Northern Ireland: Days 3 & 4

Day 3: Friday, July 3
Friday was a busy day. We began with a fuller introduction and orientation to Northern Irish history and society by Doug Baker, our primary host in Belfast. We all learned a great deal about the history of conflict in Ireland and the current situation.

In the afternoon we took a bus tour of Belfast. Highlights included sections of the peace walls, city hall, and the shipyard where the Titanic was built (it was news to most of us that the Titanic was built in Belfast). We also made visits to the three sites that, in addition to the 174 Trust, will be our places of shared service with Belfast youth: the WAVE Trauma Centre, Fortwilliam Macrory Presbyterian Church, and Whitehouse Presbyterian Church.

After the tour, we had a great discussion with Conor Maskey, a young member of the Belfast City Council. He talked about politics in Belfast as well as a trip he and other members of the BCC took to Chicago to learn about living with diversity. While some of us did not agree that Chicago is as successful at constructively living with diversity as Conor did, it was certainly fascinating to hear his reflections about the reverse version of the trip we are currently on. If Conor represents the future of politics in Belfast, I think we all left that meeting very hopeful.

After this meeting with Conor, we ventured into the city center in small groups for dinner and enjoyed some local food. After swimming and some showers at the leisure centre, Kurt bravely led us through a devotion on feet washing in which we actually washed each other's feet. That definitely took us out of our comfort zones and helped us think more concretely about being a servant to others.

Day 4: Saturday, July 4
Today we took a day trip up to the north coast to visit the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and a fish and chips dinner in Ballycastle. It was a wonderful day to visit some of the most beautiful sights many of us have seen. Everything was so beautiful and green, and we got rained on sufficiently to make us feel like we're in Ireland. The fish and chips were incredible.

Tonight I led a devotion on God's communal nature, the reflection of that communal nature in human communities, and reconciliation. It was inspired in part by the trinitarian knot we used on our t-shirts.

Don't forget to visit our Facebook page to see pictures and videos of our trip.

Northern Ireland: Day 1/2

Almost everyone is asleep after a great but tiring first day in Ireland. Kathi noted what an incredible sight it was to see all the youth totally passed out on their beds after our leaders meeting was done. Truly, a sight rarely seen on a youth trip!

Today was mostly about dealing with jet lag and settling in to our home for the week. Even though it is exhausting, I always love the first day of a trip: everything is an adventure as we figure things out and experience a totally new environment. The accommodations at 174 are tight and cooking will be a little more challenging than I expected, but we'll manage.

After lunch we took a walking tour of some local neighborhoods, both to get some movement after the long flight and to begin our orientation to Belfast. We saw some incredible murals. After the tour, we had some comfort food: Dominos pizza. It was a little different from what we get back home, but pretty similar.

After dinner it was off to to the leisure centre for swimming and showers. This is how we will do showers for the week. Leisure centres are public gyms, kind of like YMCAs back home.

We didn't do much after returning home to the 174 Trust. Everyone was pretty exhausted, so we postponed our devotion and meeting until the morning. Speaking of sleep, I better go get some myself...

Northern Ireland

Today 32 youth and 12 adults are flying to Dublin, en route to Belfast for what we are certain will be an incredible trip. We're going to learn about the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and what youth and young adults are doing now to move toward real peace and reconciliation.

We'll be posting updates on this blog and at a Facebook page for the trip: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Belfast/Fourth-Church-Youth-Senior-High-Trip-to-Northern-Ireland/222834510157?ref=mf

Please follow us on our journey!

Elevation Special Olympics 2009

At the beginning of this month, Elevation went on our annual work camp to the Special Olympics in Bloomington/Normal, IL. We had a wonderful time of service, bonding, laughter and eating!

This year the whole group worked the Bocce Ball courts measuring, scoring and assisting athletes as help was needed.

Thanks to all who supported this effort either through participation or through fundraising at the Flower Sale. We hope all of you will consider joining us for next year!

Thanks and have a great summer!

PC(USA) Youth Task Force

The PC(USA) Youth Ministries Task Force has begun its work. You can read about it here.

This task force was appointed by the Moderator at the request of the previous General Assembly to study the current state of youth ministry in our denomination, best practices, and successful models. This report on the first meeting doesn't really say much that is surprising or new. I'm pretty interested in seeing what they learn and share...and if anyone will really listen.

God Questions are Good Questions

These questions were written by the youth and leaders of Fourth Church Rising, the 8^th grade confirmation program at Fourth Presbyterian Church. The questions are not listed in any particular order, but have been loosely grouped together by topic. The questions could be further subdivided into more specific topics, but this would begin to suggest answers, which we will explore together as we go along…

God

• If God was angry with people who didn't believe in him in biblical times, why isn't he mad now that there are so many Atheists?
  
• Why would you spend your whole life worshiping God when you have your own life to live and explore?
  
• If God really looks out for us why is our world so bad? Because if there's a god he's not doing a very good job helping us.
  
• Is there a god looking over me?
  
• Why do we worship God so much and he doesn't do anything for us. He's not helping us out? Is he?
  
• Who really knows if God exist? And what if we are just wasting our time worshiping something that's not true?
  
• If God loves us, where was he on 9/11?
  
• Is god/God capitalized?
  
• Can God hear us?
  
• Why should I believe in God?
  
• Can God change your life?
  
• What's Gods Name?
  
• Is God an animal or is some other form to be one element?
  
• Is there a god?
  
• Can god hear your prayers if you say them in your head?
  
• Is god perfect?
  
• Did god make things happen for a reason?
  
• God?
  
• Do we ever see god?
  
• Is god always there for me?
  
• Is there really a God?
  
• Is God really playing dice with the world?
  
• If God created the whole world and everything in it, why can't he stop all of the wars people are in?
  
• Did God get drunk before he did 9/11?
  
• Is God playing Sim-Universe with us?
  
• Can god hear you through your thoughts?
  
• How does god look over us?
  
• Does god control every good and bad?
  

Creation

• How did the world come to be?
  
• Did god really make the world?
  
• Did God create evolution?
  

The Human Condition

• Will god help me make the right decisions?
  
• Why did God let people make things like drugs and guns?
  
• How will I know to make the right decision?
  
• Why does life suck sometimes?
  
• Why are there wars?
  
• Will god let me enjoy my life?
  
• Is it ok to be so angry you lose faith in God?
  

Jesus Christ

• Is Jesus really with god by his side?
  

The Bible

• Should I know more bible stories then I do?
  
• Are all stories supposed to be true in the bible?
  
• Are all the stories in the Bible true?
  
• Is every thing in the Bible true?
  

Christianity

• Can we believe Karma? Do we (people of our religion) believe in Karma?
  
• Are we Presbyterian or Christian?
  
• What are the real faiths? Catholic? Protestant? Baptist? Satanist?
  

Other Religions

• Is it bad to like Buddha even if I don't worship him?
  

After Life

• Is there really a heaven?
  
• What happens when you die?
  
• Will we see God in heaven?
  
• What happens when you die?
  
• Is there a Hell?
  
• Is there a devil in Hell?
  
• How bad do you have to be to go to Hell?
  
• Does anyone want to go to HELL?
  
• What happens if you don't believe in heaven or hell?
  
• Will I see my grandfather?
  
• Am I really going to heaven?
  
• Where do you go when you die?
  
• Is there really a heaven?
  
• Is hell a massive, fiery strip club for Satanists?
  
• Do you get reincarnated?
  
• Do agnostics get an answer when they die?
  
• Is resurrection possible?
  
• Do you go to heaven by judge mentor or by luck?
  

Confirmation

• Should I confirm to the church?
  
• Why do I have to get confirmed?
  
• What happens if you don't get confirmed?
  
• What if your parents want you to be a Presbyterian but you're not sure it there is a God?
  

September Highlights

Look what Fourth Church Youth were up to this past September!

U2charist

On September 5, the U2 tribute band, Elevation joined us for a special U2charist worship. U2charist is a worship service with communion that is based on social justice and poverty themes with music by the rock band U2.

Senior High Retreat: Camp Manitoqua

Shortly after the U2charist, Senior Highs hit the road to Camp Manitoqua for their fall retreat. We had a full weekend of games, Bible discussions, swimming and worship. We discussed uses of the Bible and different voices in the Bible. Sebastian took the title in our Night Crossing competition and Kurt was humbled by Joann in a game of HORSE at the pool basketball hoop.

Children and Youth Kick-Off

Right after the Senior Highs returned from the fall retreat on September 7, we all kicked off the new year of church school and youth programs at Fourth Church. Each youth group opened their Sunday morning gatherings in fine style. For lunch we celebrated with finger-lickin' fried chicken and all sorts of sides. Outside, the bouncy-castle kept things hopping while the water balloon busting chair soaked various victims including Joann Lee, Donna Gray, Kurt Esslinger and John Vest.

Fourth Church Rising Retreat: Saugatuck

The confirmation class had their fall reatreat to Saugatuck, Michigan on September 12 - 14. Despite non-stop rain the ENTIRE weekend, everyone involved had oodles of fun. We began our year by thinking about questions we've always wanted to ask about God. Plus, after hiking up a very wet Mount Baldy, the group did a great job of dropping John during trust falls!

Elvevation: Lock-In

On the night of September 19, Elevation stayed awake into the wee hours for some late night fun. Joyous sounds of Guitar Hero filled the Crows Nest and its surrounding staircases, we read the Bible, we discussed the importance of community, we found Ghosts In the Graveyard, and names were put to motions... "Shelter."

A BIG THANKS TO ALL VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE SEPTEMBER SO AWESOME!!!

New Orleans Devotion by Jeff McGuire and Kurt Esslinger

This devotion was written by Jeff McGuire and Youth Ministry Associate Kurt Esslinger as a reflection on the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. It is based on Luke 18:1-8.

Reflection
We cannot help but see connections in this story to today's situation. We can imagine the judge representing current government leaders such as the governor of Louisiana or George W. Bush. The widow may represent the people of New Orleans, such as the residents of the Ninth Ward, a neighborhood not unlike Englewood in Chicago. In the parable, the widow was persistent and stuck by what she believed in. This encourages us to push for God's justice, to cry out for justice. Earlier in the week, we were told a little bit about whom God's justice focuses on: the blind, the poor, the captives and the oppressed. After Katrina has brought New Orleans to its knees with a flood of water, God responds with a flood of justice.

We, as volunteers felt like we were riding this flood of justice into New Orleans. We were able to help building sheds, installed dry wall, spackled, installed insulation, ripped wires out of a house to strip it down to the frames, and painted numerous surfaces. Now we did not fix all the problems as we could see especially in the Ninth Ward. Houses there still sit in the muck and the mess that filled them three years ago. The flood of justice we rode in on did not magically end the problems of these oppressed people, but the little good we did definitely helped those people we came in contact with. Since we represent a mere droplet of God's justice, we need more friends, more families, more churches, and more communities with enough droplets we can make a wave.

Prayer
Gracious God, we pray that your wave of justice may wash upon the lives of the poor, the oppressed the blind, and the captives so that they may know that your justice is true. May we come together as one to be your wave of justice, Amen.

New Orleans Reflection by Andrew Lowe

What I thought about the New Orleans trip is that it was fun and I got to experience different things. I also got to get to know the kids better and hopefully I can go back there. My favorite thing about the trip was playing the games after dinner. I also liked the fact that I got to get to know more people and just got to know them better.

New Orleans Reflection by Quinn McCarthy

This reflection was written by Quinn McCarthy, who participated in the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. He delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August.

This year's work trip to New Orleans was one of the greatest experiences I have had. It gave all of us a great opportunity to learn about communities different from our own, help provide aide to people affected by a disaster, and bond as a youth group.

One very important part of the experience was getting to see New Orleans and realizing how differently the hurricane affected different areas. In the upper class garden district, you never would have thought a hurricane had even hit. But in places like the lower ninth ward, not a single house had been rebuilt. That really opened my eyes to how politics and money can get in the way of helping the people who need it most.

The best part of the trip was getting a chance to work side-by-side with each other and in some cases the people who's homes we were rebuilding. It was great to know that we were doing something to help people get there lives back together after the hurricane.

We didn't just work and learn on this trip either though. We also had a lot of fun between the great pranks we did on each other, and the crazy trip back to Chicago. I want to really thank all the leaders and I can't wait until next year's trip

New Orleans Reflection by Chelsea Bumpus

This reflection was written by Chelsea Bumpus, who participated in the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. She delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August.

If I had to describe my experience in New Orleans in one word, it would have to be incredible. We experienced so much together as a group, from hours of putting up insulation to a half day of sweeping. I think all these hours and days made us closer a group. We learned new facts about each other everyday, and our many laughs made our work go by so much faster. Our group was also able to visit the lower ninth ward. It was unbelievable how much repair was still needed. The streets look deserted, and the houses were destroyed. Some homes were leaning to one side, and others had no roof. The sidewalks still had broken glass from shattered windows and the grass had grown so tall it was almost covering some houses. It was truly amazing to see the neglect that part of New Orleans had received. I'm so thankful I was able to be a part of that restoration. Even though we had an incredibly long return to Chicago, the day after I was wishing I was back in New Orleans. We had such a great time just hanging out with friends, laughing, singing, and of course working to help the people who were devastated by Katrina.

New Orleans Reflection by Rebecca Lewis

This reflection was written by Rebecca Lewis, who participated in the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. She delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August.

This summer, our Senior High youth group traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. As we drove through New Orleans on our way to the church that we would live in for the week, we saw that the city was full of conflicting images. Neighborhoods with beautiful houses that betrayed no sign of hurricane damage stood just blocks away from decrepit homes with holes in the wall and water lines still visible. Thousands of volunteers had come from all over the country to rebuild, but many residents felt forgotten. So when our youth group came to New Orleans, not only did we work on houses for people in need, but we also showed the hurricane survivors that we remembered them, and that we cared.

Throughout the week we spent in New Orleans, we met wonderful people. Volunteers and hurricane survivors, each with a story about how they left their jobs in New England to come and volunteer for a year, or how they let 9 people stay in the second floor of their house until the boats came to rescue them from the floods. While we met amazing people on our worksites, it was after work, back at our home for the week where the most bonding occurred. Whether it was sharing lunch at our worksites after building all morning, having a water balloon fight between the boys and the girls, or singing hymns together at the end of a long, satisfying day, the 25 of us (plus leaders) had a great time being together and getting to know each other much better than before.

One of my favorite memories of the trip is from the last morning, when we drove into downtown New Orleans for breakfast and shopping. After buying French doughnuts from a bustling shop, we split off into groups to wander around. We walked with the friends we had made that week, and looked into little boutiques. Few storefronts were empty. A musician passed us, and after a short conversation, filled the block with music, as we sang along. The city, though still recovering from the hurricane in some districts, was very much alive.

In New Orleans I found a different side of America, far different from the suburban town I live in. Visiting the ninth ward, and seeing how some people lived there brought home some harsh realities. It was also sad to witness the neighborhoods that still needed so much work to become livable again. But we also found wonderful people, willing to take on the challenge that rebuilding New Orleans poses. I am grateful, that for a week this summer, we were able to help them.

New Orleans Reflection by William Kildow

Down in New Orleans I had mixed feelings of surprise, anger, and wonder. As the train pulled into the station past the superdome, I kept saying to myself, "That's a symbol to their city but after the storm it became somewhat of a bad memory." I could still see damage that should have been fixed years ago. The fact that we were going down three whole years later was appalling in the sense that this wasn't some third-world country half-way around the globe which needed years and years of support. This is an American City (a fairly large and popular one) and the fact that it still is reeling from the damage just makes me want to stay and recruit many others to go down and work continuously.

