lived right next door!) were not amused at this early serenade, and the police stopped by to ask us to be quiet. There is no...well, very little... truth to the rumor that my wife made that call...
7. Easter 2006 found me at Trinity UMC in Waycross, GA, where the "early" service followed a huge breakfast. It was my first time preaching to that congregation. You know, if you screw up an Easter sermon you really have no business preaching at all. Fortunately it went well, and I got to preach several more time that year.

And I haven't been at a Sunrise Service since. The church we attend now does lots of Easter services beginning on Saturday afternoon. but nothing earlier than 9 am on Sunday. My mind is still packed with great ideas for planning a Sunrise Service, and one of these days I am going to unleash them on an unsuspecting congregation. Because if you can't get excited and have awesome, creative worship to celebrate the resurrection, you have issues. I mean come on people- He's alive!  Have a blessed day!!!

Because of Jesus,

7 Things: Songs Weird Al Ruined for Me

Let me make this perfectly clear- I am a huge Weird Al Yankovic fan! From the first time the wonders of My Bologna (1979) coming out of my radio while listening to Dr. Demento, I considered Al to be a musical genius. His In 3D album (1984) remains a favorite of both mine and my son's, and we own the CD and have it on our iPods as well. That's the album that featured Eat It, the parody of Michael Jackson's Beat It that turned the whole world on to Weird Al and made it so I will never hear the original the same way again. Eat It popped up on shuffle the other day and it got me thinking- what other songs has Al ruined for me over the years? Which of his masterpieces have rendered the originals moot in my mind, because his parody is now my PREFERRED version of the song? So today I present for your consideration my list of 7 (more) songs Weird Al ruined for me. Here we go...

• The Safety Dance - One of the quintessential songs of the 1980s was The Safety Dance by the band Men Without Hats. It was a favorite of mine, especially the music video. At least it was until the first time I heard Al's The Brady Bunch, in which he sings the lyrics of the The Brady Bunch TV theme song to the tune of the original. It was catchy and brilliant to the point that I no longer remember the lyrics to the real song. Just "the story of a very lovely lady who was bringing up 3 very lovely girls..."
• American Pie -  Don McLean's masterpiece (released in 1971) was a cherished memory of my childhood, one of those songs that would live on forever in my heart as a classic piece of musical history. Until... Al released The Saga Begins in 1999, turning American Pie into a send-up of Star Wars, Episode 1. Now no matter how much I love the original, everytime it plays my mind begins singing, "My, my this here Anakin guy, maybe Vader someday later now he's just a small fry..." Even as mysterious as McLean's original is, it's just hard to take it seriously with those words ringing in my head!
• MacArthur Park- This very dramatic song, first made famous in 1968 by Richard Harris and later brought back to life by Donna Summer (1978) as part of the disco craze was a legendary piece of pop music. And then came Al. All of the drama, all of the tempo changes and all of the emotions were still present- only now the song was about dinosaurs! Jurassic Park was not only hilarious, it was musically brilliant and helped show the world just how talented a man Weird Al Yankovic actually is. "Someone left T-Rex out in the rain..."
• Lump - There were not many rock bands or songs from the 1990s that caught my attention, but one of my favorites was Lump by The Presidents of the United States of America. Just as an aside, what a really long and horrible band name! But the song was cool. However, once Al released Gump, his tribute to the movie Forest Gump, Lump became just a faded memory. Gump is classic Al, with a dead-on musical cover and great lyrics. "And that's all I have to say about that!"
• Smells Like Teen Spirit- It was the early 1990s and the rest of the world was bestowing god-like status on Kurt Cobain and Nirvana when Al decided to parody their biggest hit. Not only did he poke fun at the song, Al also managed to toss a few zingers at Cobain himself. The lyrics to any Nirvana song were difficult to understand, so when Al sang, "What is this song all about? Can't figure any lyrics out" everyone knew what he meant. And when he added, "It's hard to bargle nawdle zouss with all these marbles in my mouth" suddenly it just didn't matter anymore what the actual words were. I still prefer Al's video too. He totally destroyed the song for me!
• American Idiot- Green Day's classic song from 2004 was another revered piece of pop culture when Al decided to have a little fun with our neighbors to the north. Canadian Idiot is one of my favorite Weird Al songs, and because of that has reduced the original to the least listened to song on one of my favorite albums. The lyrics are just so clever, poking fun at all things stereotypically Canadian while making serious fun of USAmericans in the process. "They all live on donuts and moose meat, and they leave the house without packing heat- never even bring their guns to the Mall..."  And by the way- I share their dream of driving a Zamboni someday!
• Eye of the Tiger-  When Sylvester Stallone was putting together Rocky III he wanted to use Queen's Another One Bites the Dust as the movie's theme song, but he couldn't get permission. Al parodied that song with Another One Rides the Bus, his first song to make the Billboard Music charts. Instead, Stallone commissioned the band Survivor to write the 80s classic Eye of the Tiger for the film. Yankovic couldn't let that one pass by either. In 3D features a lesser known Weird Al classic- Theme From Rocky VIII (The Rye or the Kaiser). The song is the story of how the now fat and lazy ex-champ buys a deli, and if you listen closely you can hear him say: "It's the rye or the kaiser or the wheat or the white, maybe I can suggest an appetizer. Stay away from the tuna it smells funny tonight, but you just can't go wrong with rye...or the kaiser." I dare you to take Eye of the Tiger seriously after that...

