Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Report 3
Ministry/Personal Reflection
Culture Shock!
I had a great week of ministry with my the youth. Last week was 4-H fair week. Basically 90% of our youth group are involved in 4-H! Being the city slicker that I am (hailing from Chicago and Indianapolis area) this is a whole new world for me. When Heath and I began working with this church a little over a year ago, I remember thinking, 'How am I going to relate to their environment?!" Now, I can say that I have been to a 4-H fair, been to numerous farms (pig, horse, chicken, turkey, cows...etc), and understand that the ways of country folk! Learning about a new world and culture has been an incredibly fun and exciting experience. A few weeks ago Michaela, one of our students, showed me around her pig farm. She sat back in amazement and laughed at how little I knew about pigs. That was my first time really being around pigs! Let me tell you, those creatures are huge!
Trusting God
I never would have imagined that God would use me in this culture because of my lack of experience and knowledge. But I realize that God doesn't take us to places we already know everything about. God takes us to places where we need to learn and be humbled. I have been humbled and taught so much since being at Central Christian. God has truly affirmed that the only plans that I should make in life involve making plans to listen to where He is calling me. If I had it my way (which I know I shouldn't) I would not be working at a church until after I graduated. Yet, like a good Father, He knows what is best for me (even if I am being the kicking and screaming toddler trying to get her way!)It all comes down to trusting in God. It comes down to knowing Him and being in a relationship with Him.
Bonding Time
So this past week was a great time of bonding for our youth group (summer is all just being and hanging out). Heath has been moved to 3rd shift (11pm to 7am) which has been another blessing. He is now able to hang out with the youth during the week. As I talked about in my last blog, not having Heath around is difficult. Yet, I appreciated him so much more this past week knowing what it felt like not having him around. We went to the 4-H fair three times, a couple baseball games, and held a small group Bible study for our worship team.
Worship Team
God has been challenging Heath and I with how to lead a group of students to do a worship team. All throughout our youth group days, we led worship. Now, we are instilling that knowledge into out youth. However, we were not planning to start a worship band anytime soon. Yet, some of our musically gifted teens keep prodding us to start one. Heath and I were very hesitant at first and here were our reasons:
1. Intentions/Motives: were their intentions for starting a worship band for the sake of the youth ministry/worshiping God or for self-glorification
2. Knowledge/Experience: none of the students have done it before
3. Readiness: our youth group has never had a worship band and therefore are not familiar with "worship time"
So this is what God has led us to do: Allow them to sink or swim but provide life vests! We have really let them "do their thing" on one condition, they must attend a weekly Bible study. By doing this they are proving their commitment to the worship team. We are watching how faithful they are in showing up, discussing, and putting into the Bible study time. We are also watching their attitudes, their witness, etc. God has blessed this process so beautifully. Last week was our first small group time. Right now we are going through Dr. Drury's book, Unveiled Faces, which focuses on spiritual disciplines. Our thoughts, by going through spiritual disciplines, the outflow/result will be worship. We can teach them all about what worship is and how to go about it. But if they do not understand and have a relationship with the one they are worshiping then the rest is useless.
Spiritual Reflection
I am learning more about listening to God, particularly listening on what I need to work on in becoming who He intends me to be. Being a minister is such a humbling experience. Our lives are truly on display. Everything we say and do is observed. This can make you or break you spiritually. I am learning to take constructive criticism and plan criticism, it is difficult for me. I have realized just how much I take what others thoughts, feelings, and perspectives are about me. I realize that this can be dangerous if I let them define me. God has been teaching me that I must only allow Him to define me. Also, I am bound to make mistakes, I am human. I am not going to be perfect at ministry. But their is beauty in brokenness. I am embracing the fact that God covers our imperfections.
Going through the spiritual disciplines with our worship team is going to be an amazing experience. This week we are doing the spiritual discipline of fasting. Right now I am experiencing and doing that discipline. It is incredible how fasting truly sets our perspective on life and especially on God. In my physical weak state, I am humbled by hunger. My physical hunger and my spiritual. I realize just how much more I need God. I am suddenly aware of my spiritual dehydration and malnutrition. I need to drink deeply from God's Spirit and consume more of His truth, His word.
Hours for the Week of June 22 to 28th:
4-H/Activities/Hanging out ( 12 hours)
Pastoral Counseling (2 hours)
Community Lunch Program (3 hours)
Church Time/Office Hours/Preparation (8 hours)
total: 25hours
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Report #2
So I have been horrible with blogging...