The third year anniversary is only a few days away from when I am writing this and it's sad because similar to the tragedies on September 11^th, our nation is already moving on but the people who experienced it are still trying to recover. I would suggest to anyone I meet to go and visit New Orleans because it is such a beautiful city. The people are great to meet, and the feeling is home-like. Maybe it's the humidity affecting my thinking but I felt strangely at home.

Now, as many within our congregation know, our train on the trip back was delayed indefinitely and we eventually took a bus back to Chicago. This made our group grow closer as we were forced to share confined spaces for many long hours. This kind of hit me as a physical metaphor though in regards to New Orleans. Like us, we became stranded and clueless as to when help would arrive. The officials had no idea, or were not telling the greater people (passenger/citizens) about the situation and what should happen next. Help took very long to arrive and when it did, it was disorganized and not put together well. The thing is, we the passengers have arrived home for quite some time, while many in New Orleans, are still struggling to pick up their lives from where it was before the storm.

This was an extremely moving work trip for it brought me into all the stories and chaos I had heard stories of.

New Orleans Reflection by Erika Force

The most anticipated part of my summer for the past two years has always been the Senior High Work Camp. I hear some of my other friends talking about church in a dreading way, however, for me it is the complete opposite. Church has introduced me to lifelong friends, numerous memorable moments, and of course, night crossing. However, the trip wasn't always fun and games. I remember hearing about Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of New Orleans on the news and on numerous documentaries we watched in school. Coming down to Louisiana really put a whole new perspective on the hurricane. We were able to see with our own eyes the damage it caused, both physically and emotionally. The owners of the houses we were rebuilding were so grateful and some even stayed and helped us, which showed their true determination and hope that New Orleans will one day be what it used to be. We were also extremely determi ned through the course of the trip, whether it was working hard to finish sanding in time before it started to rain or Jonathon trying to beat a twelve year old at jumping over a garbage can, we all exceeded others and our own expectations, including Jonathon.

One thing I will never forget is our tour through some extremely damaged neighborhoods of the city. On each house was an "X" that displayed that the house had been searched. On one side of the "X" was the date it was searched and on the other side was a number, how many people were found inside. As we were driving by, I managed to see a house that was spray painted with the number eight. That really hit me. Although eight is such a small number compared to the thousands that lost their lives, when the number is put into a smaller perspective, it really makes one think about those eight individuals who lived their own lives and all the people that their deaths affected.

This trip especially has shown us how we are able to stick together through some crazy times. Although being stuck in the middle of the nowhere for hours on a broken train, suffering through frozen microwavable hamburgers, almost being hit by a tornado, and getting showered on by kool aid sounds miserable, these are definitely stories I will be able to tell for years. I guess Jeff's and my wish came true, but I'm sure that others will agree with me when I say that I'm glad our trip was an extra twenty hours.

New Orleans Reflection by Sebastian Olsen

Overall, the work trip to New Orleans was great experience. We had the opportunity to not only help rebuild a city, but to get to know its residents and have fun in the entire process. When we first arrived in New Orleans I was appalled by how damaged it was. Nearly three years after Katrina hit, many people were still living on their front lawn in FEMA trailers, including the owner of the home at my first worksite. A tour of the Lower Ninth Ward revealed much more devastation to us, with large fields of weeds where houses used to be. Still, having the chance to help those affected by the storm was an amazing experience. I also had the opportunity to become closer to the other kids in Senior Highs that I may not have known very well before going to New Orleans. The tour we took of downtown New Orleans the night before we left showed us that New Orleans is still an extremely lively city and how with enough time, it can definitely bounce back from the damage it sustained.

New Orleans Reflection by Claudia Carlucci

Before the New Orleans work trip I was pretty nervous because I didn't really know what to expect. I didn't know many of the kids who were going on the trip and I didn't know what to expect of New Orleans. Although I was really nervous, once we got on the train everything seemed to get better. All of the kids and adults were really welcoming and really nice and I started to get more and more excited for the trip. This trip was a completely new experience for me. I had never gone out of state to help out others who really needed it, and it was a great feeling. I was so happy that I was a part of this trip and able to help people in need. It really shocked me how damaged the city still is even after three years. Many houses still needed a lot of fixing up and many neighborhoods weren't in good condition. It made me realize how lucky I really am. Our city isn't perfect but we are so privileged to have some of the things we take for granted every day such as our homes. One of my favorite parts about this trip was being able to speak with the owner of the house I was working in. Anyone can get a story of what the people of New Orleans went through from the media but you can never really be sure what is true and what is false. Actually being able to speak to a person who lived through the storm and to hear their stories is something that is really unique and special and I am so grateful that I was able to do that. This trip has definitely taught me to be more grateful of the things I have because you never know when they will be gone. Every day I get to relax in my home and many people in New Orleans had their houses completely ruined from the storm and some people still do not have those houses replaced even after three years. It was really sad to see how neglected the city has been over the years but It was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget and I am so grateful l was able to be a part of this trip.

New Orleans Reflection by Jen McDermott

As the trip for New Orleans was drawing near I became very nervous. I was so scared that I wouldn't have fun and people would be mean. When I arrived at the train station my nerves calmed down and everyone was very welcoming to me. Then all we had was the 19-hour train ride and we'd be in New Orleans. Although I had a blast on the train I was relieved to get off. My first day of work was fun, tiring, challenging and HOT! Each day when I would drive to my worksite and look out the window I couldn't even imagine being in these peoples situations. I couldn't believe how bad this city still was. During this trip I experienced very sad moments, but also very happy! I had a blast the whole entire trip and wouldn't take anything back not even the ridiculous train then bus ride home. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible.

New Orleans Reflection by Bridgette Fox

An experience in New Orleans, Louisiana is like no other experience in the world. This past July 26th to August 3rd, New Orleans brought many new courses to be traveled over by the Senior Highs of Fourth Presbyterian Church. Hurricane Katrina brought tragedy to many people in New Orleans. Fourth Church traveled down to Louisiana to help those people who still do not have a home to live in. Thirty teenagers were able to view and understand the damage Hurricane Katrina brought in 2005.

I had the best time of my life in New Orleans. Between bonding with the Senior High Group of Fourth Church to building houses and churches for the less fortunate of New Orleans. The difference we made in one week was surprisingly very noticeable. I felt good about what we did there because we made a difference and everything we did was greatly appreciated. I learned how to put up drywall, install insulation, put up ceiling, and build a shed. I had so much fun accomplishing all of those tasks. I'm so glad I learned all of these new things because I have a new respect for my life because I realize how hard it is to live like that. Also, I realize that being a construction worker is one of the hardest and most painful jobs out there. There are so many details that have to be exactly right. Although everything has to be perfect and that is difficult, in the end it is all worth seeing the difference you made.

Making breakfast and lunch for thirty-three people was so difficult but so much fun. I had an amazing time cooking for everybody. When I was cooking with my meal crew, I had a great time bonding with everyone. It was so much fun to see how everything would turn out. The baseball game, night crossing, water balloon fight, French quarter, and the train/bus rides there and back are unforgettable. I am so glad I had the chance to come to New Orleans and be part of the Senior High group of Fourth Church. Thank you so much for having me in New Orleans. I had an amazing time.

New Orleans Reflection by Jackie Robertson

The trip to new orleans was GREAT. It felt so good to help people who really needed us. it was also interesting to finally experience what it was like for people who lived there during Katrina, rather than just seeing it on television. It was sad to see the damage, but it just showed how much work still needed to be done there. Near the end of the trip, we discussed about how when we would get home, we would hopefully be a little changed and have a different view about everything. this trip definitely made me realize how lucky we are and how helping people who need it - even if its the smallest thing - makes everything overall better. Each day after all the hard work, we got to do something fun. whether it was nightcrossing, partying in the french quarter, pulling pranks on the guys, it was all so fun and it brought everyone closer. I'm really happy I went on the worktrip this year and I'm looking forward to doing it again in the future!

New Orleans Devotion by Chelsea Bumpus

This devotion was written by Chelsea Bumpus as a reflection on the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. It is based on Luke 1:39-56.

Reflection
A few weeks ago the senior highs group went on an incredible work trip to New Orleans. Our task was to help rebuild the destruction hurricane Katrina caused. We split into several work crews, which went to different work sites around the city. Some of the groups were lucky enough to meet the homeowners and work side by side with them. They had unbelievable stories to tell of what had happened to them and what devastation the entire city had endured. Yet, the homeowners still had a smile on their face as they worked through the heat and humidity. On the third day, we spent half the time on our work sites and the other half we toured New Orleans (and enjoyed an awesome New Orleans Zephyrs baseball game). When touring the city, we visited the wealthier places, which had been totally rebuilt. Then, we went into the lower ninth ward. It looked as though it hadn't been touched since the hurricane. There were houses leaning to one side, roofs peeled off, and glass from shattered windows still lying on the sidewalks. A concrete staircase leading to nothing, the home washed away by the storm.

I hope the people that lived in the lower ninth ward still have faith that everything will be alright. We met a few homeowners who are making it though the storm. We pray, they can spread their belief, that everything will be okay, throughout the entire city of New Orleans. And eventually, we will see them be lifted and filled with goodness of the Lord.

Prayer
Dear God, please help the people of New Orleans know that you have promised them your strength. And help us, your servants, to lift them up and fill them with your goodness. Amen

New Orleans Reflection by Ryan Gregory

This reflection was written by Senior High leader Ryan Gregory, who participated in the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. He delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August. What a great testament to years of service through Fourth Church Youth!

Arizona

Mexico

Memphis

Virginia

New Mexico

Birmingham, Alabama

Nogales, AZ and Mexico

Seattle

Hazard, Kentucky

New Orleans

These are the 10 sr. high workcamps I've been privileged to be a part of. Each workcamp has its own spirit and memories.

Memories from this New Orleans trip include quality time in the kitchen with my meal crew; cutting, installing, spackling and sanding baseboards for Ms. Sophie's apartment; the crawfish eating contest between John and Amber; wandering through the French Quarter with 24 high school students; and of course, the 37-hour train/bus ride back home.

One of my favorite memories from this trip was the day we took a driving tour through New Orleans to see some of the areas hardest-hit by Katrina. Jackie Valentine is a former member of the sr. high group. She graduated in 2005, and for the past year she's been in New Orleans working with Habitat for Humanity. Our caravan of 6 SUVs was following Jackie in her Jeep. I was driving directly behind her and thought to myself "how cool is this?" This young woman, who I've known since she was a freshman in high school, is showing us this city which we only knew from news reports on tv. When she was in high school, I was one of her leaders. In New Orleans, she was now leading me, and the rest of our group.

This excursion was a clear reminder to me what great kids we have in this sr. high group. These young men and women are going to do great things. Heck, they already are doing great things. We have amazing actors, musicians, athletes, scholars, writers, artists, future church leaders in our midst.

As I said, I've been on 10 of these trips, and unfortunately this will likely be my last. My wife Jessica has accepted a call to become the associate pastor at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston, and I will be joining her in worship there.

I'll miss this group terribly, and I will continue to read my collection of care cards every once in awhile.

I didn't know what I was getting myself into 10 years ago. And as the memories of all those trips begin to blur together over time, what will remain clear in my mind is how much fun I've had spending time with these kids and getting to know all the leaders.

The one constant through all these years of workcamps, retreats and lock-ins has been Mark Nelson (except in 2006 when he skipped the Seattle trip to get married). It's been a pleasure serving beside Mark, and apparently we're long-lost twins because most of the kids and many of the leaders (including John) got us mixed up on more than one occasion. At least once every day on this trip I was called Mark, and Mark was called Ryan. I suppose that would bother me if I didn't like the guy so much.

So to my twin Mark, John, all the other leaders and all the kids, I thank you for making my last sr. high workcamp so special.

Saugatuck Reflection by Mac Sinclair

This reflection was written by Mac Sinclair, who participated in the Senior High WorkCamp to Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck, MI. He delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August.

Good evening, my name is Mac Sinclair. I was asked to talk about what I learned on the work trip to Saugatuck, Michigan. Some of what I have learned has been through personal realizations and some has been figuring out things between me and my fellow workers.

I have found a new and stronger bond between myself and God by reading the daily scripture readings as a group. I knew that Pastor Vest chose every scripture for a specific reason so every time I read these scriptures I tried to learn a new lesson.

One of these lessons was to not abuse the gifts that God gives us. There is a great example in the bible in second kings second chapter where Elisha asks for a double share of Elijah's spirit when he was taken to heaven. Elijah says that this is a hard favor that he has asked, but it would be done if Elisha watched Elijah go into heaven. So when the fiery chariot took Elijah into heaven, Elisha watched on. When the event was over Elisha took Elijah's mantle and put it on himself. He was then granted his wish. He was granted the powers of a prophet.

He did some good like when men of the city of Jericho were concerned that the water carried death and miscarriage. He cured the water by throwing a bowl of salt in and saying "thus says the lord, I have made this water wholesome; henceforth neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it". But Elisha also misused gods gifts

When he goes to bethel fifty children jeer at him saying go "up baldhead, go up baldhead". So he cursed them in the name of the lord and once he did that two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the little children. Elisha misused his powers and as a result 42 people were dead.

I know that not all of us have the powers of a prophet so we can't curse people in the name of the lord and kill them, but we can do physical and emotional damage to other people. So as a result of this trip I have decided to take my powers of strength and love and use them in a way that is helpful to other people as I did in this mission trip.

As I said before I also learned things about my fellow workers. I've made new friendships as well as strengthen some with old friends. I've learned that some are moving or going to college and some are going to different schools. I've had many laughs and fun times with all the people involved and as a result of all these experiences ive become a better person because all of these people have touched my life in a different way and I hope they have learned as much from me as I have learned from then.

Thank you and good night!!!!!

Special Olympics Reflection by Liam Garner

This reflection was written by Liam Garner, who participated in the Elevation WorkCamp to the Illinois Special Olympics in June. He delivered this at our WorkCamp Vespers worship service in August.

Hello, all you folks out there in Sermon land. I'm not really that big on speechwriting. Honestly, the first thing I want to do is yell out, "Hi Mom."

But you got me up here to talk about the Special Olympics Workcamp, so I guess I'll do that. It was an experience, to say the least. It was way, way down in the center of the land of Lincoln. I was in charge of (mostly) being a Bocce pin monkey. My job was to retrieve the balls, the palena (polena, palina, polina…How do you pronounce it?), and to settle measurement disputes. I ran around the course, volunteering for the guys running the matches, just like everyone else.

It was kind of monotonous work, and hot as you-know-where, plus we all came down with sunburn. In some degree or the other. It was a very long ride back to the church, from the church, and to and from Fourth Pres. The only snack I had for a lot of the trip was two packs of honey-roasted peanuts. Now I love them. I had to sit in the back of the one bus that smelled like a rancid can of Coke. Partly because, on the first leg of the trip, the guy in front of me rested his coke on my back while I was stooping to pick up something. Predictably, I had to sit up, so for the rest of the trip, I had a jacket, an iPod cover, a shirt, and my volunteered spot in the car that reeked of day-old coke. On top of that, I had to be in the same room with a bunch of guys who snored like woodchippers and one guy who took 20 minutes to fully inflate his air mattress with a VERY LOUD fan. I still have the taste of the bad pickle I accidentally ate somewhere in my mouth. I had to pay for a docking port when my iPod ran out of juice. And for some reason I liked it all.