So that's seven. There are others- Like a Surgeon comes to mind, but I never liked the original so it doesn't matter as much. I love Amish Paradise, but that's a case where I never even knew the original (Gangster's Paradise) until AFTER I heard Al's version. His Bad parody (Fat) is brilliant, but again, I just didn't care enough about the Michael Jackson song for it to be "ruined." There are also all of the snippets of songs that are in his many Polka medleys that have distorted the way I hear some real classics. "And I'm talking 'bout my g-g-g-g-g-g-generation!" The man is a genius. I'd like to start a movement right now to have him play the next Super Bowl halftime show. Now THAT would be epic! Have a weird Thursday, my friends!!

Throwback Thursday: Long Live the Betsy B!

 As I wrap up the unofficial editing of my novel this week, my thoughts have often turned to the old house in North Myrtle Beach called the Betsy B where much of the story takes place. Those thoughts led me to this Throwback Thursday post...

Way back in 2010 I received an e-mail from a woman named Amanda whose extended family was planning a trip to North Myrtle Beach the following summer. They had never been and they were looking to rent a house for a week. The realtor she dealt with recommended the Betsy B because of price and size. She googled "Betsy B" and came across my blog and the various references to the place, and e-mailed me the following question:"In your opinion, what amenities make the Betsy B such a great place?" I assumed by amenities she meant swimming pool, lazy river, golf carts, golf privileges and other things so prevalent at many NMB rentals these days. I told her it had none of those things; just a nice location and a great beach. And then I started thinking (uh-oh!). What was it that made the Betsy B such an amazing place to take a youth group (besides being the future home of my Hall of Fame!)? The answers could be found in these 7 Things:

1. The Layout-  With three floors, each with four bedrooms, there was great flexibility for sleeping arrangements. No matter the number of males and females it could always be worked out. There was also a kitchen on every floor, which gave you options (although we always kept the food on the 2nd floor so there was only one kitchen to clean each day). Three living rooms meant 3 televisions, three couches and multiple easy chairs. We could be all together for worship, or spread out for Black Thursday.  
2. Location-  The Betsy B is located in a section of NMB known as Ocean Drive. When I was younger, all of the "cool kids" and great parties were at OD. Things changed, but we could still walk to the shops and arcades of OD, or go get a snow cone or a hot dog. We were surrounded by other houses, but shared our property with no one else (most of the time). Our silliness didn't bother other people, and no one ever bothered us.

3. The Porches-  An oceanfront porch on each floor, complete with rocking chairs, made for wonderful daytime beach watching and great moments at night. Some of my favorite conversations ever took place on those porches, and so many people have such strong memories of sitting out there at night and singing or just hanging out. I wrote a number of songs sitting out there watching the moon reflect off of the Atlantic Ocean. Ahhh- the moon over the ocean...
4. The Outdoor Showers-  While there were 3 showers per floor inside the Betsy B, the most memorable ones were located outside, by the right side of the house as you came back in from the beach. Originally just open showers used to rinse off sand and ocean, they were eventually enclosed so you could take full showers. This was quite handy when everyone was trying to get ready to head out to eat or down to the Pavilion. Plus, it was a bit weird and a little exciting to talk to a naked neighbor of the opposite sex in the stall next to you as you both showered...or was that just me?
5. The Beach-  The wide, sandy beach that was located right out the back door was one of the things that made the Betsy B such a popular place. If you wanted to lay out and tan, this was your beach. If you wanted to swim or body surf, this was your beach. If you loved taking late night walks or threatening people with Sand, Water, Sand, Water, Crab, Crab, Crab! then this was your beach. It was perfection!

