Remembering Lisa Ramos Moran

Lisa Ramos Moran was one of my oldest friends. We met through the youth group of New Garden Friends Meeting when we were both in junior high school (I am a year older) and have remained connected ever since. We shared so many experiences in high school, including my first trip to New York- a trip on which she met her eventual husband, Dan Moran. We used to greet each other in a most unusual way back in the day. I would greet her with "Ram it, Ramos!" She would respond with "Jam it, Jones!" And then we would hug. Today, friends and family from all over with gather at High Point Friends Meeting to say a final farewell to Lisa, who went to be with her God on Wednesday after to a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She has three grown children- Dani Shea, Alexander and Eli- and is married to her high school sweetheart-still her sweetheart- Dan. As this day arrived and I wanted to pay tribute to my old friend, words failed me. She touched so many lives. And then it came to me that my words were unnecessary- I had hers. Lisa wrote a guest post for this blog back in 2012 that says everything you need to know if you didn't know her- and everything you already knew if you did. I cannot be there in body today, but I am there is spirit. We love you Lisa, and someday, when we meet again on the streets of heaven, you know how I will greet you. And hearing "Jam it, Jones!" in return will once again be music to my ears.

My Best Day in Ministry: Flowers for Lisa

Luke 12:28 - If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 

Carl and I go way back and I was so excited to be able to volunteer for this writing venture! 

Just like all of the other guest writers, I have had many good days in Youth ministry but when I decided to respond to Carl’s request a certain day just popped into my mind.  I feel a bit narcissistic because this story is all about me  …

Last summer, my friend, Sheila- the Youth Minister at First Friends – and I took a group of youth to Philadelphia. There were tweens and teens from both Meetings. I had 3 middle school girls and my youngest son, a rising college freshman. There were 7 youth from First Friends. It was more of an educational trip than a mission trip but God is good, all the time. Our mission, even if we didn’t put a name to it, was about learning love and strengthening bonds within our groups. That, too, can be important work.

We had a blast! We took the train, which was a brand new experience for most, and got to know each other quickly. We learned so much Quaker history, visiting various Meetings and historical sites. We worked with the American Friends Service Committee Office in Philly to make a video about peace. We laughed, ate Philly steak sandwiches and took a bus tour of the city. We walked with mostly beautiful weather above and took lots of pictures.

The last day we were to meet in the lobby, store our suitcases with the hotel staff and head on our last day’s adventures. As I headed to the Starbucks in the lobby (not much roughing it on this trip) my 3 middle school girls met me, giggling as only middle school girls do, with grins as big as their faces, with three of the most beautiful flowers ever. They had bought them at the market and they had bought them just for me.

It was such a spontaneous, beautiful, heartfelt and pure gesture of love from these three beautiful, drama-filled, lovely, mood-swinging, gifts-from-God middle school girls, I could hardly breathe. Maybe you think I am overreacting. I didn’t faint, or cry, or any of that but I was so touched. We took our picture with the flowers and then I decided we needed to put them in a water bottle and carry them with us the rest of the day! I asked the girls if they were up to helping me make sure the blooms survived and we were off!

The flowers rode the tour bus with us, went through the Eastern State Penitentiary with us, had a place on the steps that Rocky ran up, and even rode the train home with us.

The whole trip was great but that day was special. I am a huge fan of the “Rocky” movies- I know, cheesy at best- and I got my picture taken by the statue and a few of us ran up the steps leading up to the Museum of Art. The double decker tour bus ride was so much fun and the weather was perfect. The prison was both surreal and very interesting. The kids were lapping up our last little bit of time in the city, excited for our train ride home but not wanting to leave our own big adventure. And my girls, and my flowers, were my treasure. 

Luke 12: 34 - The place where your treasure is- that is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

The day brought one of those times when I knew I was where I wanted to be, needed to be and hoped I could stay- in the lives of these young people and others, getting to know them, encouraging them and getting so much encouragement from them. I hope that I am teaching them kindness, helping them see how we can work on the ideals of the Kingdom of God here on earth and I hope to remember to thank Jesus for the flowers along the way!

Romans 1: 8, 12 - I thank God through Jesus for every one of you! But don't think I'm not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.

I send each and every one of you blessings, peace and joy in everything you do!

Lisa Moran

A Day To Remember

Every now and then I have a day that reminds that my 52 years have been filled with amazing people and many blessings.  Yesterday was one such day. Here's a recap...


Marilyn, Will and I began our journey to Kissimmee around 9:45 am.  We arrived early and drove down 192, seeing once again all of the remarkable changes that have taken place there since we moved away in 2000.  It seems every motel has a new name.  Many of our favorite restaurants are gone, replaced by new ones.  We drove by the house FUMC-K provided us for the 6 years we lived there, the house where Will lived his first years. We drove by the church itself.  The memories were coming at me in waves.  All this time the excitement was building over the reunion planning meeting we were heading to attend, and Teresa Tysinger was reminding me by text of all the possibilities such a reunion would bring and how many people were excited by the idea.  By the time we arrived at the Broadway Pizza Bar just before noon, I was ready!


