The Hogwarts School of Youth Ministry

Bob in Spanish Wells, 1997

This post was first shared in May of 2014. I share it again on this Flashback Friday in it's original format (slightly edited) for a couple of reasons. One, I was recently asked once again how we were able to do all we did in our student ministries and this post is my favorite answer. Two, I wanted you to see the original comments. And three, I have been talking with a lot of old Kissimmee friends these past few weeks. It got me thinking about the good old days...

"Most folks these days don't have enough faith to see that God's magic is happening all around them..."

I have a dear friend named Jennifer Kuramochi. Some of you know her her Jennifer Minnigan; still others simply as Bob. You can read about her days in the youth ministries of the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee in many posts on this site, including The Legend of Bob, which is her entry into my Hall of Fame! So anyway...Jen and I are still friends. We were talking a few weeks back and she was telling me that whenever she recounts stories from her youth group days people are often in disbelief of all that we were able to do. Her husband Jun just shakes his head in wonder at the fact that a church youth group was able to go places like Spanish Wells, New York City and Myrtle Beach- not to mention the speakers, the concerts, the mission trips and the day trips. We got a lot of that same reaction at the FUMC-K reunion last year. Jennifer told me that once when asked how we were able to do all that we did, she thought for moment and responded, "I'm not sure. I think maybe Carl was part Wizard!" 

One of my favorite places on Walt Disney World property was The Beaches and Cream Soda Shoppe. I remember not only the great meals and the oh-so-decadent banana split pictured here, but also all the times times we were there with so many old friends and youth groups. This, after all, was the home of the Disney Dash Ice Cream Bash! One of those memories concerns the time in 1993 a group of us from Springfield Friends Meeting headed over mid-afternoon one day to get an ice cream fix and wound up singing Hopelessly Devoted to the other patrons of the restaurant (click But Now for the whole story!). That memory got me thinking more about that amazing '93 trip to WDW, stories of which were told here on this blog under the label Magic Tour back in 2010- and it took me 20 posts! Each of the nearly 50 participants had a 5-day park hopper pass. We stayed at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. We ate at some of the finest restaurants on property, and saw both the Hoop-de-doo Musical Revue and Polynesian Luau dinner shows. We were special (and featured!) guests at Pleasure Island's Comedy Warehouse. Every day was amazing, and as Marilyn I sat talking on Saturday the words of Bob came ringing back to me. How did we do all that stuff? Maybe I was part Wizard...

Of course we know the truth. We were able to do all that we did and accomplish all that we accomplished because we were blessed by God to do these things in Jesus' name. All of the churches I served had the resources and gave us the freedom to dream, to be creative, and yes- to be MAGICAL with our youth ministry programming! But the adult leadership in each of those ministries deserves credit for this one thing- we believed the magic could happen! We had faith that amazing things could happen. We had the audacity to believe in the biblical directive to pray big prayers and dream big dreams. I learned early on from some brilliant mentors that youth ministry thrives when you live in the Possimpible (thank you, Barney Stinson)- that place where the possible and the impossible meet. There was no doubt in my mind that if we did those things, God could provide the supernatural- the MAGIC. I suppose you could say I attended the Hogwarts School of Youth Ministry! What I lacked in theological training I made up for in faith. I believed in what we were doing and never allowed nay-saying Muggles to steal our dreams. If I were indeed part Wizard, it was only in the sense that I never ruled anything out just because it seemed to be out of our reach or impractical. Big churches or small, we believed in trusting God to take us to places beyond our grasp- but firmly in His. There was never any doubt in my mind that God had great things in store for the churches I served a youth pastor. That's how we did great mission trips over my 28 years to places like DC, Chicago, Nashville, Tijuana and Spanish Wells. It's how we did ski trips, amazing weekend retreats, over a dozen NYC trips, took trips to see the Braves play baseball, spent weeks at Myrtle Beach and had

New York Trip in the early 1990s

amazing adventures together at WDW. It's how we hosted great bands like Spooky Tuesday, Sundry, Lost And Found and Geoff Moore & the Distance, and communicators like Curt Clonninger, Duffy Robbins, Mike Williams, Rick Bundschuh and Ted & Lee. It's how we did outrageous summer events, had awe-filled worship and built bonds that are still strong to this very day. It's how we changed lives! We didn't get everything right, and we had our share of mishaps. There were times when it became less about God's power and too much about me, and the ministry suffered. But even in the tough times, we never stopped believing in the magic of youth ministry to bring teenagers into the presence of God and into relationship with Jesus and with one another. And when our plans were filtered through a mission for Christ and magnified by God's love for us, all things were possible. 

Looking back now, I still can't explain how it all came together. I don't know how we paid for everything, I don't know how the plans came together so well, and I don't know why God blessed us in so many ways- other than we believed God would! I just know that for 28 years God kept sending waves, and instead of ducking and hiding we kept yelling SURF'S UP!!! It was indeed magical. And if that makes me part Wizard- probably more like the foul-up Mickey the Sorcerer than Harry Potter- so be it. The abiding lesson of the Hogwarts School of Youth Ministry? Never underestimate the awesome power of God to do things that are far beyond your reach. So tell me, fellow Christians- do you believe in that kind of magic? The church so often seems to be full of Muggles...

Because of Jesus,

Magic Moments: WDW 1993

My youth ministry Magic Moment countdown continues today on this Throwback Thursday with a trip back to 1993!  A large group of students and young adults from the youth ministry of Springfield Friends Meeting took a trip to Walt Disney World. We were there, staying on-site at the Caribbean Beach Resort (Aruuuuuuubabbaaaa!) and enjoying all the wonders of WDW for a full week.  There are many stories to tell from that week, and to read more just click the Magic Tour label at the bottom of this post. Both of the places mentioned are no longer around...but the memories remain!

