A Day in the Life

Karl Bastian has done it again over at Toybox Tales! TbT's came from Karl's imagination and a little help from a video camera and computer. Oh and did I mention the action figures? I guess that is a perfect way to reuse all the old figures that have been laying around our bedrooms that our parents have collected and stored for our "kids?" Or so my guy friends tell me. The tales are a wonderful collection of presenting key scriptural, discipleship and theology to children and adults in a way that keeps their attention and makes it resonate in the world where they live. Celebrating his 100th TbT, Karl created one that speaks to the heart of anyone who ministers - yet especially those who minister to children.

http://www.toyboxtales.com/flashtales/100-a-day-in-the-life.html

Sunday Reflection - 525,600 minutes

525,600 minutes,
525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?

How about love?
Measure in love. Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes!
525,000 journeys to plan.
525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.
It’s time now to sing out,
tho the story never ends
let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends.

Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love.

This past Thursday marked the one year point back in the Bay Area. It really has been a fresh start in many ways. I find myself on a regular basis using all the discoveries that I've made over the past in my daily life. I knew several years ago it was time to invite God into some of the more deeper areas of my life experience and seek some real, permanant healing. I didn't know at the onset how deep some of the wounds were. Never connected some of the quirks that I had developed with the reason they originated in the first place. Then, once I made the discovery it was learning how to become aware of when/how my buttons were pushed. And boundaries - lots of boundary work. It has been the quintessential "Romans 7" experience of recovery.

I share that because this year has been such a refreshing year. The year that things are beginning to make sense - where I can see the benefit of having gone through all the muck to have moments like I am now. So how do I measure the year in my life?

*In new vision, renewed purpose/passion
*In being stretched and discovering I won't break
*In learning that it is good to ask for help
*In quiet moments, cups of coffee and reflection
*In the gift of long time friendships, and the promise of new ones *In realizing that it isn't "all about me"
*In not buying into the lies of my past
*In seeing God take a vision and start laying the foundation
*In the sense of calm and contentment
*In discovering that God continually is giving me all I need
*In stronger boundaries
*In learning when to speak and when to be quiet
*In understanding the power of speaking blessings

Yesterday I had an opportunity to not revert back to my former actions. I'm a perfectionist at heart, and don't like when things go wrong that are outside of my ability to "fix". When a situation with a vendor rose up a few weeks ago, I began to obsess about it, and realized that it was hitting on one of those old beliefs - that I don't like disappointing people. I let it eat at me for half an hour and then looked at the situation, the options and did what I could to rectify things on my end, communicating to the person where my limits were. In response the person sent me an email this morning telling me how much they appreciated me.

Had I allowed myself to get worked up about the situation to the extent that I have in the past, I would have missed out on the lessons learned this week. Instead, I had a chance to see the positives that have happened in ministry this year, recognize what I have done that is blessing others. See the relationships that have begun, and the ministry relationships that I am developing - and the new friendships that God has blessed me with. And at the end of the day I realize that it is really all about relationships, all about love and all about God working in us in ways we'd never conceive once give permission to move the furniture.

A Prayer for Myanmar

This beautiful, litany is found on "Monastic Mumblings" (see under "blogs I read" - let us hold up this devastated country in their tragic loss of life, property and infrastructure asking that God may make a way for humanitarian aid and assistance to come to Burma/Myanmar.

Litany for Myanmar

Almighty and gracious God, we come to You with our hearts full of prayers both spoken and those that cannot be put into words. As the ancient psalmist wrote You are our refuge and strength, the light in the darkness, and so with confidence we offer our prayers to You for Myanmar, striken by violent powerful winds, rain and terrifying, destructive ocean surges. Gather them and us under Your wings, calm all our fears and keep our faith strong.

Lord hear our prayers.

At a time like this we stand in awe of the power of nature - the wind and the sea - with its terrible capacity to destroy as well as to save and we are reminded of our vulnerability as human creatures who inhabit this vast earth. We bring to You in prayer our questions, our humility and also our trust in this hour of need.

Lord hear our prayers.

We pray for those who grieve the loss of family, friends and neighbors, for those who are injured, those separated and searching for family, for those who have been traumatized.
we ask for Your continued healing presence in their lives and we commend to Your care all those who have died.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give to Your loving care all those who are involved in rescuing people and those caring for the injured in hospitals and clinics. Be especially with all the churches and people as they minister in Your name to the people. May they be the Christ Who serves with wounded hands,and stretch out their hands to serve. Sustain them through this time of tremendous loss and stress.

Lord hear our prayers.

We commend to Your care all those are working in debris removal and cleaning up. We especially pray for those burdened by unimaginable losses and who have found themselves like refugees in their own country. May shelter and clean water and food and medicines and comfort be supplied as quickly as possible.

Lord hear our prayers

We pray for those - especially the poor, who live along the coast and delta and whose livelihoods have been lost or impacted by this disaster and ask that You would raise them up and bless them. We pray for those whose workplaces have become unsafe and who face an uncertain future and ask that they may find the assistance they need

Lord hear our prayers.

We pray for those communities that have been devastated that they may live and learn and support one another and have joy in their lives once again. May this disaster bring people together to rebuild their cities, and to fill their lives with justice, their plates with food and their streets with music,. Bring them peace and healing from all evil.

Lord hear our prayers.
We pray for those traveling, who feel homesick and far away from loved ones and their homes at this time; those who are trying to get in contact with family and who are worried and frustrated and who long to embrace their families. Comfort families across the distance.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives, especially the gifts we so often take for granted until they are in danger of being taken away from us - the gift of family, friends, a home, our possessions. Most of all we praise God for the gift of life itself.

Lord hear our prayers.

We also pray for all people of the human family all around the world affected by other natural disasters. O God, Great Shepherd of the sheep, gather us all in Your arms and lead us safely within the one fold of Your love.

Sermon - Mark Chapter 5

I was scheduled to preach during this Markan series on the 18th with Mark 6 as my chapter, about a week and a half ago, I was asked to switch with another Pastor and got the plumb chapter - Chapter 5 which was a somewhat less daunting than chapter 6 was.

The sermon prep went well up until the editing - I had the beginning and end and most of the middle was in good shape, I struggled with transition and application in light of the fact that this was the sermon immediately following the "BIG MEETING" we had last Sunday night to finally air out every minute aspect of what had happened over the past year or two. There would be people who I sure would hope that the meeting would be addressed (my response - "sorry, to disappoint but the meeting said it all and it is done and I pray everything is put to rest finally."); but it was a good experience in the fine balance between preaching with the authority given one is given to proclaim the gospel while maintaining the boundary that you are not speaking as the Senior Pastor either.

