Flashback Friday: The Sawshack Redemption

Today's Flashback Friday tale is a rarely told story from my 18 months spent as the Director of Student Ministries at the Union Church of Hinsdale, Illinois.  

Greg and Chris were members of the Work Tour 2000 team, but they were not your typical Union Church of Hinsdale youth. They did not come from great wealth like many of the students did.  Both of them actually seemed more at home in Dungannon, VA than they did in Hinsdale. They both had a bit of redneck in them. They were also two of the students who had surprised me so much with the smoking and the swearing on the trip east (see You Have Got To Be Kidding Me). So it came as no surprise to me when they volunteered to work on in the falling down utility shack that was out behind the mobile home we were working on. They would be doing two major tasks out there- sawing lumber for other projects and cleaning out the shed itself. The building itself quickly became known as The Sawshack (Pictured: not the actual Sawshack, but a smaller version that looks quite a bit like it!). It would be the site of a lot of hard work- and more than a few adventures.

In the early part of the week much of the team became very frustrated with the Sawshack crew. It seemed you could never find them when you needed them, and it was taking way too long to get sawing jobs done. They seemed to be playing with the junk in the shack more than they were cleaning things out. David (the primary adult leader on this trip- I had only been in town for one month) had words with the two boys but nothing seemed to motivate them. Then one afternoon (I think Tuesday) while we were working on the "great wall" (see I Got It...I Don't Got It...Bzzzzzz) in the trailer, I heard a loud crashing noise, some screaming and some hysterical laughter. I went running into the living room to find one of the windows smashed to pieces. No one was hurt (praise God!) but there was glass everywhere. I looked through the broken window into the back yard, and there stood the boys. None of us could believe what we were seeing. They had found an old skeet launcher (as used in skeet shooting) in the shack. And some skeet. Curious to see if it still worked, they had dragged it out in the yard, loaded a skeet, and pulled. It worked- and now a window was missing. And they thought it was hilarious.

I was livid. A family of 5 was living in that trailer, which now had air conditioning that it did not need. While others started cleaning up the mess and preparing to go shopping for a window, I took the boys out to the shack where we had a "come to Jesus" meeting. It was explained to them that the money for the window would come out of their pockets. I impressed upon them the fact that everyone else was trying so hard to be of service to this family, while they seemed intent on making things worse. They were told that from that point on I wanted them anchored to the saw; there would be no more smoking breaks (I was certain they had been sneaking off to light up- and I was right) and no more goofing off. It was time for them to step up and be part of this team. Most students who have ever been a part of any of my groups will tell you that I don't get angry often, but when I do, it is ugly. This was one of those times. They met Hulk Jones very early into our time together...and they didn't like me when I was angry!

For the rest of that trip, Chris & Greg were hard workers, great team members and model citizens. The Sawshack became a place where work was done quickly and accurately. Their work ethic and and attitudes changed so much that it became known as The Sawshack Redemption. The grace that was shown them by the family and the rest of our team made a huge difference, not only on that trip but in their participation in youth activities after we returned to Hinsdale. Over time, the indoor skeet shooting became legendary and something we could laugh about. Grace does that- it turns our worst actions into things we can live with, because we understand God loves us anyway.

Tomorrow I'm going to share another except from Even Better Than Before. I hope you all have a blessed and grace-filled weekend!

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: Restaurants & Youth Ministry

Happy Flashback Friday! Over the years my youth groups visited many fine restaurants- and a whole bunch of not so fine ones as well! Each time you take a group of teenagers into a restaurant, you can see the fear on the faces of the employees and patrons. They expect mayhem, wildness and no tips. We always tried to surprise them and make our time there as much fun for them as it was for us. Today I take a look back at 12 places that were favorites of various groups for a variety of reasons. All of them share one thing in common; we were always invited back. I had the best students anyone could ever ask for! So here are 12 great memories:

12)  The Jade Dragon-  Located only a block from Union Church in Hinsdale, IL, this great little Chinese place was a regular stop for meetings, lunches with students and SHO-Time. We had a great meal there one night with the gang from Spooky Tuesday and had my farewell dinner there as well.

11)  Sonic Drive-In-  In both Tampa and Waycross we used a Sonic for a summer program called Happy Hour. I would go sit at the tables outside and spend several hours greeting students, playing cards and drinking Cherry Limeaids. It was always a great time of relationship building, and I miss those very hot summer days!

10)  Captain John's Seafood-  I picked this fine Calabash restaurant (a favorite since my own youth group days) to represent all of the seafood restaurants we visited in the Myrtle Beach area over the years, including the all-you-can-eat places (pictured) we favored in the later years. Special memories include Lisa Kraus destroying an entire army of crab legs and the night I discovered half of the Springfield group didn't like seafood.  Not included in this list is White's Point (inside joke for my oldest buddies!).

  9)  The Roadhouse Grill/Rio Bravo-  These two Kissimmee restaurants were favorite SHO-Time spots, and we ate at both on many occasions. We loved the queso at Rio and the bread and throwing peanut shells on the floor at Roadhouse, and both places knew us well. Later on a Roadhouse in Clearwater became a favorite of the Wesley Memorial group. None of those three restaurants are still in business. I blame myself...

  8)  Dick's Wings-  This wonderful wing house became the home of our 5th Quarter "after football" events in Waycross, which drew big crowds of students on Friday nights. You had to beware of Dick's Special Sauce- it was lethal!

  7)  The Beaches & Cream Soda Shoppe-  Located at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort, this place serves great hamburgers and hot dogs- but no one cares! They have some of the most amazing ice cream creations anywhere, and we visited often, as tourists from Springfield and as locals from Kissimmee and Tampa. This was the home of the Kitchen Sink, and the much-missed Disney Dash Ice Cream Bash event. 

  6)  The Fireworks Factory-  Another out-of-business restaurant and the second in a trilogy of Disney eateries, we only had two meals there with youth groups. The first already received its own post, and you can read it by clicking here. The second was the night Marilyn and I informed everyone on the Springfield Alumni Trip in December of 1994 that she was pregnant. A very special place.

  5)  The Cape May Cafe-  On long trips or just going over for the morning, there was no place quite like Cape May when it came to breakfast.  Both the Springfield and FUMC-K groups got to experience the wonder of this all-you-can-eat buffet that never ceases to amaze.  Plus you get to share the meal with Chip, Dale, Goofy and other Disney stars!  Located in Disney's Beach Club Resort, this one is still open for business!

  4)  Lee Gardens-  Located near Wesley Memorial in Tampa, this Chinese buffet was host to us on so many occasions, and they never failed to show us a great time. To this day when I walk in with just Marilyn they are stunned, and ask "Only 2?" Best egg drop soup ever!

