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.