Then there was the challenge of distilling an entire chapter into a sermon - I could have picked a piece but in studying this past week it really felt to me that to single out on scene would really dillute the impact of what was happening in the entire chapter. Then there was the fact that I had never preached (outside of a liturgical setting that is) on a "Communion Sunday" - thankfully I was able to ask to have the communion done by intinction which really added to the congregational response dimension.

After 5 or so edits on Saturday night, still not totally happy with what was happening, I finally just let it go as you have it here. It's been a long time since being anxious about preaching, but for whatever reason (see the above listed) I was definately aware that I of it. Thankfully once I got into the sermon the anxiety disappeared. (Thank you God for all those acting classes!) So here's the sermon below - if you're interested in an .mp3 email me and as soon as they are ready to go I'll send one to you.

This coming Sunday I'm delivering a combo "Mother's Day/Pentecost" children's sermon in the service - I think I've figured out how to merge the two...be afraid. Be very afraid!

P.S. - the endnotes are not fully cited here, I'm still learning how to use endnote and didn't do it correctly - sorry.


A mission to Awaken – Awaken to Mission
Mark 5
May 4, 2008

How many of you had the opportunity to go to the Progressive Dinner last week? One of the things I enjoyed was playing ‘Human Bingo.” Who knew we had so much talent at SRPC? I discovered we have experienced globe trotters, people who have graced the covers of magazines, and one who can say she is good friends with Shamu-I’m going to let you in on my little factoid I thought was too quirky to list. I love to hang out at airports. It’s the perfect place to people watch. I think it all started in high school when my youth group decided to hang out at the Fresno Airport. There were no great goals of evangelizing passengers but because we were confined to living in Fresno. Living in Fresno as a teen you have to come up with some really creative things to do on a Friday or Saturday night. After all, how many times can you go to Bob’s Big Boy, cruise Belmont Avenue or TP your youth pastor’s home? We’d develop characters, accents, and act out departure or arrival scenes. We’d manage a couple a night depending on how many people we had in our group or until the airport personnel would ask us to take the drama team somewhere else. While our welcome committees were anything but genuine; I’ve noticed something over my years of people watching at airports-I’ve never seen anyone met with jeers rather than cheers.

Last week in our walk through Mark we saw Jesus in two very different ways – we encountered him as one teaching with authority. Jesus would teach as though directly presenting truth rather than recounting what someone else had written. Yet there was another part of Mark 4 that we didn’t cover which leads into today’s chapter. The part took place after the teaching time. Jesus directs the apostles to head in the boat to the other side. In the midst of the travel a storm arose causing all aboard (except Jesus) to panic and fear for their safety. At their insistence and begging, Jesus rose from his sleep and rebuked the winds, causing the storm to cease about them. I’m sure that the 12 began to wonder just exactly who the person in that boat really was.

But another eye opener was waiting for them upon their arrival. The group had barely stepped on dry land when they are greeted by the “welcome committee” from Hell – literally. Their welcome came in the form of a man who had inhabited the nearby graveyard. A person controlled by powers outside of himself; this force has given him the ability to overthrow any attempts to be restrained. Unkempt, unwelcomed, this man is the depiction of the walking dead, just waiting for the actual event to catch up with him.

Jesus has not just traveled into another city – in this trip Jesus had crossed over to the land of the Gentiles. He invaded pagan territory. And the spiritual forces holding onto that area were not pleased. When Jesus arrived into this graveyard, Hell was put on notice. AS the man bows before Jesus and begs him not to torment him we’re presented with an interesting picture – this abnormally strong many prostrating himself before one who has just recently commanded the winds and the waves to be still. Rather than immediately taking on the ungodly presence Jesus does something unusual. He asks the walking dead man his name – Legion, or Mob, is his reply. Jesus knew that to name the demon is to strip it of any authority and gain power over it. In the next few moments, Jesus sends the mob that produces frenzy wherever it runs into a herd of swine, which meets its end as it plunges off the cliffs into the water below. I promise, I won’t make any jokes about flying pigs at this point but from a Jewish perspective, the scene is a joke; unclean spirits and unclean animals are both wiped out in one fell swoop, and a human being is cleansed. (Garland, 1996) Again, people are left wondering just who it is that they are dealing with for they now see in front of them a man who is no longer controlled by mob rule. Who no longer is in such inner pain that the howling has ceased. Who does not need to be restrained but rather now sits at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind. This dead man walking knows he has been restored to life. He is no longer dead and is told by Jesus to go and tell others in the Gentile regions his story and the story of Jesus. The townspeople however, experience the event differently. Rather than continue the journey with Jesus as the disciples would do, the townspeople beg Jesus to leave their city - fearful of what next may happen in this pagan territory.

You’d think that would be enough for Mark to share in this chapter but he continues to describe the further adventures with Jesus. Back into the boat they go – and find themselves back in familiar territory. It’s there that Jesus encounters Jairus. Let’s take a look at verses 21-24:

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the s synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at this feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and life.” He went with him.

Have you ever noticed that Jairus is the only one in this chapter who is named? Jairus held a position of prestige in the area – he was a leader of the synagogue, which can also be translated “president of the synagogue” (Sacra Pagina, 173) All we know is that his daughter is dying and he has come to bow at Jesus’ feet begging for the life of his child. That’s not the usual position for the religious folk when they encounter Jesus is it? The Greek describes the death as being immanent – time was of the essence. The only thing that was on Jairus’ mind was getting Jesus to his home to save his precious child.

Into the midst of this scene we find yet another person seeking out Jesus. In a bold move, a woman approaches Jesus and grabs onto his clothing. This was a gutsy move on so many levels. Not only is this woman touching a man; this woman has been hemorrhaging for twelve years making her unclean. She shouldn’t have been amongst the crow and she certainly should never have touched a man or spiritual leader. Mark gives us several clues about his woman – she speaks of spending all of her money on doctors – more than likely she was at one time well off – her “money has poured forth from her just as her blood has, yet for all that she has spent, she is worse, not better (O’Day, 247). She chose to seize the moment that has been presented, and found that her action has brought healing to her. Her nightmare was over. Possibly, she thought she could just take this healing and leave unnoticed; yet she was not the only individual who knew that something had happened. In an instant Jesus turned around and addressed those around him, demanding to know who had touched him. She could have chosen to leave, never admitting to her actions, She had w hat she came for. Yet Mark says she did something very curious. She tells “the whole truth “to Jesus. Gail O’Day, Associate Professor of Preaching at Emory University reflects on this odd action

“What does the whole truth have to do with a twelve year flow of blood? One would expect the woman to say to Jesus, “I am the one who touched you,” or “I am the one you seek,” but the woman does not hide behind such partial truths. By telling Jesus the whole truth, she yields her whole self to Jesus and holds nothing back.” (O’Day, 248)

Only in the honesty of whole truth is healing possible. (O’Day, 249) Jesus will not allow her to slip away and remain anonymous. He forces the issue so that when she leaves healed, she will leave knowing that the one who healed her knows her and cares for her. She is a person who is worth taking time with and addressing.