I have much to talk about and share, though!
Personal/Spiritual Reflection
I have truly experienced being a full-time youth pastor (with the part-time pay!). Heath, my husband, and I are co-youth pastoring at Central Christian Church which means this: He writes the sermons and gives them...I do the planning/organizing. It works, too! We do what we are naturally good at or what comes more natural to us. Heath can write a good, solid sermon in 30minutes flat (although he puts more time into sermons!) and it will take me weeks...when it comes to planning..it takes Heath much longer when planning/organizing is like breathing to me.
This past month God has challenged me to do what I am not comfortable with....writing sermons and dealing with confrontation. Heath has a full-time job which has switched him to second shift (3pm to 11pm)and sometimes asked to work Sunday evenings (our youth group time). I have had to step up my game! God is teaching me...
1. What I need to work on as a minister
2. What it feels like to do ministry alone
3. What to do when you haven't a clue
1. What I need to work on...
1. Sermon Preparation
I know that God has given me the ability to preach. I know that He has called me to preach. However, my confidence in my abilities is low...mainly in my preparing abilities. I fear that I lack knowledge and understanding. I am so worried about messing up or not giving the right information that I lose sight of the calling altogether: to preach God's word to His lost children.
2. Patience, Perspective, Peace
I love children and teenagers. I love learning about their lives and spending time with them. Yet, when I am in "go-mode" for putting on a fundraiser, getting everyone to listen, organizing an event, etc. I have learned that they take A LOT of work to bring all together as I a group. This is where patience, perspective, and peace of mind come into play. I realized when I was running the Spaghetti Dinner Theater Show that I lost my patience, perspective and peace of mind when they were not listening or cooperating.
3. Poured Into.
My tank is running on E...which takes a lot. I need to be poured into. How do I do that...continually read the Word, be in God's presence and be with His church. I rarely get to BE WITH His Body because I am also running Children's Church on Sunday mornings. My husband and I are looking into getting a young adult bible study together or joining one at College Wesleyan.
2. What it feels like to do ministry alone:
1. Without my ministry partner:
I confirm that Heath is my other half...I do not like doing ministry without him. Together, we are complete. These past few weeks without him have been challenging. But there has been wonderful growth out of the challenges.
2. Without my sponsors:
Most of our sponsors are college students who have gone home for the summer. The others have been busy visiting families and going on vacations. I realize just how much we cannot do youth ministry without our sponsors. One Sunday, it was me and 26 students! YIKES!
We were not called to do ministry alone. These past weeks have definitely confirmed that!
3. What do when haven't a clue:
In these past few weeks I have dealt with situations that no youth class or Christian ministries class could have prepared me for. I mean BIG! In the same week I dealt with a sexual harassment case where I had to deal with two families and youth as well as well as a pregnancy crisis. Needless to say, in both situations God's grace and wisdom was with me. I knew that I could not deal with either situation without His guidance. Both situations have shaken our youth group, but have not destroyed it.
Breakdown of Hours throughout the weeks:
May 25th through May 31st
-East of Chicago Fundraiser (6 hours)
-Preparing for Youth Group (3 hours)
-Extracurricular activities/being with youth (4 hours)
June 1st through the 7th
-preparing for youth fundraiser (3 hours)
-extracurricular activities/being with youth (4 hours)
-Preparing for youth Sunday (3 hours)
June 8th through the 14th
-fundraiser practice everynight (8 to 10 hours)
-day of fundraiser (9 hours)
-preparing for youth group (2 hours)
-counseling/intervention (2 hours)
June 15th through the 21st
-Karaeoke Tuesday (4 hours)
-Counseling (3 hours)
-Preparing for Youth Sunday (1 hour)
-Extracurricular activities/ 4-H/ Hanging Out (5 to 7 hours)
I have much to talk about and share, though!
Personal/Spiritual Reflection
I have truly experienced being a full-time youth pastor (with the part-time pay!). Heath, my husband, and I are co-youth pastoring at Central Christian Church which means this: He writes the sermons and gives them...I do the planning/organizing. It works, too! We do what we are naturally good at or what comes more natural to us. Heath can write a good, solid sermon in 30minutes flat (although he puts more time into sermons!) and it will take me weeks...when it comes to planning..it takes Heath much longer when planning/organizing is like breathing to me.