6. The People-  The very best thing about the house was that it gave us the space and freedom to have up to 45 of us live together for a week. I always thought of it as a youth group version of The Real World- "45 of us picked together to live in a house..." We always left the Betsy B with new experiences, better relationships and a stronger bond. From the group I grew up in at New Garden Friends, through the Springfield years and on through Kissimmee, just saying "we are going to the Betsy B" brought a smile to the faces of students. The people were what made the trips great.

7. The Stories-  The Betsy B lives on through the stories of those trips, many of them which I have shared on this blog. You can read about Moons Over Myrtle Beach, Karen Fry's Birthday Surprise, The Legend of Big K and more (check out all of the links in this post). I'll never forget Stacy's raft, Avis' "flipper," Adam's hair, Kelly's jokes or the KISS concert. I could write a book (well. actually at this point it would be ANOTHER book!) of nothing but Myrtle Beach stories- and the Betsy B would be a major character. 

So Amanda, I don't know if any of these things counted as amenities or not, as I never heard back from you in 2010. But my suggestion to her then was that she bring all of her relatives, create her own stories, and discover the magic of the Betsy B. I also told her not to damage it. Someone is going to buy it for me someday!  :)

Because of Jesus,

7 Things I Believe (that may make you like me less)

This blog has always focused on uniting, not dividing. I seek to be inclusive, not confrontational. That is just my style. But today w're going a different route. Today I share with you 7 things I believe that may well rub you the wrong way. And I'm not sorry.  It's time to get a little bold...

1. I believe that every act of violence against another human being is rooted in evil. While it is true that on occasion good people are called upon to control a situation with a violent response, this does not make the act any less abhorrent. And when good people begin to choose violence as their first response (rather than the last resort) to crisis situations we see societies crumble. All of us- and this includes our "peace officers"- need to live out their oath when it comes to human lives- To protect and to serve. Too many of us who claim to follow the Prince of Peace are horrified by the thought of actually turning the other cheek or walking the extra mile...
2. I believe in this day and age that patriotism and partisan politics are the enemy of the church of Jesus Christ. When we put country before God, Jesus weeps. And while I'm at it, the flag doesn't belong in a sanctuary. It's God's church, not America's.
3. I believe that if you told me I could have a ticket to one concert of my choice to see someone I have never seen live, I would choose Bruce Springsteen. But not before I thought long and hard about picking Garth Brooks. Yeah, I can't believe I just typed those words!
4. I believe that when Jesus told us to love our neighbors he meant people from other religions, undocumented immigrants, the LGBT crowd, people of color, people who disagree with us and even people who enjoy Jason Derulo. Everybody everywhere!!! If you don't believe things like racism, gender bias and homophobia still exist then you are not paying attention. And love is not a concept. It is a verb. The church has one agenda, and it was not set by a church board, or a pastor or a denomination. It was set by Jesus. So get out there and love your neighbor!
5. I believe that if we admit the truth that in any given year 50% of our congress is too busy trying to make sure the President fails to actually propose accomplishing anything then we will understand that we may never again have an effective leader in the White House. Don't believe me? I know many of you have zero use for President Obama. Yet his approval ratings are great when compared to those of Bush 43. In our current political climate, at least half of the country will always hate you. We should worry about the sanity of anyone who wants the job.
6. I believe that it speaks ironic volumes about the role of money and power in our society and the laughably tragic state of our legal system that Ray Rice is welcome to ride Disney's Tower of Terror...but not me. See what I did there? The Tower of Terror is an elevator ride...
7. I believe that if you say you haven't changed your beliefs, convictions or opinions in the last 20 years that you are not steadfast and consistent, you are simply hanging on to things someone else told you to believe. People change, the world changes, God gives new revelations (if you disagree with that then you are implying that God is no longer active) and we evolve and change with age. Thirty year old Carl would listen to 55 year old Carl and laugh in his face! Embrace traditions, hold fast to the truth that is Jesus, but do not become stagnant. Life was never meant to be a merry-go-round. It's a thrill ride!

