This past week was the first of my last two weeks with Summer in the City. Those of you who may not know, SITC is a service based camp for middle school youth from the Raleigh area Presbyterian churches. The week is spent doing various service projects at local shelters, food pantries, thrift shops, and any other non-profit organizations (usually Christian based). This is my fourth and final year working with this camp, and every year I fall more in love with it.
This year's theme is "Feed My Sheep" based off of John 21:17 (expanding out to John 21:15-17).
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
One thing to note is that scripture follows Peter denying that he knows Jesus prior to his crucifixion. This denial occurs three times. In this scripture, Jesus is asking Peter if he loves him, to which Peter responds "You know all things, you know that I love you." Interesting... but that is for a later time when I know more about how to approach it and all of that :)
Back to the point though... the original translation (Greek) uses the words Agape and Philo in place of love.
Agape being an unconditional, eternal, unexpecting, freely given love, one that is very hard to reach for humans because there is always an underlying bit that we might think of at some point preventing from this full agape love that I believe only Jesus/ God/ Holy Spirit is capable of. Sure, you can say that you have this love for your significant other or your best friend... but what if they cheat on you? Or they lie to you? can you honestly say that you would not falter one bit in your love for them? Jesus and God DO NOT falter in their love for us.
Philo love is a brotherly love. This is typically the love we feel for our best friends, significant others, family... it has a stronger basis than Eros (emotional and physical, easily broken) but is not as strong as Agape.
When I was discussing this with my small group on our first night, one young lady (7th grade I believe) tied it very nicely into what our week at SITC was about... "To help the world reach AGAPE". WHAT A GREAT MOTIVE!! If we can truly work to help the world reach agape, can you imagine how much nicer it would be? Even if it never happens, even a miniscule difference could be incredible.
I truly think that is how the youth approached this week at SITC. In talking to some of them over a box of toilet paper (we had to cut packs of 4 in half to make packs of 2...), a rising 8th graders told me that they didn't really want to come to camp because of the work... they would rather be home at the pool or watching tv. However after they saw the difference they were making (or were potentially making), this was so much better than any tv show. That right there is exactly why I love the program so much and can't wait to continue along the same line in my ministry.
Going back to the theme of the week, "Feed My Sheep", as the week continued we asked the youth about the scripture- What is love? How do we show love to others? To God? What does it mean to "Feed My Sheep"? How can we feed HIS sheep outside of SITC? This spurred lots of conversation and thought in my small group as we came to many conclusions about each, however it became very apparent that there is no single answer to any of it, just as it should be (and completely against my list that I had already written, waiting for the check marks to go by each item). Every person has their own answer and none of them are wrong. Oh the things you learn from children!
What a wonderful thing when we can appreciate and respond to the needs of our world... whether that be some toilet paper that a family may not be able to get if they didn't go to this organization for help, or that extra push closer to agape. So here is my question after all of this- 25 middle schoolers came last week, and there will be 27 this week, all working towards providing for even the most "simple" needs of others they don't even know and may never know and helping the world reach agape, what are you doing? Are you sitting at home watching tv or tanning by your pool? Or are you looking for ways to do what these youth are doing? How are you feeding HIS sheep?
Trust me... it isn't always found on a check list, so go out there and find your way, and DO IT!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Memories and Changes
Eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later) I am going to be painting both my bedroom and my sister's in prep for us to switch rooms. Since I am moving home after graduation so that I don't have to pay rent in Greensboro for 6 months while I sit around, Mom decided that it would be a good idea for me to be in the big bedroom again so that I can have my space and room for all of my stuff. My lack of job and anything exciting to do in Raleigh led me to start packing up all of my stuff today to make things a bit easier. My room went from "cluttered" to bare in all of an hour. I got thinking during all of this though, and there is a whole lot of history and memories sit in my bathroom hallway in cardboard boxes.
I filled boxes with books, pictures, horses, and other random things. Some I have read once, others I have read 10 times. Then the yearbooks from highschool and all of the notes in them... "friends forever", "good luck", "cant wait to see you with a symphony"... Then the posters came down, and all of the band pictures and awards... You really relearn a lot about yourself when you pack your life up. For me, I was THE band geek who loved horses (but only rode once), and everything about my room showed that.