  

3)  Carmine's-  This Manhattan establishment has the feel of something straight out of The Godfather. It is a great place under any circumstance; to go there with a large group simply defies description (especially when I got to order everything in advance!). The service, the sheer amount of food, and the desserts are all amazing. We didn't find this place until Jill Painter's Aunt Gerry took us there in the late '90's; we didn't ever miss a chance to go there after that!

  

2)  Kyotos-  Many of my former students will be stunned to see this come in at #2.  After all, no place spanned as many years of my ministry as did this Japanese steakhouse. While at Springfield, we discovered one in Greensboro, NC, and began to plan regular group events there. It became tradition for me to take youth there to celebrate their 16th birthdays. When we moved to Kissimmee, we discovered one in Longwood (just north of Orlando; see picture) and began regular pilgrimages, often with huge groups of teens. Later, we discovered one in Myrtle Beach and ate there with both the Wesley Memorial and FUMC-K groups. So many stories, so many memories and so much food! Also have to give a quick shout out to Kado Japanese in Tampa, which also hosted many a memorable meal!

  1)  Pizza Inn-  Although we ate at Kyotos many times over many years, for shear quantity nothing came close to Pizza Inn in High Point, NC. It has so much meaning to so many people who were a part of the Springfield Friends Meeting youth ministry (see The Ministry of Pizza Inn), partly because at least a portion of us ate there every week- at least once a week!  No other restaurant ever had as much impact on my ministry, and we had a pretty major impact on them as well. Congrats, Pizza Inn- you are still #1!!!

So there it is- I would love to hear your thoughts on oversights and omissions from this list. And thanks to so many of you for making theses memories so wonderful! 

Because of Jesus,

Plow the Road

Greetings from NC! Sometimes on the #NarrowRoad our walk is not about us. It's about clearing obstacles for others as they seek to follow Jesus in their lives and their ministries. Sometimes we just simply need to plow the road. Witness the following account...

In November of 2000 I attended the National Youth Workers Convention in Atlanta. This was my first convention as Youth Pastor of the Union Church of Hinsdale, and I accompanied by David Knecht. David was the chairperson of the search committee that brought me to UC. He was a man in his forties who had built and sold a computer company, and now had lots of time on his hands. He was giving that time to serve God, and especially the youth of UC. I liked David a lot and was glad he was going to his first NYWC. Funny story- we were to stay at a Marriott in Atlanta for the convention, and when the former CEO of Marriott, who was a member at UC, found out he wanted to upgrade us to a luxury suite. I said no thanks, explaining to him that youth workers staying in a luxury suite would be the targets of many jokes and quite possibly an investigation...

As David and I flew to Atlanta, settled into our meager accommodations (HA!) and begin to explore the NYWC, a question that had been nagging me through my first 8 months at UC came to the forefront of my mind. Why had David not applied for the job I now had? He knew the people and high society culture of UC that so frustrated me; he was one of "them." He clearly loved Jesus, students and student ministry. At the convention he was like a kid in a toy store; everything amazed him! I recognized it in him because it had been true for me for so many years. He soaked up everything. I introduced him to many of the legends of youth ministry, and he was a little starstruck. He loved the seminars, the speakers, the music- everything! And to complete his experience, I made sure he got his first ever Chick-fil-A sandwich. David. like so many before him, was now addicted to the NYWC.

At some point during that week I had a chat with an old friend, who knew me well and who had been in ministry a long time. I shared with him some of my frustrations, and specifically my thoughts about David being the right person for the job I currently had. As we talked, Todd reminded me that 15 years earlier I had taken a job with the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends. After a short time at that ministry I had similar feelings about Chris Jorgensen who had volunteered years with the youth there, only to see me get the job she wanted. I realized when I left NEYM that God's purpose for me there had been to prepare things for Chris. I was there 9 months, and then she got the job and served them brilliantly for many years. Like a snow plow on the highway, sometimes our ministry is just to plow the road and clear the path for someone else. John the Baptist did it for Jesus. I had done it for Chris. And now, my wise friend was saying, maybe I was at UC to get everything set up and ready for David to succeed. It was, in many ways, a hard pill to swallow. I had moved my family a thousand miles so I could be a "star." I had gone to UC to be a closer, not a set-up man. But those were my reasons. Perhaps God had a different design in mind. And on the #NarrowRoad, God is the one calling the shots.

And that is exactly the way things turned out. Less that a year later I left Union Church and without even forming a search committee the church gave the position to David. He served there for a number of years, doing wonderful things with the youth and the community. It is so tempting to look back on my days in Hinsdale as a failure. But it is also a wonderful thing when you know you have been used by God for His purpose. My time as a plow was a service to the kingdom of God. What else can we ask for on our journey? "LORD...send me!" Even if it's just to plow the road...

Because of Jesus,

Low Sunday

The Sunday after Easter (and the one after Christmas) is known in church circles as Low Sunday. Not a year goes by that this day doesn't remind of this story...

The spring of 2001 found me serving the Union Church of Hinsdale in the western suburbs of Chicago. A large, very traditional church, we had just celebrated Easter with great pomp and circumstance. A huge crowd had filled the building to overflow. Trumpets played, handbells rang out and choirs sang. It was quite a spectacle. The following Sunday one of our Associate Pastors, a young man named Mark Toole, was preaching. Mark was one of my favorite staff members I ever worked with, both as a pastor and as a person. He currently teaches world religions at High Point University in NC. I was sitting up in the pulpit area with Mark, as I was the scripture reader that day. Mark rose and looked at the crowd, which was sparse, certainly compared to the previous week. He addressed the congregation with the following thoughts (my paraphrase): Remember last Sunday? Remember how the choir processed in with the trumpets playing? Remember the amazing sound of a full choir and the great handbells? Remember how amazing you all sounded as we proclaimed that Christ the LORD is Risen Today? Remember how the crowd filled not only the sanctuary, but the overflow area as well? It was truly a wonderful day and the people of this community filled Union Church. So today I just have one more question. All of that captures the feel of what Mark said. His next question is a direct quote that I will never forget. He paused, starred into the crowd and asked loudly and firmly, "So where the hell are they?"  The congregation erupted in snickers and gasps and outright laughter (that would be me...). The point he went on to make, at least in my mind, was very basic. How can, each year and all over the world, so many people hear the message of the resurrection and then go back to living life as if it never happened? It's not about church attendance- in fact my family is missing church today- it's about PASSION! Why are we more concerned with beating the Baptists to the best lunch spots than forgiving our friend who hurt us? Why is it that so many people walk away from our churches each week saying "What a nice service" instead of proclaiming "Jesus is alive...and THAT IS AWESOME!" I wish I knew the answer, or even understood how such things can happen. Thanks Mark, for stepping out of the box for a moment that never fails to remind me that Jesus is to celebrated every day!  I mean really...how can you have a "Low Sunday" when you are walking with the Savior?

