So last night I was helping out with Vacation Bible School at the Highland Avenue CoB and while I was working I began to think back to when I went to VBS as a kid. My most absolute favoritest VBS was when we did the Market Place. It was so great because we could move around from stall to stall doing various projects like tying knots to make a fishing net, pouring hot wax into sand to make candles, eating food and a dozen other things! I can remember doing this several years in a row both at the Bridgewater CoB and at the Dayton CoB. It was a good time as far as I can remember!
So then right after I helped with VBS last night, I met with David and I began to think even more about growing up in the church and all the memories I have at the old Bridgewater CoB. Everytime I go into that building the memories always come flooding back. From remembering where I always sat with my grandparents in the front right of the sanctuary, usually in the third or fourth pew, playing hangman or connected the dots with my cousins. There there were the times where all the kids in the congregation would race down to the kitchen after communion was over so that we could get some of the leftovers! Many times I got my fill of grape juice and bread! And that bread, oh it's so good! It's great fun to think back to all the lock-in's and times that we played Sardines, and with the building have three levels in places, it was the perfect place to play! My favorite part of a Sunday morning service was the children's story and I can remember once when Naomi West led that time and was in the front of the church in plain clothes with a wheel barrel full of dirt and I think she planted something. One of the things that always has stayed with me were her hands and how much life those hands had experienced over the years. She was an amazing woman and it was neat to have the chance to grow up around her and hear her stories. I had my affirmation class in the old church before moving up the new church building where I was eventually baptized and that was special to. A way to connect the old with the new. Ah, so many memories and those memories are certainly a blessing to me!
I miss being in that building, I miss the times I had with my grandparents and family while I was there. I always think of my grandfather when I'm there and how much he meant to me. I'm a lucky girl and I have been extremely blessed with a family who has taken the time to care for me and raise me and encourage me along in whatever crazy thing I was interested in doing. You all have made it possible for me to be where I am today!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Not Too Shabby
Well I survived my first week out in the field and then my few days back in the office before heading off again. The workcamp in New Windsor was AMAZING. I couldn't have asked for a better group. They were energetic (then again they were junior highers), they were thoughtful and asked a lot of questions, they did a ton of work and learned a lot from what the did! Yeah, I know what I said about the girls being super girly, but they didn't turn out to be so bad after all! I dunno, they all seemed to flock to me during the week, quite strange if you ask me! And the best quote came out of this week! One of the boys was talking to an advisor and said " I just don't understand why people would come here if they didn't want to work. I mean after all this is a workcamp, not a loooooove camp!"
Like I mentioned before (I think, I honestly can't remember!), I absolutely love going back to New Windsor and reconnecting with everyone. I think that was part of the greatness of the week as well. Being in Maryland and in New Windsor has become such a huge part of who I am and I love that the group was able to experience that place and I hope they have grown to love it and appreciate it as I have over the years.
My energy level was surprisingly high all throughout the week until Friday rolled around and then it simply disappeared and was no longer. Swimming two days in a row along with having shouting matches while playing Marco Polo is apparently very exhausting! Friday night we took the group into the Inner Harbor of Baltimore and that was a really great trip and it totally tired all of us out! It is always funny to watch the energy level of groups be really high in the beginning and then slow down as the week goes on. Saturday came before any of us were ready for it, well maybe I was, but I couldn't believe that it came so fast!
After all the kiddies left I was able to spend the weekend relaxing a bit in New Windsor and I stayed with some good friends of mine and was able to sit and relax and play and swim and just 'be' for a few days. Coming back I volunteered myself to go on a later flight because it was overbooked and I got a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental United States! Oh the possibilities are endless! I think I'm sensing a trip to Colorado coming in my near future! Woot woot!