That was then though, and this is now. I started thinking about what I will actually keep out once I unpack all of it in a few days. Will all of the band pictures and awards go out again? Most likely not. The horses? Absolutely. The posters from Music Ed conferences? Nope. Miles Davis? Maybe. Prom stuff? Probably not. In a way it hurts packing all of this up, but I also know it will always be there when I want to dig it out again to look at and remember.
I have to laugh at the thought process though... as I look for a new comforter set and paint color, I keep telling my sister I want it to be "adult". I want to leave the bright, fun colors behind and have something a bit more down to earth and modest. Part of me feels like it is because I am scared to let everything go and don't know exactly what will be next, so I originally picked white, the "safe" color. She vetoed that though. What does it really matter how my room looks though, as long as it is what I want?
I am noticing that a lot though as I begin to make my transition out of college. I am throwing away the old music theory notebooks and opening space on the shelf for all kinds of devotional books, bibles, and other resources to begin digging through as I get ready for seminary. I am packing up some of the old pictures from high school to put pictures from college in their place. I am finding a safe box for my corsages to be put in so that there is "free" space and less clutter.
I held onto so much for so long, thinking it was what kept me rooted in who I really was. If I could look at the picture of me and Andy, with my "boyfriend" bear right next to it, I would remember all of the fun we had and somehow that would make me have fun now. Or the pictures from the show choir trip to NYC... I never talk to them anymore and couldn't even tell you their names, but I still felt it was important to hold on to so I could see it when I came home.
It is hard to admit that the world is changing around you, and even harder to jump on and change with it. Sometimes it is ok to leave those pictures out to look at, but other times it is also ok to put them in storage for a while so you can put new memories out that are more relevant to where you are. High school was great, marching band was my life, but that was 5 years ago and in another world basically. I know that if I take the steps to move into my new life, God will be with me and make it a bit easier. That is really all we need to remember in life, as long as we are willing to take a step forward, he will be there to hold our hands or even carry us when need be.
I filled boxes with books, pictures, horses, and other random things. Some I have read once, others I have read 10 times. Then the yearbooks from highschool and all of the notes in them... "friends forever", "good luck", "cant wait to see you with a symphony"... Then the posters came down, and all of the band pictures and awards... You really relearn a lot about yourself when you pack your life up. For me, I was THE band geek who loved horses (but only rode once), and everything about my room showed that.
That was then though, and this is now. I started thinking about what I will actually keep out once I unpack all of it in a few days. Will all of the band pictures and awards go out again? Most likely not. The horses? Absolutely. The posters from Music Ed conferences? Nope. Miles Davis? Maybe. Prom stuff? Probably not. In a way it hurts packing all of this up, but I also know it will always be there when I want to dig it out again to look at and remember.
I have to laugh at the thought process though... as I look for a new comforter set and paint color, I keep telling my sister I want it to be "adult". I want to leave the bright, fun colors behind and have something a bit more down to earth and modest. Part of me feels like it is because I am scared to let everything go and don't know exactly what will be next, so I originally picked white, the "safe" color. She vetoed that though. What does it really matter how my room looks though, as long as it is what I want?
I am noticing that a lot though as I begin to make my transition out of college. I am throwing away the old music theory notebooks and opening space on the shelf for all kinds of devotional books, bibles, and other resources to begin digging through as I get ready for seminary. I am packing up some of the old pictures from high school to put pictures from college in their place. I am finding a safe box for my corsages to be put in so that there is "free" space and less clutter.
I held onto so much for so long, thinking it was what kept me rooted in who I really was. If I could look at the picture of me and Andy, with my "boyfriend" bear right next to it, I would remember all of the fun we had and somehow that would make me have fun now. Or the pictures from the show choir trip to NYC... I never talk to them anymore and couldn't even tell you their names, but I still felt it was important to hold on to so I could see it when I came home.