Now don’t forget – when did this whole encounter take place? During Jesus’ escort by Jairus to his home. By the time Jesus is through with his woman, Jairus’ servants have come to him, letting him know that his precious child had died. If I were Jairus – I’d be livid – on a triage scale – dying child trumps woman bleeding 12 years am I not right? Here he is a man of significance, a man of presence and his daughter now lies dead because Jesus too time out for a person of no means. His daughter is dead, and all that Jesus tells him is,”Don’t be afraid’ just believe [i.e., keep on believing].” He had shown faith in coming to Jesus in the first place, now he must continue. But how can faith endure in the face of death, particularly when it hovers over one’s cherished child? Both the woman and Jairus reveal that faith is something that trusts in the midst of hopelessness.

For Jairus, it must have been a challenge to cling onto the words of someone who is telling you your daughter will be well when the mourners are assembled at your home. These friends scoff at the words of Jesus not knowing that He has already raised up a walking dead man, and healed a woman cut off and isolated from community and soon with the words “little girl arise” brought Jairus’ daughter back from the dead.

I’ve marveled at the common thread woven throughout these experiences. All three of these people had experienced a type of death. Bound and tormented the demoniac begged for real death to rescue him from his painful existence; the woman had spent all her money, emotion and hope on cures that never produced healing; a father unable to protect his child from literal death. Each discovered how challenging it is to place one’s entire trust in another – yet each were willing to do just this, placing their literal lives in the hands of Jesus.

It’s no different for each of us. To trust one’s life to Jesus is to trust oneself to the risky possibilities offered by God. In offering our pain to God rather than denying it, we affirm the reality of the cross. The cross isn’t just a symbol of our faith – it is the absolute anchor upon which we fasten ourselves. (O’Day, 250) When we find ourselves found by attitudes, beliefs and actions we can’t seem to break free or for find relief from – we bind ourselves to the cross. If we’re surrounded by dying and broken relationships – we bind ourselves to the cross. The cross reminds us that the gift of life, of resurrection cannot happen unless we place our faith and our lives in the hands of a loving God – knowing that only in God can new life be given. (O’Day, 250)

Just as God through Jesus gave new life to the people we encountered this morning, God is faithful to us. God doesn’t leave us at the cross but restores us, renews us and resurrects us, sending us out to proclaim to others what God has done for us.

(BEAT: Walk to Communion Table)

I love this Table. What a powerful reminder that Jesus right now, is present among us. We come not only as individuals to the Table, we come as a community. A family that has been through much. This morning we have a holy moment to receive and extend life to our brothers and sisters in this room.

What happens at the Table is a mystery to me – God simultaneously reaching both individuals and this entire family with God’s presence and power. As we prepare to move into Communion this morning et us remember that Jesus is present to heal, to restore, and to resurrect. Just as the three people we encountered this morning, we can choose to let go of the things that have bound us, haunted us or are slowly killing our spirits when we come to the Table. It’s only by God’s amazing grace that we are made free.


ENDNOTES

Garland, “Original Meaning” In NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Mark. 202-218. Grand Rapids:MI Zondervan © 1996.
“Sacra Pagina” Mark 173
O’Day, 247
O’Day 248
O’Day, 250

Sunday Thought - When Your Church is Waiting for It's Second Wind

Okay, I finally had my first very minor freak out at church recently. Seems there have been a few people that a year and months after the SP's departure are still struggling with things related to that. It's not important to list those details, but I guess it could summarized in "at least in Egypt we knew what to expect. In the desert it's new every day."

From what I understand from my very healthy and in shape running friends, the ultimate test is to run a marathon. I had thought about it when I was much thinner, exercised to "wog" (walk/job) the 26.2 mile endeavor) as part of the Lukeumia Society's "Team in Training." I went as far as reaching my financial goal to participate yet found myself struggling in the training department. The people in the running group were runners. I am not. They were sleek, toned, conditioned and experienced. I was thin for me, but no where near their physical condition. At the end of my first morning I left and cried in the bathroom at home feeling like I was an absolute failure. From that point on I had conditioned myself to believe that I would never succeed in the experience and of course fulfilled my own self-fulfilling prophecy.

A few years ago, I came to discover something I didn't know about churches. Churches are full of imperfect people. For those of you who are more astute than I, you probably already knew that. I, on the other hand am either too Pollyanna-ish, or just incredibly slow on the uptake. When I began working in church life, it was amazing to discover that the individuals who "do" church on Sundays struggle with the same behaviors, personalities, doubts and flaws as those in the pews do. I guess somewhere in the process, I thought that leaders were farther along in the sanctification process than pew people. What I discovered was that outside of the service, people are people. When I began to step into leadership, the areas and issues I dealt with seemed to fly up into my face on a daily basis. It is a challenge to think that others look to you as a source of hope and wisdom for their spiritual lives when sometimes you are asking yourself the same questions that they are. When churches (and leadership) struggle it's often because we have lost sight of our own limitations, we hold someone to a higher standard of behavior than we hold ourselves to ("I want a Pastor/leader to be the kind of Christian I can't be") or we just can't let go of the past and begin to move forward in hope.

So - back to the minor freak moment. I had left knowing that there were at least two families on the "departing the church" fence. One had already notified me that they were leaving. Because we're a small church, and thus a small Children's Ministries program, any family that leaves creates a significant dent in our percentages. When I arrived back, the dent was a 10%+ decline rate in our Children's numbers. I'm thankful to learn that all the families that I spoke with over the past few months that were leaning towards departure were doing so for reasons outside of the ministry area I have oversight to - yet saddened nonetheless to see them leave. A second blow came when I arrived back into the office and discovered our Student Ministries Director had submitted their resignation. That's when the freak happened. Not because of the resignation, but of what that might signify to individuals - would they think that the health of Children/Youth programs were at stake? Was there something going on that they should be concerned about? For me - the inevitable questions was "would I have a job this time next year?" followed by "*$&%, I found a place that I sync with, and is that in jepoardy?"

