Dance Steps, Jello Oceans, and a Really BIG Fish

This past week at Wellshire was Music Camp.  The Director of Contemporary Music here wrote a short musical on the story of Jonah and over a week 17 3rd-8th graders learned the show and presented it in church!

It was a very cool week.  Holly, my mentor/supervisor planned the whole week, and she doesn't do anything halfway!  We made Jonah Snack Mix (blue M&Ms for the sea, goldfish for the big fish, pretzels for the prayers of Jonah and the Ninevites, pumpkin seeds for the plant, and raisins for a second chance) and Jonah Jello (blue, with a gummy fish 'swimming' in each cup). We let the kids experience being swallowed by a big fish.  We created a giant fish belly by covering a room with black plastic sheeting and made the doorway look like a fish mouth:

Some open cans of cat food (for the smell)
and a splashing water sound effect completed the effect! 

Games, crafts, and songs also were fish/ocean/Jonah themed. By the end of the week, they knew that story inside and out, with all of their senses.  How awesome.

The 5th-8th graders designed and painted a GIANT fish for us!

Every day started with Holly, learning another piece of the story.  She would read the scripture, then reinforce it through some true/false questions about whales and Jonah, and then sing an energizing song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ytoIhRYAQ (a parody of "Mony Mony" called "Jonah Jonah") It was so cool. Watching her do this direct teaching connected with my heart is a big way.

Then was games, crafts and snacks.  After all that fishy fun, we had rehearsal every day.  It was hard work to cast, learn, block, memorize, practice, costume, and perform a whole musical in one week, but we pulled it off!  The kids had a blast all week long and were such excellent performers the show.

Our excellent cast!

After the week, here are my thoughts about Children's Ministry:

• It's intense! There is a lot done behind the scenes that doesn't always get noticed, but would certainly be missed.
• Good organization is key!  You must learn to coordinate and embrace volunteers. This includes learning to interact with a variety of people.
• Kids are absolutely able to understand, embrace, and proclaim the message of a Bible story.
• I would love to teach kids to get excited about God's book.
• Writing your own program can be a huge challenge, but a creative person (Holly) can pull it off!

I want to be just like Holly.

• A career devoted to telling kiddos about our God (teaching, reinforcing, checking for understanding) is probably one of the best jobs on the planet.  And a little bit scary. It's a big deal, eternally important work.

The call to ministry is becoming more and more clear to me. Many people here have given me verbal confirmation of my gifts in this area. I don't think I can see myself doing anything else.

Galveston, Oh Galveston

I have returned from the youth mission trip! What a crazy adventure.

It all started with a 20+ hour charter-bus ride, through the night, with 60 people (of which I knew 1). We were all excited to finally see the ocean as we crossed from mainland Texas onto Galveston island!

One step off the bus told us that it was going to be a hot and humid week. And that was totally accurate.

We worked with an organization called One Mission: Galveston, which was started by a self proclaimed "loud-mouth" contractor from Virginia, whose heart ached for the people left devastated after Hurricane Ike in 2008. We broke up into 5 work teams and set off for four days of construction work. The contractor/missionary daily gave us the task of stepping outside out comfort zone to connect deeply with the people we were serving.

My work group was amazing. The 9 teenagers worked hard and stayed safe. They visibly became closer and closer as the seek went on. They were hilarious and never whined and were so fun to be around. I had the added challenge of leading them by myself. The other four work groups were all led by a pair of sponsors, but my partner didn't show up until half-way through the third work day (of four). But I am proud to say that I rose to the challenge and led those kids to the best of my ability. Our task was re-siding a house. It was a pretty large house and in pretty bad shape when we showed up.

We worked four long days demolishing the damaged siding, shoring up the foundation, installing insulation, tar papering everything, and finally nailing up nice, new siding. We finished a large chunk (with other places close to being done) and I am so proud of my team.

