Thank You For This Beautiful Day!

We are glad to be back with you.  Connecting to WiFi continues to be a challenge at the church where we are staying.  We've missed being able to blog and keep you up to date on our Philadelphia Mission Trip. Tonight's blog will bring you up to speed on the past two days of our mission work, bonding time and devotions.

To kickoff our work week we were given handmade pieces of love that were sent by our knitting group at FUMC.  The graduates led us in Morning Glow and encouraged us to be knitted together by strong ties of love (adapted from Colossians 2:2). We then divided into groups of 15 and set out to work at three different sites.  After orientation at each organization, our mission teams began a long, yet rewarding, day of work.

The group working at The Neighborhood Center  in Camden, NJ split up into four smaller teams and accomplished a variety of different task.  One unit began to clear an overgrown lot that will be acquired by The Center to use as a community space, as their "neighbors" see fit.  This group worked diligently and successfully minimized the 4 foot grass lot into 6 inches of grass by days end.  Another group worked during the morning tilling and cultivating the produce garden that provides fresh produce to be used in the Community Kitchen.  After this work was completed, the group prepared lunch and served 132 neighbors in the Community Kitchen.  Another group did in depth cleaning around The Center that was much needed.  A regional UMW member is coming to The Neighborhood Center on Wednesday and this cleaning helped the agency prepare for her arrival.  This was much appreciated by the staff as they do not have the time nor the resources to pay for janitorial services.  The UMW found The Neighborhood Center so the staff felt it was important to have the place immaculate for her arrival.  The team enjoyed numerous successes and enjoyed seeing the progress they had made at days end.

Another group eagerly greeted the founder of Work to Ride at her stable that houses 36 horse.  Lezlie is still actively involved in the daily operation.  Their biggest need was to repair and paint the existing fence for the horses.  Our group learned to use a crow bar, level, power saw, hammer a nail, post hole digger, etc., while constructing the structure.  Another group mastered landscaping at the agency by mowing grass, weed eating, pruning trees and mulching.  It was truly life on the farm interacting with horses, goats, dogs, cats and children who were there to learn to ride.

Our final group worked tirelessly to up fit an apartment at Blessed Sarnelli Community that will house groups, such as ourself, who provide service.  This team divided and conquered several novel tasks, including dry walling and replacing flooring.  While there doesn't seem to be much to say in print, the finished product will enable the Gospel to be lived out in one of Philadelphia's poorest communities. (Sorry we forgot to bring our camera to this site today!!)

We were blessed to be able to "act justly, love mercifully and walk humbly with our God."

Monday night we rode the Patco line and attended the Phillies game.  The rain refreshed us after a hot work day, then cleared off in time for us to take our seats as the first pitch was being thrown.  It was a great respite and community among our youth group continued to build.

Each night of the trip we debrief the mission work with our work teams, discuss a passage from the Bible and close with quite prayer and reflection.  Tonight we used a song, "Note to God" to continue the prayer Stuart Albright prayed daily during his summer service trip to The Neighborhood Center in 1999.  Each youth completed the following statement, "Dear God, thank you for this beautiful day..."!

Tuesday morning was a familiar sight as we still struggle to get out of bed, eat breakfast and pack lunches in a timely manner.  The graduates and seniors lead us in "Morning Glow"to start our day.  Today we talked about the invention of the board game Monopoly.  It is ironic that it was created shortly after the Great Depression.  Could a game of wealth and power be the answer to all their problems?  Do we often think that money can buy happiness?  Matthew 6:21 says, "Where your treasure lies, there will be your heart also."  So only God can fill your heart with love.  Thanks to Julie Griffin, Senior High Counselor, for providing Monopoly key chains with this scripture.  Our challenge was to go out today and share God's love.

Here are a few scenes from around the worksites of The Neighborhood Center, Blessed Sarnelli Community, Work to Ride and Philabundance.

Thanks to Sweat Fitness, a nearby athletic club, for letting 45 of us invade their facility for showers daily.  Tonight we enjoyed a home cooked meal by Jennifer Adams.  Thanks to the parents who sent the chicken--we LOVED our chicken tacos!