This past month God has challenged me to do what I am not comfortable with....writing sermons and dealing with confrontation. Heath has a full-time job which has switched him to second shift (3pm to 11pm)and sometimes asked to work Sunday evenings (our youth group time). I have had to step up my game! God is teaching me...
1. What I need to work on as a minister
2. What it feels like to do ministry alone
3. What to do when you haven't a clue
1. What I need to work on...
1. Sermon Preparation
I know that God has given me the ability to preach. I know that He has called me to preach. However, my confidence in my abilities is low...mainly in my preparing abilities. I fear that I lack knowledge and understanding. I am so worried about messing up or not giving the right information that I lose sight of the calling altogether: to preach God's word to His lost children.
2. Patience, Perspective, Peace
I love children and teenagers. I love learning about their lives and spending time with them. Yet, when I am in "go-mode" for putting on a fundraiser, getting everyone to listen, organizing an event, etc. I have learned that they take A LOT of work to bring all together as I a group. This is where patience, perspective, and peace of mind come into play. I realized when I was running the Spaghetti Dinner Theater Show that I lost my patience, perspective and peace of mind when they were not listening or cooperating.
3. Poured Into.
My tank is running on E...which takes a lot. I need to be poured into. How do I do that...continually read the Word, be in God's presence and be with His church. I rarely get to BE WITH His Body because I am also running Children's Church on Sunday mornings. My husband and I are looking into getting a young adult bible study together or joining one at College Wesleyan.
2. What it feels like to do ministry alone:
1. Without my ministry partner:
I confirm that Heath is my other half...I do not like doing ministry without him. Together, we are complete. These past few weeks without him have been challenging. But there has been wonderful growth out of the challenges.
2. Without my sponsors:
Most of our sponsors are college students who have gone home for the summer. The others have been busy visiting families and going on vacations. I realize just how much we cannot do youth ministry without our sponsors. One Sunday, it was me and 26 students! YIKES!
We were not called to do ministry alone. These past weeks have definitely confirmed that!
3. What do when haven't a clue:
In these past few weeks I have dealt with situations that no youth class or Christian ministries class could have prepared me for. I mean BIG! In the same week I dealt with a sexual harassment case where I had to deal with two families and youth as well as well as a pregnancy crisis. Needless to say, in both situations God's grace and wisdom was with me. I knew that I could not deal with either situation without His guidance. Both situations have shaken our youth group, but have not destroyed it.
Breakdown of Hours throughout the weeks:
May 25th through May 31st
-East of Chicago Fundraiser (6 hours)
-Preparing for Youth Group (3 hours)
-Extracurricular activities/being with youth (4 hours)
June 1st through the 7th
-preparing for youth fundraiser (3 hours)
-extracurricular activities/being with youth (4 hours)
-Preparing for youth Sunday (3 hours)
June 8th through the 14th
-fundraiser practice everynight (8 to 10 hours)
-day of fundraiser (9 hours)
-preparing for youth group (2 hours)
-counseling/intervention (2 hours)
June 15th through the 21st
-Karaeoke Tuesday (4 hours)
-Counseling (3 hours)
-Preparing for Youth Sunday (1 hour)
-Extracurricular activities/ 4-H/ Hanging Out (5 to 7 hours)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Youth Practicum Update
Hello fellow youth practicum bloggers...!
I apologize for not blogging the entire month of May. I must say, the month was a doozey. Now that the storm has settled, I can look back and reflect on all that has happened.
I attended two funerals and experienced four deaths, one in my family, and three in the church family. Where grace is needed, God makes sure it abounds. Death is such an unnatural occurrence to deal with, as it should be. We were not created for death. We cannot fathom it, really. As I ministered to those in my family, students in my youth group, and those in the church, I realized just how death is so surreal for everyone. I also realized that ministering to others in this time means simply listening.
I am such a "fixer" and a "healer." Many dawn me as the motherly type because I want to take care of people. As I watched others mourning the deaths of their loved ones, all I wanted to do was to heal them and take the pain away.But my husband, Heath, made a good point as he watched me try to fix everyone. It is okay for people to feel pain. Actually, pain is good. Tasting the bitterness of life wakes us up. At my grandmother's memorial service Heath quoted C.S. Lewis in his eulogy,
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Oh, how God speaks to us in our pains. It is in our pains that we reach out to Him. When the waves are crashing around us and the storm is getting fierce it is then we realize the we need a lifeboat. The whole time the lifeboat has been there, but we have failed to recognize it. In the times of turmoil and pain, we seek it. Death may be the hardest times of all. I praise God for working in the lives of those who experienced such pain this past month. The beauty of God is that He takes our bitterness and turns it into bittersweet.