It is hard to admit that the world is changing around you, and even harder to jump on and change with it. Sometimes it is ok to leave those pictures out to look at, but other times it is also ok to put them in storage for a while so you can put new memories out that are more relevant to where you are. High school was great, marching band was my life, but that was 5 years ago and in another world basically. I know that if I take the steps to move into my new life, God will be with me and make it a bit easier. That is really all we need to remember in life, as long as we are willing to take a step forward, he will be there to hold our hands or even carry us when need be.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Pilgrimage Project 2010 (readers digest version)
Well, the Pilgrimage Project 2010 has officially come to an end, but that doesn't mean the concept has.
Monday, I returned from a 12 day pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona in Scotland. I traveled with a great group of 13 other people from all backgrounds, but we were all looking to broaden our understanding of our faith among other things. The journey started back in September with monthly bible studies based around the book "The Geography of God" (Michael Lindvall) and came to a "close" through our trip to Scotland.
We left two weeks ago from RDU and flew to PHI and then GLA. After spending a few hours in Glasgow, we took the train to Oban. Oban is a small fishing town on the west coast and is absolutely gorgeous. We were hosted by the Church of Scotland Parish in town and many families from that congregation. While in Oban, we spent lots of time exploring and shopping, and some of us climbed up to the remains of Dunolie Castle. It was only one tower of the castle, but it was incredible to look at, not to mention the view of the water and town!
Saturday was another travel day. We took the ferry from Oban to Mull (and saw the castle from "Entrapment" along the way!), took a bus across Mull, and then another Ferry from Mull to Iona. It was a hectic and long day, but not nearly as bad as the 39 hours of planes, buses, and trains it took to get us to Oban and our beds there. The rest of the afternoon was fairly relaxing as we began to explore the island and meet the others that were staying at the abbey (a mix of people there on thier own, D. Min. students from McCormick Seminary, and us).
Sunday through Thursday was full of community, worshipping, and working in the Abbey. Tuesday was the Pilgrimage day when we went on a 7 mile hike to different sites all over Iona, including Columba Bay. This is where Saint Columba landed with 12 monks after being exiled from Ireland. Iona was the first place that he landed and could not see Ireland (it was a cloudy day) so they stayed there and began to build a community. The pilgrimage was a struggle but completely worth it!
We left Iona on Friday and began the journey back to Glasgow (back across Mull and to Oban to meet the train). Once in Glasgow, we met up with our new hosts and went home with them for the rest of the evening (we actually walked through Queens Park).
Saturday was Edinburgh and doing all of the touristy stuff. It was nice, but I wouldn't rush to go back. I did get to walk the Royal Mile, see the castle, Queens Palace, and the Legislature building though. That evening, our (me and Callie) host and one other host family (Kelly and Lois) took the four of us girls to hear a 60s cover band at a pub outside of town. This was my favorite night by far! In addition to bonding with some incredible people, the band gave us lots of shout outs and even played the national anthem for us at midnight to celebrate Independence Day.
Sunday we went to church and then to the art museum. This was lots of fun, but I was dead and only thinking about coming home.
Overall, the trip was incredible. I learned a lot about myself, thought a lot about things going on at home (mostly a long the lines of what I have posted about in the past), and learned a lot about many other things that I saw and experienced. It was a new thing for me to sit and eat dinner with gay ministers and their partners and transexuals, have theological discussions and discussions about my ministry hopes with D. Min. students and professors, and just laugh about nothing. I am still thinking about some of those conversations and others gave me a push that I didn't realize I needed. The genuine care and support from the community was amazing. I can still hear what Kathryn Ann said to me before separating in the Queen St. train station in Glasgow, "I know you have your life scheduled for the next few years, but don't be afraid to let it change some because you never know how some things will fit into the plan." It was so nice to hear that from someone who I opened up to about my life and who has been through the same stuff.