So there you go. This is not an attempt to change your minds about anything; just a few statements to let you know where I stand. If any one of these makes you think outside the box a little, then I have done my job. Have a happy Thursday, my friends!

Because of Jesus,

Music Trivia: Beach Boys Connect-the-Dots

My regular readers know of my long-standing love of the Beach Boys. While I am not (contrary to popular belief) old enough to have been a fan all the way back in their earliest days, their music has been a part of my life for a very long time. From hours spent listening to various albums to seeing them in concert with artists like Billy Joel and Chicago to singing their songs when no one is around to hear, I love me some Beach Boys!  And their music has been very influential in the lives of other artists as well. So today we are going to play a little trivia game I am calling Connect-the-Dots. Here's how it going to work. You will see a list of 7 artists and songs, all of which have some direction connection to the Beach Boys. Your task is to identify the connection. For example, if the list reads Jan & Dean- Surf City, then the connection is that Beach Boy head honcho Brian Wilson co-wrote the song. See how it works? Just to make it more of challenge, you will not know if it is the artist or the specific song that connects it to the Boys. This is not going to be easy, but it should be fun! Take your best guesses, and then after another picture you will find the answers. Enjoy, and let me know how you do. Steve Semmler, if you don't get 100% you should turn in your fan club badge!!!  :) OK- let's do this!

1. Barry Manilow - I Write the Songs
2. Wilson Phillips- The Dream Is Still Alive
3. Chicago- Wishing You Were Here
4. Glen Campbell- The Wichita Lineman
5. The Beatles - Back in the USSR
6. Jesse and the Rippers - Forever
7. The Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together

Think you have some of the connections figured out? Let's take a look at the answers and see how you did!

1. The huge Barry Manilow hit was, ironically, not written by Manilow but rather by longtime Beach Boy Bruce Johnston! It seems that Bruce writes the songs that makes the whole world sing!
2. There were 3 Wilson brothers in the Beach Boys- Brian, Carl and Dennis. Carl and Dennis have passed away, but Brian is still going strong. The "Wilson" part of the 90s pop trio Wilson Phillips were 2 of Brian's daughters- Carnie & Wendy. For a little pop music bonus, the "Phillips" was Chynna, who was the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas. Pretty cool, huh?
3. The Boys did a couple of tours with Chicago over the years, and seeing them close a concert with all of both bands on stage was truly something to behold. On the Chicago hit Wishing You Were Here the Beach Boys provided the background vocals. And they are amazing...
4. Around 1964 the band was constantly on tour, and an inner ear problem made the noise and the travel unbearable for Brian Wilson. He stopped touring and dedicated himself to songwriting and studio work. Brain had been the band's bass player, and he was replaced for a while on tour by an unknown studio musician named Glen Campbell. Things that make you go hmmm!
5. The Beatles and the Beach Boys were rivals in many ways in the early 60s, but later on became friends and were often inspired by each other. Paul McCartney has stated that Sgt. Pepper was pushed to new levels in the studio because they were so amazed by Pet Sounds. Back in the USSR was written as a California Girls style tribute to Brian Wilson and his musical genius.
6. Uncle Jesse (a character played on Full House by John Stamos, who has sat in with the Beach Boys on numerous occasions over the years ) was in a band called Jesse and the Rippers. They struggled to get a break for quite a while before the Beach Boys appeared on the show and gave them a song called Forever. The song was one of the few BB tunes written and sung by Dennis Wilson, who died in 1983. The song became a hit again after being on the show, and the Rippers reunited on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2013 to sing it again as part of a Full House medley!
7. When Love Will Keep Us Together became the #1 song of 1975, Daryl (the Captain) Dragon and Toni Tennille were unknown artists. But not to Beach Boys fans. Daryl had spent several years as keyboardist for the group on tours, and on his recommendation Toni was added as an additionally keyboard player for a year. That stint was enough to qualify her as the band's one and only "Beach Girl."

It's difficult to find musicians who were not influenced in some way by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. I hope you have fun playing along with me today, and that you have enjoyed the good vibrations. Wouldn't it be nice to listen to some Beach Boys today, and the get together and do it again?  Have a blessed day!