I realized that it is not for me to take away the pains of others. I would be robbing them of blessings. Yes, blessings (James 1). I would be withholding God's presence in such hard times.I also realized that I am unable to take away the pains of others. All I can do it allow myself to be used by the one who can, our Creator, Redeemer, Deliverer, and friend, Jesus Christ.
Since then, I have been getting back on track with the summer ministry plans. I am leading twelve of our youth on a missions trip to Cincinnati, OH with YouthWorks. We are teaming up with Fall Creek Wesleyan Church in Fishers, IN (my home church). We just had an all youth group fundraiser at East of Chicago Pizza in Gas City and came out with a good sum of cash. Yesterday afternoon I held a meeting with missions team to talk about more fund raising opportunities. The biggest for them individually is to send out support letters. Our big fund raiser event will be in less than two weeks at the church. We are putting on a dinner theater show on June 14th @ 6:00. If you are in the area, we'd love to see you there!
Other than that I have been preparing sermons, watching their sports games, having lunch with them at their school, and finding other times to hang out. I believe the big hang out spot for the summer will be The Varsity Grill on Tuesdays. They have GREAT food and karaoke. At first it was something that I did with my friends who stayed for May term, but now it is turning into a time for those in the youth group to have fun with their youth pastor!
Well, that is all for now.
I will be documenting my hours by the end of this week. :)
I apologize for not blogging the entire month of May. I must say, the month was a doozey. Now that the storm has settled, I can look back and reflect on all that has happened.
I attended two funerals and experienced four deaths, one in my family, and three in the church family. Where grace is needed, God makes sure it abounds. Death is such an unnatural occurrence to deal with, as it should be. We were not created for death. We cannot fathom it, really. As I ministered to those in my family, students in my youth group, and those in the church, I realized just how death is so surreal for everyone. I also realized that ministering to others in this time means simply listening.
I am such a "fixer" and a "healer." Many dawn me as the motherly type because I want to take care of people. As I watched others mourning the deaths of their loved ones, all I wanted to do was to heal them and take the pain away.But my husband, Heath, made a good point as he watched me try to fix everyone. It is okay for people to feel pain. Actually, pain is good. Tasting the bitterness of life wakes us up. At my grandmother's memorial service Heath quoted C.S. Lewis in his eulogy,
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Oh, how God speaks to us in our pains. It is in our pains that we reach out to Him. When the waves are crashing around us and the storm is getting fierce it is then we realize the we need a lifeboat. The whole time the lifeboat has been there, but we have failed to recognize it. In the times of turmoil and pain, we seek it. Death may be the hardest times of all. I praise God for working in the lives of those who experienced such pain this past month. The beauty of God is that He takes our bitterness and turns it into bittersweet.
I realized that it is not for me to take away the pains of others. I would be robbing them of blessings. Yes, blessings (James 1). I would be withholding God's presence in such hard times.I also realized that I am unable to take away the pains of others. All I can do it allow myself to be used by the one who can, our Creator, Redeemer, Deliverer, and friend, Jesus Christ.
Since then, I have been getting back on track with the summer ministry plans. I am leading twelve of our youth on a missions trip to Cincinnati, OH with YouthWorks. We are teaming up with Fall Creek Wesleyan Church in Fishers, IN (my home church). We just had an all youth group fundraiser at East of Chicago Pizza in Gas City and came out with a good sum of cash. Yesterday afternoon I held a meeting with missions team to talk about more fund raising opportunities. The biggest for them individually is to send out support letters. Our big fund raiser event will be in less than two weeks at the church. We are putting on a dinner theater show on June 14th @ 6:00. If you are in the area, we'd love to see you there!
Other than that I have been preparing sermons, watching their sports games, having lunch with them at their school, and finding other times to hang out. I believe the big hang out spot for the summer will be The Varsity Grill on Tuesdays. They have GREAT food and karaoke. At first it was something that I did with my friends who stayed for May term, but now it is turning into a time for those in the youth group to have fun with their youth pastor!
Well, that is all for now.
I will be documenting my hours by the end of this week. :)
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