It has been nice to be back in Elgin for these few days. I was able to come back in time to play some Ultimate Frisbee on Tuesday which is always a highlight of my week! I really enjoy playing and I've met some really awesome people while playing! I was really sad to tell them that I wouldn't be back until August but at the same time it was really funny to tell people where I would be. It's a fun thing to say, 'well, I'll be in Kentucky for two weeks, then a week in Virginia and week back here in Illinois (but I can't come and play), then a week in Maryland and a week in Florida and THEN a week in Colorado before coming back.' Then people always wonder what the heck it is that I do! So of course I enlighten them in the wonderful ways of workcamps! : )
Whelp, I think that's it for now! I head off to Neon, Kentucky early Saturday morning! I'll be in touch!
Like I mentioned before (I think, I honestly can't remember!), I absolutely love going back to New Windsor and reconnecting with everyone. I think that was part of the greatness of the week as well. Being in Maryland and in New Windsor has become such a huge part of who I am and I love that the group was able to experience that place and I hope they have grown to love it and appreciate it as I have over the years.
My energy level was surprisingly high all throughout the week until Friday rolled around and then it simply disappeared and was no longer. Swimming two days in a row along with having shouting matches while playing Marco Polo is apparently very exhausting! Friday night we took the group into the Inner Harbor of Baltimore and that was a really great trip and it totally tired all of us out! It is always funny to watch the energy level of groups be really high in the beginning and then slow down as the week goes on. Saturday came before any of us were ready for it, well maybe I was, but I couldn't believe that it came so fast!
After all the kiddies left I was able to spend the weekend relaxing a bit in New Windsor and I stayed with some good friends of mine and was able to sit and relax and play and swim and just 'be' for a few days. Coming back I volunteered myself to go on a later flight because it was overbooked and I got a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental United States! Oh the possibilities are endless! I think I'm sensing a trip to Colorado coming in my near future! Woot woot!
It has been nice to be back in Elgin for these few days. I was able to come back in time to play some Ultimate Frisbee on Tuesday which is always a highlight of my week! I really enjoy playing and I've met some really awesome people while playing! I was really sad to tell them that I wouldn't be back until August but at the same time it was really funny to tell people where I would be. It's a fun thing to say, 'well, I'll be in Kentucky for two weeks, then a week in Virginia and week back here in Illinois (but I can't come and play), then a week in Maryland and a week in Florida and THEN a week in Colorado before coming back.' Then people always wonder what the heck it is that I do! So of course I enlighten them in the wonderful ways of workcamps! : )
Whelp, I think that's it for now! I head off to Neon, Kentucky early Saturday morning! I'll be in touch!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Fashion and Hair and Makeup, Oh My!
Whelp, day one is over.
I can't believe that I'm here in New Windsor, responsible for 21 youth and advisors! I got into the area yesterday without any problems at all which was absolutely amazing and now here I am with one day under my belt. I can check it off my list of things accomplished! It is always so great to touch base with those here at the Service Center. I come back here and I really feel like I'm home! Donna and I have stayed busy making ourselves comfortable and becoming acclimated with our surrounds for the week and checking in with various people around New Windsor. I really believe that we are as prepared as we can possible be so now it's time to enjoy the week! And of course wait and see what random things come up that need to be taken care of!
We couldn't have asked for better weather for the week. The forecast is amazing. It's supposed to be mid 70's and not terribly humid and there shouldn't be too much, if any rain and that's exciting news! I've heard that the past few weeks here have been horribly humid and hot. It also beats the crazy weather that we've been having out west! I guess it's a good weather week for a lot of places! I think it's been really, really warm down south in New Orleans because I have another workcamp going on there this week as well. For the most part things are going really well down there too! There has been some problems with dehydration, but hopefully nothing too serious, but we shall wait and see.
With the group that I'm working with this week there are six boys and 12 girls in the group. It will be a challenging week for me in this sense because I am very much so a boy person. I relate better to boys. You all know me, I'm into sports and goofing off. When it comes to girls, especially girls who are really girlie, I don't do so well. This week there are a lot of girls who are into fashion and how they look and act and love to do hair and makeup and I don't know how to relate to that! Ahhh! Well I'm just going to have to figure out a way to relate and I know that I can do it but that it won't necessarily be easy.