Our sharing time tonight centered around the theology of the Haves/Have Nots.  After several exercises discussing this topic, we were grateful for all we have been given.  However, more importantly, we are appreciative that our talents and resources allow us to serve others, particularly this week in Philadelphia.  We are also very thankful for our church family that makes these trips possible by their prayers, support and gifts.  We closed by reading 1 Timothy 4:12 (the same scripture our congregation read today in their Daily Prayer Guide).  We do not think any member for FUMC-Gastonia would look down upon this group because of their youth.  In fact, we feel you would be very proud of how they are sharing their gifts with others.  Listening to Kind and Generous, individually the group journaled on what people back home would thank them for had they seen them in action today or what a member on their worksite did thank them for.  We closed with the following prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for this beautiful day.  We want to thank you for so many gifts you gave with love and tenderness.  We want to thank you for showing us how to share these with others this week.

Amen

Pomp and Circumstance

As graduation nears, I wanted to post what I shared with the FUMC parents, soon-to-be graduates and youth workers at the Senior Dinner on May 27, 2012. This is a special group of young people, both collectively and individually. They each made their mark on this community, their school, the youth group and the entire First Methodist congregation. By living their faith out loud, they let us know they were here. They will continue to do the same in the next Chapter of their life. Congratulations Class of 2012!

Last year about this time, I remember telling the youth and some of you parents, “It won’t be long till graduation.” And it’s here: that awkward time of parents hanging on for one last memory and seniors ready to get it done.

So enjoy tonight, whatever place you find yourself, because the next two weeks will fly by. They will be emotional and y’all may not have a chance to say the things you want to say so hopefully tonight you can.

Traditionally, I use a song that says what I want to say about the senior class much better than I can put into words. I hope I have done that. I will be using a song by Lady Antebellum and the title is “I Was Here.” I invite you to listen to the words. For those of you hard of hearing, I have them printed. Then I will make a few brief comments.

This song was used in the 2008 Olympics because each athlete competes and dreams of that moment and that achievement. Those of you gathered here have dreamed of this time – individually, for your children or for the kids in this youth group. And as great as these milestones are, just as important are the significant moments along the way – you have been making your mark for a long time. Some of you made a mark coming into the world, some of you made a splash in the nursery, some of you starred in plays and musicals, some of you stood together at confirmation. Others have come back into the fold gradually for specific events. Still others have joined the church as new members. Regardless where you appear on the timeline, you took LOL and saw something different. You’ve chosen to live your faith out loud. Many have carved your name in your school through academics, athletics, chorus, drama and ROTC. You’ve taken time to let this community and others know you were here by serving a meal at Potter’s House, playing with children at Camp Sunshine, serving a meal at the Boys and Girls Club – or tutoring and teaching them Spanish. You chose to do something better with your time in the summers beginning with the Mission Trip to Rockford. We left more than a trace in Choctaw. We touched a few hearts in Detroit, including Fran. We did more than just pass through the arch in St. Louis,

And your faith has been noticed by others at Valle Crucis, on Youth Sunday, through prayer texts, out back at Tequila’s, early mornings at McDonald’s for prayer breakfasts, and blogs and twitter feeds that tell the world what FUMC means to you. We have shared joys and sorrows. I will forever remember this class for the way you embraced me during my mother’s death. And as you move forth from this place tonight, as you graduate in a couple of weeks – yes, you’ve achieved a milestone but you are who you are because of your Creator, the people sitting beside of you, the families you represent and a church filled with pride when they think of their youth. So although many things will change for you in the coming months, the one constant is God knows the plans he has for you and I believe there is a reason “plans” is plural. You may take multiple roads to get to a variety of destinations but God and FUMC will work with you. If you don’t take anything else away from tonight, take away that you want to do something that matters and something that says “I was here.” And that goes for all of us here, we all need to do more than pass through this life.

Parents, you don’t need to quit doing, being, serving, praying, witnessing, and coming to church just because your kids are finished.

Seniors, don’t put your faith on the shelf for the next few years. Find ways to stay connected to the one who made you, died for you and rose again for you.

In a moment your parents will wrap a blanket around you carved with the cross and flame. Let this remind you of this evening and our love for you.