After much planning and preparation (see The Magic Touch) I had arranged for the group to visit Pleasure Island and eat dinner at the The Fireworks Factory before visiting the The Comdey Warehouse. I was excited to have the group eat at the Factory (I was especially interested in seeing how the guys responded to the one-way window in the men's restroom.  While you stood at the urinal, you could watch people eat.  It was very odd...) for one of our pre-purchased meals together.  We arrived and were greeted and seated in a special area upstairs.  Our waiters and waitresses arrived quickly, and I told them we would all be using meal coupons.  They took one to the manager and got their instructions and came back to take our drink orders.  One of the students asked (almost jokingly) if virgin frozen drinks (about $7 each) were included.  To my shock and surprise, they said yes. We had used these coupons at EPCOT and other places and this had not been true, but I didn't argue.  So almost everyone got one...or three!  If the drinks had been alcoholic, I would have had to carry a lot of students out of there. And actually, I found out later that some of our legal young adults had been provided the real deals, also at no cost to us.  Next it was time to order appetizers, and our servers insisted that everyone get one. So everyone got their own appetizer.  That, by itself, was probably enough food to feed most of the group.  Then everyone got an entree (I am certain I had the catfish; it was my favorite dish there) of their own.  By the time we finished that part of the meal (and several more large frozen drinks!) most of us were stuffed.  But the servers were emphatic that everyone get a dessert- sharing would not be allowed!  It began to dawn on me what was going on.  These very bright waiters and waitresses had deduced that their tip was going to be 15% of the total of whatever the total cost of our meal was- and so the more they brought us, the more they made.  It was pure genius. (A side note: later on we discovered we consumed over $600 worth of drinks. The company we purchased the meal coupons from was NOT happy...)  So everyone got dessert, even though many could not eat theirs.  Ben Moran, however, ate his and then began to gather the extra desserts and eat them as well.  I thought he was going to explode (and he did!).  I ate more than one myself.  We had an amazing night, and even though dinner took a lot longer than expected, we left ready for a great time at The Comedy Warehouse.

Our Disney Guest Services escort (who had been receiving regular updates from me) was waiting for us when we came out of the restaurant at the back gate to Pleasure Island.  If you have ever spent much time at WDW, then you have probably seen a Guest Services representative.  They wear plaid vests, and are usually seen escorting celebrities or other Very Important People around the parks.  Not just anyone gets to walk around accompanied by a plaid vest.  But our group did!  She walked us through the gate (even though our passes allowed admission to P.I. we never had to show them) and across the area.  She took us behind our destination, The Comedy Warehouse, where we had to wait a few minutes because there was a show already in progress.  After this short wait, the back door to the club opened and she led us in.  As we entered, it was easy to see that we were the only ones in the building.  They seated us in the best seats in the house BEFORE they let anyone else in.  It was incredible.  We were ready for the show...or so we thought!

The Comedy Warehouse was an improv club, which means every show was different and that information from the audience was used to build the skits they do. They were famous for making fun of tourists and WDW itself.   What we didn't know yet was that for this one night, for this one show, it was going to be all about us.  When the performers hit the stage, they already knew that the Springfield Friends Meeting youth group from High Point, NC was in the crowd.  They knew we were seated down front.  They talked to our students to get what they needed for their skits.  I remember there was a phone located in the audience and they called one of our girls and talked to them about our group, and it was hysterical.  They asked group members for words and numbers that were used on stage.  They made fun of us being from NC and of our accents.  I remember very few details of what they did or said; I do remember laughing hysterically the entire performance and feeling like a celebrity.  I know the entire group felt the same way.

When the show ended, we were again escorted out the back and to an exit from Pleasure Island.  Everyone was giddy about the night, but I felt a special sense of accomplishment.  I had dreamed of making the trip unique, memorable and special.  I had made phone calls, asked never before asked questions of WDW suits, and pushed the boundaries of what we could do.  But in my wildest dreams I had not imagined a night as spectacular as the one we had just completed.  In a week full of great adventures, that night was the one that would stick with us.  That was one of the nights, after my 28 years of student ministry were done, that I could point to and say with great passion, "THAT...WAS AWESOME!!!"  I thank God for all such days and nights and pray that even in such "worldly" events we brought glory to His name.

Because of Jesus,

Flat Tires and Dobermans

We departed Walt Disney World and headed for High Point already feeling a bit depressed that such a great trip was coming to an end.  The 10 hour trip, stuffed in vans and an apparently gassy Suburban, was long enough as it was.  The trip down had been fairly uneventful, save for one flat tire on the Holly Spring Friends Meeting van.  The trip home would be a little more adventurous...

My memories of that day are very faded, as it was not the type of day that anyone really wants to remember.  I know that we had not been on the road very long before we had another flat tire on the HSFM van.  We were now down two tires, but since we had three vans (and therefore three spare tires) were not worried.  We continued on I-95 through Georgia and into South Carolina without issue (no doubt stopping at the Hardeeville exit for lunch; it seems like we always did!).  Shortly after entering SC, things took a turn for the worse.  Tire #3 on the HSFM van decided to go, and this time the caravan got split up for a time, taking the final spare tire on down the road.  Remember what life was like before cell phones?  We finally got the entire group back together again...I remember standing on the side of I-95 for a very long time before we were able to get the tire changed.   We were now starring into an ugly scenario.  We had no more spare tires, and the van that had blown three still had one more to go.  We needed to buy at least one tire to ensure we made it home, but it was Sunday and tires for a 15 passenger van were not available just anywhere.  After trying several exits, we were told that Simmons Truck Stop at exit 38 would be our best bet, just a few miles further north on I-95.  So on we went.