Because of Jesus,

Magic Moments: The Old Rugged Cross

From March of 2000 through October of 2001 I was the youth pastor at the Union Church of Hinsdale, a UCC church in the Chicago suburbs. It was a tough 18 months for me, often feeling like I didn't fit in. I had been there 3 weeks when I traveled with a group on their traditional Spring Break Mission Trip, which they called Work Tour. I had discovered quickly that there was much work to be done in that ministry, and the first days of the trip had been shocking to me in many ways. But then, as so often happens, God provided a Magic Moment. A big one...

Sunday morning came cold and clear in Dungannon, VA. We walked down the hill from the mission center to attend worship at a very small Primitive Baptist church. The sign said that worship began at 11 AM, but when we walked through the door at 10:50 there were about 15 people sitting in the sanctuary listening to a man preach. The 25 of us slipped in as quietly as we could and sat near the back. I felt bad, thinking we had missed the service and were causing a distraction. A few other people continued to wander in, and then about 11:05 the man stopped preaching. People stood and stretched for a minute, and the pastor walked back to where we were sitting. It turned out we had walked in on Sunday School; now it was time for worship. The pastor greeted us warmly and said that he wanted us to say something to the congregation during worship and perhaps sing a song for them. I said I would gladly bring greetings, but that we were not prepared to sing and I didn't have my guitar with me. He assured me that he had one I could use, and pretty much refused to take no for an answer. We were going to sing.

There was one major problem- I had already discovered that the youth of the Union Church didn't actually know any songs. At least not any appropriate ones. And yet I had just agreed that they would sing. As I sat in my pew waiting to be called up front, my mind was racing. What would we sing? I didn't want to embarrass the kids or take away from worship. And then it hit me- the night before a small group sat around singing, and that group should be able to fake the chorus to Step By Step (O God You are my God). I know I must have been smiling like an idiot as I sat there; once again God had provided despite my doubts. We all went up front, I brought greetings from Illinois, and we sang for them. It was a blessed moment, and one that we all later agreed gave us a real sense of unity. We finished our song, and the pastor thanked us and then said words I had not foreseen: "How about another one?" Once again God intervened, giving me the wisdom to say, "Why don't we sing one together?" I then led the entire congregation in Amazing Grace, which only a few of the students knew. It didn't matter, because the congregation (of about 30) sang with such gusto that the roof was lifted. It was awesome. The youth were all smiles. I silently thanked God for His provisions. We could have left then and there filled with the Holy Spirit and a new excitement. But the blessings of that morning had just begun. 

We had just returned to our pews when the pastor announced that it was prayer time. Now I had worked in a pretty wide variety of churches, and attended an even wider variety. I didn't think anything they could do during a prayer time would surprise me. The youth of Union Church were a different matter entirely. Worship at UC was very formal and very controlled. Nothing happened that was not planned- and then planned again. So as prayer time began that morning I said a prayer and held on...

The pastor began taking prayer requests from the congregation. And almost everyone had one. Some were for physical needs; others for salvation for family members. One elderly woman gave her testimony and then requested that we all sing the classic hymn The Old Rugged Cross. So we did. It was an old favorite of mine from my childhood, but totally foreign to my new youth group. As I mentioned before, it was a very small church, but they sang out very loudly- especially the woman who made the request. She was singing at the top of her lungs. She couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but the song clearly meant the world to her. She sang with such vigor and passion that after a few giggles at the quality of her singing, the group was mesmerized by her. You could feel the Holy Spirit moving in her. It was a moment we would talk about for weeks to come.

But prayer time was not over. After a few more requests, the pastor invited everyone to come up to the altar and pray. In my experiences, when this happened the people would go forward and kneel and someone would pray for the requests. Not that morning. The pastor said "Let us pray," and everyone did. All at once. Out loud! My first reaction was to see and hear it as total chaos. My next understanding was much deeper. They got it. The God of the universe doesn't need us to sort out our prayers so He can hear them. He doesn't need us to sing with beautiful voices in order to sing praise to Him. He wants to hear us. As the voices mingled together in a beautiful, confused noise, I knew God was listening. I opened my eyes and saw my youth with mouths hanging open, unsure of what to make of this. It would become a wonderful teaching moment later that day. It was truly "beautiful noise..."

I don't remember a thing about the sermon. We had already been to church. Later that afternoon we went out hiking on a nearby trail, and as we sat around talking it was amazing to hear the reactions of these wealthy, big city students to what they had seen and heard that morning in that little "hick" church. And I began to understand more about how this trip was coming together. We were going to be doing some work for poor local families. That was the Work Tour part of the adventure. But the mission- the real opportunity to change lives in the name of Jesus- was about God opening the eyes of my own youth to what real faith and real worship are all about. God was moving among us, and kids were coming face to face with Jesus- many of them for the first time. It was time for them to understand why The Old Rugged Cross- the song and the event- is so meaningful to so many. It never felt like there were many "victories" in my short 18 months in Hinsdale. But that morning was a Magic Moment I feel certain none of them have ever forgotten. I know I never will.

Because of Jesus,

Plow the Road

In November of 2000 I attended the National Youth Workers Convention in Atlanta. This was my first convention as Youth Pastor of the Union Church of Hinsdale, and I accompanied by David Knecht. David, some of you may recall, was the head of the search committee that brought me to UC. He was a man in his forties who had built and sold a computer company, and now had lots of time on his hands. He was giving that time to serve God, and especially the youth of UC. I liked David a lot and was glad he was going to his first NYWC. Funny story- we were to stay at a Marriott in Atlanta for the convention, and when the former CEO of Marriott, who was a member at UC, found out he wanted to upgrade us to a luxury suite. I said no thanks, explaining to him that youth workers staying in a luxury suite would be the targets of many jokes and quite possibly an investigation...

As David and I flew to Atlanta, settled in to our meager accommodations (HA!) and begin to explore the NYWC, a question that had been nagging me through my first 8 months at UC came to the forefront of my mind. Why had David not applied for the job I now had? He knew the people and culture of UC that so frustrated me; he was one of them. He clearly loved Jesus, students and student ministry. At the convention he was like a kid in a toy store; everything amazed him! I recognized it in him because it had been true for me for so many years. He soaked up everything. I introduced him to many of the legends of youth ministry, and he was a little starstruck. He loved the seminars, the speakers, the music- everything! And to complete his experience, I made sure he got his first ever Chick-fil-A sandwich. David. like so many before him, was now addicted to the NYWC.