I also met some people I started to like. There was that one judge who was able to keep his calm no matter how often the players would throw the polena (just leave it at that) out of bounds. Plus this one girl who could be "gracious about her wins." She could hug the loser without doing it as part of an act. Another girl who would freely admit that she didn't care about winning or losing, she just wanted to make her dad proud that she got there, then accepted her loss just fine. There were plenty of other guys too numerous to mention, and these ones I just mentioned, I practically picked their names out of a hat. Well, not really, but they were good examples.

I don't know why I have such big memories of that place. Maybe it was the carnival rides we were treated to at the end. But I think it was being around people and volunteering their aid. We were able to help the little guy, even if we sweated our buns off doing it. And the next trip might be just as cool, if not cooler, than the last one.

If you were listening earlier, you'd know that it wouldn't take much.

Liam Garner Satisfied customer, Work Camp '08

Kingdom Come

This is a devotion I wrote as a reflection on the Senior High WorkCamp to New Orleans. It is based on Matthew 6:5-15.

Reflection
At the end of July, twenty-five teenagers and nine adults traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild homes and churches for this community still struggling to recover from the hurricane and floods of three years ago. For many in the group, this was the first time they had visited New Orleans—before or after the storm—and it was an eye-opening experience.

While we labored at what we would call charitable work, we were also committed to thinking about the persistent issues of justice that Katrina revealed in New Orleans. We talked about the priorities of our nation and where helping the poor in New Orleans (and elsewhere) lands on this list.

We began our evening devotions on Monday with this Bible passage, one of the stories in which Jesus teaches his disciples what we call the Lord’s Prayer. We discussed that, in Jesus’ context of imperial Rome, this prayer was subversive in the sense that it seeks God’s rule on earth, an implied criticism of the empire and its ways of doing things.

For us, this prayer became a reminder that Jesus teaches us to seek the priorities and values of the kingdom of God, not the priorities and values of the powers that be. In this way, this familiar prayer became a call to seek justice and live our lives through God’s radical love.

Prayer
God of justice, help me to hear your call and live out your will through love for others. May it truly become on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

A Summer of Service

As we gear up for a new year of Fourth Church Youth, I want to spend some time reflecting on the incredible summer we had together. Summers for Fourth Church Youth always revolve around our mission WorkCamps, and this year was no exception. Over the course of the summer, we had three great trips:

• Elevation volunteered at the Summer Games of the Illinois State Special Olympics.
• Senior Highs traveled to New Orleans to contribute to the relief and rebuilding work that has been taking place after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
• Senior Highs also spent a week working on important camp improvements at Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck, MI, mission and ministry of the Presbytery of Chicago.

These trips were meaningful experiences for the youth and adults that participated in them. Not only were we able to share God's love through service, we also grew as individuals and as a group.

Over the next several days, I will be posting reflections written by WorkCamp participants. As you read these, I hope you will get a sense of how God moved through these trips and in our lives.

Youth Committee at General Assembly

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm in San Jose, CA for the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). From Sunday evening through yesterday evening (or in some cases, this morning), the business of the Assembly was discussed and acted on in various committees. Right now, as I type this post, the Assembly is meeting as a whole to discuss and vote on the issues that the committees worked on earlier in the week.

This year the General Assembly added a new committee on youth. This was a slightly different committee because it didn't have overtures or other business to consider. It was intended to be more creative and generative. It was a discussion among GA commissioners about issues related to youth and youth ministry. After their work, the committee was given the option to propose business for the Assembly to consider (which is actually happening right now).

I observed some of those discussions and spoke at an open hearing on "What Youth Believe" about my desire for a national conversation about confirmation. Throughout these meetings and conversations they watched a documentary called Soul Searching, based on a book of the same name by the National Study of Youth & Religion (I have this film and will probably be using it with youth leaders and the Youth Ministry Committee sometime soon).

For the most part, what I saw was a good conversation about youth and youth ministry in our church. There are some things I would have liked to come out of this discussion that didn't, and I was a little dubious about randomly assigned commissioners that may or may not know much about youth ministry talking about something so important to me. But overall, I appreciate their work. And I think it is awesome that the Assembly is talking about youth ministry on the floor right now...with many young voices participating in that discussion.

Since the Youth Committee recommendations are currently being discussed and voted on as I write, I'll wait until tomorrow to report on what the committed suggested and what the Assembly approves.

At the General Assembly

Hello friends of Fourth Church Youth! I've been crazy busy and doing a lot of travelling in the past month and have gotten way behind in keeping up this blog. I'll try to catch up some this week. Even now, though, I'm two time zones away from Chicago in San Jose, California for the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The General Assembly (GA) is the national gathering of our denomination. It used to meet every year, but now only meets every two years. At this meeting, commissioners from across the country make decisions about the work, mission, and policies of the church. It is kind of like the church version of Congress. The Assembly will be making some important decisions and statements about various issues like the ordination of gays and lesbians, our relations with other religions, and social justice.

This is my first GA and I'm pretty excited about being here. I'm not a commissioner, so I don't have much of a voice and definitely no vote, but it's great to see how this gathering operates and to be a part of it from the sidelines.

Though I haven't had a chance to catch up with him yet, I'm very excited that one our youth, Jeremy Lewis, is the Youth Advisory Delegate (YAD) from the Presbytery of Chicago. YADs are young people between the ages of 17 and 23 that do not have an official vote at GA, but do make their voices heard by casting advisory votes on all the issues the Assembly considers. They also participate fully in the committee work of the Assembly and do have a vote there. I'm hoping that I can get Jeremy to share some comments and reflections about his experience as a YAD.

I'll post some thoughts and reports from time to time during this week. Of note so far, the new Moderator of the General Assembly was elected last night: Bruce Reyes-Chow. Bruce is a very forward thinking pastor with his thumb on the pulse of the church and the new directions our younger generations are heading. I've very excited about his election and what this means for the future of our church. Check out the press conference here.

I've discovered that there is a GA Youth Committee that will be discussing youth related issues in our church. I'll be observing this committee with interest, and may even contribute my voice. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Keep the General Assembly in your thoughts and prayers this week. There is much work to be done.

An Unexamined Faith...

This week three of our five Daily Devotions at Fourth Church were written by the youth of Fourth Church Rising on our spring retreat two weeks ago. I am really proud of the devotions these youth wrote and I hope you enjoyed them too. I wrote the final devotion of the week, and it pretty much sums up my thoughts about this year's great confirmation class.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 18:17–25

Reflection
More so than any other confirmation class I have led, the youth of this year’s Fourth Church Rising have taken my challenge to explore their faith through honest questioning and have run with it. Over the course of the past eight months, it seems that we have hardly left a theological or spiritual stone unturned. And even though this has left us with many questions, I think our faith is stronger for it.

I often use this story of Abraham’s encounter with God to demonstrate what it means to be in a faithful relationship with God yet also willing to ask difficult questions about God, even to God. Abraham clearly had a deep, personal, trusting relationship with God. But he wasn’t afraid to ask a bold question when confronted with a situation he didn’t understand. “Shouldn’t God do what is just?” asks Abraham. “Shouldn’t God do what is right?”

According to Plato, Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I often think the same thing about faith. An unexamined faith is not worth believing.

Through confirmation and beyond, our youth are remarkably good at this. It is my hope and prayer for our church that the rest of us might do the same.

Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for allowing me to ask even the most difficult questions about you, our relationship, and the world we live in. Thank you for meeting me in those questions and helping me to know that you are always with me. Amen.

Confirmation Devotions 3

This week three of our five Daily Devotions at Fourth Church were written by the youth of Fourth Church Rising on our spring retreat two weeks ago. I am really proud of the devotions these youth wrote and I hope you will enjoy them too.

Scripture Reading: John 15:1–7

Reflection
We are the vine branches, Christ is the vine, and God is the vine tender, and the fruit that we bear represents our faith and good deeds. When we stray from God, we begin to wither, like a plant without sun. But when we abide in Christ, and Christ abides in us, we grow and flourish. Jesus laid down his life for us in the ultimate expression of unconditional love and with the hope and expectation that we will share that love with the world. In Christ, God gave us a new covenant that elevated us from servant to friend.

During this year of confirmation, Christ has made his love known to us and delivers us from sin. Although we are still imperfect, he heals us along the way. This year, we have learned certain truths about God and have a deeper understanding of how important our relationship with him is to us in our life journey.

Prayer
Dear Lord our God in heaven, I am like a branch on the vine, and you are the vine tender. Your love and grace help me to bear fruit. Without you, I will wither and die. Thank you for your Son, our sun, Jesus. Thank you for the love you have shown me. I abide in you, and you abide in me, and I will share your love with the world. In Christ's name I pray this. Amen.

Written by Kerry Grady and Kathi Rodak’s Circle: Maddy Campion, Henry Feldman, Adam Ringwood, Hannah Sharpe, and Will Wardrop. Other members of this Circle: Zach Antonio, Lizzie Guynn, Emily Vander Weele, and Taylor Crowl.

Confirmation Devotions 2

This week three of our five Daily Devotions at Fourth Church were written by the youth of Fourth Church Rising on our spring retreat two weeks ago. I am really proud of the devotions these youth wrote and I hope you will enjoy them too.

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25–33

Reflection
We are part of the confirmation class of 2008 and are writing this reflection while on retreat in Saugatuck. In this passage, Jesus asks his disciples to give up all of their possessions. We debated whether Jesus was being unreasonable or not. It reminded us of the time in Genesis when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

The point of this story, like the story in Genesis, is that Jesus wanted his followers to make him their first priority. Confirmation is about deciding whether you want to commit to Jesus or not, which is what was happening in this story. However, being confirmed or being a disciple is not determined by fancy words or ceremonies; it is determined by what you believe.

Prayer
Dear God, please help me to truly commit to you and to see your everlasting love. Amen.

Written by Andrew Karaba and Jane Tuma’s Circle: Erin Bennett, Alexis Chaney, Laurel Doak, John McGuinnis, Henry Meserow, and Lauren Wiebe. Other members of this Circle: Swayze Brumfield, Geoff Dohrmann, and Thomas Rossley.

Confirmation Devotions 1

This week three of our five Daily Devotions at Fourth Church were written by the youth of Fourth Church Rising on our spring retreat two weeks ago. I am really proud of the devotions these youth wrote and I hope you will enjoy them too.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1–9

Reflection
Why did God choose Abram? The story doesn’t really say. Perhaps it was because he had the most to lose. He didn’t choose to follow God because of greed or a desire to increase his wealth. His following God therefore demonstrates his great faith.

Was this a test from God? If so, why would God need to test Abram? Is it because God didn’t know what Abram would do? Shouldn’t God know things like that?

Maybe it’s like when teachers give us tests. These tests aren’t just for the teachers—they’re also for us. These tests force us to think and study, to learn for ourselves. Maybe this is what God wanted for Abram.

For many of us, confirmation has been a leap of faith. We too have made a metaphorical journey. We are on the threshold of our new lives. We are starting out on something that is changing us, something that can make changes in our lives. After confirmation, we won’t know how the rest of our lives will turn out, how things will change.

We still have lots of questions. It’s not necessarily that we fully believe right now, but we would like to believe sometime. We are on a journey toward that kind of belief.

Prayer
O God, thank you for the ability to follow the paths we choose, like Abram who came before us. Give me the strength to journey through the tests and challenges life offers. May your blessings rain down upon us. Amen.

Written by Nicholette Andrews’ Circle: Alexandra Brown, Andrea Cladek, Rebecca Lewis, Nicholas Phalen, Kathryn Sabol, and Mac Sinclair. Other members of this Circle: Tom Cox and Jack Kint.

Going Green

Tuesday of this week was Earth Day and on Sunday Fourth Church will observe Earth Sunday. At Senior Highs I will be leading a special worship service with an environmental theme.

As part of my own observance of Earth Day, and as part of a broader move on my part to be more environmentally friendly and financially frugal, I've been riding the CTA a lot more lately. I used to have something of a mental block on public transportation, because Hyde Park is not the most accessible neighborhood in the city. It takes 20-30 minutes for me to drive to work and 45-60 to take a combination of bus and train.

But, I've found that I enjoy time to read while I'm riding. It provides an opportunity to walk a little more than I would otherwise. And I think I'm less irritable and rushed when I don't have to drive, even though I have a pretty easy commute. The extra time it takes to do public transportation forces me to slow down my pace a little bit, which is definitely a good thing.

But my feeble attempt to make a difference, as earnest as it may be, is nothing compared to Colin Beavan. Maybe you've heard of this guy; he's been on the news a lot lately. He got tired of thinking about the environment but not doing anything about it. So he and his family have been undergoing a year long experiment to live as best they can without making an impact on the environment. You can read about this adventurous endeavor at his blog, No Impact Man.

Here is a short description of his experiment, taken from a page on the blog:

For one year, my wife, my 2-year-old daughter, my dog and I, while living in the middle of New York City, are attempting to live without making any net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilets…

Wow, you've got to admit that this is pretty cool...and maybe a little crazy too. I really respect Beavan and his family for making such a big commitment.

What if we all did this? What kind of difference could this make?

I wonder if I would be able to do it? What about you?

Story About Cuba

One of the youth that went with us on our Youth Choir trip to Cuba, Abby Canfield, was interviewed about the trip by her local newspaper, The Doings in Western Springs. Abby did a great job describing the significance of this important trip. Follow this link, or check out the full story right here. Nice job, Abby!

Take a trip to Cuba through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl

April 21, 2008

By Viki Gonia | TOWN COLUMNIST

People in Western Springs do some of the most amazing things. I received an e-mail from resident Anne Canfield telling me about her 14-year-old daughter Abigail traveling to Cuba with her church choir. That's right. Cuba. When I was 14, traveling to Cuba certainly wasn't something we considered. Why would anyone want to visit a place from which people escaped over the ocean in boats made from upturned refrigerators or late model Chevys lashed to empty barrels?

Anne was fortunate enough to accompany her daughter and the 11 other members of her youth choir on their trip. Their church, Fourth Presbyterian in Chicago, has traveled to Cuba to visit their sister church, First Presbyterian of Havana, for the last several years on religious and humanitarian missions. As Anne told me, "The kids adapted and took everything in stride. It was the adults who had the most trouble adapting. We were the only Americans we saw. The people were warm, interested-Americans were a novelty."

I asked Abigail what it was like to visit a country that few Americans, especially those her age, have seen.

"It was really neat knowing that we were in a place that most Americans aren't allowed to go. It meant that we would be the ones to represent American culture to the Cubans, and tell other Americans about Cuban culture."

How were you received by the Cuban people you met?

"The Cuban people we met were some of the kindest and most welcoming people. After each service, almost everyone in the congregation would come up to us and give us hugs and kiss us on the cheek!"

What was it like to meet Cuban young people? What is their life like? How is it different from your life here in the states?

"Meeting the young children made us realize how much we have in common. They liked singing, and had a youth choir that we got to see in church. We really liked one of the songs that they sang, so, now that we're home, our choir director is teaching it to us. Singing that song is a great way to remember the kids we met.