God, my Spiritual Director tells me, is more concerned with my willingness to obey than my obedience when all the dots are connecting. It's the reminder that humanity is in the dark no matter how clearly we think we see the picture before us. When our community moves forward with a pledge drive to secure finances for our SP position, we are moving foward in the belief that not only is this church going to be here in twelve months, but we will be moving forward in vision and purpose under the leadership of an SP. When I am creating my budget for Children's Ministries, I am believing that outreach and connecting with the community will become a bigger part of what we do as a community than it has during this hibernation period. When we search for an interim Youth Director, we're letting parents know that nothing will stall, and we're moving forward believing for new things for our youth. Where before I would have wanted to polish off the resume at the first sign of trouble, I came out of the moment more committed to the ministry set before me. God has (and is) calling me to radical trust in this area. There are good things waiting to happen, transition happens. And yes, it often takes much longer to happen than we think it should.

Leaders are not perfect. Pastors (and ministry staff) are no different than anyone else, with the minor exception that we may be more aware of our weaknesses to the extent that we're vulnerable before God. Our community has been running the equivalent of a marathon these past few months/years and we are hitting the proverbial 24.0 mile marker. I hear this for some is the "wall" point. Where you are willing to cash in all your chips and just stop believing you don't have enough stuff left in you to finish the race. For some people in the community, I think this is where they are at. Change takes time. It's hard to keep moving forward when one is not totally sure where you are going. It's been a long season, and the ending point still isn't in clear sight. Perhaps it would have been better to never have started the journey at all, rather finding something else to do (or place to worship)instead.

But it's after the wall that you hit your second wind. That energy that comes seemingly out of nowhere to propell you towards the finish. For us, that wind takes place in the interview that is happening across the hall for an Interim Youth Director, the Search Committee who is having second interviews with applicants, the Children's Ministry team who is gearing up for VBS with kickoff Sunday today and recruiting for Summer Children's Church. It's reminding ourselves that we are a part of something greater than what we can physically see - and this is the point of the race we're running that we sometimes need to focus our eyes on the crowd of witness cheering us on while waiting for the finish line to come more clearly into focus.

With a little help from my friends

It's Sunday night and I'm sitting in a LaQuinta Inn hotel room in Fresno, CA. This is the final pit stop on the "couch trip express." I am finding it hard to believe that after tomorrow, I'll be back in the real world again. And - looking forward to my next vacation in June.

Here are a few of the highlights:


I've never been called "grandma" before!: P, my best friend's little boy (age 5 1/2) shared in his J-Kindergarten class that he thought his grandma was coming to visit him that afternoon. Wow, now I know that I must look old to a 5 year old! He now has the distinct privilege of being the only person anywhere on the face of the earth who can call me grandma and live!

How fast time flies: It's hard to believe that P's sister M has just turned 8. She is becoming a darling little girl who is intelligent, sensitive, funny and athletic. Her passion is gymnastics and I marvel at the way that she moves her body so effortlessly on and off of a balance beam.

Friends: My former Rector in Beverly Hills told me that the relationships that I make in seminary would last a lifetime. Fuller has given me an opportunity to cross paths with so many - and there are 5 in particular that I can't imagine not having them a part of my world. This past week I was able to catch up with them. We had a great dinner Thursday night at my friend E's new home - she and her fiance R just purchased a home and we all had a chance to catch up there. Two of the group introduced us to their new significant others and the others (me that is!) enjoyed the introduction.

pampering is in: I finally used the last of the spa coupons that I have been saving since 2004 - yes you read correctly. Thursday I had a mini spa morning with a massage, mani/pedi and the Langham (former Ritz Carlton in Pasadena). The grounds are gorgeous, the time and quiet sublime and there's that little girl that all women have that loved to be pampered and have her nails done. On Saturday I took N back to the hotel for high tea. While we were there we had a chance to watch an outdoor wedding on the back lawn of the hotel - with a couple of my friends marrying this year I'm once again caught up in the news and pre wedding plans of friends. Two pots of tea, a wide variety of treats later we left happy and pampered.

Unexpected Surprises: ASL Story Time at the Deaf West Theatre in Hollywood. My friend E is taking certification courses in ASL and I got to tag along while she completed an assignment. Signed by a member of the Theatre, Rainbow Fish, Peter Rabbit and Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You were signed for both hearing and non hearing children and adults. Watching the dance between the spoken and unspoken word was beautiful to watch, especially as hearing impaired children had a chance to participate in something as simple as sharing a story together.

Griffith Park: My friend S surprised me this morning by taking me to lunch and then time at the Griffith Park Observatory. It had been closed for several years for major refurbishing and retrofitting and I guess opened up again last year. I can't wait to post the pics. The new presentation that the observatory has "Centered in the Universe" is a beautiful mixture of music, sight, sound and story woven together in a way that engages the audience in the quest for what lies outside of the world that we know. With hands on demonstrations and some incredible new exhibits it is worth the visit - especially when the only admission ($7) is for the presentation.

Good Friends: I lived in LA for over 14 years and there are two women in particular who I consider good friends. J, is the mom of P and M, my former roommate. We still have the ability to return to "roommate speak", finishing or saying the same thing at exactly the same time. S is a creative, passionate woman who enjoys life. 3 years is too long not to see each other, yet the test of friendship I guess can be that we pick up without missing a beat when we're together, no matter how much time has passed.

Well, it's after midnight, and I am going to pack it in for now. Tomorrow/today I am going to the cemetary to take care of my dad's grave and hopefully take a drive along the blossom trail which should be beautiful this time of year. It's been over five years since I've been in the city and I am curious to see how much it's changed. Then it's home to my little Diva Dog, my awesome roommie who has been taking care of her all week and life as usual.

Quiet Time

My drive down to Santa Barbara was an absolutely beautiful drive. I was totally surprised not to hit any real traffic to speak of during Tuesday morning commute on the 101 going through San Jose. The wet winter has created some of the most beautiful hillscapes that I have seen as I drove through the Central Coast. It's been so long since I've visted San Luis Obispo or Atascadero that I have forgotten their quaint, charm and beach city vibe. Going the legal speed limit, I made Santa Barbara in about 4.5 hours and found my way up into the Santa Barbara Hills



to Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery:



Mt. Calvary is an Episcopal/Anglican Monastic Order of the Holy Cross which follows the rules of St. Benedict. They are known for their gift of hospitality to the visitor/guest and go out of their way to ensure that your time at the retreat house/monastery is a blessed on.