The other thing I was responsible for leading (mostly alone, also) was a small group Bible study. This was perhaps the most frustrating part for me. My group was so distracted and uninterested, and mostly refused to engage with the material I had worked on before the trip. I eventually had to come to the conclusion that that group of kids had a different expectation and desire for the Bible part of the trip than I did. It was a very difficult task for me and caused me to think more about what youth ministry would really be like. Of course, as soon as my partner/sponsor showed up, the Bible study group was great and all had something to contribute. I am not used to this kind

The trip was, on the whole, really great. I learned a lot about youth ministry, and I think I decided that week long trips with 50 teenagers are not something I want to be repeating too often. Within the group as a whole, there was a lot of drama, there were more tears than necessary, and not a whole lot of sleep. A week was just a few days too long. But that doesn't take away from the fact that the kids are great and they are really committed to each other and to the work. The mission trips are the highlight of their years, and I can see why.

Some things I learned:

• I am happiest when I can help in specific ways that benefit the whole group. I best showed then love and care by taking care of their physical needs.
• In high school, peers are a whole lot more important than adults. Matching my hard working senior guy with my two distractable 14 year olds was a great move.
• My desire to be liked by everyone is not going to be fulfilled within a group of high schoolers.
• I have different values and motivations than other youth leaders. It can be frustrating or discouraging when these conflict.
• Coming into an existing youth group, one that is steeped in tradition, is a difficult task.
• I think that interactions with youth will become easier the farther removed I am from high school.

I love those kids. A week was too long for me. But it was really a blast. This week I moved in with my host family and started Music Camp. We have 3 more days of rehearsal and a performance on Sunday!

Day Four: Reflections

I have officially completed my first week of my Jubilee Fellows internship! (Goodness, this summer is going to fly by!) Here are some things I have learned and experienced so far:

Wellshire is a big and beautiful church. The staff is even more beautiful than the building, and so welcoming. Everyone was about as excited to meet me as I was to meet them! Their love and concern are so evident. I automatically belonged here. My supervisor, Holly, is so fantastic. I have absolutely loved working with her and learning from her these four days.

I learned how to make coffee.

I learned how to make a copy, and how not to make a copy (Apparently, the goal is to NOT PASS OUT).

I have a desk!

I attended a staff meeting where the staff finalized the plan for each and every day from now until December 31.

I got to see how the different members of the staff worked together. I'm starting to get to know everyone.

I also learned that it takes time for me to feel comfortable with new people, willing to talk and share my ideas. The beginning of every meeting with new people started with simple observation on my part, but I eventually was able to joke, laugh, and plan with them.

I worked on the script for Music Camp.

I researched the depth of many passage of scripture and wrote up questions and other study material.

I got to meet some of the senior leaders in the youth group. They are awesome. I am so excited to be a part of planning events for them this summer!

I got to help write the Bible study materials for the youth mission trip next week.

Tomorrow afternoon I will hop on a bus, with 50 high schoolers and 9 other leaders, bound for Galveston, Texas. We will be serving the people of Galveston through reconstruction, painting, installation, and any other jobs that are sent our way. I am so excited to start getting to know the youth group! If they are anything like the staff at Wellshire, I am going to love them to pieces. I can't wait to see how the Lord works in the hearts of the Texans and the students, as well as the ways he will shape and teach me.

Tomorrow!

My internship at Wellshire starts tomorrow! I am so excited.

But I would be lying if I said that I'm not nervous. There is a big unknown, wonderful and daunting, looking me in the face tonight. I am not sure what kind of work is awaiting me at Wellshire, or if I will be ready for all of the opportunities I will be given. But, I can't wait to start knowing and loving the people of the church and to experience first-hand the work I have learned so much about.

A few days ago, in my devotion book, I read this prayer which has been directing my thinking this week:

Sending God, how can I possibly represent you to the world? Let me start right here, on my knees, seeking the power that comes from on high. May your spirit move me toward the world you love. Amen.