We pulled into Simmons and it looked a bit ominous.  It was an old, dirty building with no one outside and a group of men sitting in the front office. I told everyone to stay in the vehicles while I went to ask about a tire.  What I am about to tell you is true.  No exaggerations, no "remembering big."  I reached the door and was greeted by two dobermans.  Growling, snarling, drooling dobermans.  As I peeked in, the men called the dogs away so I could open the door.  I entered to find two of the men holding pistols.  The office was wallpapered with pictures (many of then quite graphic) of naked women.  One of the unarmed men asked me what I wanted, and I began to tell them our story.  They were remarkably untouched by our need.  They said they would see if they could find us a tire.  While they looked, I returned to the vans and told everyone to lock the doors and not move.  I seem to remember people wanting to us the restrooms, and so I sent them down the street to a convenience store while I waited.  I freely admit I was scared to death...I felt like I was in a warped scene from Deliverance.  In any case, they had no tire, and so we continued on and held our breath.  We arrived in High Point without further incident and praised God that we had survived both the trip and Simmons Truck Stop.

We later found out that the tires on the HSFM van were brand new for the trip.  I never did get a definitive answer as to what went wrong, although one story said that they had been put on backwards.  I didn't even know that was possible.  In any case, the disaster that was our trip home helped to ease our depression about The Magic Tour being over, because we were just so grateful to reach Springfield Friends Meeting.  It was a very odd ending to my favorite youth trip ever.  I would return to Simmons Truck Stop again, in the middle of the night and without my knowledge of where we were going, just a few years later.  You'll have to keep reading to hear that one...

7 Things (The Magic Tour Edition)

The tales of the Springfield Young Friends 1993 trip to Walt Disney World are coming to an end- but here are 7 more thoughts about that amazing trip:

1)  Keith Murphy was one of the guys who went on the trip that I didn't know very well.  He was a friend of Jennifer Wood.  He was an alright guy, but he had several "Christian" t-shirts he wore that week that several of us found offensive.  They were not the "God loves you" kind of Christian message- they were the "you will burn in hell for all eternity" kind of message.  They just didn't seem appropriate for our group or for WDW.   But he wore them anyway!  If Barbara Moran could have gotten hold of them she would have burned them...

2)  My wife Marilyn roomed with Ashley Goad, Erin Moran and Mandy Beggs.  Either Mandy or Erin was a slob and the other was a neat freak, with Ashley and Marilyn caught in the middle.  It seems like each day brought new stories of their ongoing battle!

3)  We did all of the major night events at the three main parks that week.  We saw Illuminations, the laser lights and fireworks show over the lagoon at EPCOT; we saw SpectroMagic, the amazing electric parade at the Magic Kingdom; and we saw Sorcery in the Sky at the Disney/MGM Studios.  Even with all of that light and spectacle, our favorite parade of the week may well have been the afternoon parade at the Studios.  It was an Aladdin themed event, using the great "Prince Ali" song from the movie to brings out floats, characters and camels.  Plus Genie appeared in four or five different forms, and we got to shake hands with Abu and Jafar.  We had a blast watching the parade go by!

4)  This was our third youth group trip to Disney since 1987, and we had developed our own sayings and "language" over that time.  For instance, "Mr. Fy" was our name for Goofy.  "That White Chick" was how we referred to Snow White.  At rides like Pirates of the Caribbean or Space Mountain that had two lines, we all understood that the left line moved faster.  On Space Mountain, we knew that on the left side the ride WAS faster!  We knew that the only way to beat the crowds for the afternoon parade at the MK was to catch "The Express," our name for the Walt Disney World Railroad.  It is safe to say that for many of us WDW felt like a home away from home.

5)  Despite our moments of wildness and extreme volume around the pool, the folks at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort told me that our group was one of the finest groups of young people they had ever been around.  I would have to agree.  It is a real point of pride with me that I heard similar words so many times over my 28 years of ministry with youth...

6)  There was indeed a Black Thursday on the trip, but it consisted primarily of some of our leaders threatening to kill some of the slobs they were rooming with...and we did bring everyone home that we took, so no serious damage was done.  That also means no one died from consuming two day old fried chicken from anyone's fanny pack...

7)  The best thing I ever did on a youth trip was include those amazing meal tickets in the cost so that everyone would eat well.  It kept the kids happy and healthy, made the adults feel like they were special, and gave us some unbelievable memories.  Our final act before heading home was to use our final ticket for the all-you-could eat breakfast at the Cape May Cafe (pictured at right) in Disney's Yacht Club Resort.  This huge, delicious breakfast also included visits at our tables from Mr. Fy, Pluto, Chip and Dale.  It was the perfect finish to a nearly perfect week!

There is only one story left to be told from The Magic Tour, and it is not a happy one.  We still had to travel home.  And the Holly Spring Friends Meeting van was going with us...

Because of Jesus,

V.I.P. Treatment

Despite the fact that our dinner at The Fireworks Factory (see yesterday's post) ran much longer than anticipated, our Disney Guest Services escort (who had been receiving regular updates from me) was waiting for us when we came out of the restaurant at the back gate to Pleasure Island.  If you have ever spent much time at WDW, then you have probably seen a Guest Services representative.  They wear plaid vests, and are usually seen escorting celebrities or other Very Important People around the parks.  Not just anyone gets to walk around accompanied by a plaid vest.  But our group did!  She walked us through the gate (even though our passes allowed admission to P.I. we never had to show them) and across the area.  She took us behind our destination, The Comedy Warehouse, where we had to wait a few minutes because there was a show already in progress.  After this short wait, the back door (that's the front entrance pictured above) to the club opened and she led us in.  As we entered, it was easy to see that we were the only ones in the building.  They seated us in the best seats in the house BEFORE they let anyone else in.  It was incredible.  We were ready for the show...or so we thought!