The view today was absolutely gorgeous. A rain storm was headed inland and so the whispy clouds hung over the tips of the hills throughout the day. The brothers who call Mt. Calvary home have an ecclectic palate of life experiences, and talents. Brother William is an avid gardener who has been a part of the Botanical Gardens in Santa Barbara for years. Brother Roy produces some of the most beautiful caligraphy work I have ever seen, Brother Lawrence is an avid astronomer to at one time was a docent with JPL going to schools in the area. I have a couple of his photographs taken during a meteror shower with behind the large iron cross standing in the midst of their courtyard. Another recent addition to the home is Brother Joseph who last time I was there was involved in "writing" an icon (writing is a spiritual practice of drawing/painting a sacred picture.)

It amazing to me that a place like this one can literally produce such a sense of peace and openness to the sacred within me each time I visit. I hesitate using the phrase "sacred space" because the reality is that everywhere we go - we bring Christ/God into the space thus making it sacred and holy - but there are places that seem to be a bit easier to be open to God in. The Irish call these places "the thin places"; spots where the veil between the natural and supernatural world are very thin. I can feel my body begin to relax almost immediately, my constant movement forward grind to a complete halt when I arrive and walk into the chapel for prayers.
I think I am a closet monastic - there is something that resonates so deep in me with the rhythm of daily prayer in a community. That was one of the things that I do mmiss the most about not working at my old church in Beverly Hills. Every day no matter what the entire staff gathered together for noonday prayer. It was difficult at first to pull away from what I was working on, but as soon as I developed the pattern, I came to find great enjoyment.

When I left the familiar, it was a challenge to take the rhythm that I had made for myself into another environment. Praying by myself at morning, noonday and compline seemed hollow and empty. Even though I was praying the "we" in the Offices, I still felt separated.

I'm thankful that many Protestants are now becoming aware of the importance of developing sacred spaces and a value for the rhythms normally found in monastic communities. I just recently discovered a Protestant Monastic Community in the Bay Area that gathers several times a week for evening prayer - hopefully I will get the guts up to check it out soon.

In the meantime today marked a special day for me. I decided about a year ago to apply for membership as an Associate of the Holy Cross. Briefly,these are men and women who support the work of the Order through prayer, community and financial endeavors. While they do not live in a monastic community, they stay connected through developing their own "Rule of Life", and engaging in active spiritual practices that have meaning for them. I extended my 6 month probationary period when I made the decision to formally leave the ECUSA for personal reasons at that time.

Today, however, I formally was received as an Associate. It signified that I have finally come to a place where I can say that I have made peace with the fact that how I would participate in ordained ministry will look different than my vision. Metaphorically speaking I cut the last cords this past year and now am ready to engage wherever God is placing me. And - it appears that God is moving in some interesting places of late. It's too early to speak about them but I would appreciate your prayers.

Here are some more pics of the surrounding plants and other to enjoy. I'm working on a labyrinth photo prayer which I hope to have up soon.

Ah rest!

Did you feel the earthquake? You should have because it is official - I am on VACATION! I left Tuesday morning for Southern California. First stop is Santa Barbara where I will be starting my time off the right way with a stay in one of the most hospitable monasteries - Mt. Calvary. Then I am off to friends in Santa Clarita. The rest of the time will be spent connecting with friends from Fuller, LA and other places, a well needed hair cut from the master of all stylists who used to do my hair in LA, cashing in gift certificates at the Ritz Carlton Pasadena (or whatever it is called now). Then heading back to the Bay Area via Fresburg (otherwise known as Fresno) to take care of my dad's gravesite and hopefully have a cup of java with a highschool friend I've recently reconnected with via Facebook.

I'll post some pic's shortly as a reflection of my time away!

God as Paradox

One of the things that I have reflected upon this Lent is the God of the Paradox. God alone is not paradoxical, yet does chose consistently throughout the pages of Scripture to use paradox as a means to continually throw humanity off and take notice.

How often have I put away thoughts or ideas with the excuse that "it's not in my giftset", "I'm not qualified", or the worn-out "and how am I to fit this into my already loaded schedule?"
As I looked through the pages of Scripture at Moses, Esther, Ruth, the Disciples, Jesus (obviously) and others I started looking at my excuses a bit closer. As I started to consider the lives of individuals such as Wilber Wilberforce, Mother Teresa, Hudson Taylor, Billy Graham, Francis of Assisi and others - I realized that none of them were prepared or equipped to do the task that was set before them initially. All had to trust God to provide them the skills, experiences, personnel and energy to carry forth the vision that had been laid on their heart.

Perhaps we (universally speaking, not from a guilt-inducing place) discount too quickly that quiet whisper of the Spirit within our inner being? There has been one project that has repeatedly come up that I long to do yet think that I still am not ready to do it - I lack the full M.Div. for credability, I've no real experience in this area, I'm not sure that others have seen a gifting in this area that confirms that I could do it. Etc., Etc., Etc. From what I hear from others - I'm not alone in this thinking.

I think the real issue is fear. Plain old "in your face" fear. Of the unknown, of failure, of falling on my tukus in broad daylight. Of being called out as untalented. Yet, it seems that these are the qualities and personalty types that God uses over and over again.

Easter saw eleven men and countless others blown away by their expectations. God lived within the man they called Jesus. The man who was dead but now again lives. The one who healed the sick, brought about miracles, made plain and alive the words of Torah. These same people, huddled together in an upstairs room eventually took the simple yet paradoxical teachings of Jesus out of their cities, to the ends of the earth.

Easter is celebrated on Sunday but is lived throughout the week. My prayer for all this Holy Week is that we too would find those dreams resurrected within us and become empowered by the Spirit of the Resurrected One to see what could happen if we say yes to the paradoxical idea.

Calling for prayer

Hi all-
It's been a tremendously busy week and I'll be posting what's been happening probably on Sunday after work.

In the meantime, please hold up my friend Jane in your prayers. I received word this week (on Wednesday) that she is very ill and the doctors are still trying to figure out what is going on in her body. At this point it is still a mystery as to the source of the infection that is ravaging her body. I've attached the latest news from a friend so you can keep her before the Great Healer:

I talked to P. Jane is still doing poorly. She has a huge kidney stone, but they can't do ultrasound, b/c the meds and position she'd have to be in would be detrimental to her right now.

They still haven't found the source of the infection.

She has septicemia, which, according to the doctor, is an improvement for her. If her condition worsens, however, she will have to go on a ventilator and life support.