And in all it's a great group and I'm excited to get to know them more this week and work with them and hang out with them. One thing that's hard about the New Windsor workcamp is that it is so short. I am constantly thinking about the schedule and running through what is coming up next and what I need to prepare for and before I know it I've run out of things to plan! New Windsor is a great place for youth to come who are going to a workcamp for the first time and wanting to slowly move away from being home. It's close enough to home for most of these youth and just long enough that it makes for a great time.
New Windsor itself is such a great place to be. Donna and I had a talk today over lunch (when we finally remembered to HAVE lunch) about the future of this place and honestly it doesn't look good. We brainstormed a bit about what could be done to rejuvenate this place and that's a tough question to address. What needs to happen is to make the younger generations appreciate this place and realize all the work that goes on here. Most of the groups who come here to work are older adults who know the history and the worth and the importance but I'm afraid that knowledge is going to die with the generation. If there was a way to have opportunities here that would draw the younger crowd like having a camp ground atmosphere or activities that were especially interesting to families and the younger generations that would be great. But then you get to wondering what would be interesting and appealing. And then if we did figure out something that might work, would we be willing to make the changes to find out for sure?
So then if people decide that those options are no good and we choose to sell it would it be possible to find a buyer who would be interested in purchasing the place and also preserve some aspects of the Center. And what is it that people are wanting to hold on to when it comes to the Center as a whole? Is it the memories and the history that this place holds? Or is it the actual structures? I'm sure these are some of the questions and thoughts that people have been having regarding this place for many years now.
I myself, have become emotionally attached to this place. I came here for the first time summer of 2005 through Ministry Summer Service and I fell in love with the Center. I've been coming back in various roles ever since. During that first summer I was involved with everything that went on here that I possible could. Everything from folding quilts to reading materials published by the Brethren Disaster Ministries, to working with the volunteers to leading youth groups in devotional servies and spending time with the Junior High Workcamp, to being a part of the Passing on the Gift celebration for the Seagoing Cowboys. That summer will stick with me forever. The following winter I went and served for three weeks doing Disaster Response work in Pensacola and the next summer I came back and worked in the material resources part of the Center. I have a deep love of this place and I admit that I would be sad if it was sold and we moved on to something else. But sometimes that is what needs to happen. There comes a time when you need to finish reading and re-reading the chapter you're on and move on to the next one.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see this place rockin' and rollin' again but time will tell and the new chapter will unfold as it's supposed to. And for now, I will enjoy this place and share it's worth to these youth who have given their time and their talents this week to be here. The future will show itself when it's good and ready, and it usually starts with tomorrow!
I can't believe that I'm here in New Windsor, responsible for 21 youth and advisors! I got into the area yesterday without any problems at all which was absolutely amazing and now here I am with one day under my belt. I can check it off my list of things accomplished! It is always so great to touch base with those here at the Service Center. I come back here and I really feel like I'm home! Donna and I have stayed busy making ourselves comfortable and becoming acclimated with our surrounds for the week and checking in with various people around New Windsor. I really believe that we are as prepared as we can possible be so now it's time to enjoy the week! And of course wait and see what random things come up that need to be taken care of!
We couldn't have asked for better weather for the week. The forecast is amazing. It's supposed to be mid 70's and not terribly humid and there shouldn't be too much, if any rain and that's exciting news! I've heard that the past few weeks here have been horribly humid and hot. It also beats the crazy weather that we've been having out west! I guess it's a good weather week for a lot of places! I think it's been really, really warm down south in New Orleans because I have another workcamp going on there this week as well. For the most part things are going really well down there too! There has been some problems with dehydration, but hopefully nothing too serious, but we shall wait and see.
With the group that I'm working with this week there are six boys and 12 girls in the group. It will be a challenging week for me in this sense because I am very much so a boy person. I relate better to boys. You all know me, I'm into sports and goofing off. When it comes to girls, especially girls who are really girlie, I don't do so well. This week there are a lot of girls who are into fashion and how they look and act and love to do hair and makeup and I don't know how to relate to that! Ahhh! Well I'm just going to have to figure out a way to relate and I know that I can do it but that it won't necessarily be easy.