The Comedy Warehouse was an improv club, which means every show was different and that information from the audience was used to build the skits they do. They were famous for making fun of tourists and WDW itself.   What we didn't know yet was that for this one night, for this one show, it was going to be all about us.  When the performers hit the stage, they already knew that the Springfield Friends Meeting youth group from High Point, NC was in the crowd.  They knew we were seated down front.  They talked to our students to get what they needed for their skits.  I remember there was a phone located in the audience and they called one of our girls (I think Cheryl Deal or Marie Allen? If anyone is reading and remembers details I would love to hear them!) and talked to them about our group, and it was hysterical.  They asked group members for words and numbers that were used on stage.  They made fun of us being from NC and of our accents.  I remember very few details of what they did or said; I do remember laughing hysterically the entire performance and feeling like a celebrity.  I know the entire group felt the same way.

When the show ended, we were again escorted out the back and to an exit from Pleasure Island.  Everyone was giddy about the night, but I felt a special sense of accomplishment.  I had dreamed of making the trip unique, memorable and special.  I had made phone calls, asked never before asked questions of WDW suits, and pushed the boundaries of what we could do.  But in my wildest dreams I had not imagined a night as spectacular as the one we had just completed.  The food, drinks and fellowship at The Fireworks Factory had been beyond my greatest hopes.  Our V.I.P. treatment at The Comedy Warehouse had simply blown us all away.  In a week full of great adventures, that night was the one that would stick with us.  That was one of the nights, after my 28 years of student ministry were done, that I could point to and say with great passion, "THAT...WAS AWESOME!!!"  I thank God for all such days and nights and pray that even in such "worldly" events we brought glory to His name.  Have a blessed Easter everyone!

Because of Jesus,

The Fireworks Factory

Today is Good Friday, when we remember the crucifixion.  But remember-  Sunday is coming!

In the days following the revelation that we would be able attend a show at The Comedy Warehouse (see The Magic Touch), I planned a group meal at a Pleasure Island establishment call The Fireworks Factory.  We would use one of our fabulous meal coupons that included non-alcoholic beverage, appetizer, entree, dessert, tax and tip, and all of us would dine together.  At the conclusion of our meal a Disney customer service rep would meet us at the entrance to the "night club" section of P.I. and escort us to comedy club.  It was going to be a great night.

The Fireworks Factory had become a favorite place for Marilyn, my parents and I, and I was excited to have the group eat there ( I was especially interested in seeing how the guys responded to the one-way window in the men's restroom.  While you stood at the urinal, you could watch people eat.  It was very odd...).  We arrived and were greeted and seated in a special area upstairs.  Our waiters and waitresses arrived quickly, and I told them we would all be using the meal coupons.  They took one to the manager and got their instructions and came back to take our drink orders.  One of the students asked (almost jokingly) if virgin frozen drinks (about $7 each) were included.  To my shock and surprise, they said yes.  So almost everyone got one...or three!  If the drinks had been alcoholic, I would have had to carry a lot of students out of there.  Next it was time to order appetizers, and our servers insisted that everyone get one.  Why not, they said, since it is included.  So everyone got their own appetizer.  That, by itself, was probably enough food to feed most of the group.  Then everyone got an entree (I am certain I had the catfish; it was my favorite dish there) of their own.  By the time we finished that part of the meal (and several more large frozen drinks!) most of us were stuffed.  But the servers were emphatic that everyone get a dessert- sharing would not be allowed!  It began to dawn on me what was going on.  These very bright waiters and waitresses had deduced that their tip was going to be 15% of the total of whatever the total cost of our meal was- and so the more they brought us, the more they made.  It was pure genius.  So everyone got dessert, even though many could not eat theirs.  Ben Moran, however, ate his and they began to gather the extra desserts and eat them as well.  I thought he was going to explode (and he did!).  I ate more than one myself.  We had an amazing night, and even though dinner took a lot longer than expected, we left ready for a great time at The Comedy Warehouse- and that is tomorrow's story.

But it is not the end of this story.  Several weeks after the trip our Walt Disney Travel Company (not associated with WDW) rep called me and inquired about a few things before asking me the following question:  "Is is possible your group drank over $500 of frozen virgin drinks at The Fireworks Factory?"  When I responded "yes," he sighed and mentioned that they should not have done that and that it was not our fault.  That now meant that the company had spent over $1600 to give us tickets to the Luau on the first night to fix their mistake, and had spent well over $500 more than expected on The Fireworks Factory meal.  Within a few months, the company no longer existed.  I have always claimed that working with Springfield Friends Meeting had finished off the Walt Disney Travel Company.  If that's true, we did it in style- it was one of the great meals of our lives.  The Fireworks Factory is also gone and I miss it.  But I will forever hold in my heart the memories of our one great night there.  I would love to hear yours.  Have a blessed Easter weekend!

Because of Jesus,

Cheerleading & Volleyball

Hello?  Is there anybody out there?  If you are reading, I'd love to hear from you!  Comment, sign the guestbook, or e-mail me at youthguy07@aol.com !

For the Floridays 1993 trip to Walt Disney World, we had 6-day park hopper passes.  This meant that we had access every day to the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, the Disney/MGM Studios, the Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, River Country Water Park and the Disney Village Marketplace/Pleasure Island.  We could go to multiple parks each day if we wanted.  We could (and a few of us did) go to all three main parks on the same day.  We had limitless possibilities for seeing all of WDW and for doing our favorite parts again and again.  For some of our group, however, happiness was never leaving Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!

Ken Hill and Gilly Douglas (they are now married) were adult leaders on our trip, and they were college students at Appalachian State University.  Both of them were cheerleaders on an ASU squad that had done quite well in the national collegiate cheerleading competition that spring.  Several of the girls on the trip (especially Bree Clapp and Lisa Crabtree; Holly Harward was our main cheerleader at the time, but I don't remember her being too invloved in this madness) were also cheerleaders, and when they discovered the expertise of Ken and Gilly, they went nuts.  All the ever wanted to do was learn how to do stunts and practice them in resort pool- which was at least a reasonably safe place to do such a thing.  Safe for them, I mean.  The other guests trying to swim while our kids were cheerleading were taking their lives in their hands!  Fortunately, both Gilly and Ken had the good sense to limit what they taught them, and the even better sense to leave the resort and go the parks.  It is safe to say, however, that when our group headed for the pool, the other guests at Aruba scattered!