One side of her heart is enlarged, and they have to give her blood thinners for possible clots.

P also said that she needs to eat and drink more for tests the doctors want to run, but she's not doing so. There is a particular liquid she has to drink, and both he and S are trying to coax her into drinking it, at least enough for whatever test to be run. He also mentioned that she's still not getting much sleep.

The biggest prayer request, P said, is that they can nail down the source of the infection.

P. is going back to the hospital later, and I told him I'd call tomorrow for another update. He said he'd tell Jane that we love her and are praying for her.

Introducing the oPod!

Our 1st through 3rd grade class has spent the past unit on obedience and making right choices. My friend, who belongs to another denomination shared that in their primary education they refer to this process as "choosing the right." It is promoted through jewelry, music, and regular classroom and family reinforcement.But what if we were to bring the concept of "choosing the right" or "making good life choices" into the technological age? What would it possibly look like?

The assignment was somewhat tricky. Our students were requested to create a product that would help them obey and make good choices. Then, create a commercial explaining this product to the public. It took a bit of time to help them understand that the product could be something no one has thought of yet - most were had a challenge moving from general answers such as "the Bible", "my parents" and "the police" as things to help them obey; although great ideas. Finally someone said an i-pod, which led to the invention of the 'o-pod' which would download all the reminders they needed to hear daily and not stop playing them until they had finished/fulfilled the request. They, they came up with scenarios that they had challenges obeying and helped to refine the script. The results? You judge for yourself!!!!

Lent for the Non-Liturgical

Gain from the richness of liturgy, even if you're "proudly steeped in free church tradition."
by Elizabeth Diffin


A colleague wrote recently how his church, proudly steeped in free church tradition, was rediscovering the Christian calendar. In particular, a little Lenten liturgy had a profound impact on a people largely unacquainted with the Stations of the Cross.

Here the Lent-informed offer a few ideas for the less liturgical among us.

Embrace symbols. Lent is a time for quiet contemplation and grievance for sin. Decorate the sanctuary with cracked clay pots and jars to symbolize brokenness. Or give each member of your congregation a small piece of burlap to tear during a time of silent confession, as they did in Bible times.


Give it up. The traditional Lenten practice of "giving up" doesn't have to be restricted to food or drink. Encourage your congregation to give up time or money to a local charity. Others may want to abstain from eating out or from their daily latte and donate that money to missions.


Pare it back. The simplicity of Lent can also apply to our churches. Perhaps your worship music can be sung a cappella or the sanctuary's decorations placed in storage. One congregation closes the shutters on their windows during Lent, limiting the mental trips outdoors during the service. If you're really feeling radical, limit the number of extraneous church meetings during Lent. Can the church board postpone their meeting until the 40 days are up?


Explain the meaning. For those who didn't grow up in the church or who aren't familiar with liturgy, Lent has a number of unfamiliar traditions. Use a Sunday morning service to explain the ancient origins as well as some present-day applications. Congregation members can be recruited to share their own "Lent stories."


Reach out. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, so why not use it to invite others to the holy day? Launch a Lenten Evangelism Campaign and encourage your congregation to give Easter invitations to their friends and neighbors. The most enthusiastic can aim for 40 invitations in 40 days.


Imitate the servant. Touch your neighbors by using the Saturdays of Lent to serve the community. Paint playground equipment, feed the homeless, or do yard work for the elderly. It's a chance for all ages to help out together.


Reconcile. Lent is the season of reconciliation between God and man. But man-to-man reconciliation is also important. This Lenten season, encourage congregants to reach out to at least one person they have wronged, or been wronged by, in the past. Then they can add the person to their prayer list for the rest of the year.

Zoom Zone Talk for February - Winners and Losers

Tomorrow's Zoom Zone Event (youth group for 4th & 5th Graders) is "Gladiator Night" after dinner (thanks to our awesome parent squad), games such as "Joust", "Assault" and "Power Ball", we'll have an ending devotional about Winning and Losing. Here is the clip we'll be using from "SURF's UP" and the devotional. Enjoy!

Winners and Losers What makes a winner?

Can you tell if someone's a winner by what they look like? How they act? What they think?

Sometimes we confuse winning with being a winner. There's a big difference. We are already winners because God has created each one of us. God's given us talents and gifts that are unique to each one. They fit us like a glove.

We all like the feeling that comes with winning. We like having people pat us on the back and say "Good work." We like the feeling of doing something great. But nobody likes a poor winner. How do you help "not" getting a big head? Remember that while you won, you may lose next time. We may practice and be the best at something but we're never guaranteed to always win.

Sometimes we'll lose. Even when we've done an outstanding job. So what happens when you lose?

Do you tell yourself how bad you are at whatever you did? No

Do you blame others for messing up? Nope

Do you whine? Pout? Oh please, say no.

Do you tease or make fun of others who didn't play or work as well as you? See the answers above.

It's important to remember that God doesn't make junk. It's not cool to talk down about yourself, others think they have permission to think that way about you as well! When you're tempted to think about yourself in a way that is negative; remember how God sees you. God sees you as someone full of potential, full of talent and loves you for who you are not what you do.

It takes time to figure out what you're good at, which means, you need to take some risks and try different things. And you need to practice. No one is perfect. The NY Giants will be the first to tell you that it is practice that helps a team succeed when the challenge is difficult.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. What's important is remembering that trophies and ribbons eventually lose their sparkle. The gifts and talents inside of you shine forever.

How Do You Train?

Have you ever found yourself struggling to hang a picture or do some sort of trivial job around the house without the right tools at hand? It never seems to fail that I'm missing the right size nail, or discover I don't have the Phillips screwdriver when I need one at home. I'm prepping to finally decorate my new bedroom and decided to pull all the things that I need together in advance. It's making the jobs like hanging drapes so much easier! Imagine only drilling a hole once, because you actually had the right materials from the beginning.

I've been reading with great interest the forum on Kidology.org about how people involve teens/older students and adults in training for ministry. It's been terrific hearing how many different ways there are to provide individuals with the right tools for the job. One of the things that I thought about Children's Ministry before I became involved in it is that you get thrown into the proverbial lion's den with little training, a hunk of meat and 12 hungry lions all licking their lips! My impression came from the fact that in most of the churches that I have worked at there has been little training provided and even less encouragement. I've personally struggled with how to bring people up to speed with training or adding tools to their toolboxes. I'm still looking for ways that work with a group of volunteers whose lives are perpetually behind the wheel of a car, don't like to come out after dark and are beyond busy. What do you do to encourage this segment of your teachers?