At some point during that week I had a chat with an old friend, who had knew me well and who had been in ministry a long time. I shared with him some of my frustrations, and specifically my thoughts about David being the right person for the job I currently had. As we talked, Todd reminded me that 15 years earlier I had taken a job with the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends. After a short time at that ministry I had similar feelings about Chris Jorgensen who had volunteered years with the youth there, only to see me get the job she wanted. I realized when I left NEYM that God's purpose for me there had been to prepare things for Chris. I was there 9 months, and then she got the job and served them brilliantly for many years. Like a snow plow on the highway, sometimes our ministry is just to plow the road and clear the path for someone else. John the Baptist did it for Jesus. I had done it for Chris. And now, my wise friend was saying, maybe I was at UC to get everything set up and ready for David to succeed. It was, in many ways, a hard pill to swallow. I had moved my family thousands of miles so I could be a "star." I had gone to UC to be a closer, not a set-up man. But those were my reasons. Perhaps God had a different design in mind. 

And that is exactly the way things turned out. Less that a year later I left Union Church and without even forming a search committee the church gave the position to David. He served there for a number of years, doing wonderful things with the youth and the community. It is so tempting to look back on my days in Hinsdale as a failure. But it is also a wonderful thing when you know you have been used by God for His purpose. And that is my prayer on this Sabbath day- that I be open to whatever God has in mind for me next. Whatever the road that needs to be plowed, I want to be the instrument Jesus can use to get it done. I hope that you will pray along with me.

Because of Jesus,

In Ministry, Small Things Matter

It is hard to believe that for 28 years hundreds of students chose to share their lives with the insane man shown dancing at a 60's Revival Night at TNT (Springfield Friends Meeting) in the early 1990's.  But they did.  Over the years of my ministry there were many big events and earth-shaking moments that I have written about in the pages of this blog.  Today I want to take a look back at 10 moments that were perhaps a little more "under the radar," but that were significant to me. They made me laugh, cry or scream- or sometimes all three!  In no particular order, here they are:

10)  Now Batting for Jesus-  For many years, beginning in the 1970's at New Garden Friends Meeting, I had been involved with youth groups leading Easter Sunrise services.  In 1995 we continued that tradition when the youth group led the service down by the lakefront in Kissimmee.  We had a skit planned in which Matt Wheeler was to play Jesus.  It was one of those years when daylight savings time began on Easter Sunday, and Matt didn't wake up in time.  We had to "pinch hit" for Jesus at the last moment...and I am pretty sure we struck out!!!
9)  Sis Goes to Camp-  I had many great weeks at Quaker Lake Camp over the years, but none better that the week I convinced my dear friend from high school, Sabrina Perry (I called her Sis; we were that close), to volunteer as a counselor at Senior High Camp.  Best week of camp ever!
8)  "Wuv...Twue Wuv"-  I cannot express how much it meant to me when Nate Hill and Amber Herrick came to me and asked me to officiate their weddings, years after I had been their youth pastor.  It was two different weddings- they didn't marry each other...that would have just been weird!  :)  I also was blessed to do the service for Ken & Nicole Jewett.
7)  I Hear That A Lot-  A young woman came into my office at the Union Church of Hinsdale in 2000, crying and distraught.  She was 16, had just wrecked her car for the third time, and daddy was refusing to buy her a THIRD new Porsche.   I didn't need Toto to tell me I wasn't in Kansas anymore...
6)  SURPRISE!-  At the request of their parents, I helped put together surprise 16th birthday parties for best friends Heather Beggs and Keri Vinson in the youth room at Springfield Friends Meeting.  The parties were just months apart and involved a lot of the same people, yet somehow they were both surprises.  I loved being involved in the lives of the students I served.  I will never forget that Heather's birthday is August 25th.  She only gave us 18 months of weekly notices leading up to her 16th...
5)  Wet 'N' Wild-  Another Easter Sunrise in Kissimmee, another daylight savings time fiasco.  The city forgot to reset the timers on the automatic sprinklers by the lakefront gazebo, and they came on during our service.  A mass baptism was held that day...
4)  Hide, It's the Cops!-  One more Easter Sunrise story, this one from Tampa.  For reasons I never understood (for once the OOPS was not mine!), we decided to have the youth Praise Band play at an outdoor service in front of the church at 7 AM.  It was great for passing traffic to see; it was not so great for the sleeping neighbors to hear.  The police stopped by to inform of us of the complaints.  We lived next door to the church, andI think one of the calls was from Marilyn...
3)  More Weddings-  I was privileged to sing in a number of weddings over the years, including those of former youth and co-workers.  To Ken & Gilly, Holly & Mark, Matt & Kristin, Mike & Rebecca, Debbie & Tommy, Beth & Bob, Claudia and all the others- thank you for letting me be a part of your special day.  And for those whose weddings I was able to attend, thank you for the invitations.  It was always a "lump in my throat" kind of feeling to see friends beginning a new chapter of life.
2)  We Found A Friend-  While I was visiting Kissimmee from Chicago the week after Lisa Kraus's wedding, Amber Herrick called me about she and Chrissy Weaver coming by my motel to see me.  I asked if my other "Angel," Lauren Carr, might also be coming.  Amber said there had been a falling out (one of hundreds!) between them and they hadn't spoken in a while.  When they stopped by a bit later, Lauren was with them.  It was so cool that they had reconnected over my visit.  We then walked across the highway to Friendly's and had an amazing visit, with a conversation I will never forget.  No matter how hard I try...   :)
1)  Every Single Time-  Each time one of my students, parents or co-workers came into my office to talk to me about life, it was a sacred moment for me.  There are many stories to tell, but I will not tell them, because they were often deeply personal and intense.  They were sometimes scary.  Many times they were hilarious (Once in Tampa both the male and the female in a high school relationship came to me separately. They both wanted to break up.  Neither knew how to do it without "hurting" the other.  I could not make this stuff up!).  But no matter the topic or the reason for the visit, each time anyone trusted me enough to come to me with their joys and concerns, I felt humbled and honored.  And no matter how many big trips and huge events I was a part of, it was those moments that are closest to my soul as a servant of God.  I just hope my prayers were of more use than the little bits of wisdom I had.  And I am so glad that many still know that I am here if you need me.  As the Stellar Kart song says, "remember you've got me and Jesus..."  And thank God it's mostly Jesus!

Because of Jesus,

Until the World Ends...

In August of 2001 I informed the Union Church of Hinsdale that I had accepted a position with Wesley Memorial UMC in Tampa, effective October 1.  At my previous two stops along my journey, Springfield Friends Meeting and FUMC-Kissimmee, I had worked 60 day notices because I had so much I wanted to say and do with my students before leaving them.  At UC, I was pretty much ready to get out of Dodge.  I would miss many of the people.  I would miss my little bible study group terribly, and they were the ones who would really miss me.  I was leaving behind some disappointed adults, who felt like the church had invested too much in me to see me leave after only 18 months.  But the road was plowed.  David Knecht was quickly hired as their new youth pastor, and I thanked God that I had been able to play a positive role in the future of the ministry- by leaving!