I have mentioned that there was a beautiful beach volleyball court at Old Port Royale in the center of the CBR, and many of our youth took advantage of it.   David Mercadante (and I think Will Rees and perhaps his friend Jay?) became obsessed with it.  Almost any time there was "free time" when the students were on their own to be at any park, you could find Big Dave playing volleyball- sometimes by himself!  David later became a big fan of WDW and came to stay with us and do Disney after we moved to Kissimmee.  But on this trip- volleyball ruled!

As you can see, this was not a homogeneous group, with everyone liking the same things.  But this Friday and Saturday you will read of one night we were all together at Pleasure Island and made memories that will last a lifetime.  The amouont of food we ate was amazing.  Our laughter must have shaken the foundations of WDW.  We also may have destroyed a travel company...  You be the judges.  See you tomorrow as my CCM Countdown hits number 6!

Because of Jesus,

"Firecrackers"

I hope some of you have been checking out my Lenten devotional blog The 40 Day Adventure.  As we head down the home stretch towards Easter, it is important that we spend time focusing on what Jesus did for us.  The scripture above, from 2 Corinthians 6:11, has been our theme for the adventure.  I hope that you are living your life WIDE OPEN!  Now on with the show...

My friends and readers understand my deep love for Walt Disney World.  There are so many things about the parks, the resorts and everything else on property that make me smile and make me feel like it is indeed the "happiest place on earth."  But I do have to admit that not everyone feels the same way I do...

The group from Holly Spring Friends Meeting that joined us on the Floridays 1993 trip added quite a bit to our adventure.  Aside from their van (that story is still to come) they contributed mostly good things and positive energy to our group.  The six students- Darrin Allen, Justin Hinesley, Steven Brady, Shelly Brady, Beth West and Devon Cox, were all great and became friends with many of our youth from Springfield Friends.  One of their adults leaders, Sharon Caughron, ran around with us most of the week so she could see all of WDW.  She had to do this because, quite frankly, her husband and my fellow youth pastor Mark Caughron was a party pooper most of the week. 

You see, Mark didn't quite GET Disney- or if he got it, he didn't really like it!  He complained about the crowds, about the cost of the food, about the lines and about the attractions themselves.  He was always ready to go back to the CBR for a nap.  He never had any sense of adventure about being at WDW.  It just wasn't his kind of place.  The story that best illustrates his feelings happened one night at the Disney/MGM Studios.  It had been another long day in the parks for our group, and as 11 PM approached it was time for Sorcery in the Sky (see picture), the amazing fireworks display choreographed to movie music and narrated by Vincent Price.  We had secured a good viewing location (by standing and waiting; this is what you have to do at WDW) and the group was very excited.  Veterans from our 1990 trip had told everyone what an incredible show they were about to see.  As we neared the starting time for Sorcery, Mark told his group that it was time to go back to the resort.  They didn't want to, and we began telling Mark (again) what an awesome show he would miss if they left.  Mark decided his wife and his youth would stay, but he was leaving.  His reason?  "It's no big deal- I've seen firecrackers before."  Yep- he actually compared the greatest fireworks show in all of WDW to "firecrackers."  What could we say?

I am sure Mark enjoyed more of that trip than I remember.  I certainly hope so.  But it really didn't matter.  Mark was an excellent youth pastor, and he would have been the first to tell you that he signed his youth up to be a part of the trip because he thought THEY would enjoy WDW.  For a good youth minister, youth ministry is ALWAYS about the students.  That may sound obvious, but you would be stunned at how often it is not true.  I'm glad Mark and Sharon brought their group with us, and even more relieved that Sharon didn't bump Mark off that week!  See you tomorrow.

Because of Jesus,

Aruuuuubaaa!

The Floridays 1993 adventure had one constant every day- our home base, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort.  As I mentioned once before, the CBR had over 2,200 rooms divided into several "islands."  Each "island" had its own pool, beach and bus stop.  We were staying at Aruba (our pool is pictured at left.).  In addition to our the amenities on our "island," there was a central big pool, restaurants and marketplace at Old Port Royale.  We ate breakfast at the food court there most mornings before catching buses to whatever park we were visiting that day.  We also played on the cannons and the water slides at the pool there, and took advantage of the beach volleyball courts.  As a matter of fact, for a couple of our guys the volleyball courts became their favorite part of the trip- but that is another story for another time.  In any case, we were all very fond of our home at the CBR and in Aruba.  We could not have asked for more!

Early in the trip (I want to say on our return from Hoop-de-doo, but I am not certain) we were riding a crowded Disney bus back to to our resort.  As we entered CBR property, the bus began the long circle around the property that would end with Aruba as the final stop.  As with every day on one of our Disney trips, it had a been a long day and we were tired and a bit punchy- and I guess a little loud.  The bus driver became aware of us and asked over the intercom which stop the large group was getting off at.  Someone shouted back "Aruba," but he didn't hear it and so he asked again.  The details of what happened next are fuzzy, but somehow a group of us answered by yelling (in unison) "ARUUUUUUBAAAAAA!"  It sounded just like it is written- long, loud and a touch obnoxious.  The entire bus began to laugh,which only encouraged us to do more.  And so we did-  for the rest or the week.  Every time we arrived at the CBR gate, we began to let everyone know which "island" we belonged to!  It was one of those little things that became an important part of the memories of the trip.  I still have trouble saying Aruba like a normal person...