Quite a few of the people we thought were coming to the meeting wound up not making it, but Jill Watson, Cindy Martin and the Jones clan had a grand old time reliving old stories and making plans. As Jill said, we picked up right where we left off 12 years ago.  Interested people can read and respond to our reunion proposals by clicking here- and please do, because we desperately want your input!  But we had too much fun and laughed way too hard, and 2 hours went by in the blink of an eye.  We left not only excited about the possible reunion, but also about planning more planning meetings!


In the midst of all of this, our dear friend Lisa Jewett was kind enough to stop by our Tampa home and let Conner the Dog out to stretch his legs and relieve his bladder.  Not just any friend will do that for you.especially when the dog is as crazy as Conner, but Lisa was glad to do it.  We do have such amazing friends...


The came reunion #2 of the day, as we ventured over to Downtown Disney to catch up with the Farlow clan from NC, who were just arriving in Orlando.  The group included Todd Farlow (a Hall of Fame student from my days at Springfield Friends Meeting), his wife Meleah and their 2 kids, as well as Todd's mom and dad, Brenda and Lewis.  Also with him them were Todd's older sister Amy, her hubby David Logan and their 2 daughters.  We had thought we were not going to get to see Amy's family, and so when I wrote about seeing the Farlow's in yesterday's post I neglected to mention them.  By the time we arrived in Kissimmee, Amy had made it known on Facebook that I was in trouble for leaving them out!  We had a good laugh about it.  We wound up just meeting them at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort and having dinner there.  It had been at least 8 years since we had seen any of them, but once again it was immediately like old times.  Brenda abused me for my gray hair; Lewis was making me laugh hysterically; Marilyn and Amy were cracking each other up; and Will was simply soaking it in.  Such great people who were so very important in my life- and still are.  I just love that family. Again, 2 hours went by in a blink.


The blessings of the day (and the weekend) were not quite done.  I got a message from my Twitter Sis, telling me she and her family were coming to WDW in October and hoping to catch up with me.  That would be so awesome! Marilyn got a call from my old friend (and fellow Banana Split!) Ray Luther, who followed me as the youth pastor at Springfield and is now the senior pastor there. He is here is central Florida with his wife Katie.  We are hoping to meet them for dinner tonight, unless we have to build an ark this afternoon.  And finally, we got word through Facebook that my old NYWC buddy (and another of Banana Splits!) Tim Vestal and his wife Sarah welcomed a baby boy into the world yesterday.  Simply put, it was an AWESOME day!!!


It was indeed a day to remember, both in the sense that it was a wonderful day, and in the sense that I remembered so many of the people who have so blessed my life.  Thanks to everyone who made it so special.  Have a blessed Sunday, dear readers!


Because of Jesus,

And Finally...My Own Best Day

My last night at Springfield Friends Meeting

Today I mark the end of this remarkable series of guest posts about great days in ministry by sharing my one of my own best days.  In some ways, me trying to share a "best day" on this blog is really quite redundant.  For the past 900+ days I have been sharing with my readers the ups and downs, highs and lows of being in ministry. I have shared with you many of my very best days, both from my years as a professional youth pastor and in the nearly 5 years since that part of my life came to an end.  There have been and continue to be so many amazing days with so many amazing people.  I considered following the examples of Ashley and Shae in their guest posts and doing a list of some sort.  I considered writing about great days still to come.  But after thinking about it for 2 weeks now, I have a brief, seemingly unimportant story to tell about a day that could have easily been forgotten...but never will be.  

That's the bride, top right-
 with a bunch of cousins!  1987

Sometime back in the early 2000s Marilyn and I flew to NC to be at the wedding of one of former students from Springfield Friends Meeting.  Erin Moran was one of our favorite people and her parents were some of our dearest friends, and we were excited to go.  Since many of the youth from those days were in some way related to to Erin, we also knew we would see lots of people we loved at the the event.  I had last worked at Springfield in 1994, and so many of the people we had shared life with when they were "youth" were now married with families of their own.  It was a wonderful day, and we did indeed get to see a lot of people we loved.  After the wedding we all headed downstairs to the Rees Fellowship Hall for the reception, which to us felt a great deal like a homecoming.  So many old friends to see and catch up with.  Seeing them all was such a wonderful reminder of the 8 great years we had spent in ministry at Springfield as a part of their families and the family of God.

That's Jill in the middle!