Meanwhile, I also have a group of excited, dedicated young people in Middle School and High School. We started a new training group for them called Teens in Training or T-N-T. This group meets monthly to work on a new skills (this quarter it is on telling stories "Teaching Like Jesus") The goal is that this group will be learning and practicing their story telling skills through the Spring, and then will have a large role in our summer Children's Church services. Each month the kids will have one story to "practice" telling in front of the others using different techniques such as props, voice inflections, pictures, media and whatever other ideas pop into their little creative minds.

We're meeting tomorrow and I am excited to see what the response is from the kids - they are excited to be a part of the group and my goal is to pour into them now so that they will continue to grow in their gifts and ministry experience.


H

Bethlehem Village Pictures

Here are some pictures from our "Bethlehem Village" rotational event on December 23rd for Sunday School. Given our very tight budget ($250.00 total), I was amazed at what we were able to do using several donations of baskets, cans and cans of spray paint and some creativity!

Vision and Mission Statement Part Four

Theory into Practice

The above philosophy with regards to Ministry to Children is thoughtful yet without a solid backbone it fulfills no real purpose.

Current Practice/Goals 2007-2008 Academic School Year
This initial year in Children’s Ministries will be spent on these primary goals:

Relationship Building
Building strong relationships amongst Leaders, Staff and Session

Identifying key leaders in Children’s Ministries

Identifying potential leaders for Children’s Ministries

Building relationships with children and families on a first name basis

Building a means by which parents are able to communicate needs/desires with Children’s Ministries

Identification/Branding
Exploration into core values and beliefs of SRPC in general and Children’s Ministries in particular.

Identification of primary core values for Children’s Ministries

Creation of branding which reflects initial core values

Begin use of branding and phrases “under the radar” to build familiarity

Implement first tier of branding (intermediate logo and visuals, letterhead, currently @ branding, color branding for newsletter, web design etc.

Review of Spiritual Formation Program
Walk through one year of life at SRPC, noting key events, registration and ministry involvement

Review curriculum(s) for current ease of use, theological concepts, “in agreement” with core values and mission/vision of SRPC

Identification of key “rite of passage” opportunities already in place. Enriching these opportunities and building in a communication of “why” these are important experiences in the life of a child/family and in the life of the corporate body

Outreach
Identify outreach targets (new families, geographical location(s)) of high concentration demographics, values of demographics

Observe current outreach methodology and make suggestions for future use

Research successful/potentially successful outreach opportunities for community (sports, VBS, holiday functions, educational opportunities, activities etc.)

Create “in house” outreach opportunities for children and families (Coat donations, holiday experiences, missionary experiences)

Creation of newsletter to be used for information and outreach to community

Recruiting/Restructuring of Ministry
Observation and conversations on what is working within Children’s Ministries with regards to recruiting, parent participation.

Beginning to form conversations around future growth, and creating an initial implementation plan for growth

Communicating with larger congregation about opportunities to participate in ministry both in class and outside of service. Use of profiles, newsletters, email etc. to communicate excitement rather than “need.”

Vision and Mission Statement Part Three

Learning Jesus

Building a loving relationship between the young child and Jesus is a natural desire of SRPC’s parents. Yet as a recent listening process uncovered, parents struggle with how to nurture their child’s burgeoning spirituality. Parental dialogue brought up personal and family struggles such as the lack of resources to answer their children’s spiritual questions, attempting to personally answer the same theological questions that they find their children asking. For several, their childhood did not include any or an erratic religious exposure causing the parent(s) to feel inadequate in providing spiritual guidance to their children in the area of Scripture. It is not uncommon to hear the response “my children know more about the Bible than I do” when listening to SRPC parents.

There are several themes within the context of Children’s Ministries with regards to whose responsibility it is to train and nurture of a faith community’s children. One can find ministries which hold the belief that it is the responsibility of those skilled in theology to impart the truths of Scripture and Doctrine to the young child, a second holds that Scripture firmly mandates that it is the sole duty of parents to administer spiritual training thus not holding any formal spiritual training for children. SRPC Kids mission is to assist parents in their God-given task to guide their children in developing and nurturing their growing spirituality.

Spiritual Formation vs. Sunday School

The paradigm of the traditional Sunday School experience is currently under revision in the field of ministry to children. Educators such as Sofia Cavelleti and Jerome Berryman have revisited the standard model of Christian Education. In their work, they have come to an understanding of the catechesis or spiritual formation of children that includes the following key points:

All individuals are “hard wired” to know God. Children have yet to have their instinctive knowledge of God tarnished, thus they hold an innate understanding and appreciation of the mystery and awe of God found through the internalization of Scripture.

Rather than the model of the adult as teacher to children, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to impart wisdom and understanding to Scripture. This does not equate to a form of spiritual anarchy but rather a recognition that the child and God are in a constant internal conversation. Those who are blessed with the privilege of working with children are entrusted as a facilitator of this conversation within a worship experience.

Play is the work of the child. It is through the interaction of repetitive action, scripture and objects that a child discovers truths and concepts.

Children are now a part of the digital age. Their world is fast paced, noisy and image laden. What they lack is the opportunity to quiet themselves to hear what the Spirit is speaking.

It is curious to consider how one can integrate the idea of a classical catechetical model which nurtures the reflective nature of spiritual formation and the young child with the technological age in which children reside. This question is one of the primary reflections which SRPC Kids will focus on over next period. With parent input and participation, it is hoped that the following goals will be accomplished which will enhance SRPC Kids ability to nurture the spiritual formation of our children.

Reviewing and providing feedback regarding currently used curriculum; making suggestions as to possibilities of new curriculum direction.

Creating key “rites of passage” within Children’s Ministries which include Infant baptism/dedication, “first” participation in the Lord’s Supper, Third Grade Bible, blessing and acknowledgement of transition from Children’s Ministry into Student Ministry by the entire faith community.

Development of resources for parents to enrich their opportunities for spiritual formation such as web site development, communication of weekly themes for each grade/age level.

In addition, SRPC Kids is committed to reframing the spiritual vocabulary connected with our ministry to children.

Recognizing that to truly minister to children, ministry should occur within the context of families.

The concept of Sunday School no longer is applicable to the true goal of faith communities ministry to children and families, thus introducing the concept of spiritual formation both defines and communicates the role and mission of this ministry.

The child’s act of worship continues after dismissal from the larger community worship thus signifying a departure from the classical educational model found in a large majority of churches.