"The Cuban children also love baseball. We brought them baseballs because there is such short supply of them. They often have to play with small rubber balls or practice with bottle caps. The kids were thrilled, but were so generous and gave some of these new baseballs to the opposing team to keep! Before the game started, they said a chant in Spanish that means something along the lines of: 'Who Lives -- Christ! ... His Name -- Glorified! ... His house -- Victorious!' Then they asked the boys of our group to sit in the dugout with them ... and later invited them to join in the game with them! Everyone had a lot of fun, and it was really cool to see two groups of kids from two countries whose governments don't agree getting along so well and playing together in what my youth pastor John Vest calls 'the universal language of baseball.' It also helped all of us see that although our cultures and our governments are different, there are a lot of things we have in common."

(This is where you pause in your reading and think about what a 14-year-old girl just taught you about the world.)

"However, their lives are very different than ours. They don't have nearly as many material things as we have and their food is rationed. Because of this we brought vitamins and other things like toothbrushes and even some small toys. We got a chance to visit some of the Sunday school classes and talk to the kids. The younger kids thought it was hilarious that we spoke English instead of Spanish. They would ask us to count to 20, then they would smile and giggle and ask us to do it again."

Honestly, I don't have much to add to all of that, aside from noting how easy it is for us as adults to forget to see the world through more innocent eyes.

doingsnews@pioneerlocal.com * (630) 320-5443

Simple Presence

On my way to work on Monday, I read a story in the Redeye about the Pope visiting Ground Zero on his American tour. "Pope's visit restores faith at Ground Zero", it was called.

I was fascinated by the account of a man whose firefighter son died on 9/11. "Our faith was destroyed that day," said Deputy Fire Chief James Riches. "We said, 'Where was God?' on 9/11, but he's come back here today and they've restored our faith."

Wow, that's pretty powerful. I totally understand where Riches is coming from. 9/11 was a significant theological challenge for me, and I didn't personally know anyone who died on that day, and certainly not a close family member.

What strikes me the most is that the Pope's visit alone seems to be so restorative of this man's faith. Granted, I'm a Protestant, so I look at the Pope differently than Riches does. But this is still pretty incredible to me.

What I find fascinating is that the simple presence of a representative of God did so much to heal this man's wounds. And what I find sad, is that in the 6 1/2 years since the terrorist attacks, this kind of presence has evidently been lacking.

Again, I know I'm getting all Protestant here, but we all ought to be able to provide the kind of presence that makes possible the breaking in of God's love and healing. It shouldn't take the Pope to do this.

In Protestant lingo, we call this the priesthood of all believers. In biblical terms, we are all created in the image of God and are in a sense God's ambassadors or representatives here on earth. We were created to be in community with each other, and I think God's presence is most fully felt when in community. "God is love," says a passage of scripture that I use every time I perform a wedding. God's presence is felt in the love we share with each other, the love that binds us all together as one.

I hope that we can be this for each other. I hope that God can use each of us to heal wounds and stop pain. If we can open ourselves up to this, our world will get a little closer to the world as God created it, the world God wants it to be.

Elevation WorkCamp Deadline

Hey, if you are reading this and you participate in Elevation, or you are a random 6th or 7th grader looking for something meaningful to do this summer, the deadline for registering for our Elevation WorkCamp to the Illinois State Special Olympics is this Sunday, April 20.

The dates for this trip, which is guaranteed to change your life, are June 12-15.

If you sign up after Sunday, there will be a late fee, so get you registration in now! If you need a registration packet, download one here.

Trust me, you won't want to miss this!

The Best Pancakes in the Neighborhood

Our "second annual" Pancake Breakfast was a huge success! We probably had twice as many youth helping out as we had last year. I think we served at least 100 more people. We had a highly organized plan, set in motion by the "Queen of Pancakes" Janet Reed. And our regular adult leaders, along with some new faces, pitched in for a nearly perfect morning.

The Pancake Breakfast is a fundraising idea we cooked up last year (pun mostly intended) to help support our Senior High WorkCamps. Last year was a great success, and this year was even better!

The money we raised—around $4000—will go directly to support our two Senior High WorkCamps this summer: one to New Orleans and one to Presbyterian Camps in Saugatuck. Not only will this money help us with travel and other expenses, much of it will go directly to the building and repair projects we will be working on. All the hard work making and serving pancakes, and all the generous support we received from the congregation, will directly contribute to this important mission work.

Equally important as the money we raised, I think, is the sense of community that these Pancake Breakfasts are able to generate. Not only do we come together as youth (among other things, this is a great time for our 8th graders from Fourth Church Rising to continue to integrate into Senior Highs), but the congregation is given an opportunity to come together and enjoy the fellowship of a shared meal, something that is not always easy to do at a big church like Fourth (though we do a pretty good job of it throughout the year). Numerous members of the congregation, especially some of our older members, remember events like this from the past and are so grateful that we've revived this type of church tradition.

A big thanks to all the youth and adults that made this happen! And a big thanks to the congregation for supporting us!

Since I was busy making special-order omelets (I've seen enough eggs to last me for a while), I couldn't take pictures myself, but several of our youth and adults stepped in and made some good shots. Check them out here:

• Pancake Breakfast 1
• Pancake Breakfast 2
• Pancake Breakfast 3

A Thousand Words

Today I asked our kitchen manager how we did cleaning up from the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday. She said we did pretty well, with the exception of a few drizzles of pancake batter that were left on the side and between the ovens and stoves. It's a good thing she didn't see this:

That pretty much sums things up!

Youth Choir in Cuba

If last week hadn't been so crazy with the Pancake Breakfast (more on this soon) and a quick trip to Florida for a friend's wedding, I would have blogged about our trip to Cuba sooner. But, better late than never.

What an amazing trip this was! Twelve members of our Youth Choir and fourteen adults (including many parents, our incredible Children and Youth Choir Director Beverly Escuder, our Associate Organist—now known as "keyboard guy"—Thom Gouwens, Children's Minister Donna Gray, and myself) travelled to Havana to sing and preach at four worship services in the Havana Presbytery. We were graciously hosted by Hector Mendez, the pastor of our sister church in Cuba, the First Presbyterian Church of Havana.

The youth sang their hearts out at four very different worship services. Our first stop was at the Presbyterian church in Guines. This is a church that I had visited when I first went to Cuba in 2001, but I didn't remember much about it. The pastor there did a great job of gathering a large congregation for worship, including several members of the Catholic church down street. The youth were amazing in their first performance, Jaime played his guitar beautifully, and Donna delivered a thoughtful sermon. This stop was also special because Guines is the hometown and home church of our beloved translator, Frank.

The next night brought us to the Presbyterian church in San Antonio. I know this congregation very well because my last church, Community Presbyterian in Clarendon Hills, has a sister church relationship with them. Through this relationship I've gotten to know their pastor, Daniel Izquierdo, very well also. It was a personal joy for me to return to San Antonio, especially since I came with so many new friends from Fourth Church. This stop was almost canceled, though, because Daniel's mother-in-law died quite suddenly the previous day. But Daniel and the church leadership were committed to honoring our relationship and our trip to Cuba and graciously went ahead with their plans to host us for dinner and worship. Probably because of these unexpected events, the congregation was a little smaller and more intimate than had been hoped, but our group learned what I already knew so well: the people of San Antonio are exceptionally warm and loving. In addition to the Youth Choir and Jaime's guitar solo, Beverly also sang and I preached. It was another great night.

The next day, Sunday, was a busy one. We began with a chance to sit in and observe various Sunday School classes at First Church in Havana. Most of us didn't understand the Spanish lessons, but the messages were clear nonetheless. We were then treated to a very special and spirited worship service. As Donna remarked, Hector outdid himself. To celebrate along with our Youth Choir, First Church shared music from their incredible salsa band, their adult choir, several smaller ensembles, and their amazing youth choir. It was such a joy to add our voices to theirs in worship. Donna preached again and we were warmly welcomed and gifted by our Cuban friends in this congregation.

After lunch, we traveled to a Methodist church near the University of Havana for the regular worship service of the International Christian Community in Havana. This is an interdenominational all-English service, apparently the only one of its kind in Cuba. This service was quite a bit different from the Presbyterian services we had been participating in up to this point, incorporating more contemporary praise music and a somewhat more evangelical style of worship. After our choir sang one last time, I preached, and we shared Communion with this congregation. It was a different and unique worship experience for us, something I know I won't soon forget.

In all, this was a very remarkable trip, and this report pretty much just covers the itinerary. There is much more I could say about it...much more that I expect I will say about it in the days and weeks to come.

For now, though, check out these galleries of my pictures from the trip:

• Youth Choir Trip to Cuba 1
• Youth Choir Trip to Cuba 2
• Youth Choir Trip to Cuba 3
• Youth Choir Trip to Cuba 4
• Youth Choir Trip to Cuba 5
  

What I Learned About Homelessness

Back in February, Fourth Church Rising participated in a great homelessness immersion experience with the Interfaith Council for the Homeless. You can read about it here.

When I was cleaning off my desk last week, I found and filed the notes I took during our learnings and conversations that weekend. I thought I would share some of the more interesting facts and figures.

There are approximately 75,000 people who are homeless in Chicago every year. This covers the entire year. On a given night, there will be about 20,000 homeless people in the city. 10% of these people are between the ages of 12 and 18. That's 2,000 homeless teens in Chicago every night.

Across the country, 28% of Americans have been concerned about homelessness at some point in their lives.

It is often assumed that homeless people have become that way because of drugs, mental health, or because they just don't want to work. These are not the main causes of homelessness. The top four reasons for homelessness are:

1. People who are employed and do not make enough money. There are 168 hours in a week. You would have to work 100 hours at minimum wage to earn enough to afford a one bedroom apartment in Chicago.
2. No affordable housing. Public housing really doesn't exist in Chicago anymore. There are ten times as many people on the public housing waiting list than are actually in what's left of public housing. The minimum wait is about eight and a half years.
3. Unexpected expenses caused by health issues or other emergencies. 70% of low income people do not have health care.
4. Other causes: drug abuse, domestic violence, recently released from prison, mental health.

Some thoughts on how to solve these problems:

1. Raise minimum wages to a living wage. It has been demonstrated that the common assumption that raising wages will cause expenses to go up is not true.
2. Build affordable housing.
3. Universal health care and emergency funds.
4. Provide social services that can help people with these needs.

Beyond these statistics, though, the thing that surprised me the most and has haunted me since, is the information I learned about teen homelessness. Here are the top causes of teen homelessness:

1. Youth that come out about their sexuality to their parents and are kicked out of the house.
2. Pregnancy.
3. Drugs.
4. Domestic violence.

The first of these, teens coming out and being disowned by their parents, blew me away. It never occurred to me that this could happen in such a widespread and common way.

Teen homelessness and this particular issue of gay teens coming out to their parents is something that I think we need to get involved in. Religion has often been used to create atmospheres of suspicion and prejudice that result in these types of situations.

We need to work toward creating a societal change such that teens are not afraid to accept their sexuality and feel free and supported when bringing this up with their parents. This won't be easy, but I truly believe that we are being called to this important work.

John Buchanan on Jeremiah Wright

This past Sunday, our senior pastor, John Buchanan, delivered a profound and eloquent statement about the controversies surrounding Jeremiah Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ. I posted about this issue here.

Follow this link to read John's statement, which is wise, discerning, and right on target.

Life from Death

At one point in his Easter sermon, our senior pastor John Buchanan waded into difficult waters and connected the Easter message about death to the realities of death in our world today.

"We think we know all there is to know about death. Barbara Brown Taylor says you go to the funeral home, view the body, go home and eat fried chicken and green bean casserole with your neighbors, and get on with your life (Journal for Preachers, Easter 2008). Will Willimon says we live in a world that thinks death has the last word, a world in which we can be convinced easily that the way to deal with death is more death: lose 3,000 civilians in a terrorist attack—invade a country that had nothing to do with it, kill tens of thousands. Deal with death with more death (Thank God It’s Friday)."

I imagine that this statement might have made some people in the congregation uncomfortable. I'm glad he said it, though, because it boldly spoke of the reality of the Iraq War.

Holy Week was unique this year because it came so early in the calendar, as early as it will come for over two centuries. In Chicago, this meant that we had some snow on the ground on Easter Sunday.

Holy Week was also unique this year because it coincided with the five year anniversary of the current war in Iraq. It also marked the 4000th American death in this war. And while we spend most of our time focusing on American and Coalition casualties, the death toll for Iraqis is staggering. Just think about the almost 90,000 people who have died in Iraq during the past five years.

Dealing with death with more death.

The story of Jesus' resurrection tells us that God is in the business of bringing life from death. In the resurrection, and in the return of exiled Jews from Babylonia before that, and in the liberation of Israel from Egyptian slavery before that, we discover a powerful truth about our God: nothing is beyond God's redemption.

This is a truth that I cling to time and time again in the face of the many tragedies we face in this life.

As we look to Iraq at the beginning of year six, after celebrating the hope of Easter, we must ask ourselves: will there be life from death there too?

And if so, what role do we play in bringing it about?

(For a collection of blog posts marking the fifth anniversary of the war, see the special series on God's Politics, The Cost of War.)

Green Bay's Saint Job

Even though I'm a Bears fan, I can't help liking recently retired Brett Favre. I mean, really, who doesn't like Favre? He's hard working, down to earth, fun to watch, and simply one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football.

I was interested to discover today that he's also a devout Christian. Check out this great essay from Sightings: Brett Favre, Catholic Hero.

Usually, when high profile athletes are involved in Christianity, you know all about it. They make a big deal about it. They make a show of praying on the field. They thank Jesus all the time. Sometimes they go evangelical and start speaking at churches and Christian gatherings.

But not Favre. That's just not his style.

What I really like about the essay, written by Joseph Kip Kosek, is that it points out that so much of Favre's life and career have been marked by tragedy and pain: his own addictions, the death of his father and brother, his wife's cancer, the destruction of his mother's home by hurricane Katrina. Kosek argues, therefore, that Favre's faith is akin to that of Job, a constant faith in spite of, or perhaps because of, suffering.

If you think anything of Brett Favre, you should really read this fascinating essay.

Maundy Thursday Reflection

Now that Holy Week has come and passed, I'm able to catch my breath a little bit and catch up on the things that didn't get done last week.

But before this Holy Week is a too distant memory, I also want to make sure I write about some of the things I (and we) experienced.

The first experience of the week that really caught my attention happened during the sharing of Communion at our Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service on Thursday evening. In case you don't know, Maundy Thursday is the day when we remember and celebrate Jesus' last meal with his disciples. This is the meal that we remember when we share in the Lord's Supper. At Fourth Church, Maundy Thursday is also when we observe the traditional Tenebrae service, which involves the gradual extinguishing of candles until the sanctuary is left in darkness. Both elements--the last meal and the darkness--make this quite a powerful service. (Some churches also participate in the washing of feet, an even that also happened at Jesus' last meal with his disciples.)

A funny thing happened this year as I took the bread and juice of our Communion. Instead of just thinking about the original meal that our observance commemorates, my mind was swept away into a series of memories of all the Communions I've shared in over my years.

My first thought was of the Southern Baptist Church that I attended when I was in high school. Though I have changed a lot since those days and I currently disagree with much of what that church believes and how it practices its faith, it was very influential for me as a teenager. It was there that Christian faith first began to mean something real to me. It was there that I began to feel the call to ministry. It was there that I shared the Lord's Supper with friends and family.