I did my best to keep functioning and help David during the "lame duck" period before I left, and one Tuesday morning I was driving into Hinsdale from my home in Clarendon Hills for our weekly staff meeting.  On the short drive I was listening to a cassette tape in the car, one that I had made for myself.  One of the last songs I heard before going in was an old Three Dog Night tune- Until the World Ends.  Among the lyrics are the words, "Daylight always follows the night.  Looking at life as it's always been, it will be that way again...until the world ends."  Those words would come back to me over and over again in the coming weeks.  I entered the church to find everyone gathered in the conference room in front of a TV, watching the footage from New York.  It was September 11, 2001- and the 2nd place was just about to hit the Towers.

Marilyn had taken the train into Chicago as usual that morning, and she arrived at her office to find total chaos.  They were close enough to the Sears Tower that there was fear that they were in a target area for another attack.  Will was in first grade; they were not told anything, but they didn't get to go outside all day.  In those few minutes that morning, the world changed.  My last few weeks at UC would be spent dealing with fear, anger and bigotry.  There are a lot of Muslims in Chicagoland.  Being in crisis mode for most of the last month helped to say good-bye by actually being in ministry to the families of UC, something I had not really felt like I had done much of over the previous 17 months.  Meanwhile, we still had to prepare to move to Tampa.

On September 13, 2001, Marilyn was supposed to fly to Tampa to finally get to see inside the house we would be living in and to register Will for school.  We debated cancelling her trip, but decided it was important to keep going forward.  I felt then, and still feel today, that the most significant victory we could give the terrorists would be to significantly alter our way of life. Our faith was in God, and that didn't change.  So she was among the first to fly after the horror of 9-11.  She had a great weekend in Tampa and came back really excited about the move.  We were going to move.  We were going to begin a new ministry.  Life would go on.

There has been a lot of water under the bridge since those days.  The tragedy of the attacks was compounded by poor political and military decisions.  We have given up many freedoms in the name of preserving freedom.  USAmerica became an angrier, less trusting nation.  The world did indeed change that day.  But one thing did not.  God is still in control.  I was reminded of that during a WMUMC youth trip to NYC in 2003 and a visit to St. Paul's Chapel at Ground Zero (see picture at top).  The stories of God's grace and mercy in the face of such tragedy moved me to tears on several occasions.  Lots of people found a temporary refuge in Jesus during those scary days, and then walked away again when things felt "normal."  But Jesus never- NEVER!- walks away from us.  He is always faithful, and never more so than in the midst of the storm.  And that was what I walked away from UC with- the knowledge that following Jesus may take me places I never imagined and into circumstances I do not understand- but He will always be with me.  Until the world ends...and beyond!

Because of Jesus,

They Need A Hero

The final stop on my 2001 job search turned out to be Wesley Memorial UMC in Tampa.  Before I begin to tell you the story of how I wound up at WMUMC, I need to backtrack a bit and tell you something I still needed to learn about myself.

 By 2001 I had developed a "Hero Complex"  (The Green Lantern is one of my favs- can't wait for the movie this summer!).  The ministries that I felt called to over the years had all been seriously flawed, and I had sensed that God wanted to use my gifts to repair them.  When I went to New England Yearly Meeting of Friends in 1985, part of the reason was because I felt like the youth of that region needed more Christ-centered leadership and more personality- and I was the one who could provide those things.  Part of the attraction of my move to Springfield Friends Meeting (aside from going back to NC and getting married!)in 1986 was that the church was falling apart.  A staff member (the one in charge of youth) had left over disagreements with the Senior Pastor and had taken a part of the congregation with him.  The student ministry would need to be totally rebuilt.  I relished the thought of that.  I left SFM in 1994 (even though I was still in love with the church and the people there) after I felt God calling me to the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee, where a once thriving youth ministry was falling apart after having 3 different leaders in 2 years.  Again, I had great confidence that I was God's man for the job.  When I left there to escape The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named in 2000, part of the reason the Union Church of Hinsdale was so appealing to me was that they needed my skills and experience so badly- no one had ever really done youth ministry there.  I loved swooping in and being the hero.  And to some extent, I had been successful at every stop.  I loved seeing tangible progress- watching a ministry rise from the ashes.  I know now that my heroism was not particularly healthy, for me or for them.  But by 2001, this had become a part of my job search DNA.

The initial information I received in my phone interview with WMUMC indicated that this was a church that was right in my wheelhouse.  The Senior Pastor, Jerry Sweat, was young and exciting, plus he had 2 kids of youth group age.  Tampa was a great fit for my family- close to my parents, close to Walt Disney World and near all of our dear friends in Kissimmee.  And the youth ministry was in complete chaos.  The previous Youth Pastor had been the wife of the Associate Pastor, and they had left WMUMC and taken a section of the church with them.  A number of key student leaders (including their daughters) were gone.  Another very active family had moved away.  The youth who remained had not been terribly excited about the direction of the ministry in the first place; now they were skeptical anything good could come from all of the turmoil. They had a great youth choir and some good volunteers in place, but overall things were a mess. It seemed like exactly the kind of situation I was seeking, and the kind of place God had often called me to.  Marilyn and I flew down for an whirlwind day of interviews in August of 2001.  Those stories- including how I got asked out on a date- are coming Wednesday.  Stay blessed!

Because of Jesus,

Eyes Wide Open

As I continued my search for a new church home in the summer of 2001 I was invited to interview at a very large United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, LA.  I had participated in a very spirited and lengthy telephone interview with their search committee, and my interest had been piqued.  I had learned it was a nearly 6000 member church, with a thriving youth ministry.  The youth had their own building with a gym and multiple classrooms.  A Youth Ministry Team was already in place.  The Senior Pastor seemed to be a solid leader and preacher.  I chatted a bit with the man I would be following in the position, and he had glowing things to say about the church.  And they had a house for us.  After much prayer and discussion with Marilyn about the location, we agreed I should fly down and take a look.

At that stage of my youth ministry career, I was pretty much done with "candidating" at churches.  I had enough confidence and experience to feel like I was interviewing the church, not the other way around.  I had my eyes wide open for traps or situations that seemed destined to be trouble.  My last two memories at this point were The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named in Kissimmee and a church where I didn't fit at all in Hinsdale. I was excited to be in Baton Rouge, but I was cautious.