But none of that is what made this a day worthy of being called a "best day."  That moment was provided by Jill Glbreth, Mandy Beggs and some of the rest of the cousins of the bride.  You need to to know that down the hall and around the corner from the Fellowship Hall at Springfield is the dungeon we called a youth room, a place that held so many memories of so many great moments together.  Jill and the gang, all dressed for the wedding, many of them with their own small children in tow, came to me with a request.  They were joking (sort of) but at the same time it was heart felt.  They wanted to know if we could go around to the youth room and play our favorite game, Sardines. And then they wanted to know if I had my guitar.  In the middle of a wedding reception, these young adults wanted to go relieve their youth group days. They wanted to play.  They wanted to sing. They wanted to worship together as we had so many times almost a decade earlier. We knew we couldn't really go do it (and although it may surprise some of you, I don't actually carry my guitar EVERYWHERE I go!) but the sentiment moved me deeply.  It was one of those crystal clear moments when I KNEW that God had indeed used me to make a difference in the lives of the students I had served.  And when youth ministry has been your life, that is indeed a great day.


I hope that this series has inspired you as much as it has me.  The lessons are many, but I hope if nothing else has been clear that this has been- great days in ministry are not always BIG days in ministry.  Most of us will never have Billy Graham moments where we lead thousands to Christ. Most of us will never sing to the multitudes.  But all of us- every single one of us- can have great moments serving God and serving others.  And that is what ministry really is.  Thanks again to all of my guest writers.  Have a blessed Sunday!


Because of Jesus,

My Best Day in Ministry: Shae Pepper

The final guest post in our series is yet another with international flavor.  Shae Pepper is a Professional Youth Worker and has been for the last seven years.  She was also a Volunteer Youth Worker for seven years. She has a Master’s in Youth Work and Community Development from DeMontfort University in Leicester, England. Shae has provided training for youth workers in England, the USA and Rwanda. She has worked with young people aged 8-21 in England, Rwanda, the USA and Thailand.  She, and her husband, recently started Youth Workin’ It, a consultancy service and blog designed to equip and support youth workers and youth organizations around the world. This supports her personal and professional goals to provide better services and programs for young people worldwide.

“My best day in youth ministry.” I have been ruminating over this one for over a week now.  Talking about it with my husband, thinking about it while driving, while eating, while working out…my conclusion: is it possible to pick just one?!  I LOVE working with young people.  It is one of the main reasons I get up each day and one of the main things I enjoy most about my life.  It is exciting, funny, serious, crazy, weird and wonderful all in the same session. 

Although I’m not a parent, often I feel what I think most parent’s feel- joy and satisfaction when a young person learns something new, makes their best choices, follows their dreams and shows appreciation.  As someone without kids, I feel like this is how I’m fulfilling the whole ‘go forth and multiply’ part of the Bible.  When people ask if I have any kids first I say, ‘no’ then I say ‘actually, yeah, hundreds’ and then go on to tell about my various young people who I’ve seen grow and change during the time I worked with them. 

I’m sorry Carl, I tried so hard to get it down to just one day that was my best in youth work.  But I couldn’t.  There are just too many good stories (you did the right thing by making this blog to share all of yours), too many positive changes, too many games, scavenger hunts, fundraisers, smiles, tears and one-to-one chats to just pick one day.  And so, here are my top five days or moments in youth work and ministry:

5.  Youth Participation in Action- In that first youth group that my husband and I worked in together in the UK, we empowered the youth to do their own youth service.  They were excited, planned it all, did talks, special dance, planned and led the worship… everything!  In the end, the 8 of them got 80 (!!!!!) of their friends together for a youth service.  I love that they were motivated to take the lead, and used the experience of supportive adults, to make something happen for their friends that was awesome. 

4.  World Travelers Loving the Lord- My husband and I worked with a group of youth when I first moved to the UK.  He’d been working with them for years and knew them well, I was the outsider.  But over time I got to know them.  Although I still feel like ‘step-youth-worker’ to them, because he was the one who built all the relational capital with them over the years, I love them all just the same and want the very best for them.  Two young ladies from that group have served or are serving in a missionary capacity overseas.  I love that they learned to love Christ through their time in our youth group and took that love to others around the world- not being afraid to go and tell.

3.  Sharing Hotel Rwanda- I showed Hotel Rwanda to a group of youth during a World Awareness session, at which time we discussed global issues and what happened in Rwanda in 1994 (most of the youth in the room were only 1 or 2 when that happened, and it’s not exactly on every school curriculum in the UK or US).  The next week ‘John’ a 15 year old boy, came back to tell me that he’d rented it and watched it with his aunt and told her all about what happened.  I couldn’t believe that a teenage boy would take the time to do all that, based on the session.  He was really touched by the message and internalized it so much he shared it with others.  I love that he shared what he learned with an adult he cared about.