We never had any trouble getting the group into their comfy beds (see picture) once we reached Aruba.  The long, hot days were wearing us out. Even with group members choosing to break up the days by returning to the CBR and taking advantage of the pools, the beaches and nap time, I could see Black Thursday coming.   Some folks were getting a bit grumpy.  One person was actually getting tired of Walt Disney World.  One of the Holly Spring group was loosing it.  And I'm not talking about a youth...

Because of Jesus,

"BUT NOW..."

I mentioned in a previous posting that many of the girls of my Springfield Friends youth group were heavily into the movie Grease.  This may or may not have been because it is also one of Marilyn's favorites, but in any case, they knew most of the songs by heart.  I remind you of this so you can appreciate the following fiasco...

Late one afternoon a group of us took a boat from the Disney/MGM Studios over to Disney's Beach Club Resort so that we could eat at The Beaches and Cream Soda Shoppe (the sign above is newer- it used to be a Shoppe!).  Beaches (as Marilyn and I still refer to it) is famous for hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream.  The setting is much like a 1950's soda shop, and it has a juke box.  We have eaten there literally 50 times or more, so forgive me if I don't remember whether we ate dinner that afternoon or just had dessert.   But I know we had dessert!  Beaches has lots of special sundaes (all of which are gigantic), the best root beer floats anywhere, great milk shakes and malts, and of course, the Kitchen Sink (see photo above).  The Kitchen Sink has nine scoops of ice cream, every topping known to man, and every thing else they ever put in a sundae.  Plus, as you can see, it is served in a little sink.  A group of us ordered one and tried our best to eat it that evening.  We failed, but we sure had fun trying!  Beaches is just an amazing place to eat ice cream.

But that's not the story I am here to tell you.  The juke box at Beaches is free, and at some point some of the girls (I am betting Mandy, Beth, Jill, Holly, Erin and Woodhead had something to do with this) went over and played some songs.  Among the selections was Hopelessly Devoted to You from Grease.  As the song began to play, I could see several of our girls mouthing the words and "acting out" the hopeless devotion being expressed in the song.  The singing grew audible as the verse approached the chorus, and when the lyric reached the intro to the chorus, the girls all sang at the top of their lungs..."BUT NOW..."  This, needless to say, startled the other patrons and the servers in the restaurant.   But as the girls kept singing, smiles spread to the faces of the employees and the customers alike, and others began to sing along with them.  It was one of those special moments that could never be planned or repeated, but one I will never forget.

The gospel of Jesus is not always spread through preaching, scripture reading or other "religious" acts.  Sometimes, in moments of spontaneous joy, we share the light of Christ through lifting the spirits of those we encounter.  After the song I got a chance to share who we were (a church group) with some of the employees and customers.  They were all moved by this group of students bound together in Christ's love.  We shared Jesus that day-  by singing along with Olivia Newton John.  Who would have guessed? 

Because of Jesus,

Chicken Man

One of the regular features on my Youth Group Hotline over the years was a character called Chicken Man.  Each week he would be introduced the same way, with me saying in my best game show announcer voice, "And now...another amazing adventure in the life of the greatest superhero the world has ever known...CHICKEN MAN!!!  (He's everywhere, he's everywhere!)."  In my imagination, CM looked something like the guy in the chicken suit on the right- a real superhero type.  Little did I know that I would meet the Caped Clucker on our Floridays 1993 trip- and he would be nothing like I imagined!

Mark Rumley was an unassuming married man, father of two girls at the time (and one son since), and uncle to a number of students involved on our youth ministry.  Mark and his family attended a local Methodist church, but they often hung out with us Quakers for special events.  I knew Mark to be a good (and pretty normal) guy.  He had asked if he could join us on this Disney trip and I was glad to have him along.  I had no idea what we were about to unleash on WDW...

At first I wasn't suspicious of his costume.  It seemed like typical tourist clothing- a t-shirt (tucked in), shorts, sun glasses, fanny pack and fluorescent pink baseball cap.  We all commented that having Mark with your group was like having a secret signal, because his hat could be seen from all over the parks.  But it wasn't until later in the week that his true identity became known to us.  We were at the Magic Kingdom, near Cinderella's Castle, waiting for one of our daily check-ins when someone mentioned being hungry.  Quick as a flash, mild-mannered Mark Rumley changed in front of our eyes, opening his fanny pack to reveal...FRIED CHICKEN!  And not just any fried chicken- the amazing chicken that he had gathered from the tables at Hoop-de-doo several nights before!  We were all a bit stunned.  It was 95 degrees in the shade, and this man was carrying two day old fried chicken in his fanny pack.  Needless to say, we were a little hesitant to accept this offering.  But Mark, now fully in Chicken Man mode, pulled out a piece and began to eat.  I don't remember if anyone else joined in- I just know I didn't.  I know that Mark did indeed have super powers, because he never got sick from eating that bird.  For the rest of the trip, we would wonder what miraculous things he might have in that fanny pack. 

We kidded Mark unmercifully about the chicken and about his hat, and he was always a great sport about it.  When we presented the slide show of the trip in August of 1993, every time a picture of Mark came on the screens the soundtrack was playing the theme music from The Twilight Zone.  One of my parting gifts when I left Springfield Friends Meeting in 1994 was a fluorescent pink hat, just like the one Mark had worn.  I have many great memories of that trip, but without a doubt the discovery of the true identity of Chicken Man ranks high on my list. Thanks Mark, for the memories and the friendship.  I hope you are still using your powers for the good of humanity by distributing only the very best fried chicken...  Join us again tomorrow, when we won't have any superheroes but you can hear the tale of our performance of the musical Grease at the Beaches and Cream Soda Shoppe!  Don't miss it!

