Time to just relax

There is nothing that relaxes me more than camping - me, my tent and a site somewhere near water. It's even better with friends along.

I've had three great trips this summer- two to my favorite place in ME - right on the ocean - and one to a VT state campground (the camping in Kennebunk was necessity, not pleasure).

My trusty tent survives thunderstorms, wind and rain very nicely. As long as the sun shines in the daytime, and I get a chance to ride my bike along the ocean, I'm happy. Then, to just sit in silence and watch the waves come in - that's bliss!

Ripley in Vermont

Erika came to Vermont to be part of her high school best friend's wedding in Burlington. She, Adam and Ripley managed a 36 hour visit to my house. The only goal I had for the visit was that Ripley, at 21 months, might remember me from our visit in Oregon in May.

Yes, she did. So, while Erika and Adam went to the wedding reception, Ripley came to Rutland with Gram. E&A joined us much later that night.

In the short time we had together, we spent a lot of time together - went to a local park, read stories, played in the labrynth, took lots of pictures and incorporated lots of hugs and kisses. I really dislike this long distance grandmothering - keep those prayers going for them all to move somewhere closer!

Don't even get me started on how cute she is, how verbal she is, how well co-ordinated she is, how she knows colors and identifies numerals 1 to 9 - just know that she is a very happy, healthy child in a secure home!

Global Mission Event 2006

Global Mission Event - held this year in New England - and what an event it was! I've heard it described as the Lutheran Family Reunion. That proved true for me, at least. Out of 1500 participants, I found a seminary classmate who is now the chaplain at Muehlenburg College - and I met his adorable family. Lots of reunions were less amazing than that - clergy and friends from all through out New England - as well as people from our own Vermont conference congregations.

Nothing took my breath away like the woman who approached me, leaned on her cane, smiled and said "Remember me?" Obviously I did not. She, with her daughter and 13 year old grandson at her side, proceeded to remind me. Ten years ago while with her family at Camp Calumet, she had suffered a stroke and was moved immediately to ME Med Center in Portland. She reminded me that I was the pastor who sat with the family when they did not expect her to live. How proud she is, 10 years later, to be able to tell me that story! How honored I am to be part of God's work in peoples' lives!

Back to GME - theme gatherings in the morning, workshops for the rest of the morning and afternoon, worship services at night. Bishop Mark Hanson preached - WOW! We are blessed to have such a person of expressive faith leading us by example.

The event was held on the campus of the University of MA at Amherst. It is a HUGE campus - they had warned us to bring comfortable walking shoes. But many people there could not cover those distances on foot. Organizers provided for that with golf carts - but on Friday, there was a severe shortage of golf cart drivers. Of course I volunteered - having never driven such a vehicle and having no map of the campus.
My first passenger rode with me for forty minutes before we found her destination. Fortunately, we had plenty of time - she was not late - and she didn't mind seeing lots of places on the campus. After that, I was much more prompt in delivering my passengers!

Many people from New England pitched in to make this GME a success. From our congregation we had Wendell and Dee Beckman - Wendell is the Global Mission chairperson for New England, so he was very busy organizing speakers - and their transportation to and from the airport. Irene Goebel organized and staffed a booth for the big Friday night festival.
My one disappointment with the GME- as part of Good Shepherd's sabbatical project with Youth and Family Ministry, people were to organize and prepare teens to accompany me to the event. That did not happen. I haven't had a lot of conversations about it, but the one comment I did hear was the expense - especially along with the cost of confirmation camp. With the abundance of resources in our congregation - both in the congregational endowmnent funds, as well as our own personal funds, is there any reason for any child not to participate because of lack of money? How do we set things in place so this does not happen again? A congregational commitment to Youth and Family ministry means much more than lip service.

Mid July

At last, 10 days of "downtime" at home - time with friends, dinners, beachtime - and I begin to relax a bit even as I take time to evaluate where I've been and perhaps assimilate some of these learnings.

The third weekend of the month, I head off to Kennebunk, ME for a workshop titled "Experiential Worship". The title appeals to the hands-on kindergarten teacher in me. But do you have any idea of the cost of motels in Kennebunk in July? I find one of only two open tentsites in the town and pitch tent in the midst of some of the most humid weather of the summer. Then a shower, change of clothes and off to class!

Bob Rognlien is the presenter - and in our packet is included a copy of his book Experiential Worship: encountering God with heart, soul, mind and strength.

Using the text of Mark 12:30, Bob equates heart, soul, mind and strength with attributes of our bodies and our worship.
heart engaging the will
soul engaging the emotions
mind engaging the intellect
strength engaging the body

Each denomination has preferences in their worship patterns; we Lutherans are known for engaging soul and mind, perhaps to the detriment of heart and strength.

This would be a valuable book for all our worship and music people to read and discuss, a section at a time. It ties together a variety of ideas that have been discussed by that group, and others in the congregation.

It appears to me that one of the most difficult things I will have to do when I return is to temper my enthusiasm for this summer's learnings - and put things into place bit by bit. Heart, soul, mind and strength will be key foundations for our future ways of worship, I believe.

National Youth Gathering Part II

I attended the National Youth Gathering as part of the focus of Youth and Family ministry. The Rev. Dr. Roland Martinson, from Luther seminary, offered for the first time, a Pastors' Academy on the afternoons of the Gathering Days.

There were about 30 of us who gathered in a windowless, airconditioned room. Dr. Martinson - better known as Rollie - is a dynamic teacher with an emphatic laugh that punctuates his best stories.

I met a seminary classmate and several other friends, and we filled one of the round tables.

Rollie has sent us home with myriad ideas - and resources to use in our own congregations. None of these is a prepackaged "program"; rather I come with ideas, stories, examples and questions to trigger our own unique reactions and responses.

All of this material and all of these processes are based on the same premis as the Certification School in Dubuque - if we seek to develop spiritual children and teens, we need to pay attention to, and nourish, our own adult spirituality.

Are there adults at Good Shepherd who are interested in kids, willing to share their own doubts and faith journeys, and committed to walking with the young people as they make their own spiritual journeys?

National Youth Gathering Part I

Every three years, the ELCA invites youth to gather for 4 days - worship, fun, service, Bible study, music, speakers, dancing - it's all incorporated and then some. The event is so popular that it is now offered twice each time so more kids may be able to participate.

This year - San Antonio, TX - SIXTEEN THOUSAND Lutheran teens - that's a significant percentage of the population of Rutland!

The teens often choose to identify their group with unique t-shirts - and I would guess that also helps the youth leaders keep track of them!

Kids are everywhere - restaurants, ice cream parlors, hotel lobbies (and the elevators will never be the same again!), on the sidewalks - and streaming through intersections on the "walk" light. They gather once a day in the Alamodome - that's when I am most aware of their large numbers.

Remember how, at concerts, we used to use cigarette lighters to signal our approval and enthusiasm? Man, did I feel old when I realized that all those lights blazing around the kids dancing on the floor were cellphones!

Teens - and their chaperones - are on the go from breakfast to midnight. The day begins with Bible study in the Alamodome - then the groups head off to service activities, workshops, the interaction center or other activities as the group decides. The day ends with another gathering in the Alamodome with music, speaker, prayer and enthusiasm. Final devotions (organized by each group) are at 11:45, street curfew at midnight and in-room curfew at 1 am. By day 3, kids are beginning to look bleary-eyed - as are the chaperones!

Two groups from the VT/NY conference attended this year's NYG: Ascension from South Burlington and Redeemer from Plattsburgh.

What do we at Good Shepherd need to do to send kids to the 2009 gathering? (the rumor is that it will be in New Orleans)