I am still not sure exactly what happened while I was there, and I may not know or see the effects for a while. One thing I know is that I am more sure about my call to ministry than ever, and even about where I will be going to seminary. I am more relaxed about letting my schedule change in some ways, but not looking for those ways. But even more so, I have more questions to ask and look for answers to. The questions will hopefully lead to a stronger ministry on my part. My next step? Start looking for some answers and prepare myself for the next few years. It will be hard, but I know that I have family and friends that will be with me the entire way. After that? I would love to go back to Iona on Pilgrimage after I finish seminary and see what has changed for me, and maybe take someone new with me when I go so they can experience it as well :)
Monday, I returned from a 12 day pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona in Scotland. I traveled with a great group of 13 other people from all backgrounds, but we were all looking to broaden our understanding of our faith among other things. The journey started back in September with monthly bible studies based around the book "The Geography of God" (Michael Lindvall) and came to a "close" through our trip to Scotland.
We left two weeks ago from RDU and flew to PHI and then GLA. After spending a few hours in Glasgow, we took the train to Oban. Oban is a small fishing town on the west coast and is absolutely gorgeous. We were hosted by the Church of Scotland Parish in town and many families from that congregation. While in Oban, we spent lots of time exploring and shopping, and some of us climbed up to the remains of Dunolie Castle. It was only one tower of the castle, but it was incredible to look at, not to mention the view of the water and town!
Saturday was another travel day. We took the ferry from Oban to Mull (and saw the castle from "Entrapment" along the way!), took a bus across Mull, and then another Ferry from Mull to Iona. It was a hectic and long day, but not nearly as bad as the 39 hours of planes, buses, and trains it took to get us to Oban and our beds there. The rest of the afternoon was fairly relaxing as we began to explore the island and meet the others that were staying at the abbey (a mix of people there on thier own, D. Min. students from McCormick Seminary, and us).
Sunday through Thursday was full of community, worshipping, and working in the Abbey. Tuesday was the Pilgrimage day when we went on a 7 mile hike to different sites all over Iona, including Columba Bay. This is where Saint Columba landed with 12 monks after being exiled from Ireland. Iona was the first place that he landed and could not see Ireland (it was a cloudy day) so they stayed there and began to build a community. The pilgrimage was a struggle but completely worth it!
We left Iona on Friday and began the journey back to Glasgow (back across Mull and to Oban to meet the train). Once in Glasgow, we met up with our new hosts and went home with them for the rest of the evening (we actually walked through Queens Park).
Saturday was Edinburgh and doing all of the touristy stuff. It was nice, but I wouldn't rush to go back. I did get to walk the Royal Mile, see the castle, Queens Palace, and the Legislature building though. That evening, our (me and Callie) host and one other host family (Kelly and Lois) took the four of us girls to hear a 60s cover band at a pub outside of town. This was my favorite night by far! In addition to bonding with some incredible people, the band gave us lots of shout outs and even played the national anthem for us at midnight to celebrate Independence Day.
Sunday we went to church and then to the art museum. This was lots of fun, but I was dead and only thinking about coming home.
Overall, the trip was incredible. I learned a lot about myself, thought a lot about things going on at home (mostly a long the lines of what I have posted about in the past), and learned a lot about many other things that I saw and experienced. It was a new thing for me to sit and eat dinner with gay ministers and their partners and transexuals, have theological discussions and discussions about my ministry hopes with D. Min. students and professors, and just laugh about nothing. I am still thinking about some of those conversations and others gave me a push that I didn't realize I needed. The genuine care and support from the community was amazing. I can still hear what Kathryn Ann said to me before separating in the Queen St. train station in Glasgow, "I know you have your life scheduled for the next few years, but don't be afraid to let it change some because you never know how some things will fit into the plan." It was so nice to hear that from someone who I opened up to about my life and who has been through the same stuff.
I am still not sure exactly what happened while I was there, and I may not know or see the effects for a while. One thing I know is that I am more sure about my call to ministry than ever, and even about where I will be going to seminary. I am more relaxed about letting my schedule change in some ways, but not looking for those ways. But even more so, I have more questions to ask and look for answers to. The questions will hopefully lead to a stronger ministry on my part. My next step? Start looking for some answers and prepare myself for the next few years. It will be hard, but I know that I have family and friends that will be with me the entire way. After that? I would love to go back to Iona on Pilgrimage after I finish seminary and see what has changed for me, and maybe take someone new with me when I go so they can experience it as well :)
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