Because of Jesus,

A Whole New World

As mentioned in previous posts (The Plan, The Magic Touch) one of my goals for Floridays 1993- The Magic Tour was to make sure that the students experienced all that Walt Disney World had to offer, including the food at some wonderful restaurants.  We had meal tickets that allowed them to try an appetizer, entree, dessert and beverage and that also included tax and tip- so there was no need to worry about money.  They could just eat and enjoy!  One of the meals we planned was dinner at EPCOT.  I had the group sign-up ahead of time for the EPCOT restaurant of their choice and I got all the reservations for the same night.  I can't remember for sure all of the different places people ate that night, but I do know that groups dined at Mexico (The San Angel Inn), Italy (Alfredo's), Japan (Yakitori House) and The Living Seas (The Coral Reef).  All of those are very expensive and very wonderful, and I was excited for the kids to experience them and the cultures they represented.  And for the most part, they loved every minute of it.

I do not remember who all was in the group that went to Alfredo's, but I will never forget that Jill Gilbreth was with them (see message #27 on my Guestbook for more details from Jill!).  Alfredo's was (it has changed a lot since then...) a very authentic Italian restaurant, as opposed to say, Olive Garden.  The kids were unsure of many of the items on the menu.  Listening to Jill describe her food later was hilarious.  The salad, she informed us, was made up of leaves someone had gone outside and ripped off of a shrub.  It looked nothing like any salad she had ever seen before.  She also described eating "panarama ham," which we are still unsure about.  Whatever it actually was, she didn't care for it.  Still, as I remember, none of that mattered to the girls because their Italian waiter was hot and the service was great; plus there was a bit of a show with singers and some dancing.  Marilyn and I still refer to mystery meat as "panarama ham" on occasion...

I was with a group that visited the San Angel Inn.  This was a life changing experience for Marilyn and I thanks to a waitress who made a couple of wonderful suggestions.  First, she suggested that we try Queso Fundido, a melted cheese and chorizo sausage mixture on tortillas, as our appetizer.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!  I think almost everyone tried it, and all of us found it amazing.   We still look for it at every Mexican restaurant we eat at- but no one can match the San Angel Inn.  We tried a variety of entrees that were awesome.  After dinner, we again asked for suggestions from the dessert menu, and were told to try the Chocolate Mousse Kahlua Pie.  Again- OH MY GOODNESS!!!  In the years that followed Marilyn and I ate there many times with friends and family, and we never failed to order those two things.  Eventually they took the pie off the menu, and Marilyn and I had to have a word with the manager.  I don't know if it ever came back...

You may wonder why I thought these extravagant meals served any purpose for a youth ministry seeking to help students connect to Jesus.  Again, it was because we were seeking to minister to the WHOLE person, not just some special little spiritual box inside of them.  We wanted them to experience new things, to share new adventures and to create memories with one another as a part of understanding that "every good and perfect gift comes from God..."   I don't know if we succeeded or not, but that was our goal.  And trust me, Chocolate Mousse Kahlua Pie is a good and perfect gift!!!

Speaking of food...remember the leftover chicken from Hoop-de-doo?  Learn its' fate in Friday's edition.

Because of Jesus,

Prudence Irwina & Tigger

There were lots of excited students on The Magic Tour '93, but none more so than Ashley Goad.  Ashley was a young woman who had not had an easy life to that point; her parents had divorced, and at various points her relationships with both of them had been strained.  Many of the girls in our group were related to each other and had attended different schools than she did, and they were a very close knit group.  Ashley often struggled to fit in.  But she never gave up on us.  She and I developed a close relationship that included me calling her Prudence Irwina Goad (PIG for short!).  The excitement she had for this trip had very little to do with me, however.  For Ashley, this trip was all about Tigger!

Ashley was completely obsessed with finding Tigger at every park and getting her picture made with him.  She stalked the poor creature all over WDW, and I took a ton of pictures of the two of them. And each time we found the character, the smile on her face brought one to mine.  Unfortunately, I took only slides that week, and those slides are lost forever.  But trust me- there were plenty of pics of PIG and Tigger! 

Ashley and I shared a lot of good times- and some bad.  But we always had Tigger!  We both knew the correct way to spell it- T-I-Double Grrr-er!  We both could sing the Tigger song (see video below).  She was a very special part of that trip and my life.  When we left Springfield Friends Meeting, I worried about her and prayed for her often.  I didn't need to worry; she was in God's hands already.  She is now a youth pastor herself and has changed the life of many a young person through her love of Jesus.  I am so proud of all that she overcame and all that she has become.  Every time I see Tigger, I remember Ashley, and I thank God that I got to be a small part of her life.  Even if she did spend one week as a stalker...   Ashley, you and Tigger are a lot alike-  there's only one of each of you!



Because of Jesus,

Hoop-de-doo!

On Monday night, the third night of our Floridays 1993 trip, we finally got to experience the fun and food that is the Hoop-de-doo Revue!  We boarded a boat at the TTC and shuttled over to the Fort Wilderness Campground.  We found our way to Pioneer Hall and our seating of Disney's most popular dinner show.  I still could not believe we had been able to get in.  We were seated at tables for eight, and greeted with chips and salsa.  Our waiters and waitresses then began bringing our drinks and salads.  Everything was served family style.  The entertainment began shortly after we were seated, with lots of traditional American music and bad puns from the Pioneer Hall Players.  And the food just kept coming!  Ribs, fried chicken (the best I've ever had!), cornbread, baked beans, corn on the cob and more were brought to us as often as we wanted- and we wanted a lot!!!  Then, as our servers joined in the entertainment, strawberry shortcake (the best I've ever had!) was delivered and the meal was finished.  The entertainment cranked up with the audience twirling their napkins and shouting "Yahoo!  Hoop-de-doo!" at the top of our lungs. There was a melodrama about Davy Crockett and a bear, featuring some of the worst puns and jokes you will ever hear. It was almost unbearable, but you just had to grin and bear it...   It was just an amazing evening, and the kids loved it.  We talked later about how exciting it is to dream dreams and pray prayers and see them answered.  It was so cool to be able to remind our group that God is good all the time!