2.  Seeing Salvation & Baptism- One of the young ladies from #4 made a decision to follow Christ during our time with that youth group.  And the other young lady in that story, was instrumental in leading her toward Christ.  Seeing her make such a radical decision and then a few years later seeing her go public with that decision through baptism filled me with such pride.  I love that she is still radically excited about what Christ did for her on the cross and that she shares it so openly with others, at home and abroad.

1.  One-to-one chats- This is more than one day or moment, but really any time I get one-to-one time with young people, or even just 2-3 of them together it makes my day.  I can remember a grocery trip with ‘Amber,’ where the clerk asked if she was my daughter (I replied, ‘not naturally but in my heart, yes’ – we were group home parents at the time for five teenage girls).  Or the time where I took ‘Olivia’ to Chipotle and we talked about family and how boys should treat girls in a relationship.  Helping ‘Sarah’ with a job hunt at a hair salon, walking up and down the high street (which was on a steep hill so it was quite a feat!) collecting and returning applications and then stopping for a muffin and a cocoa.  There was ‘Tim’ who wanted to be a plumber and shared about his desire to open his own plumbing business one day.  And ‘Kevin’ who was a refugee from Zimbabwe, who shared about his experience having to leave his home in just three days.  Or ‘John’ who shared about his experiences in the Rwandan Genocide.  Not to mention last night when I talked about Lebron and Kobe with ‘Wes’ and ‘Tom’ who had nowhere to be but outside on a cold, rainy night in a rough neighborhood.  I love spending time with young people, hearing their stories, their likes, their dislikes, what’s most important to them (even if it’s not what’s most important to me), their dreams and goals and their interesting and often funny way of viewing the world. 

So there it is- my top five.  I probably could sit and write pages and pages of how much I enjoy my vocation and the young people I get to spend my time with.  In my opinion, it’s the best ‘job’ in the whole world.  These memories, probably like the ones you have from your time in youth work, mean more to me than a paycheck, a nice car or new clothes- they overshadow the long hours, the time away from friends and family as well as the mental, physical and emotional exhaustion that sometimes creeps in.  I encourage you to think of your own ‘best days’ and try to make each day with your youth ‘the best day in youth ministry’ ever!

~Shae Pepper

@peppershaekr

@YouthWorkinIt

My Best Day in Ministry: Gary Bott

Today's post from another Twitter pal, Gary Bott, makes this series officially international- and not just North American!  Gary is married to Katie and they have 3 lively boys!  Gary oversees the children’s and youth work at Billericay Baptist Church in the UK and is passionate about seeing them discipled into an active relationship with Jesus Christ. He enjoys working with young people and being able to help them through life’s struggles. Gary recently received an MA in missional leadership and is committed to seeing the church engage with the community. He has a love/hate relationship with Tottenham Hotspur and loves American Muscle cars. In his spare time he can be found chilling with a cup of tea amongst the chickens he and Katie care for on their 'Funky Chicken Farm'.  Follow Gary on Twitter @RevBott

Hi all, I thought it would be good to shed some light on the UK youth scene by sharing my greatest day in youth ministry.

I’ve never been to the US (one day!) and I am sure there are certain differences between the youth in the UK & US, but its probably not too different! Teen angst, deep questions, parental issues, discipleship, mentoring and copious amounts of Pizza and Coca Cola!

I’ve been at my post for nearly 9 years in employment but have been involved in youth work for decades and many others who have written on this subject have summed it up for me; I don’t think I have had a best day – yet! There have been some amazing moments in this ministry, from seeing young people make commitments to Christ, getting baptized, understanding a deep theological issue, beating one of them in an eating contest, not being sick on a roller coaster ride, as well as numerous camps and trips out where relationships are built. All of these are great times and at the end of each day, you could easily say – “That was the best day” However, each time a new thing comes along it’s like a ‘best day’!

Two of the most memorable days recently were seeing my son get Baptized last year at the age of 12 – that was a great day and last week when one of my youth sent me a facebook message saying she had witnessed to a friend at school who was now interested in God! That was a great day! To see her joy in the words she wrote was uplifting and she is really showing signs of great evangelistic work!

However, I think the best days are yet to come! When I first came to this church one of the elders asked me if I would go on to do “proper adult ministry?” I bit my tongue and informed him that my heart was to be involved with youth work all my life, to which he replied – “there aren’t many 60 year old youth workers” to which I replied – “maybe that’s what’s wrong with youth ministry?” You see I have a firm belief that when you are called, you are called, until God says otherwise. I feel called to long-term youth ministry! People who have inspired me are Mike Yaconelli, Mike Pilavachi and Fuzz Kitto. All in youth ministry at older ages, with Mr. Yaconelli probably now heading up the youth ministry in glory!! 

For Mike and Fuzz, they would be able to give numerous ‘best days’ but they would still say they are yet to come! As we grow in ministry and walk with those we minister to, the more we are going to see these little acorns grow into mighty oaks! More and more we will see spiritual fruit develop in their lives and the more we will know our lives have touched their lives!