I then thought of a Communion of tortillas and real wine at a small Baptist church in Cancun, Mexico. I had naively led my senior class on a trip to Cancun, which turned out to be quite an experience. On the Sunday we were there I found my way to a Baptist church in the central part of the city, not the tourist area. They graciously welcomed me in. I didn't speak a bit of Spanish, but I felt the Spirit move in that service. It was an eye opener for me in many respects, my first religious experience in an environment very different from the comfort of my home.

My next thought was of the Communions of pita bread and wine at the Narkis Street Congregation, the church I worshiped at when I lived in Jerusalem. That, too, was an incredibly formative time in my life and that church was truly a sanctuary for me as I grew in new directions, both spiritually and academically.

There are many more I could mention and describe, but you get the picture.

What was powerful for me on Thursday night was that this was much more than just a trip down memory lane. This rush of memories and emotions and tastes reminded me that all of these faith communities, as different as they are, are all bound together by love--God's love for us, our love for God, and our love for each other.

This is a big part of what Communion is all about. We may differ about many things, but our common calling in faith binds us together as one.

As I write this, my Eastertide prayer is that the church throughout the world might truly act as if this mysterious unity of Communion were real in their hearts. And in doing so, we might show the world what humans can do when inspired by love for God and love for each other.

"Doubting" Thomas

Here is a devotion I wrote for Fourth Church's Daily Devotions.

Scripture Reading: John 20:24–31

Reflection
More so than the other canonical gospels, the Gospel of John is deeply concerned with the notion of correct belief. The cluster of Greek words from the root pistis, which is usually translated as both “faith” and “belief,” appear more times in this gospel than in the other three combined.

It therefore makes perfect sense that scholars think that today’s passage was the original ending to the gospel. For one last time, our story returns to the question of belief, personified in the figure of “doubting” Thomas, with whom we as readers are surely intended to identify.

In the end, Thomas is transformed into a paradigm of faith as conceived by the author of the gospel. The implication, it seems, is that we are to surpass the faith of Thomas and believe without the luxury of seeing Jesus firsthand, a situation in which the vast majority of Christians, both ancient and modern, find themselves.

But I always wonder if the lesson of Thomas is really about finding faith through blind trust. It seems to me that Thomas is a paradigm of faith at least as much for his honest questions as for the belief he ultimately discovers. Christianity is at its best when we allow people the freedom to ask questions and encourage them to do so. This, it seems to me, must be the starting point of faithful discipleship.

Prayer
Patient and gentle God, thank you for listening to my questions and being with me as I search for truth and seek to follow the ways of living to which you call me. Amen.

Summer WorkCamps

This isn't too fancy, but check out this video with information about our three WorkCamps this summer. I'm getting excited already!



Check out these links for more information and registration:

• Elevation WorkCamp
• Senior High WorkCamps
  

This is a Religious Issue

Here's one more post to read: For Whites Only: Things to Consider When Entering the Race Conversation (by Sondra Shepley).

Now, don't think that I'm just trying to promote God's Politics by offering links to all these posts (though I certainly do support Jim Wallis and Sojourners). I'm just really excited about this moment in American history.

But this is not a political thing either. I'm not trying to promote Barack Obama on our Fourth Church Youth blog.

Don't be mistaken: this question of race relations in America (and across the world) is most definitely a religious issue.

This point is clearly made in Shepley's post, which is why I wanted to highlight it as well. In fact, her argument reminds me of one of my favorite theological writings of all time, Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail (read an earlier post about this here).

What always moves me about King's letter is that he takes white Christian leaders to task for not realizing that his civil rights movement was (and is) deeply rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. White pastors made the mistake of assuming that this was a political issue with which the gospel is not concerned. King took this fallacy head on and made a strong case for why white Christians should be joining him instead of condemning him.

The same is true today. I don't care what your politics are. You can support Obama or Clinton or McCain or Nader or whomever you want. But to not recognize that racism is a gospel issue is to miss the point of Jesus' life and teaching...and since we are in the middle of Holy Week, his death and resurrection too.

When early Christians would baptize each other, they recited the following creed: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

This short little statement sums up a major part of the Christian message. We are all equal in God's eyes. We are one people, with one common fate, one common responsibility for each other. Anything less than this is a failure to live up to what God wants for God's children...all of God's children.

McLaren on Obama's Speech

Here's another great post about Obama's speech: Engaging with "A More Perfect Union" by Brian McLaren. McLaren is an early and leading figure in the emergent church movement, which I have become quite interested in.

In his post, McLaren suggests that we should use this as an opportunity to truly engage with each other about this important issue and he offers a great discussion guide toward this end. This type of engagement is how transformation (social, political, theological) actually happens. Maybe this speech can indeed be a catalyst for such change.

Pastors, Prophets, and Politicians

The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright has been in the news quite a bit lately. He is the retired pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, which happens to be the church of presidential candidate Barack Obama. For 2o years Pastor Wright has been a spiritual shepherd for Obama. He officiated the Obamas' wedding. He baptized their two children.

But he caused quite a controversy in the past week when clips from some of his sermons surfaced that included heated comments about Hillary Clinton and comments very critical of the United States immediately after 9/11. Here is one of the early news articles about the controversy. And here is an article about Obama removing Wright from his campaign team.

Yesterday, Obama delivered an incredible speech about race in America, a speech that I can only describe as prophetic, in the sense that he spoke directly and honestly about the realities of racism in our society. He spoke as a man of mixed race, a unique position of having immediate experiences of both white and black communities. He acknowledged that there is enough bitterness and resentment to go around on all sides and spoke sincere words of hope for a better future that actually lives up to the ideals on which our country is founded. Obama's underlying values, it should be noted, are in my opinion decidedly theological ones, founded on faith in the equality of human beings created in the image of God.

If you haven't heard it already, listen to this speech. It may be long, but it is worth the investment. This will go down as one of the great speeches in American history.



In this speech, Obama also distances himself from Wright's most offensive statements, while maintaining his relationship to his pastor. I feel compelled to note that Fourth Church Rising visited Trinity earlier this year, as I wrote about in this post. I've been to Trinity before and both times I found it to be a deeply moving spiritual experience. The preaching and the praise at this church is energetic and phenomenal.

During Obama's campaign, claims have been made that Trinity is racist and prejudiced against white people because it takes such pride in its African heritage. I can honestly say that when I was there, both times with a group of out of place white kids, we never once felt unwelcome. Quite to the contrary, our hosts were most gracious and hospitable. To be sure, there was a distinctly African and African-American flavor to the worship, but not to the point that we in any way felt excluded or marginalized.

I was very impressed by Trinity UCC and will certainly bring youth groups back in the future.

For some good blog posts that have come out today on the controversy and Obama's speech, check out these three from God's Politics, a blog maintained by Jim Wallis of Sojourners:

• It’s Not About Him Now—It’s About Us
• Exorcising Racial Demons: Part I
• How Wrong Was Rev. Wright? I especially like this post because the author points out that Wright is indeed a prophet in the biblical sense, and that biblical prophets were often considered offensive, and that biblical prophets were typically at odds with political leaders and did not mix with them particularly well. Perhaps, then, it is a good thing for Wright to be off Obama's campaign--now he can be free to speak his understanding of God's truth without fear of bringing down a political leader.
  

Coexistence

On Sunday, March 9 Fourth Church Rising took a field trip to the Muslim Education Center in Morton Grove.

Like most pastors and youth workers who lead confirmation classes, I've been making trips like this for many years. I've taken groups to Jewish synagogues, Hindu and Buddhist temples, and Muslim mosques.

As a religious leader passionate about inter-religious education and dialog, these trips are often a highlight of the year for me. I love seeing young people step outside of their comfort zones and realms of familiar experience to encounter people that are very different from themselves yet very similar at the same time. I love seeing prejudices and false presuppositions dissipate through direct interaction with those who act and think differently from ourselves.

As expected, this trip had many of those elements. But what made this trip different, and what got me even more excited about it, is that our young people had a chance to speak with Muslim young people their own age. These trips usually involve hearing a presentation from an adult, which is often good, but not nearly as effective as speaking with peers.

We spent most of our time in small groups, two or three of our students and two or three of theirs. Some of the groups talked about substantive religious issues. Most of them talked more about school and video games and other realities of being teenagers. This was probably the most valuable thing, a real opportunity to see that Muslim teens aren't really that different from Christian teens when it comes right down to it. This is what trips like this are all about, and we were blessed to share such an experience together.

When I sat down to write this blog post, I searched the internet to find a website for the Muslim Education Center to link to. I didn't find one (they should really get on this), but I did find several news stories that reminded me that the mosque attached to this school was recently the center of controversy. It seems that some residents of Morton Grove were very much opposed to the construction of this mosque, an all too common trend in the post-9/11 world of fear and prejudice against Islam. You can read about it in this USA TODAY article.

Being reminded of this sad controversy made me even more glad that we visited this particular Muslim community. I hope that our small acts of inter-religious partnership might be a sign of hope for even greater cooperation and coexistence among the various peoples and religions of our communities and country and world.

I believe with all of my heart that this is what God is calling us to do. And I'll keep looking for opportunities like this one to live out this call.

Visits to the Creation Museum

For your consideration, check out these two articles about visits to the Creation Museum, one from The Christian Century and the other from Sightings:

• "Dinosaurs in the Garden" by Jason Byassee
• "The Creation Museum" by Joseph Laycock

If you haven't heard about the Creation Museum, it's a $27 million museum in Kentucky built by a "creation science" group called Answers in Genesis. These are "young earth" creationists who believe that the universe was created in six 24-hour days about 6,000 years ago. Creationists who think it is possible that the "days" in Genesis 1 could represent longer periods of astronomic and geologic time and the newer waves of apologists defending "intelligent design" don't have anything on this group, who take the Bible about as literally as possible.

This approach to the Bible leads, of course, to some interesting theories. Dinosaurs lived with humans and ate only vegetables before the flood. The biblical flood is suggested as the cause of much of the geological and biological anomalies typically explained through evolutionary biology and geology.

I must admit that this sounds like a fascinating place to visit, though it seems that one stands to learn more about the people who believe in theories such as this than anything actually scientific. But that alone is probably worth the price of admission.

More Wimpy Kid

I plowed through the second book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Roderick Rules, and pretty much enjoyed it as much as the first one. It was a little less engaging because Kinney attempted to work in some bigger story arcs, but it still managed to tell an interesting story of adolescence with the same wit and humor as the first go around.

I'm still not sure if these will be all that useful for youth ministry, but they'll be fun to read regardless. But who knows, maybe I could squeeze a "Gospel According to the Wimpy Kid" out of it...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Last month I heard an interview on NPR with a cartoonist and writer named Jeff Kinney. He has published two books in a projected series of five called Diary of a Wimpy Kid, about a middle school kid named Greg Heffley. The book is set up to look like the handwritten diary of Greg, peppered with stick figure illustrations that go along with the stories.

The interview led me to believe that the books might provide some comical insight into the lives of middle school kids, so I ordered a copy of each, just for fun.

I read the first book this week, and I thought it was hilarious. Much like the beloved Calvin and Hobbes of my youth, the stories are ridiculous, but not so ridiculous that you can't imagine a kid actually finding his way into such situations. Plus, like Calvin and Hobbes, the "diary" entries of Greg are really written with the dry wit and perspective of an adult in mind, which provides some great commentary on the parallel and intersecting worlds of both youth and adults.

I don't know how much of this will preach, but it is definitely worth reading and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.

Homelessness Immersion

From February 8 to 9, a group of youth from Fourth Church Rising participated in a homelessness immersion experience that we organized in cooperation with the Interfaith Council for the Homeless. "In cooperation" is actually probably being too generous about our end of the deal, because ICH really did the heavy lifting in terms of putting this all together. Big thanks to Bill Johnson, Mark Wendorff, and the staff at ICH!

The idea behind this event was to give our youth an opportunity to experience and learn what homelessness in Chicago is all about. We asked our youth and adults not to eat after lunch on Friday and plan to fast until dinner on Saturday. We modeled this on the 30 Hour Famine and even collected some money for ICH.

We began by gathering at Fourth Church and then hopped on a CTA bus and El train to make our way to the PADS shelter at First United Church of Oak Park, which was not in use that night. We arrived and engaged in an incredible discussion about the realities and root causes of homelessness.

After this conversation, we were ushered out into the parking lot to experience what it's like to be checked into a shelter. After waiting outside in the cold and snow, we were all checked in and picked pads to sleep on for the night.

We were awakened early Saturday morning and forced to leave the shelter at 7:30. We hopped back on the Green Line and headed into the city, getting off on Kedzie and walking up to Sanctuary Place, ICH's residence for women and families who have transitioned out of homelessness.

We were immediately thrown into another immersion experience, participating in a "game" that simulated what it is like to attempt to obtain documentation and services as a homeless person. This was a fascinating exercise that left many of us frustrated. We all learned how difficult it is to obtain these services when you lack resources.

After processing this simulation, we prepared lunch for some of the residents at Sanctuary Place, which was painful because we still weren't eating. Over lunch, we had moving conversations with women who were formerly homeless but who are now working on stabilizing their lives and the lives of their families.

After this we had some free time for homework or hanging out, which was followed by two great speakers from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. One of these speakers, currently a college student, was homeless for most of his teen years. It was powerful to hear his story of teen homelessness and how he managed to escape it.

After doing some cleaning projects for Sanctuary Place, we rode the bus back to Fourth's neighborhood and broke our fast with more pizza than we could eat.

In all, this was an amazing, powerful, and transforming experience. We learned a lot about homelessness and thought a lot about what we can do to help. We distinguished between the concepts of charity and justice and thought about ways we can do both. We'll continue this conversation for years to come as we think about this persistent problem in our society and world.

Check out this link for some pictures from the weekend.

Video Games and Violence

Once again, the debate about violent video games rages on.

Check out this article, posted today on CNN.com, that posits a link between violent video games and aggression in teens. To be sure, the study notes that similar links have been shown in relation to violent television and movies, but that doesn't change the overall argument. According to the study, such video games and other entertainment increase aggressive emotions in teen brains and normalize violence for gamers, desensitizing them to the realities and consequences of violence.

This is not a new argument, and it will probably go on for a long, long time. And the positions of those invovled in the debate are pretty clear and consistent: critics of video games decry the amount of violence in these virtual worlds while teens and video game enthusiasts say that they are being unfairly singled out and that playing video games or watching a violent movie doesn't translate into real life violence or aggression.

Let me be clear: I grew up playing video games, many of which had violent aspects. I would still play video games today if I didn't think it would devastate my productivity. I watched, and still watch, many movies and television shows that contain lots of violence. I've always been a fan of comic books, which are full of violence. I have listened to very aggressive music, and sometimes still do. Throughout my youth I played the violent sport of football and still love to watch it, almost religiously.

Violence has been and continues to be integrated into almost every aspect of my life. Beyond entertainment, the news I watch is full of violence, reflecting the world of violence we live in. The religion I practice and teach has violent themes and stories woven through it from beginning to end.

And I use to think that I proved the point that violence in the media we consume doesn't affect who we are as people. I'm not a violent person. I've never killed or even seriously hurt someone. Sure, I can be aggressive and competitive from time to time, and on occasion I'll "Hulk out" in my own way. But am I violent?

This line of reasoning used to make sense to me. But now I'm not so sure. As I've mentioned elsewhere on this blog, my thinking on this has been greatly challenged by the theological work of Walter Wink. I see the pervasiveness of violence in our society and I wonder what this does to us. Does it reinforce what Wink calls the "myth of redemptive violence", the idea that violence is the best way to right wrongs and accomplish our goals, even when they are just and noble goals?