7 Movies You Should See (or see again...)

Everyone has favorite movies, the kind they can watch over and over again. This writer is no different, and there are various lists of movies on this blog that attest to that fact. But today I want to share with you some movies that may not show up on many lists of top picks, but are movies I have either watched again recently or find myself wanting to watch in the very near future. It's a very personal list, and these are suggestions with which I am not asking anyone to agree. If you don't like them, that is your opinion. And you are wrong! :) If you know me at all then you know my sense of humor can be a little "off" and that movies that make me laugh or tell great stories are always my favorites. So with that in mind I give you 7 Movies you should find and watch...or watch again!

1. Dick Tracy (1990) - This Warren Beatty film about the great comic strip detective (and the first guy with a phone in his watch!) is worth watching just for the incredible water-color backgrounds and sets. But it is also a fun story featuring the kid from Hook and What About Bob? (either of which could have made this list), a lot of famous actors playing the bad guys (including Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman) and even a decent performance by Madonna. It's been years since I saw the entire film; my hunt for the blu ray continues!
2. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) - One of the darkest dark comedies you will ever encounter. A professional assassin, played by the marvelous John Cusack, returns to his hometown after completely disappearing following graduation for his 10 year high school reunion. He has someone to kill. A very sleazy Dan Aykroyd and several others are trying to kill him. He rekindles an old love which leads to a very unexpected plot twist. Alan Arkin is soooo good as his therapist, and Joan Cusack is wonderful as her brother's secretary. The scene where the convenience blow up is priceless! Told you it's dark...
3. The Rocketeer (1991) - A wonderfully underrated World War II era story about an Ironman-like hero and his adventures in learning how to use a rocket pack he found and save the world from the Nazis. Alan Arkin is again brilliant as the mentor to Bill Campbell's Rocketeer. And in what was her first major role, Jennifer Connelly is beyond gorgeous. Plus I never liked him as James Bond, but Timothy Dalton makes a really good nasty villain. Like Dick Tracy, an often overlooked Disney film.
4. A Fish Called Wanda (1988) - Like Blazing Saddles, Airplane!, Ghostbusters and Anchorman, this is one of the movies that makes me laugh just a little bit harder every time I watch it! The cast- including a very sexy Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline (who won an Oscar for his performance), Michael Palin & John Cleese (both of Monty Python fame) is fantastic, the story is filled with adventure, twists, turns and great one-liners. And yes, there really is a fish called Wanda. I seriously LOVE this movie. Now "speak French to me, Otto!"
5. Johnny Dangerously (1984) - So few people saw this movie in theaters that the night I met its star Michael Keaton (see The Night I Met Batman) he was shocked that I knew of the film. I find it hilarious. Keaton plays a member of crime family, led by the great actor Peter Boyle, that is at war with another mob gang. Danny Devito, Marilu Henner and Joe Piscopo also play key rolls. Will and I quote this movie endlessly. "My mother hung me on a door, Johnny. Once...ONCE."
6. Arthur (1981) - There was no chance I would see the 2011 remake starring Russell Brand because there was no way to improve on the original. The late Dudley Moore was perfect as the spoiled, often drunk title character who falls in love with Liza Minnelli and stands to lose the family fortune is he doesn't follow through with his arranged marriage with someone else. Sir John Gielgud is perfect as his butler/best friend. A great comedy with great heart. Gotta' love those.
7. A Bug's Life (1998) - There are so many great Pixar movies that this one often gets overlooked. It has always been one of my favorites. The story of Flik, an ant trying desperately to impress people but constantly falling on his face rings very true to me. The quirks of the other bugs, the importance of the "little people" and the great cast of voice actors (including Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere, David Hyde Pierce, Denis Leary, Madeline Kahn, Bonnie Hunt & Brad Garrett) make this a film I wish ABC Family would show more often- or one that we should buy on a format a little newer than VHS. "And now...FLAMING DEATH!!!"

So there you have it- my suggestions for some movies to be on the lookout for in the days to come. And Will would have my head if I didn't also mention this- Young Frankenstein turns 40 this year, and a new blu ray has been released. It's not only a great comedy, but my son who is headed to film school next year calls it "a perfect movie. Everything works!" I hope most of you have seen the Mel Brooks classic. But if not...do it. NOW! 

Have a great day!