So I believe the best days are yet to come, I’ve had some good ones, but I want to see better ones and with Christ’s help, I believe they will come!

Blessings from the UK

Gary

http://talkingoutofyourbott.wordpress.com/

 PS – happy to visit the US whenever you want me!

My Best Day in Ministry: Tim Ghali

Here's another great guest post, this one from my Twitter friend Tim Ghali.  This

series continues to be everything I prayed it would be, and we still have three says

left!  I am thankful to have Tim share with us all today!

Know that I am honored to guest-post here.  So a little context  - I'm Tim, I'm 
35, husband to Susan for 12 years, father of 3 (oldest is 3, youngest is 5 mos) 
and I served in youth ministry vocationally for 11 years.  Though I would say I 
am enjoying many parts of the story of my life, very little has gone as planned.

I honestly believed that I would be in youth ministry for about a decade longer.  
I really enjoyed working with youth, especially high school students … most of 
the time.  But as we all learn in life, doors close, doors open, and we find 
ourselves praying the Lord will give wisdom and discernment. It's in that 
mindset that this post is written from.  

While picking the day that brought me most enjoyment in youth ministry was a 
difficult task, I think I got I one - June 26, 2011.   It was a Sunday, 
Graduation Sunday to be exact and I was privileged to give the Sunday message 
and to honor our high school graduates.  I had arrived at this church when the 
class of 2011 was in 8th grade.  In so many words, they were my first real class 
to go through their high school experience with me.  

They were a pretty large class for our mid-size church.  They always attended, 
always shared their gifts and of course, always complained and debated with me.  
"Listen Tim, this is cool and all but it doesn't work for some of us and if you 
really want to connect with the kids who aren't here …" and "You're crazy - 
soccer is much better than football!"  I think it's fair to say that in my 11 
years, this was the class that I interacted with most and like all things in 
ministry, it was bittersweet.

By their junior year, we found our rhythm.  They had bought and added on to our 
vision and hope of our ministry.   Between a solid core of students, amazing 
leaders, new students, prodigal students, our group felt to be clicking.  The 
only glitch was that it looked like our season was ending in this church.  It 
would take more than a year for it to be actual and while nothing was decided by 
June 26, 2011, it seemed likely that seasons would change.  

Each year, we had what was called the "Senior Sneak."  We would take that year's 
graduating class on an incredible celebratory trip.  For all the years, we made 
them endure generic soda and chips, we were breaking the perfume bottle and 
showering their feet.   Living outside New York City, we always had options.  
Previous years had included seeing Brian Regan, the Fray, and Seinfeld and 
enjoying cities like New York, Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore.  

These trips always included a good amount of deception because high school 
students with expectations are really intuitive.  So we would create false 
itineraries and accidentally leave them out (and the itinerary always sucked).  
This year I told them because of budget cuts, we had to cancel the Senior Sneak.  
Though they were sad, one senior came up afterwards and said, "That seems to be 
the right thing to do in light of the circumstances."  A good youth pastor would 
have been proud of her sacrificial nature (which I guess I was) but what I was 
really thinking was, "YES, this plan is going to work!"

So June 26th was coming and I needed their parents' involvement to secretly pack 
an overnight bag for a series of events that I could not tell them about.  I 
trust parents less than I trust that shady 15 yr old couple who always find the 
darkest part of the room/church/mission trip to cuddle together.  But the 
parents came through.  While I will spare you the details of the deception, 
there we were in the church van driving north when we drove past the sign that 
said, "Boston".  

The theme was "Saying Good-Bye to High School" which I was able to weave through 
Sunday's message, that night's Owl City concert and Monday's sightseeing.  After 
the Freedom Trail, we found a quiet spot in the Boston Commons Park and talked 
for 2 hours.  There was a lot of affirmation, a lot of tears, confession, not 
confession of sin mind you, but confession of souls that were well, further 
realizing that everything was changing.  It was pretty incredible.  (You can 
read a little more at http://www.blackcoffeereflections.com/search/senior+sneak/).

It was tough for me too, because I knew that soon, I too would be "graduating" 
from this church.  I looked around our circle remembering all our moments 
together.  The girl who swore she'd never come back was there.  The guy whose 
parents thought I was a heretic loved his youth group experience (and they came 
around to loving me too.  Maybe their theology got better but what I really 
think is that we found community together).  There was the girl that gave upon 
her baptism, shared with the church that being encouraged to confront her doubts 
was the game-changer in her faith.  I could go on and on but you get the idea.  
We closed our time in prayer, frantically searched for bathrooms, hopped in the 
van and said goodbye to Beantown.  

We sang, laughed and reminisced all the way back to Jersey.  I looked in the 
rearview a few times, sad that was over, excited that it happened, overjoyed for 
these moments of the journey of life and excited for what was ahead for all of 
us.  