If Wink is right that Jesus teaches a different way, not violence or pacifism but rather nonviolent resistance, what does this say about the violence that pervades our lives? How can we teach ourselves, and our society, that there is an alternative way if we are constantly bombarded by the violent way?

These are difficult questions that I continue to wrestle with. And I must admit that it's a whole lot easier to stop thinking and go see the new Rambo movie. But that probably just proves my point.

Ash Wednesday

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

I remember the people killed in tornadoes last night.

I remember the people in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

I remember those without food or a home.

I remember those who don't have health insurance.

I remember those without a family.

I remember the people of Iraq.

I remember the people of Afghanistan.

I remember the people of Israel.

I remember the people of Palestine.

I remember child soldiers in Africa, and now in Iraq.

I remember my grandfather, my Uncle Buster, and my cousin Jay.

I remember my family.

I remember my friends.

I remember my wife.

I remember that I am dust, and to dust I shall return.

Another Great Souper Bowl

The Souper Bowl of Caring is an awesome national movement among young people to raise awareness, money, and food for those who are hungry. It's a cool program because it builds on the excitement around the Super Bowl (great game this year, btw) and allows youth to choose which organizations their work supports.

You may remember that we set a Fourth Church record last year when the Bears played the Colts in the big game and we agreed to a challenge from Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. Check out this post for more info on what happened last year.

The Bears let us down this year, but we had something even more important to get excited about: the 25th anniversary of the Elam Davies Social Service Center, which was once again the recipient of our collection this year.

Our Elevation youth came out in force to blitz the congregation after worship this past Sunday, collecting money and non-perishable food items. As always, the collecting was a blast and we had a great time, followed up by a great football themed Youth and Families Lunch.

The totals are in, and we are pleased to announce a great collection to help the hungry in Chicago: $5,701.98 and 724 non-perishable food items. This brings our 7 year total up to $31,016.26 and 5,829 food items. Way to go Elevation and all those who contributed to this great cause!

For more information about the Souper Bowl of Caring, check out this cool promo video:

Feel the Spirit

Of the three persons of the Trinity—God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit—the Spirit is probably the most difficult for many of us to understand and relate to. The Spirit seems like the less "personable" of the three. It's not so clear what it means to engage with the Spirit.

I'm not going to try to offer a definition or some kind of sophisticated explanation. But I had a series of three experiences on Sunday that, for me at least, help make sense of some parts of what the Spirit is all about and how we might experience her in our lives.

On Sunday morning (and stretching into early afternoon), I took our confirmation class, Fourth Church Rising, on our annual visit to another Christian church. The point is to expose the confirmands to expressions of Christianity that are different from our own. It helps us understand others as well as ourselves.

This year we went to Trinity UCC on Chicago's south side. It was a 2 1/2 hour tour de force of spirited worship in classic and contemporary styles of African American churches. People sang and clapped and maybe even danced a little. The congregation was welcoming and gracious. The preaching by new pastor Otis Moss III was simply amazing—perhaps one of the best sermons I've ever heard. I was sincerely moved by the entire experience.

Immediately after returning downtown, I hopped in a cab and just barely made it in time to sneak in for the second and third acts of La traviata at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since moving to Chicago I have tried to take advantage of one of the great cultural treasures this city has to offer and learn about opera. I've been to many performances and have found that I actually like opera quite a bit. This performance featured the great soprano Renée Fleming. To hear her sing the tragically sad songs of Violetta is nothing short of a spiritual experience. The pathos of opera is what most draws me in, and this performance was stunning.

Finally, I went home that night to watch the Packers ultimately lose to the Giants in overtime in the NFC championship game. I'm always amazed at football games and other sporting events. I love watching a stadium full of tens of thousands of people, all focused on the events happening on the field. The bond of the crowd creates a special atmosphere, a spirit if you will, that renders the entire stadium into something like a living organism. Add to that the millions who are watching on their televisions at home and you really have a massive collection of humanity focused on a common cause.

Church, opera, and football. The Spirit is a little like that.

Rich Jesus/Poor Jesus

Check out this great column about the ridiculous fallacies of the so called "Prosperity Gospel". Hilarious and right on!

Sweeney Todd and Violence

Here's another great post about violence in pop culture, this time about Sweeney Todd. Check out this post by Gareth Higgins on God's Politics.

I haven't seen the film version of Sweeney Todd yet, though I really want to. I saw the stage version several years ago at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and loved it. Hopefully, I'll see the film soon and post some thoughts...

Repackaging Comic Book Violence

Check out this post from Supernaut, a blogger on one of my favorite entertainment sites, Comics2Film.

Supernaut talks about a line of toys based on Marvel comic book characters aimed at younger children. The characters are rendered in child friendly proportions, with over sized heads and smiles. In short, the tiny figures are...cute.

Supernaut goes on to raise a good point. What does it mean to take these violent characters based on very adult themes and repackage them in child friendly versions?

Wolverine has razor sharp claws that he regularly uses to disembowel his enemies.

The Hulk is fueled by rage and leaves a path of destruction wherever he goes.

The Punisher is a vigilante assassin who won't hesitate to kill.

Ghost Rider made a deal with the devil and is possessed by a demon.

Supernaut takes this question in two directions. First, he wonders what we are actually selling our children. We call these character heroes, but they are clearly flawed heroes that deal in violence. Second, he wonders if these children versions water down the "real" versions consumed by adults.

I think Supernaut has really raised a great question. Those of you who know me know that I love comic books. I grew up on these characters and they are a big part of my pop culture canon.

But ever since reading Walter Wink's book The Powers That Be, I've had some serious questions about the pervasiveness of violence in our culture.

Wink's point is that our society is obsessed with violence as the best (or at least easiest) answer to our problems. This obsession has worked itself into our culture through what he calls the "myth of redemptive violence". This myth is clearly seen in our comic book and adventure heroes, who routinely save the world through the use of violence. Wink and others have pointed out how dangerous this kind of thinking is when elevated to public policy, such as our current propensity for war over diplomacy.

Violence is bad and Wink argues that through Jesus God has shown us an alternative way to address our problems. But this alternative vision is hard to promote against the entertaining myth of redemptive violence.

So I've been doing a lot of soul searching over the past few years and I still feel torn.

In the meantime, I join Supernaut in his questions about these toys. But, like him, I'm sure I would buy them for my children (and myself) as well.

Hairspray

So I finally watched the movie version of the hit musical, Hairspray. I had heard good things about it, including a rave review from my buddy Josh Patty, but I must admit that I didn't necessarily expect a whole lot. Boy, was I wrong. This movie is great!

The music is fantastic and a lot of fun. The cast is incredible. I didn't think I would care for John Travolta as Edna, but he really pulled it off well. The entire film is bright and energetic. It is the epitome of that old description, "a feel good movie".

I have never seen the original John Water's version, so I didn't really know what the story was about. Beyond all the campiness (which is half the fun), I was surprised to discover a story about serious issues.

At the heart of this film are themes of acceptance and equality. Ultimately, this is a movie about social justice. Tracy is on a mission to convince others that we should accept all people for who they are, regardless of how they look. Prejudices about appearance and race are confronted head on.

But this is not a preachy or moralizing movie. The message is delivered in the midst of all the singing and dancing fun in such a way that it doesn't beat you over the head. In fact, I sometimes found myself caught off guard with the realization that this movie is really about something.

If you haven't seen Hairspray, go out and get it now. You won't be disappointed.

Desk Excavation

Wow! I can't believe that it's been almost three months since my last blog. The fall and early winter blew by so quickly. So much has happened with Fourth Church Youth that it's hard to keep up!

For the past several months, my office has been evidence of this blur of time. My days have been so full that I haven't had time to keep things straight. The papers and books stacked up to dangerous levels. Things have remained untouched for months. I've been too embarrassed to hold meetings in my office. I haven't seen the surface of my desk or the cushions of my couches in ages.

Today I made some progress on excavating my desk. "Office archaeology", I'll call it. I found things that haven't seen the light of day for some time.

I'm hoping that things will slow down enough--or that I'll be organized and disciplined enough--to make some more progress.

And now it's time to start blogging again...

God Questions Are Good Questions

These questions were written by the youth and leaders of Fourth Church Rising, the 8th grade confirmation program at Fourth Presbyterian Church, at our fall retreat earlier this month. The questions are not listed in any particular order, but have been loosely grouped together by topic. The questions could be further subdivided into more specific topics, but this would begin to suggest answers, which we will explore together as we go along…

God

• How is it possible that God was always here? How did he exist in the first place?
• Why does God allow evil?
• If God created everything, who created God? (…and all the other deities mentioned in the creation story?)
• Why does God let people die of AIDS?
• Why does God let babies die?
• Does God listen to people’s prayers?
• Why does God let bad things happen?
• Is there really a God?
• How do we know God is real? Nobody has ever seen him in the last thousand years.
• If God can intervene, why do disasters happen? Were Darfur, Katrina, the tsunami, and 9/11 really in God’s plan?
• Does God answer our prayers? Does he hear them?
• Why should we worship someone who doesn’t answer?
• How does God smite people?
• How does God communicate with us?
• How does God deal with prayers?
• Why does God let bad things happen?
• Why does God let those kids in Africa starve to death?
• Why must we worship one who does not answer?
• If God created people in his image, why are there bad people?
• Are disasters a way of God getting around Noah’s covenant?
• Is God always with us?
• Why does God let innocent people get hurt?
• Why did God create guns?
• Why did God kill the lead singer of Sublime?

Creation

• Why was the earth created the way it was?
• Why were there dinosaurs?
• How did God create the universe?
• Why are there floods?

The Human Condition

• Why do people die?
• Why is it that when we try really hard to do something and make a genuine effort, it never seems to work out? (Not physical or academic things, but things in life in general.)
• Why do the Cubs keep losing?
• Why did God create humans so they have to sleep and eat?
• Is there a purpose for all the suffering on earth?
• Why am I the way I am?
• Why are there so many unanswered questions?
• Why do people have to die of cancer?
• Why were we created?
• Who am I? Why can’t you tell me who I am?
• Why do bad things happen?
• What is God trying to show me when I fight with my mother or boyfriend?
• What did I do wrong to deserve such horrible health issues? And why have I come out of surgeries successfully and others haven’t?
• If everything happens for a reason, why do people get hurt or die?
• Does everything happen for a reason?
• Why are some people liked more than others?
• Why are there hermaphrodites?

Jesus Christ

• Why do we believe in Jesus Christ?
• Was Mary a hermaphrodite?

The Bible

• How do we know the Bible contains real stories?
• Why didn’t God write the Bible himself?

Justice

• Why don’t Africans have water or food?
• Why doesn’t God protect those who can’t protect themselves?
• Why is segregation still in the world?
• Why are there people in Africa who are still starving?
• What’s the reason for poverty?

Christianity

• If Christianity is the true faith, what happens to non-Christians?

After Life

• If we go to heaven for eternity after life, what is the point of life?
• Does everyone go to heaven?
• What is heaven and hell?
• Do heaven and hell exist?

The Gospel According to TV

Mark Pinsky, the author of The Gospel According to the Simpsons, has written a good summary piece for Sightings about the presence of faith on TV. Check it out: "TV's Leap of Faith". Anyone who has heard me preach or even had a conversation with me knows that I agree with Pinsky'sbasic premise, that TV (and all of pop culture) is an important place to find religious discourse in our society and therefore an important conversation partner for the church as we think about God and humanity. As Pinsky and others observe, more people will watch these shows than will ever hear our sermons or Bible lessons...so we better be paying attention and we better be willing to join the conversation.

U2charist Rocks Fourth Church

On September 5, the U2 tribute band Elevation teamed up with Fourth Church Youth to create a worship experience unlike anything in the over 90 year history of the Fourth Church sanctuary. You can read more about the service here. You can check out a few pictures here.

It was definitely a unique experience, and I was somewhat serious that evening when I joked that I hoped to have a job the next morning. Thankfully, I am still the youth pastor at Fourth Church and I look forward to other opportunities to explore alternative worship experiences for youth and others.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect for this U2charist. We had about 200-250 people there, which isn't bad for the first time trying something, though I had secretly hoped for a packed house.

I worked hard to be sure that the U2 music we used in the service had integrity as worship music, and I think we mostly succeeded. I followed some of the basic contours of previous U2charists, but I made sure to give it a Presbyterian spin and made some different music selections than I had seen before. I also tried to weave the themes of the service together in my sermon, and folks have reported that this worked as well.

In the end, I think this was a great part of our fall kick-off (I know that the youth in attendance loved it) and a great experiment for us here at Fourth. It was moving to see youth and others connect with worship in a way that they hadn't before. It took us a while to loosen up (we are still Presbyterians, after all), but the congregation eventually got into it. The dancing in the aisles and pews didn't happen until the extended "Postlude" at the end, but that's okay. The music was loud in the sanctuary, but our ears eventually stopped ringing.

We were also able to collect a great offering for the PC(USA)’s Self-Development of People ministry, which is a good thing.

Finally, the experience raised lots of important questions about worship. Here are a few thoughts to ponder:

• Can "pop" music like U2 be used in worship in a meaningful way?
• What are those U2 songs really about, anyway?
• Does music need to be specifically written for worship in order to be worshipful or appropriate for worship?
• Is there a line between worship and entertainment? What is it? Does an experience like this blur the line too much?

There are many other I could list, but this will do for now.

In the meantime, for those interested in how we structured the service, here is the order of worship. Enjoy!

Prelude
"Beautiful Day"
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Welcome

Call to Worship

Song of Praise
"Elevation"

Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Pardon

Response
"All Because of You"

Prayer for Illumination

Scripture
Genesis 1:24-31

Psalter
"40"

Scripture
Galatians 3:23-39

Sermon
"The Paradox of One"

Sermon Response
"One"

Apostles Creed

Prayers of the People

Offering
"Love and Peace or Else"

Doxology

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
"Peace on Earth"
"Yahweh"

Sending Song
"Walk On"

Benediction

Postlude
"City of Blinding Lights"
"Vertigo"
"New Year's Day"
"When Love Comes to Town"
"Pride (In The Name of Love)"
"Sunday, Bloody Sunday"
"Where the Streets Have No Name"

Peace Day

The United Nations General Assembly has set aside September 21 of each year as an International Day of Peace, a global day of ceasefire and non-violence. The World Council of Churches and the Presbyterian Church (USA) have asked that we remember today as a day to pray for peace in our world. As we read the news from throughout the world, the need for peace and prayer is clear and urgent. You can read more about this global call for peace by exploring the following links:

• A Presbyterian News Service article about Peace Day
• The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
• The International Day of Peace website

Whether you read this on September 21 or some other time, please consider pausing to join countless others in praying the following prayer from the Presbyterian United Nations Office:

O God,
Guide the peoples and nations
to make today a day of peace,
a day when wars are suspended,
and weapons laid aside.
May the spirit of this day of peace
guide us to the time
when bows are broken,
spears are shattered,
weapons are dismantled,
war is no more
and peace prevails
throughout your world.
Bless afresh the peacemakers
who work for that time.
Move us to join them.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.

U2charist

Tomorrow night is the beginning of our 2007 Kick-Off for Fourth Church Youth. We're starting off with a bang by hosting a U2charist in the Fourth Church sanctuary from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.