Vision and Mission Statement Part Two

Loving Jesus

The message and teachings of Jesus stress the concept of a spirituality founded not within an individual but within the larger Kingdom of God. Like the proverbial stone’s ripple as it is thrown into a body of water, our lives and our actions as followers of Christ stretch out into the larger world community. SRPC Kids continues to foster within our children the ethos of our own community to love Jesus, love other and love our world.

Loving each other: Reinforcing the believe that each of us are created as unique individuals possessing the image of God within, SRPC Kids holds to a foundational belief that all children are respected for the uniqueness they possess. This respect for the child translates into creating an environment where children’s needs are embraced.

To the extent possible, children’s physical, developmental and emotional needs are incorporated into the regular classroom setting. Ministry staff is provided resources needed to incorporate the child into their community.

Children are provided opportunity to respect individuals and encouraged to support and develop friendships.

Loving Jesus: As an understanding of living out the message of the gospel in our daily lives grows, children come to develop a sensitivity to how they also can influence and effect positive change in the lives of their families, peers and their culture.

Loving the world: Creating opportunities for Children’s Ministry to directly impact the community around them through projects such as Blue Star Moms, projects that impact inner city ministries such as City Impact and City Team Oakland.

Vision and Mission Statement Part One

I have finally completed my first draft/version of the Vision and Mission statement for Children's Ministry. I've placed it here to share with you some of the broader thoughts and reflections that I have with regards to the ministry to children in general, and its future ramifications.

Ministry Principle Verse:

So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him.
Luke 2:52 (New Living Translation)

Rationale:

Children are a work in progress, possessing a natural curiosity and desire to understand the world about them. Their discovery of the world leads to an acknowledgement of a great Designer/Creator God. Within a Christian context, this acknowledgement of God also includes an introduction to Jesus, the one “who holds all creation together” (Col. 1:17).

The primary goal of childhood is to discover, gain and appropriate the tools necessary for a healthy maturity. Self-care skills lead to eventual autonomy. Cognitive development prepares the way for gaining knowledge. Emotional nurturing provides the foundation upon which healthy socialization will continue throughout one’s life. While the pages of Scripture are dark as to the exact nature of Jesus’ childhood, Luke makes a point to acknowledge that Jesus himself appeared to meet and exceed these key developmental milestones. The result was a person who understood his purpose and destiny. It is the goal that this ministry to children would also allow children an opportunity to acknowledge they are the imago Dei-ones created in the image of their Creator, gifted with talents and skills both natural and spiritual which will bring glory to God.

Therefore, the Children’s Ministry of San Ramon Presbyterian Church’s mission and vision can be encapsulated in the following statement: Living, loving and learning in Jesus.


Living in Jesus

Children as Members of the Church

On the other hand, children derive some benefit from their baptism, when, being ingrafted into the body of the church, they are made an object of greater interest to the other members. Then when they have grown up, they are thereby strongly urged to an earnest desire of serving God, who has received them as sons by the formal symbol of adoption, before, from nonage, they were able to recognize him as their Father.

Institutes 4.16.9

The introduction of the young child to the Church local begins with the practice of baptism and/or dedication. While paedobaptism is a topic of some debate amongst reformed traditions, Scripture provides a firm foundation for the practice of baptizing infants/young children found in the illustration of circumcision as a symbol of the covenant between God and humanity. Circumcision in this aspect is a means by which grace and mercy is extended to the child by the covenant entered into by the parents until such a time as the child acknowledges this covenant for themselves. Whether a family chooses to initiate a child into the life of the household of faith by baptism or dedication, the act of presenting and committing a child to God in front of the community illustrates an important concept, the young child is an active member of the faith community possessing gifts and talents to both learn and serve the community and the Kingdom of God at large.


The belief of children as members ultimately defines how a ministry to children is achieved. For a child to thoroughly understand their current and eventual role in the local faith community and the Body of Christ at large, exposure and acceptance of children at gatherings must be emphasized. A child learns of the importance of worship not by having it explained but by experiencing the act of worship itself. Therefore SRPC Kids places a high priority upon the inclusion of children within a variety of worship contexts – both corporate and developmentally unique to the young child. Exposure of children to “body life” provides natural moments of understanding more fully their own relationship with God. This exposure to corporate worship moments include (but are not limited) to:

Baptisms and Dedications of infants and children

Participation in corporate worship both through music, prayer and ministry

Participation in sacramental life of the body (Baptism and Lord’s Supper when appropriate)

Ministering to the local faith community through service to the local body and the local community (offering of music, dance, leading in corporate prayer, assisting in ministry tasks such as greeting, collection of offering, participation in Building Bridges service events)

Age appropriate worship experiences such as Wonders of Worship

Baptisms and Dedications
Children will be encouraged to gather in front for dedications and baptisms of infants and children, allowing them to become better acquainted with the symbols and practices of the experience. Exposure to experiences such as these allow a child to develop within themselves an appreciation of their own spiritual journey, while exposing them to key rites of passages of the spiritual journey.

Corporate Worship
The ability to worship both in music and movement is an important part of child development. It is through the use of all senses that a deeper connection to the mystery and wonder of God develops. Children are encouraged to worship God as they feel comfortable during the worship service. Their time in the larger community communicates a message that they are a part of the church now not just when they are older.

Sacramental Participation
Participation in the sacramental life of the church connects a child to the fact that they are welcomed and hold an important role in the faith community. Exposure to sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper provide a means by which children experience the fullness of discipleship. As a child begins to understand and desire to participate in sacraments, all means should be made to instruct, encourage and involve the young child in this aspect of their faith development.

SRPC Kids will offer to both parents and children opportunities to come together specifically for instruction in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. For children presented in dedication, opportunities for formal baptism instruction will begin in the Spring of their third grade year; for instruction in the Lord’s Supper, opportunities for instruction will begin in their fourth grade year, with the goal of all fifth graders participating in the Lord’s Supper by Spring of their fifth grade year as a “spiritual rite of passage.”

Ministering to the local community
SRPC Kids is committed to developing within the young child an acknowledgement of one’s developing natural and spiritual gifts. Opportunities to contribute to a worship experience include presenting music and dance for worship, leading in the reading of Scripture and corporate prayer, serving within the service as appropriate. This provides children with a sense of importance as well as reminding the larger community of the ability of children to minister to adults.

Age Appropriate Worship Experiences
SRPC Kids is fortunate to have creative and enthusiastic adults who are committed to providing children with their own opportunities for corporate worship on a monthly basis. This allows the young child to be ministered to in a larger group setting while building within them an understanding of the importance and excitement of worship.