As I began meeting with the search committee red flags started popping up everywhere.  The church did have almost 6000 members, but Sunday morning attendance was closer to 500.  The "thriving" student ministry was actually small and limited.  In fact, everything was scheduled around sporting events at LSU (although getting to spend some Saturday nights in Death Valley did sound pretty awesome!).  The Youth Ministry Team was still extremely loyal to the previous youth pastor, whom the youth building was named after. He was still going to be on staff.  In fact, he would be my supervisor.  AWKWARD!  The Senior Pastor confided in me that he was not planning to be there much longer.  The house they had mentioned MIGHT be available for us, but that was still in question.  The whole thing was a disaster- and yet I found myself hoping they would offer me the job.  I was tired of looking.  I was no longer seeking to be called by God- I just wanted out of Hinsdale.  Fortunately, God was still in control, and the offer never came.  I was rescued from myself.  Which left me free to make my visit to Wesley Memorial UMC in Tampa- and the story of my journey there will start next Monday.  Come along for the ride!

Because of Jesus,

Upon Further Review...

Here in the midst of the frenzy that is the lead-up to the Super Bowl we football fans have by now grown accustomed to the phrase "upon further review..."  This means that after a controversial call by an official, someone challenged the ruling on the field and made the referee watch a replay.  The ref goes to a hooded screen and proceeds to look at the play from 20 different angles, in slow motion HD, to see if the correct ruling was made.  Lots of times the calls on the field stand.  Occasionally they are overturned.  For the most part these reviews serve their purpose, which is to get the call right.

I realized that before I write about leaving the Union Church of Hinsdale in 2001 that perhaps I needed to take another look back at my time there.  Perhaps in telling my stories of those days I have not remembered the positives as well as I should.  Perhaps there were factors involved that I have not mentioned.  So here goes.  Upon Further Review...

Positives-  There were some wonderful people at UC.  I have mentioned David Knecht, Mary McKenzie, Kevin Baab and others from the Youth Ministry Team.  I have mentioned Mark Toole, Barb Cathey and Dick Nye from the staff.  There were many students I cared for and loved.  Plus our next door neighbors, Paul & Debra Allen, were just the best.  We loved being close to Chicago and riding the train into the city (Marilyn did that everyday for work).  It's a great city.  Going to Cubs games at Wrigley Field simply rocked, as did all of the theater, concert and other cultural events we had access to.  We loved the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium and learning to be Bears fans.  Will's school was amazing, and within walking distance of our home.  When people find out that we were only in Illinois for 18 months, most people assume the weather was a major factor.  In fact, it wasn't.  We enjoyed the snow and having real seasons.  That does not include Marilyn's walks from Union Station to her office in 10 degree weather and 25 mph winds- but for the most part we enjoyed it.  Living in Clarendon Hills and working in Hinsdale was like spending Christmas with the Kranks.  People had lots of money and spent lots of time and effort decorating, and it was spectacular.  As you can see, upon further review there were lots of positives.

Negatives-  We were a long way from family and friends.  My family was in Florida, Marilyn's in NC, and even thought they came up it was hard on Will not seeing his grandparents very often. We also never felt like we fit in.  So many of these people had so much money, and the lifestyles they lived were so foreign to us.  And speaking of money, both of us were being paid more than we had ever made in our lives, and yet we could not get ahead.  The cost of living was awful, and because of state taxes I was not actually bringing home any more than I had in Kissimmee.  As you know, I was frustrated with my work, and we were not very enthused about worship at UC either.  It did not pass my "smell test."  I always ask the question, "If I didn't work at that church, would I attend it?"  The answer in this case was an easy "NO!"  It was partly theology, partly style and partly commitment.  Rich Mullins once wrote, "The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the Giver of all good things." At UC, the "stuff" was winning.  And finally, I just had too much time on my hands.  With "summers off" and few special events to plan, I spent far too much time sitting in front of a computer or shopping at bookstores.  The bookstores were fine.  The computer- well, I was developing some bad habits.

So there you go. Upon Further Review, the ruling on the field stands.  My staying at UC would not have been helpful to anyone.  With God's help, I prayerfully made the call.  The road was plowed.  David was ready to be the next youth pastor.  Now I can get on with the stories of my interview process that lead me down a few crooked paths.  Watch for those next week.

Because of Jesus,

Reality Bites

Work Tour 2001 to Tijuana was a great experience by every standard.  The team from the Union Church of Hinsdale had done great work at the orphanage, both in building a wall and a restroom and in bonding with the amazing children who lived there.  Our adventure out into a small village to lead a VBS had been a rousing success.  The youth did a remarkable job given our limited Spanish, and they were amazed at the hunger of the village children for Jesus.  I even held my own leading music in Spanish.  We got to eat some awesome Mexican food from little carts (no water, please!) and be tortured by the kids from the orphanage who tricked some of us into eating the hottest peppers you can imagine.  We visited an amazing beach (see picture- sorry the quality is so bad).  And at Candle, UC's traditional closing worship for Work Tour, the youth said all the things you hope they will say about growing in faith and wanting to be more committed to following Christ.  It was indeed a legendary trip.

Our flight home had us changing planes in Denver (where there was a Burger King with no hamburgers.  I'm not kidding. Only chicken.  Too weird).  We had a rather lengthy layover there and I found myself sitting and watching the rest of the group interact.  I became aware of two things as I observed them.  One, I could already hear them longing for their creature comforts and down-playing the things they had seen in Tijuana.  And two, their leader was not me.  It was David Knecht.  He was one of them.  He spoke their language, knew their lifestyle and loved them all.  Once again I was reminded that I was not going to be with them much longer.  I was almost done plowing the road for David.

Upon our return to Hinsdale, not much really changed.  The truth of it was that these were rich kids whose parents saw everything as a priority over faith.  That was the reality, and sometimes reality bites!  The Work Tour team did not suddenly start showing up for Discovery or bible study.  They didn't sign-up to be part of the team for our monthly trip into Chicago and the Good News Soup Kitchen.  I know the trip made a difference in their lives.  But I sure couldn't see it.  It was like Tony Campolo's description of altar calls. He said far too many people "go down the aisle to Just As I Am; they kneel at the altar just as they are; and they return to their seats just as they were."  And when my summer brochure for 2001 came out, it was again greeted with a yawn.  "Might as well get used to summers off..."

By late June both God and Marilyn were telling me it was time to go.  Doors were opening, and I began to interview with some other churches- in a few interesting situations.  Those stories are coming Wednesday.