What's a U2charist? It's a communion service with U2 music. The idea was developed by Sarah Dylan Breuer in the Episcopal church and the first U2charist was held in Baltimore, Maryland in 2004. It has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Services such as this lift up social justice themes and promote the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, a cause championed by U2 and Bono, especially through his One Campaign. U2 gives permission for their music to be used in worship services like this as long as all the money collected through offerings is given to organizations furthering the Millennium Development Goals. Tomorrow's offering will be given to the PC(USA)’s Self-Development of People ministry.

To say the least, this will be a new and unique worship service at Fourth Church and I hope many people will come out to experience it.

Youth will help lead worship.

Live U2 music will be provided by the incredible Chicago-based U2 tribute band, Elevation.

God will be praised.

Bread will be broken.

I can't wait for this service and I'm looking forward to reporting and reflecting about it here on this blog.

For a taste of what's to come, check out this video:

Gulf Coast: Two Years Later

Today marks the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. To read and watch the news stories today is to hear the all too familiar account of failed relief and continuing devastation. Cities remain depopulated and unrepaired. Lives remain shattered and broken.

As our nation and the world pause to remember the tragedies of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (which for me, at least, always brings to mind countless other tragedies that continue to happen), we should pray. We should pray for those whose lives have forever been changed by these storms and their aftermaths. We should pray for those who are in positions of power and have the capacity to sustain recovery and prevent future disasters like this. We should pray for the countless volunteers who have given selflessly of their time, talents, and resources to help those in need.

I will be co-leading Fourth Church's next trip to New Orleans, December 29-January 5, and I'm hoping to recruit several of our current college students and other Fourth Church Youth alums to join us. We've also talked about the possibility of bringing next year's Senior High WorkCamp down to the Gulf Coast. I'm excited about these opportunities and look forward to participating in God's work with our brothers and sisters down south.

Hazard: Senior High WorkCamp 2007

From July 28 to August 4, 25 high school youth and 7 adults ventured to Hazard, Kentucky to build and repair homes for low-income families. We worked with the Hazard/Perry County Housing Development Alliance and had the pleasure of serving many great people in Perry County. We worked on a variety of challenging projects and learned much about the socioeconomic realities of this portion of America's coal industry in Appalachia. All of us who participated in this trip came back with a new outlook on where our energy comes from and how much it truly costs--not just in terms of dollars, but in terms of human life.

In addition to this life-changing service and eye-opening education, we had a ton of fun growing as a group, listening to bluegrass music, relaxing on the lake, playing the best game of Night Crossing ever, and much, much more.

To give you a sense of what we experienced, I will post the daily devotions that were written by youth and leaders on the trip and distributed to the congregation of Fourth Church and beyond.

You should also check out the video and pictures posted below.

This was an incredible trip. If you weren't able to go this year, go ahead and mark these dates for next year: July 26-August 3, 2008.



Pictures (Facebook albums):
Senior High WorkCamp 1
Senior High WorkCamp 2
Senior High WorkCamp 3
Senior High WorkCamp 4
Senior High WorkCamp 5
Senior High WorkCamp 6
Senior High WorkCamp 7
Senior High WorkCamp 8
Senior High WorkCamp 9
Senior High WorkCamp 10
Senior High WorkCamp 11
Senior High WorkCamp 12
Senior High WorkCamp 13

We All Can Help...

Check out this great story ("Youths take a stand against hunger") at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. By raising $261 with a lemonade stand in Brookfield, three boys were able to provide over 1000 meals for the hungry in Chicago. Way to go, guys!

The boys got all the materials for the lemonade stand from Sunkist as part of their Take a Stand program. This is a great way for young people (ages 7-12) to help out others in need. Are you interested in doing something like this? It would be awesome to have a bunch of Fourth Church Children and Youth raise money for the important work of the Elam Davies Social Service Center here at the church. Order yourself a lemonade stand and we can help you get the money to the Social Service Center. We'll also be sure to report on your efforts here on our blog.

When life gives you lemons...

Severus Snape: Friend or Foe?

While I'm pointing out great articles at Sightings, here's one about Harry Potter: "Severus Snape and the Transparency of Evil."

Some of you may have finished the final installment of the Harry Potter series, so you may know the final word on Severus Snape and his loyalties. If you do, don't spoil it for others!

This article makes the important theological point that no one is really purely evil or purely good...we're all a mix of both and we need to remember this when we think about others and ourselves. The character of Severus Snape gives readers of the Harry Potter series an opportunity to explore this ambiguity that is at the core of human nature.

Ape Religion?

Do you have an opinion on the debates about evolution, creationism, or intelligent design? This whole thing was quite a stumbling block for me when I was growing up in a fundamentalist Baptist church. In fact, I continued to wrestle with this until a few years into college. I'm happy to say that now I don't see a conflict between science and my faith, but that realization didn't happen overnight.

Wherever you stand on this issue, you might be interested in this fascinating article, "Religion of the Apes", from Sightings, one of my favorite Internet publications. The author begins by noting a recent conference at the Lincoln Park Zoo here in Chicago and goes on to make some intriguing observations about ape behavior. His comments suggest a pretty close link between ape culture and human culture.

As I write this, I'm reminded of an exhibit I saw this past spring at the San Diego Museum of Man on human evolution. If you are ever in San Diego, you should check it out!

Senior High Car/Dog Wash

I know it was a while ago (July 1), but I finally have some pictures from the Car/Dog Wash. This was a great fundraiser to help support or upcoming WorkCamp to Hazard, Kentucky. Check out the pictures at this Facebook album: Senior High Car/Dog Wash.

Elevation WhirlyBall

This past Sunday a small group of us had a WhirlyBall court all to ourselves for three hours. It awesome--I have the bruises and Natasha has the whiplash to prove it!

WhirlyBall is one of my favorite things ever. Besides Chicago itself, WhirlyBall is just about the best thing to come out of the Midwest. One of my most memorable sermons was a confirmation sermon called "WhirlyBall Changed My Life." It did...and still does!

If you missed out, don't worry. There will be many more opportunities for WhirlyBall in the future. And Senior Highs will be playing in August, so don't worry...we're not forgetting you!

Another Great Blog from Ghana

A while back I posted a blog from my friend Kimberlee who is currently serving as a Young Adult Volunteer in Ghana. Her most recent post will really make you think:

it's sort of like camping...

Elevation WorkCamp 2007

From June 14 to June 17, thirteen Elevation youth and three adults travelled to Bloomington, Illinois to volunteer at the Summer Games of the Illinois Special Olympics. We had a blast serving the athletes and bonding with each other. In addition to working at various Special Olympics events, we grew closer as a group, went rock climbing, played at Grady's, worshipped together, and screamed way too much. Oh yeah, and Mac puked ranch dressing and jello out of his nose. All in all, it was an incredible trip!!!

For pictures from the trip, check out these Facebook albums:

Elevation WorkCamp 2007

More Elevation WorkCamp 2007

Even More Elevation WorkCamp 2007

Still More Elevation WorkCamp 2007

Whether you went on the trip or not, join us for WhirlyBall and WorkCamp Reunion:

• All Elevation Youth are invited!
• We'll play WhirlyBall and share stories and pictures from WorkCamp!
• WhirlyBall Chicago: 1880 W. Fullerton Avenue
• 1:00-4:oo pm
• Cost: $20 (for WhirlyBall and snacks)
• RSVP to Natasha Holbert by July 1 at 312.274.3831 or nholbert@fourthchurch.org

Day of Interfaith Youth Service

On Sunday, April 22 a group of Senior Highs (Stu, Ben, Jake S., Jeff, Jake D., Renee, Jessica, Natasha, and myself) ventured to Humboldt Park for a Day of Interfaith Service sponsored by Interfaith Youth Core.

We had a great time cleaning up and mulching parts of the park (in observance of Earth Day), engaging in inter-religious dialogue, and enjoying fellowship with each other and new friends.

IFYC is a great organization that I hope we continue to be involved with. Inter-religious education, dialogue, and experiences are so incredibly important in today's world. It was a lot of fun to collaborate with youth and adults from a wide range of religious backgrounds on a common cause: the protection and beautification of our natural environment.

For pictures of our group participating in this event, check out this Facebook album: Chicago Day of Interfaith Service. For all of the pictures taken that day, follow this link.

Holy Pancakes!

Our first ever Pancake Breakfast on April 15 was a great success. We made tons of pancakes, raised lots of money for the Senior High WorkCamp, and had a blast doing it!

For lots of pictures from this great event, check out the following Facebook albums:

• Holy Pancakes!
• More Pancakes!
• Even More Pancakes!
  

Presbyterians in Blacksburg

Presbyterians have been some of the first responders to the killings at Virginia Tech this week. Check out this news story from the PC(USA) to read about what has been going on.

Here are links to Blacksburg Presbyterian Church and Cooper House, the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech. The campus minister at Cooper House is Catherine Snyder.

Let's hold all of these saints in our prayers.

Daily Devotion

Rather than our regular Daily Devotion today, Fourth Church sent out a special devotion reflecting on the events at Virginia Tech. It was written by Hardy Kim, one of our Pastoral Residents. I want to post it here for you to read. Thanks, Hardy!

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:37–44

Reflection
Only ten days ago we joyfully celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only ten days ago we proclaimed the victory of life over death, of good over evil. Yesterday, it seems, we still glowed from the warmth, the day, family and friends; we had new life.

And so the tragic events at Virginia Tech are even more shocking and hard to accept. From where in this resurrection world does something like this spring?

Joseph Conrad once wrote, “The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” The tragic events in Blacksburg, Virginia, certainly seem to confirm Conrad’s view.

However, I do not seek a source for the evil in times like these. Rather, I sorely feel the need for a supernatural source of healing and goodness. Faced with the senseless loss of thirty-three lives, I search for a miraculous spiritual cure-all to provide comfort for my grieving heart, wisdom for appropriate words, and strength to sustain a weary mind.

Still, today’s text reminds us that the surprising strength of our faith is not to be found in these kinds of answers. The power and love of God was revealed in a human being, Jesus Christ, much like us; a human being who, even as he was being welcomed as a king and savior, took notice of the suffering and pain in the world and wept over the brokenness of Jerusalem. This same God is with us now. Though resurrected and victorious in Christ, God is still with us in our brokenness and suffering, and God still weeps for all of those who are suffering from the events of April 16 in Virginia and all tragic happenings around the world.

Prayer
God of the resurrection, remind me that even though you have defeated death and have overcome this world, you do not abandon us, who have yet to do so. Be with us in our time of grief, and comfort us even if we are not wise enough to have all the answers to life’s awful mysteries. Let us know the love of a God who weeps for us, even now. Amen.

A Service of Remembrance
All are invited to participate in a service of remembrance for those affected by the tragic events at Virginia Tech. Fourth Presbyterian Church will be holding two such services this Thursday:
Service of Remembrance
Thursday, April 19, 2007
12:10 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
in the Fourth Church sanctuary

In the Wake of Tragedy

Dear Fourth Church Youth and Parents:

With so many people across our country, our hearts broke yesterday with the news of the shooting deaths at Virginia Tech. As the tragedy continues to unfold before our eyes, our grief only grows.

These horrific events are especially difficult for us to process. So many of us are either heading to college next year or have siblings or children in college now. As numerous people have mentioned, schools should be sanctuaries and safe places for learning and growing. When that safety is violated, we are all unsettled.

As we grieve as a nation and as a community, I want you to be aware of two things. First, if any of you—youth and parents alike—need to talk with a pastor, I am always available for you.

Second, the community of faith at Fourth Church will be gathering at two different times on Thursday for a prayer service of remembrance. For those that work downtown or are available during the day, there will be a service at noontime. For students, families, and others for whom noon doesn't fit, there will be a service at 7:30 Thursday evening. I encourage you to come join us as we turn to God in this time of tragedy.

If you need anything at all, please be in touch.

May God be with us all in these difficult times.

peace,

John

If you burn it, he will come...

Wouldn't it be awesome if Jesus showed up on a pancake at Fourth Church?

There's only one way to find out...come to the first ever Senior High Pancake Breakfast on April 15 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The money we raise from this event will help support our summer WorkCamp to Hazard, Kentucky.

If you are in Senior Highs or Fourth Church Rising, we need your help to cook and serve pancakes from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. If you are "the man" or "the woman", like Jeff McGuire (I'm not sure which), you'll be there for the whole thing. If you absolutely can't make all of it, come for what you can...we'll need your help and it will be a lot of fun too.

If we're lucky, Jesus will show up on a pancake.

Lenten Devotions 8

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:3–14

Reflection
Apocalyptic views of the world aren’t images that get a lot of attention in mainline Christian denominations. Yet today’s passage uses such language, which we also find in Revelation, and references apocalyptic verses from the Old Testament. So what is its relevance to us?

Jesus is trying to prepare the disciples for the struggles they will face in the days and years ahead as they spread his story. In fact, there is some indication that the writer of Matthew may have been speaking to the then-current-day realities of early Christians. Buried in Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question is a promise: “The one who endures to the end will be saved.”

This prediction of hardship echoes Jesus’ own persecution and passion. But Jesus’ struggle is ultimately our struggle. He endured the cross and grave so that we wouldn’t have to.

As we experience the Passion story this week, think of the struggles in your own life. Perhaps it is unemployment, a bout with cancer or other illness, a difficult time at work, grief over the loss of loved one, or a failed relationship. Whatever the struggle, remember his promise.

Our challenge is to look beyond the doomsday scenarios and see the new beginning. Indeed, the story of Easter is ultimately one of hope—hope that after a long ordeal there are better days to come. That’s often a difficult thing to remember in the midst of an ordeal. Yet it is the foundation of our faith, and for me, it has been the basis for comfort, strength, and confidence in good times and bad.

Prayer
Jesus, as I journey through this Holy Week, remind me that your struggle is my struggle. Strengthen my faith through the story of your passion and resurrection, and remind me of your promise that there will be better days. Amen.

Written by Mark Nelson, Senior High Leader

Lenten Devotions 7

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46–52

Reflection
Our culture relishes distraction more than any other before us. From our iPods to our cell phones, it is hard to find even a brief respite from our technological immersion. In a sign of this growing problem, last month a New York state senator attempted to ban “iPod oblivion,” an aptly named phenomenon that describes people who withdraw from the world into their iPods even when crossing streets, a phenomenon which has already killed three people. Now more than ever it is a struggle to escape the draw of these distractions and find our true calling. We must strain even harder to hear the voice of the needy, the impoverished, and the sick. Amid the chime of our cell phones and Blackberries, it is hard to discern their cries, “Have mercy on me, help me.” In a world where a phone call is all too accessible, we ask in the words of our savior for our true calling: What do you want me to do for you, God?

Prayer
Lord, help me to see through the distractions, to place others needs before my own, to hear the voices—which are all too often obscured by our own interests—calling, “Have mercy on me.” You have fulfilled so many of my own needs, now help me to fulfill those of others, and help me, in my own way, to heal the blind man calling my name. Amen.

Written by Jeremy Lewis, Fourth Church Youth sophomore in high school

Lenten Devotions 6

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1–12

Reflection
No doubt, Jesus himself must have looked up too. And what did he see? No, Jesus was not struck by the demolition of the ceiling, but he saw their faith—not their faces, but their faith!

What have you never seen before?