Before we left Pioneer Hall and headed back to the Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Mark Rumley collected some of the left over chicken from the tables for consumption at a later time.  That chicken would come back to haunt us...

Tomorrow we will take a look at how one famous Disney character had to deal with a stalker from our group.  In the meantime, keep signing my guestbook, making comments and sending those e-mails!

Because of Jesus,

Splash Mountain

The Magic Kingdom is the most famous of the Disney parks and the one people think of when you speak of Walt Disney World.  So naturally it was the first park we visited as we continued our first full day on The Magic Tour.  Everyone was very excited about such classic rides as Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion and the Jungle Cruise.  But the biggest anticipation was reserved for the newest ride at the MK, Splash Mountain.  Splash Mountain was the newest ride at the MK, having been open for less than a year.  The ride was a boat trip through the stories of the movie Song of the South, featuring such characters as Brer Bear and Brer Rabbit.  The rides climaxes with a huge climb to the top of the mountain and then a monster drop into the "Brier Patch" below.  Perhaps the easiest way to describe it is with words from the back of a t-shirt my wife Marilyn has had since those early days, pictured below.

We rode the ride over and over again that week, waiting in lines as long as two hours to do so.  Every ride was better than the last, and each one left us soaking wet.  We discovered that if we went to the ride during the 11 PM parade time we could avoid the lines and ride a couple of times before the park closed at midnight.  It was also, of course, the perfect ride in the heat of the day.  There was little question that Splash Mountain was one of the hits of the trip.

Our first day had been a huge success.  And on Monday, we were off to Hoop-de-doo!

Unwilling Catholics

Quakers and Catholics share much in common in their faith in Jesus Christ, but almost nothing in common in their practice of that faith.  Catholic worship is made up of pomp, circumstance and ritual; Quaker worship is simple and sometimes silent.  A Quaker who walks into the celebration of Mass unaware is in for quite a shock.  Witness the following account...

On the Sunday morning following the Luau, we were headed back to Disney's Polynesian Resort for worship.  WDW sponsored two worship services each Sunday at the same venue where we had been for the Luau; an early Catholic Mass, and an 11 AM Protestant service.  I had told the group to get breakfast and meet us at the Polynesian.  They were all very clear on how to get there- take the bus to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and the monorail to the Polynesian.  I was with a group that headed over around 10:15 AM.  We arrived a few minutes early and had to wait outside for the Catholics to exit.  As we were standing there, I saw a very unexpected sight.  Two of our guys, David Mercadante (pictured in the red sweatshirt) and Will Rees (in the tye-dye), were exiting the Mass- and looking exceedingly confused!  I stopped them and asked what was going on, and they informed me they had just been to church and could not find us anywhere.  Plus, they told me, the service had been really strange, with a lot of standing and kneeling and reciting things they did not know.  We were dying laughing.  They had no idea what they had just done.  They were then very disappointed to learn they had to go back in and worship again-  with the rest of us.  They were still mumbling about all the odd stuff they did at the first service, but they had to admit they had enjoyed getting a snack during church.  It seems our two young Quakers had just taken their first communion with the Catholics.  We never informed the Pope of their transgression!  We don't know how this may have influenced David's calling to the pastoral ministry among Quakers, but that is what he is doing today.

After church, we headed for our first park- the Magic Kingdom!  Something new awaited us there that would be one of the highlights of the trip.  Come back tomorrow to read more!

Because of Jesus,

"Saddle up your horses..."

The final preparations were finished.  People had chosen which EPCOT restaurant they wanted to eat at.  I had taught a class on the best way to see all of Walt Disney World.  Rooms were assigned.  The U-Haul was packed.  At 6 AM on June 19th we departed Springfield Friends Meeting for sunny Florida.  The trip down was fairly uneventful.  We travelled by caravan, with three 15 passenger vans and one Suburban.  Mark Rumley drove the Suburban and had memories of a vehicle filled with "gassy girls."  The Holly Spring Friends van had a flat tire, but we changed it and kept going.  It didn't seem like a big deal at the time...but it would come back to haunt us on the trip home.

We arrived at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and were greeted by Frank, our representative from the Walt Disney Travel Company.  He helped check us in and find our way to our rooms.  The resort has over 2200 rooms and is broken up into "islands."  Each "island" has its' own pool and and own unique identity.  We were staying at Aruba.  As everyone was getting settled in, Frank gave me some very disturbing news.  From the very beginning of my trip planning I had wanted to do something amazing on the first night (Saturday).  We had been able to book the group for the Hoop-de-doo Musical Revue, and I could not imagine a better start to the week.  Now Frank was telling me that dates had been mixed up, and that we actually were not going to Hoop-de-doo until Monday night.  I was devastated at first...but fortunately, Frank was not through talking.  To make up for the mistake, he had booked us into the Luau at Disney's Polynesian Resort for that night, an all-you-can-eat dinner show.  And it would be on them!  That was $35 per person, covered by the travel company.  This week was off to a flying start!  We went to the Luau and loved it, eating all kinds of Polynesian dishes and drinking frozen drinks while watching hula dancers (see picture at top) and fire dancers do their things.  It was an awesome first night.  And it was free! 

Our theme for the week was The Great Adventure, based on a 1992 song by Steven Curtis Chapman.  The song begins with the line "Saddle up your horses, we've got a trail to blaze through the wild blue yonder of God's amazing grace..."  We were going to blaze our trail through WDW and try to shine our light for all to see.  The great adventure had begun, and on Sunday morning we were going to church at Disney...which turned out to be an interesting thing in itself, especially for David Mercadante and Will Rees...

Because of Jesus,