---

A special thanks to Carl for letting me guest post here.  Feel free to visit me 
over at my blog, Black Coffee Reflections or follow me on Twitter (tg24) - would 
love to connect.

My Best Day in Ministry: Ashley Goad Broadhurst

Ashley Goad Broadhurst is one special human being.  I have known her since before she was old enough to be in a youth group.  I knew her when she was a part of the my youth ministry at Springfield Friends Meeting.  At some point in our relationship I renamed her Prudence Irwina Goad (P.I.G.) and still refer to her as Prudence whenever the mood hits me!  :)  She has been a very special part of my life for a very long time, and I am thrilled to have her share with us today.  You can find her on Twitter @broadhurstag, and read more about her current ministry @solarundersun.   Go get 'em Prudence!

When Carl first asked me to write about my “best day in youth ministry,” of course I jumped at the chance. As my youth pastor, Carl meant the world to me, and as a friend, I appreciate the support and prayers he offers me on a daily basis. After all, it’s easy to write about the best days, right? …

Until I sat down at a computer, however, I had no idea how hard of a task it would be! Just one day? My best day? How can I possibly narrow it down? I have served three amazing churches – Pine Hill Friends Meeting (NC), ChristChurch Presbyterian (TX), and Herndon UMC (VA) – and at each church, God blessed me more and more.

Thus, in the spirit of a Carl Jones blog, here is a tribute to my top ten days in youth ministry, in no particular order!

10.  HUMC Louisiana Mission Trip, June 2010

“Out of Chaos, Hope.” Flying from DC to New Orleans with a group of 30+ teenagers. Sleeping in “pods” designed by the Canadian army to hold heat IN. Working with a bunch of Presbyterians on disaster relief. Performing the “Box of Sin” skit for the first time. Taking a group of teenagers to Bourbon Street. Eating beignets at Café du Monde. These are the weeks youth pastors dream about. Making memories and solidifying relationships…all while loving God and serving others.

9. Any given Monday morning at 6:30am in 2003 & 2004…

The Pine Hill kids would meet me before school in the Fellowship Hall, where I would have a homemade breakfast cooking! While we were eating, we’d write prayer requests for the week on our designated page in the Youth Group Prayer Journal. One kiddo would then take the journal home and pray over us the whole week. These mornings were priceless, and I will cherish them forever. The youth group that prays together stays together!

CCP Mission Trip, Newport, TN

8. Thursday Night of CCP Mission Trips, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008

Our group loved working with Youthworks! Every Thursday night, to end the week of serving the community, we would gather for a final worship service and footwashing. The Youthworks staff would wash the adult leaders’ feet, and the adult leaders would then wash the feet of the youth and pray over them specifically. Kiah Townsend & Todd Horst, male chaperones extraordinaire, and I did this for four consecutive summers. God worked miracles on those nights. Tears, vulnerability, closeness, love and forgiveness… He taught us so much on those nights.

HUMC "Bible Study" Meeting

7. HUMC Monday Bible Studies, 2009 & 2010

If any of my HUMC youth read this, they will immediately laugh. Rarely did the Bible get studied during these Monday afternoon session. However, for a year and a half, this was the afternoon I looked forward to every week. Sitting around the table. Playing Phase 10. Talking relationship problems. Writing letters to Moises, our Compassion-sponsored child. Sneaking out for smoothies. As Carl would say, youth ministry is all about relationships, relationships, relationships, and this was our bonding time.

6. Campfire Sunday, Pine Hill Friends Meeting, 2004

Because two of my best friends were serving as youth pastors, we often had our groups gather for various events – lock-ins, trips to Carowinds & DisneyWorld, and an occasional PIG tournament. This Sunday, we invited the groups up to Ararat, NC. The bonfire was built, a band joined us to lead outdoor worship, hot dogs were roasted & s’mores were made… God was present, and I didn’t stop smiling for days.

1st CCP Beach Retreat

5. CCP Dr. Seuss Beach Retreat, June 2007

The Sneetches. The Lorax. Yertle the Turtle. Horton Hears a Who. Who better than Dr. Seuss to turn teenagers back into children and talk about the tough issues?! Combine this with a beautiful beach house, The Seabiscuit, an Iron Chef competition with mushrooms as the theme ingredient, strategic tanning and a sandcastle building contest the likes of which you have never seen… It was a week to never forget…and one we recreated each summer and winter thereafter.

4. Goin’ Bananas For Jesus, HUMC College Mission Trip, May 2010

Words cannot adequately describe this amazing week in Costa Rica. Sure there were challenges – lost passport, key team member arriving late due to said lost passport, running out of gas on the side of a dark mountain, and more monkeys than people. But our nightly devotions were based on the Fruit of the Spirit, and God worked overtime to create a loving atmosphere and friendships that turned into family.