Jesus is liberating the one who is paralyzed, and in the process a new kind of community is being created. Because when God is set loose in the world, then God sets about creating a community of compassion, grace, liberation, and hope. God’s mission is “to empower all people to experience the presence of God, to grow toward wholeness, and to act in love.” When Jesus performs these signs and wonders, the people are astonished because they’ve never seen anything like this. But in these moments their eyes are opened, and they can see who Jesus is. May we too have our eyes open to see God’s new work in the world and at our church. May our prejudices be revealed, our barriers broken down, so that God’s inclusive community might be created in our midst. And that will be the greatest wonder of them all. Bear in faith, there are still miracles to be made and people to be saved. Trust in the Lord whom we cannot see, because he can see you; he sees us, and he sees me.

Prayer
Lord Father God, help me to remember that on this day I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed! Your love and mercy overflows more and more with knowledge and full insight to help me determine what is best. With assurance and faith in your words, never will you leave me, never will you forsake me. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Written by Florence Adibu, Fourth Church Youth senior in high school

Lenten Devotions 5

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 2:4–7

Reflection
My initial response to the text for today was, “Who did I make mad to get assigned this one?” As I continued to think, read, and talk to my wife, I began to consider the two major thoughts of the text—one of forsakenness and desolation and one of promise. I sometimes feel forsaken as I busy myself with my career and the “important” things in life. But these are the things of the world—things unimportant to God. God doesn’t focus on destruction and devastation. Ours is a God of renewal and regeneration.

Zephaniah reminds me that God himself is preparing a place for me. A place where I will return, not when I get around to it but when God calls for me. As the world calls me to its agenda, I will be reminded that there is a place of quiet rest that God is preparing. I don’t think our world is a quiet place. It is a place where the people of God must remember that God is in charge, God intervenes for us, and God calls us to return from those things that hold us captive.

Prayer
God of returning captives: Help me remember during the strife that I create that you have already prepared a place for me. Not because I deserve it but because you wanted to. Let me live in this knowledge and understanding throughout this Lenten season and beyond. Through Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.

Written by Rob Sinclair, Elevation Sunday School Teacher

Lenten Devotions 5

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 2:4–7

Reflection
My initial response to the text for today was, “Who did I make mad to get assigned this one?” As I continued to think, read, and talk to my wife, I began to consider the two major thoughts of the text—one of forsakenness and desolation and one of promise. I sometimes feel forsaken as I busy myself with my career and the “important” things in life. But these are the things of the world—things unimportant to God. God doesn’t focus on destruction and devastation. Ours is a God of renewal and regeneration.

Zephaniah reminds me that God himself is preparing a place for me. A place where I will return, not when I get around to it but when God calls for me. As the world calls me to its agenda, I will be reminded that there is a place of quiet rest that God is preparing. I don’t think our world is a quiet place. It is a place where the people of God must remember that God is in charge, God intervenes for us, and God calls us to return from those things that hold us captive.

Prayer
God of returning captives: Help me remember during the strife that I create that you have already prepared a place for me. Not because I deserve it but because you wanted to. Let me live in this knowledge and understanding throughout this Lenten season and beyond. Through Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.

Written by Rob Sinclair, Elevation Sunday School Teacher

Lenten Devotions 4

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29:1–14

Reflection
The Bible often tells of those who leave their homes to follow God’s call. Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Hagar, Jacob—people who wandered in the wilderness, the desert, or in foreign lands, eager for guidance from the Lord. In Jeremiah, when the prophet is sharing God’s word, the people are exiled. God tells them to stay put—to marry, spend time with family, plant gardens, care for their new neighbors—and to enjoy a rather pleasant domestic life.

This reminds me of a time when I was stuck in an unsatisfying job. I prayed that God would tell me what to do, because surely God must want me to do something bigger and better! Finally I realized I could either check out or commit to do God’s work right where I was.

I chose to pray for the boss who made my life difficult and to look out for teammates who couldn’t speak up for themselves. I suddenly felt more satisfied—and more aware of the Spirit at work in this big corporation. Even my disagreeable boss somehow seemed more likeable! God doesn’t always call us to faraway places, but God does call each and every one of us to seek the welfare of our own city and to pray for those around us.

Prayer
Good and gracious God, help me to seek your will and to do your work wherever I may be. Amen.

Written by Amy Pagliarella, Fourth Church Rising Leader

Lenten Devotions 3

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:24–45:7

Reflection
The beautiful words of this ancient oracle are remarkable because this is the only place in the Bible that a non-Israelite is called God’s messiah (“anointed”)—a title normally reserved for Israel’s kings and priests and later applied to Jesus. Anticipating objections to this shocking claim, the prophet reminds his audience that God can act however God pleases, even if it means using the Persian king Cyrus to accomplish the salvation of Israel.

But this passage is even more remarkable for being one of the few places in the Bible that clearly articulates a fascinating, though extremely challenging theology: if God is truly in control of history (and our individual lives), then God is responsible for both the good parts and the bad parts. Our euphemistic English translations of this passage obscure the force of this theology. Let those with ears to hear listen to a more accurate rendering: “I form light and create darkness, I make good and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”

As we prepare our hearts and minds for Holy Week during the season of Lent, we are confronted with one of the most mystifying paradoxes of the Christian faith: an unquestionably evil act of horrific violence and gross injustice is at the heart God’s work of redemption and salvation.

Sometimes I find myself objecting to the cross as defiantly as those Jews who would have resisted calling Cyrus their messiah. To this objection Isaiah offers a challenging possibility: perhaps God is in fact behind both the good and the bad. What this might mean for the mystery of the cross and the mystery of our own lives is worth exploring.

Prayer
Dear God, open my heart and mind to the mysteries of your ways as I face the difficulties of life and the realities of the cross. Amen.

Written by John Vest, Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry

Lenten Devotions 2

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Genesis 46:28–47:6

Reflection
This passage is essentially the happy ending to Jacob’s story. After long years of believing his beloved son Joseph dead, Jacob is not only reunited with Joseph, but finds Joseph to be a wealthy, powerful man. All the bitterness Joseph may have felt at being sold into slavery by his brothers leaves him when he sees Benjamin and his brothers’ protection of Benjamin, so Joseph welcomes the whole family into Egypt, using his influence to give them good land for raising their livestock so that they will not starve, despite the continuing drought.

Such a happy ending is satisfying to read because in our busy lives it is often hard to see God’s plan for us. We all have uncertainty about what the future may hold; we wait to hear back from colleges, doctors, faraway significant others, and what have you. There are times when it is hard to trust that God holds us all in the palm of his hand, when life seems senseless and we are overwhelmed by the fear that there will be no comfortable retirement, no grandchildren, no happy ending. It is good then to read about Jacob who, after all the troubles in his long life, is reunited with his son and lives out his last days content, his sons cared for and his legacy through them assured.

Prayer
God, make me strong to always trust in the future provided by you and to trust that, like Jacob, I have a happy ending awaiting me. Amen.

Written by Cassandra Kildow, Fourth Church Youth senior in high school

Lenten Devotions 1

Now that Lent has come and gone and we are now officially into the season of Easter, I want to do something I meant to do throughout Lent. As you may know, Fourth Church puts out daily devotions that are available via email, on the website, or in print each week. Most of the time, these are written by members of the Fourth Church staff. During special seasons of the church year, like Lent, we also invite members of the congregation to contribute to these. This year's Lent devotions were excellent, and several of them were written by Fourth Church youth or adults associated with the youth program. As something of a Lenten retrospective, I want to post these Fourth Church Youth devotions on this blog, in case you missed them before. Thanks to all who worked hard on writing these!

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1–5

Reflection
Yesterday we stood, once again, at the beginning of our journey to the foot of the cross. We quietly received our ashes and heard the words, “Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” Ashes too remind us of our deep need for God and how we have strayed from the source of our life, from the source of our very being. Today we read the words “the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters . . . and there was light . . . and God separated the light from the darkness.” In this time of preparation, to absorb once again the lengths to which God is willing to go—even to a cross—to bring us home from wherever we have strayed, I was struck by the image of the breath of God sweeping over the face of the deep. I could not help but think of the moments in our lives where we feel the breath of God sweeping across our faces and we feel the light of God illuminating our deepest darkness as if it were the first day. And I was reminded once again that even in the preceding darkness, God is there. As we remember how far we have strayed from our God, let us too remember that, be it day or night, there is nowhere we can go where our loving God cannot, and will not, seek us out.

Prayer
May I never forget the great expanse of your love, O God. Let me live fully, all to your glory, in the knowledge that even should I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand will lead me and your right hand shall always hold me fast. Amen.

Written by Linda McCarty, Fourth Church Rising Leader

Community Book Group

Later this month, I will be leading Fourth Church's Community Book Group. The book for this month is Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. This is an incredible book, so I wanted to invite you to come and participate in the discussion. You may have read this book already...it was recommended to me last year by some students at Hinsdale Central High School who had read it for class. If you haven't read it, it's definitely worth it.

The book group will meet on Tuesday, April 24 at Fourth Church from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.

I hope to see you there!

Preach It!

This commentary by Roland Martin, a talk show host from here in Chicago, is featured on CNN.com today. I thought it was worth sharing, not just because I agree with his perspective, but because it is getting wide exposure through a media giant like CNN. We need to get more Christian voices like this one out there.

Here are some highlights from Martin's commentary:

"When did it come to the point that being a Christian meant caring about only two issues,­ abortion and homosexuality?"

"Many people believe we are engaged in a holy war. And we are. But it's not with Muslims. The real war -- ­ the silent war ­-- is being engaged among Christians, and that's what we must set our sights on."

"I've grown tired of people who pimp God."

"If abortion and gay marriage are part of the Christian agenda, I have no issue with that. Those are moral issues that should be of importance to people of the faith, but the agenda should be much, much broader."

Were You There?

Just moments ago, I returned to my office after our Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service at Fourth Church. It was a powerful service of communion, scripture reading, singing, and the extinguishing of candles as the sanctuary grew progressively darker.

I've been to many tenebrae services before, but this was my first at Fourth. Sitting on the chancel, looking back on this magnificent building created for the purpose of worshiping a God of awe and wonder, I was moved by the presence of the Spirit.

I'm often humbled when I lead worship at Fourth. It's such an amazing worship space with such an incredible history.

But tonight I felt something a little different. As the sanctuary grew dark, with every light extinguished, I realized that the darkness that we experienced tonight is the same darkness that envelops every place of worship during this Holy Week. Darkness doesn't discriminate. From the smallest chapel to the largest cathedral, we find ourselves in utter darkness. The passion of Christ reminds us with startling immediacy of the darkness in our world, a darkness that the love of God in Christ comes to vanquish. But we must all live in the darkness, at least for a little while.

In the darkness tonight, as the city moved with life outside the walls of our sanctuary, everyone inside was perfectly still and quiet, except for a single voice singing the powerful words of the old spiritual, "Were You There?"

Were you there? I wonder if the African American slaves that first sang this song knew the profundity of this theology? Whether they could have put into words or not, I suspect that they did. They felt it in there deepest beings.

Were you there? Throughout the evening we heard the story of Christ's passion read. The voices were those of my colleagues, my friends.

Were you there? When our pastor, John Buchanan, introduced the Lord's Supper, he retold the story of Jesus' final meal with his friends with an intensity and gravitas that I have rarely felt before.

I was there.

This story is my story. It's our story. And we relive it every year at this time.

Truth be told, we relive it every day of our lives.

I am a student of the Bible. I spend my life dissecting and interpreting this story. I read it over and over. I teach it. I explain it. I preach it. I believe it. I doubt it.

Tonight I lived it.

Were you there?

I was, and I'll never be the same.

She Ate a Rat!

My friend Kimberlee Frost is currently a PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer in Ghana. You can read about her adventures at my life in ghana... . Her most recent post, i heart eating meat... is both hilarious and moving. It's moving because it demonstrates the kinds of incredible experiences she is having. It's hilarious because for years Kimberlee was a vegetarian...well, mostly at least. I would have never imagined her eating a rat. Mission work is great...

Catching Up

I've been way behind on blogging the past several weeks. I'll try to do some catching up this weekend...

Water Polo Rocks!

Okay, so this weekend turned out to not be so hot for a Senior High retreat. I was pretty bummed earlier this week when it looked like we would have to cancel it. But then I got the idea that if people can't go because of other events, I would do everything I could to make it to those events.

So, Jeff and I began our weekend of event jumping by catching the end of Stu and Jacob's water polo game. This was the first water polo match either one of us had been to. We both agreed that this is an awesome sport. There are more games tomorrow, which I'm pretty pumped for.

Tomorrow we'll also see Elsa play lacrosse and Sierra and Allison perform in a play. On Sunday we'll see Ben and Jacob play soccer.

I hope to have pictures of all this tomorrow.

Feel free to join us. This is a great weekend to see everyone in their element!

Fast Food Justice

This Sunday at Senior Highs (12:30 to 2:00 in the Crow's Nest), we will welcome two great speakers who will share with us their work with farm workers seeking justice from fast food companies.

Don't Let McDonald's Profit From Farm worker Exploitation!

Join the Rev. Noelle Damico, coordinator of the PC(USA)'s Campaign for Fair Food and a farm worker from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to learn more about how the church is working with tomato pickers to demand McDonald's ensure human rights and fair wages, and why youth are essential in this movement.

April 13 and 14 will be major days of action with the farm workers here in Chicagoland. There are lots of ways you can participate. Come to the presentation and visit www.pcusa.org/fairfood and www.ciw-online.org for more information.

The Theology of "24"

I must admit that I'm not a follower of the hit TV show 24. I vaguely remember watching it for a few episodes when it first began and noting how bold a show it was coming so soon after 9/11. But I guess I lost interest and never got back on the bandwagon.

Yesterday's Sightings had a really interesting piece on the theological aspects of the show. You should check it our here.

I suppose I ought to rent the DVDs, catch up, and join the masses.

Faith-based Parks?

A brief note in the January 23 issue of The Christian Century alerted me to a new arena in the debate between creationists and those who follow the mainstream theories of geology and evolution.

It turns out that officials in the National Park Service, appointed by President Bush, are stirring up controversy by introducing a variety of religious elements into our national parks. According to a group called Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the NPS "has approved the display of religious symbols and Bible verses, as well as the sale of creationist books giving a biblical explanation for the Grand Canyon and other natural wonders." You can read about this controversy on PEER's website here, here, and here.

Reading about this reminded me of a trip Anna and I took to Arches National Park in Utah this past fall. On a ranger led hike through one of the most geologically interesting areas of the park, the ranger explained to us the geological theories about the creation of the park but had to preface it with a caveat that this was only one explanation, in order to not offend anyone who might maintain a creationist or "young earth" understanding of geologic history. I thought the need for such a preface was interesting, but didn't think much more about it until I read about this more widespread issue.

As a Christian pastor, theologian, and lover of the outdoors and our national parks, I find these developments disturbing. It bothers me that conservative Christians are using positions of power to push their beliefs on others at these natural treasures. I'm especially bothered because I find visiting these places to be deeply spiritual, not because they are evidence of a world-wide flood caused by God several thousand years ago (which has no real evidence at all), but because these wonders point to the magnificence of God's creation and to a God that is revealed through that creation.

When I hiked through the Grand Canyon a few years ago, I was indeed struck by how that experience raised many theological and spiritual questions for me. And I agree that there is a place for debates about the conflicts between a literal reading of the Bible and the theories of modern science. But the way that this has taken place in our national parks is not the way to do it.

And though I have a habit of buying a bunch of books at park bookstores when I visit, if this is the best we can do, I'd rather see the bookstores removed and let the parks speak for themselves.