Because of Jesus,

The Technicolor Stomp

Among the things that confused and baffled me about the students I was working with at the Union Church of Hinsdale in 2000-2001 was that they really didn't like games or stunts.  The only games they ever wanted to play were basketball and Capture the Flag- both fine games, but hardly the kinds of games I wanted to play exclusively.  I led them in a few of my tried and true favorite games, and they just didn't get the art of playing.  As for stunts (little skits or games designed to "punk" someone at the end) they just seemed confused as to why anyone would do such things.  Even Psychological Sit-Ups failed to amuse them.  It was all very frustrating for me, and writing about my days at UC has brought it all back.  So I want to share with you a few things that worked most everywhere else I served, and see which ones my former youth remember, and which ones still sound good today.

The Egyptian Mummy Race-  We would divide into several teams, and each team would attempt to wrap one team member in a roll of toilet tissue from head to toe.  Best mummy wins!  You can see great mummies from Springfield Friends Meeting and FUMC-Kissimmee on this page.
The Honey Bee Club-  An "initiation" stunt that convinced students they were being welcomed into a special club, this elaborate bit conned the victim twice.  The first time they had water spit in their face, and then were promised a chance at revenge by initiating the next person.  Unfortunately for them, the next "victim" was in on the gag, and so they got it again.  It may sound a little mean, but it was a beloved stunt at many stops along my journey.  And who can forget listening to the entire crowd buzz likes bees the entire time.  Bzzzzzzzz...
Do You Love Your Neighbor?-  A musical chairs type game, this was played with great ferocity by all of my groups- but one.  The odd-person out would stand in the middle of a circle of chairs and then approach a seated peer.  They would then ask the question, "Do you love your neighbor?"  If the seated player answered yes, the people on either side of them had to change seats while the odd-person also fought for one.  If the player answer no, they would then continue on to say "But I do love people who..."  They would then complete the sentence with things like attend a certain school, are wearing socks, haven't brushed their teeth today or what ever they choose.  Then everyone with that characteristic has to change seats.  It is a wild game that also helped kids get to know a little about each other.
Speed Kissing-  A race of teams in straight lines, facing forward, the turning as rapidly as possible and passing kisses on the cheek to the back on the line.  After a few practice runs, they race against another team or a bogus "world record."  And when the next to the last person in line turns for the finish, they are greeted with a pie in the face.  Another often requested stunt.

The Technicolor Stomp- You divide into teams.  Each team gets an equal number of balloons to inflate, with every team having their own color.  After they are all blown up, the balloons are all placed in the center of the room, and you yell, "GO!"  The idea is to use your feet to pop the balloons of the other team so that your color will be the only ones left.  Thus the name.  The game is wild, loud, easy to cheat at and a ton of fun for everyone!  Yet somehow the students in Hinsdale found it beneath them.

I'll stop there, but I have to tell you, games and stunts were an important part of making our youth groups meetings "You Gotta' Be There!" events in the communities we served.  Other games like Hook-Up Tag, Fruit Basket Upset and Four On a Couch were huge parts of various ministries.  I am so thankful that I grew up knowing, and hopefully was able to impart of the students I served, that following Jesus is fun.  Thanks for letting me look back.  Now I'm gonna' go play some SMITH...

Because of Jesus,

Faith Like A Child

Yesterday I had to confess the worst thing about me to an old friend.  Her response?  In so many words she told me that she didn't care and she loved me.  Just one more story to remind us that you never know when you will encounter the Jesus Revolution...

After arriving at the orphanage in Mexico, we settled in to a couple of small buildings that had been built to house mission groups- the guys on one side of the compound, the girls on the other.  Tom, the pastor who ran the organization and chose which groups to work with, gave us a tour and talked to us about what we would be doing.  We were going to rebuild a restroom in one of the dorms.  We were going to dig a ditch and then build a retaining wall out of concrete block that ran for about 200 yards.  We would travel out to do a VBS in a village.  And we would eat our meals and worship each day with the children of the orphanage.  He told us of their circumstances.  They were there because their parents had abandoned them, or because their parents had died on the very violent streets of Tijuana.  He talked of how the orphanage had literally saved many of their lives, and how it was all done in the name of Jesus.  Their lives seemed so bleak to us.  We wondered what our first meal with them would be like.

We arrived at the dining hall/worship center and had to wait a few minutes outside while a group of kids arranged tables and chairs and set the tables.  They were very organized, very efficient and seemingly enjoying their work.  We were invited in and told to chose tables.  I had encouraged our team to spilt themselves amongst the orphans, and they did.  We arrived at tables and began to be seated, only to be grabbed by the locals and pulled back out of the chairs.  There was work to be done before we sat down.  I assumed we need to bless the food, and we did.  But there was much more.

To give you the full impact of what happened next, I will remind you that my students were not far removed from being biblically illiterate.  They had struggled to learn to share a few verses of scripture and a few Bible stories to share on this trip.  So you can imagine their surprise when before dinner Tom had all of the children of the orphanage say aloud Psalm 8.  All of it.  There were speaking Spanish, but I could look into the eyes of my youth and see the amazement.  They finished and Tom startled us one more time.  He invited us to say it with them- in English.  I knew a bit of it.  No one else new any of it.  But these folks we had been feeling so sorry for a few hours earlier could say it all- in 2 languages!!!  And this was not an isolated incident.  It happened at every meal, with different scripture passages. These kids knew their stuff.  And it lit a fire under my group.  They were partly inspired and partly embarrassed.  We were all humbled.  And we all wanted to be more like those kids.  We all wanted to heed the words of Jesus and have faith like a child

And so it is with the Jesus Revolution.  When we let Jesus have control, we will want to know more.  We will want to experience more.  We will want to have faith like children, wide-eyed and mystified.  We will want our lives to drip with the love of Christ, and in order for that to happen we have let our lives "soak" in the things Jesus taught.  For the first time in a number of years, I am once again trying to memorize scripture.  I began by reviewing the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments to make sure I still knew them from memory.  I am now going to work on things Jesus said for a couple of months.  I want His words to be written on my heart.  When others begin to see- and hear- Jesus at work in my life, they will become witnesses to the revolution.  Join me.  We can change the world.

Because of Jesus,

Tijuana, 2001

Today we celebrate a day set aside in recognition of the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We rightly remember his leadership in the civil rights movement, his legacy in the African-American community, and his passion for the church.  We also remember Dr. King as a revolutionary who practiced and preached non-violence.  But in this year of the Jesus Revolution, I would also like to remind you (and I am sure MLK would concur) that Jesus Christ was the first non-violent revolutionary- He changed the world with love.  Dig it.

Some of you will recall that when we last visited 2001 I was preparing to lead a team of youth to Tijuana, Mexico on the Union Church of Hinsdale's annual Work Tour.  We spent many hours in preparation for the trip learning to sing songs in Spanish, practicing making crafts and telling Bible stories in Spanish.  This was a challenge on several levels.  First of all, I took 2 years of high school French and 2 years of college French.  This was of little help.  We had some students who spoke Spanish, but it was still going to be a bit complicated.  Also, the group knew very little about the Bible, so teaching the stories in any language would be tricky.  But Spring Break arrived...and off we went.