CCP Youth in Matamoros, Mexico

3. Mission Trip to Mexico with ChristChurch Presbyterian, June 2006

I had been going to Matamoros, Mexico for years with North Carolina Yearly Meeting. Living and serving in Houston, TX, I could not wait to take the CCP Youth to meet Pastor Jorge Reyes and lead VBS. The kids, used to assisting with VBS at their home church, planned the entire event themselves – Bible stories, songs, games, crafts. As a youth pastor, I have never been so proud of a group.

2. Interns

Is there anything better in ministry than interns? When you Google “best interns,” you will find the pictures and bios of Claire Sparks (CCP, 2007 & 2008) and Sean Devolites (HUMC, 2010). They embodied servant leadership, their hearts were full of love for the youth they empowered, and on a daily basis, they made my life easier. They were youth who turned into interns who turned into colleagues who turned into friends. Again, how lucky am I?

 Interns Claire (left) and Sean (right).

1. Phone Calls, Text Messages, Office Chats and Skype Sessions

Though I’m not in youth ministry professionally anymore, not a day goes by that I do not hear from several students. So many have grown up, graduated high school and college, and many of them I consider amongst my closest friends. I cannot tell you how much that warms my heart. God knew exactly where to place me. He fostered the relationships, and allows us to continue to grow together and grow toward Him. It really is the best JOB in the world filled with too many “best days” to count!

~Ashley Broadhurst

http://thanksgivingprojectagb.blogspot.com/

My Best Day in Ministry: Teresa Tysinger

Teresa, 1999

Today's guest post comes from Teresa Tysinger, a former member of my youth group in Kissimmee, FL back in the 1990s and currently one of my very best friends.  In addition to her work with the church, she is also a graphic designer, great cook and all-around crafty kind of person.  You can check out her online store at www.GoodDayShop.etsy.com or follow her on Twitter @DesignMasterT .  It is somehow very appropriate that someone who means so much to me is posting here on Valentine's Day!  Much love to you all!

Thanks so much to my beloved friend and former youth pastor, Carl, for letting me share some thoughts with you today on his blog.  I’ve so much loved reading the words of the other guest bloggers.

I just celebrated 8 years at Christ United Methodist Church here in Greensboro, North Carolina as the Coordinator of Media & Communications.  (How the times flies!)  I had been working here about 2 years when I was asked to speak at one of our adult Sunday school classes.  As a still fairly new employee, the class president invited me to come speak about my role on the church staff.  I dodged the invitation a few times, finding excuses for why I wasn’t available.  As a recovering introvert, the task of speaking in front of a crowd of highly educated, professionally successful and well-read adults intimidated me.  How on earth was I qualified?  Why would they want me or care about what I had to say?

But the class president persisted month after month.  I began feeling a tug on my heart to accept the invitation.  “Oh, boy. God, you really want me to do this, don’t you?”  It was a rhetorical question. God doesn’t tug on your heart for the fun of it.  And, if I would allow myself to be honest, the words coming to mind that I wanted to say had very little to do with explaining my job at the church.  Which confused me even more.  I finally, yet still reluctantly, agreed to speak to the class on one Sunday in March of 2006 – almost a year after I was first asked.

That morning I prayed for God to be glorified by my words (and to calm my nerves!).  I did share about my work creating marketing materials for church events, managing the church website, producing the church’s weekly newsletter, etc.  But I ended up sharing much more.  I shared about growing up in a family who not only went to church every week but who also talked about the sermon over Sunday lunch. I told about the moment I realized Jesus loved ME -- died for ME -- while participating in a guided mediation led by Carl when I was a teenager in his youth group in Kissimmee, Florida.  And I recounted the small yet significant steps that had led me to working at Christ Church – a quiet unexpected journey.  Without really realizing it, I had been given the chance to testify to God’s love for me and the ways he was actively and faithfully working in my life. 

I not only remember this as my best day in ministry, but I think back on it as the day I claimed being “in ministry.”  The phrase “in ministry” is interesting, isn’t it? It seems logical that those of us who get paid to work at a church would automatically categorize ourselves as being “in ministry.”  Easy, right?  This wasn’t the case for me. Before the opportunity to speak that morning, my job at the church was just that to me – a job.  I felt very lucky to have it, and enjoyed it. But I had not claimed it as my chance at being “in ministry.”  I don’t preach a sermon every Sunday.  I don’t plan Vacation Bible School for hundreds of children every summer.  But just like during that mediation Carl led me through years ago when I felt Jesus’ unique love for me, I realized God valued me using my skills to help others encounter what our church has to offer – including hearing the Good News.