We flew from Chicago to LAX (it was cheaper for some reason) and then rented vans and headed south- through San Diego (which in the original German means "a whale's -"  but that's not important now) and into Mexico.  Remember, I was travelling with primarily wealthy students who had travelled the world.  Their families had vacation homes.  Their own homes had 9 bathrooms.  They had never seen anything like what they were about to see.  Driving through Tijuana on our way to the orphanage we saw entire extended families living in cardboard boxes.  We saw broken down cars used as shelters.  The streets were full of small children, many of them begging.  We saw old people sitting on street corners, broken and helpless.  My students were asking if those were really homes, and where the parents were.  Some began to cry.  Others hid their eyes.  It was very powerful- and the trip had only just begun.

I mentioned in my post Reclaiming the Mission Trip that I wanted to change the culture of Work Tour.  The attitude of many of the youth and adults of UC was that these trips were a chance for us to give of our superior wealth and intellect to the less fortunate.  My concept had always been that we had so much to learn from the people we were going to serve.  I wanted these teenagers to KNOW what life was like for most of the world.  I wanted them to KNOW "the least of these."  The ride through Tijuana had begun that journey in a far more impressive way than I could have ever dreamed.  We arrived at the orphanage ready to humbly serve our God.  By the time we had finished dinner that first night with our new orphaned friends, our minds were completely blown.  That story tomorrow...

Because of Jesus,

Reclaiming the Mission Trip

A View of Tijuana

The spring of 2001 found me preparing a team for our spring break mission trip that the Union Church of Hinsdale had long called Work Tour.  It would be my second such trip, having accompanied the group to Dungannon, VA in March of 2000, just after my arrival in Illinois.  David Knecht and I had found a mission site that we were very excited about at an orphanage just south of Tijuana, Mexico.  It would be an international site, which would excite the students we served.  It would give us opportunities to use our construction skills and accomplish concrete goals, which had been the history of the trip.  And it would give us the opportunity to minister in the name of Jesus to real people.  That aspect of the trip was going to be a little different for the team.

In fact, my primary goal for Work Tour 2001 was to help the wealthy and upper-middle class students of Hinsdale see what Jesus looked like through the eyes of those facing unbearable poverty.  We would eat, play and worship with the kids of the orphanage several times each day.  We would go out into rural northern Mexico and do a Vacation Bible School for the children of one small community.  My youth would be forced into situations where they would not just build walls or paint buildings- those things were in their comfort zones.  They were going to have to talk about Jesus- in SPANISH- with people who were hurting and seeking God's grace.  It was going to be legend- wait for it- ary!!!

Next Monday & Wednesday I will tell you some stories from what would turn out to be my final Work Tour.  You will hear tales of amazing Mexican children who had memorized entire chapters of scripture- in 2 languages!  You will hear of hot peppers, sandy beaches and real tacos.  I will tell you of my experience leading music in Spanish- a language I do not speak.  And most importantly, I will share with you some amazing moments of youth encountering Jesus in ways they never expected.  I hope you'll be here.  Come back tomorrow for a little redeeming music from Jars of Clay.

Because of Jesus,

Relationships Are Job One

Erin Bay playing soccer in Kissimmee

By the time I got to the Union Church of Hinsdale in 2000, I felt like I knew what I was soing as a youth minister.  One of the first things I ever learned as a youth pastor was that waiting for students to show up at church was not usually an effective way to build relationships with them.  I was taught early on that in order to really let kids know that you care, you had to meet them on "their turf."  That meant seeing them at their homes, their schools and their extra-curricular activities.  So I did.  Like most professional (and many volunteer) youth workers I ate many school lunches, was attacked by numerous household pets and spent many a happy moment with students in fast food restaurants.  And I spent hours- more hours than you could count or would believe- at sporting events, band concerts, dance recitals, school fund-raisers, cheer-leading competitions, piano recitals and much more.  I loved being there to support my youth and to build relationships with them and their families.  It was important- even though I did have one church tell me that the hours spent at such events did not count as work (the same church at one point actually had me punching a time clock).  I would submit to you now that not only did those hours count, but in many ways they were Job 1.



Chrissy Weaver, Powderpuff Football Star

 Oh sometimes the events themselves were quite tedious.  I remember going to a three hour piano recital to see two students perform- and both of them played in the last 15 minutes!  I remember going to soccer match after soccer match, trying desperately to disguise how much I loathed for the sport.  I pulled for incredibly bad football teams, watched horrific marching bands and clapped loudly for off-key violin players.  I also saw some amazing things over the years.  But in reality, the results didn't matter.  What mattered was being there.  I loved seeing students after the event and hearing the question:  "Why are you here?"  When you gave them the simple answer- "To see you"- you knew you had just taken a step towards a real relationship with a teenager.  And real relationships open doors for sharing Jesus.

When I arrived at UC, I set out to do all of the things I had always done to get to know my youth.  As you might know by now, Hinsdale was just different.  Among the sports I attended to support students there were gymnastics, badminton and shuffleboard.  Seriously.  They seemed to thrive on the minor sports, winning state championships in events for which only a handful of schools in the state of Illinois fielded teams.  Success was everything in Hinsdale.  But I went, and I loved it all, and the youth loved me for being there.  But it is hard to cheer for a badminton match.  "Kill that birdie, kill tht birdie, GO GO!"

The great thing that happens when you are "there" is that you impact more than the students you already know.  Their friends begin to ask who you are.  You meet new kids and start new relationships.  It is an amazing thing.  Many of my best memories and answered prayers involve youth whose parents did not attend the churches I worked at, but came to us through relationships built away from the church buildings.  It is important for those in any kind of ministry to remember that Jesus has no "church home."  He was always out among the people.  And that is where we need to be as well.

I miss all of those crazy events.  I learned so much about things I didn't understand (except for soccer; I still don't get soccer!) and felt so much love from the students I supported.  Many of those youth will remember each summer we would have a special program called One On One.  They would schedule hour long appointments with me on specified days, and we would head out for a milk shake or a Blizzard.  It was just another chance for me to get to know them away from the sometimes intimidating atmosphere of the church.  I treasured those days- seven or eight straight hours of one on one time.  The 9 AM got breakfast and the 12 noon got lunch.  There were often battles for those slots, and I bet there would still be today.  Looking back after some time away from ministry, there is little doubt in my mind that letting students know they were cared for and loved- by Jesus, by the church and by me- was indeed Job 1.  I hope they remember those times with as much affection as I do...

Because of Jesus,