As believers in Christ one of our main objectives should be rooted in what Jesus commanded us to do: Share the Gospel and make Disciples of Christ.  Be fishers of men (or women, youth, neighbors, mail carriers, grocery store baggers, etc.).   I may have finally claimed being “in ministry” through this opportunity to speak due to my position at the church. God used that experience to speak to ME just as much as I hope he spoke through me.  But hear this. Being a church worker has nothing to do with the ability for any of us to claim being “in ministry” together as the Body of Christ.  My office may be in a church building. Your office may be in a classroom where you study.  Or in a garage where you fix cars.  Or in your home where you raise your children.  Or at the restaurant you frequent every week.  We are all employed by God “in ministry” to do his kingdom work. 

My prayer for you today is that God helps you recognize and claim your own unique place “in ministry.”  Who knows – maybe today can be YOUR best day “in ministry.”  How exciting!

~Teresa Reep Tysinger

My Best Day in Ministry: Lisa Moran

Lisa Ramos Moran is one of my oldest friends.  We met through the youth group of New Garden Friends Meeting when we were both in junior high school (I am a year older) and have remained connected ever since.  We shared so many experiences in high school, including my first trip to New York- a trip on which she met her eventual husband, Dan Moran.  We used to greet each other in a most unusual way back in the day.  I would greet her with "Ram it, Ramos!" She would respond with "Jam it, Jones!"  And then we would hug.  Today, Lisa serves as the volunteer youth director at Deep River Friends Meeting in High Point, NC- just as she has for the past 10 years.  She is also in the process of being recorded (or "ordained" for my non-Quaker readers) through the NC Yearly Meeting of Friends. She has three wonderful grown children- Dani Shea, Alexander and Eli- and is married to her high school sweetheart-still her sweetheart- Dan. It is a very special honor to have her share from her huge heart for youth ministry here today.  Love you, Lisa!

My Best Day in Ministry: Flowers for Lisa

Luke 12:28 - If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 

Carl and I go way back and I was so excited to be able to volunteer for this writing venture! 

Just like all of the other guest writers, I have had many good days in Youth ministry but when I decided to respond to Carl’s request a certain day just popped into my mind.  I feel a bit narcissistic because this story is all about me  …

Last summer, my friend, Sheila- the Youth Minister at First Friends – and I took a group of youth to Philadelphia. There were tweens and teens from both Meetings. I had 3 middle school girls and my youngest son, a rising college freshman. There were 7 youth from First Friends. It was more of an educational trip than a mission trip but God is good, all the time. Our mission, even if we didn’t put a name to it, was about learning love and strengthening bonds within our groups. That, too, can be important work.

We had a blast! We took the train, which was a brand new experience for most, and got to know each other quickly. We learned so much Quaker history, visiting various Meetings and historical sites. We worked with the American Friends Service Committee Office in Philly to make a video about peace. We laughed, ate Philly steak sandwiches and took a bus tour of the city. We walked with mostly beautiful weather above and took lots of pictures.

The last day we were to meet in the lobby, store our suitcases with the hotel staff and head on our last day’s adventures. As I headed to the Starbucks in the lobby (not much roughing it on this trip) my 3 middle school girls met me, giggling as only middle school girls do, with grins as big as their faces, with three of the most beautiful flowers ever. They had bought them at the market and they had bought them just for me.

It was such a spontaneous, beautiful, heartfelt and pure gesture of love from these three beautiful, drama-filled, lovely, mood-swinging, gifts-from-God middle school girls, I could hardly breathe. Maybe you think I am overreacting. I didn’t faint, or cry, or any of that but I was so touched. We took our picture with the flowers and then I decided we needed to put them in a water bottle and carry them with us the rest of the day! I asked the girls if they were up to helping me make sure the blooms survived and we were off!

The flowers rode the tour bus with us, went through the Eastern State Penitentiary with us, had a place on the steps that Rocky ran up, and even rode the train home with us.

The whole trip was great but that day was special. I am a huge fan of the “Rocky” movies- I know, cheesy at best- and I got my picture taken by the statue and a few of us ran up the steps leading up to the Museum of Art. The double decker tour bus ride was so much fun and the weather was perfect. The prison was both surreal and very interesting. The kids were lapping up our last little bit of time in the city, excited for our train ride home but not wanting to leave our own big adventure. And my girls, and my flowers, were my treasure. 

Luke 12: 34 - The place where your treasure is- that is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

The day brought one of those times when I knew I was where I wanted to be, needed to be and hoped I could stay- in the lives of these young people and others, getting to know them, encouraging them and getting so much encouragement from them. I hope that I am teaching them kindness, helping them see how we can work on the ideals of the Kingdom of God here on earth and I hope to remember to thank Jesus for the flowers along the way!

Romans 1: 8, 12 - I thank God through Jesus for every one of you! But don't think I'm not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.

I send each and every one of you blessings, peace and joy in everything you do!

Lisa Moran

lulu910@earthlink.net

Facebook: Lisa Moran