And in all it's a great group and I'm excited to get to know them more this week and work with them and hang out with them. One thing that's hard about the New Windsor workcamp is that it is so short. I am constantly thinking about the schedule and running through what is coming up next and what I need to prepare for and before I know it I've run out of things to plan! New Windsor is a great place for youth to come who are going to a workcamp for the first time and wanting to slowly move away from being home. It's close enough to home for most of these youth and just long enough that it makes for a great time.
New Windsor itself is such a great place to be. Donna and I had a talk today over lunch (when we finally remembered to HAVE lunch) about the future of this place and honestly it doesn't look good. We brainstormed a bit about what could be done to rejuvenate this place and that's a tough question to address. What needs to happen is to make the younger generations appreciate this place and realize all the work that goes on here. Most of the groups who come here to work are older adults who know the history and the worth and the importance but I'm afraid that knowledge is going to die with the generation. If there was a way to have opportunities here that would draw the younger crowd like having a camp ground atmosphere or activities that were especially interesting to families and the younger generations that would be great. But then you get to wondering what would be interesting and appealing. And then if we did figure out something that might work, would we be willing to make the changes to find out for sure?
So then if people decide that those options are no good and we choose to sell it would it be possible to find a buyer who would be interested in purchasing the place and also preserve some aspects of the Center. And what is it that people are wanting to hold on to when it comes to the Center as a whole? Is it the memories and the history that this place holds? Or is it the actual structures? I'm sure these are some of the questions and thoughts that people have been having regarding this place for many years now.
I myself, have become emotionally attached to this place. I came here for the first time summer of 2005 through Ministry Summer Service and I fell in love with the Center. I've been coming back in various roles ever since. During that first summer I was involved with everything that went on here that I possible could. Everything from folding quilts to reading materials published by the Brethren Disaster Ministries, to working with the volunteers to leading youth groups in devotional servies and spending time with the Junior High Workcamp, to being a part of the Passing on the Gift celebration for the Seagoing Cowboys. That summer will stick with me forever. The following winter I went and served for three weeks doing Disaster Response work in Pensacola and the next summer I came back and worked in the material resources part of the Center. I have a deep love of this place and I admit that I would be sad if it was sold and we moved on to something else. But sometimes that is what needs to happen. There comes a time when you need to finish reading and re-reading the chapter you're on and move on to the next one.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see this place rockin' and rollin' again but time will tell and the new chapter will unfold as it's supposed to. And for now, I will enjoy this place and share it's worth to these youth who have given their time and their talents this week to be here. The future will show itself when it's good and ready, and it usually starts with tomorrow!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
So it Begins
Well folks, I promised to keep you updated in my travels and adventures and experiences so here's the first of it. I really can't believe that it is already the middle of June and that I leave in a day for my first workcamp!
I have grown so much these past few months and if I could, I would try to explain it all here, but it simply isn't possible. I've learned to live in a house with up to six other volunteers all sharing one vehicle. I've learned how to live in a community with the same people that I work with every day and still manage to live peacefully...well most of the time : )
I've learned how to eat on $15 a week and live on $60 a month. I've learned that it's okay to put myself out there and meet new people and create a name for myself. I've learned that the weather here is crazy and that the winters never seem to end and then when they do, you have to watch out for tornadoes. I've learned and grown to love the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren and I have made many amazing friendships there. I've learned that as much as I love my job that it is still very trying at times, but that in the end it is all worth it. I've learned that having a spiritual director is an amazingly powerful thing and a great blessing.
As I go forth into the many adventures this summer I find myself well prepared. I have been blessed through my experiences at the Bridgewater CoB, and the Westminster CoB and now the Highland Avenue CoB. I get weekly e-mail updates from Bridgewater which bring news of joy and of sorrow and I am grateful for those because they have kept me in touch with my extended family. I go into this summer knowing that there are many people praying for me and my work. People that I know and people that I have never met before. Prayer is a very powerful thing and it isn't something that I am really comfortable doing in a formal out loud way. But I am constantly having a conversation with God and I know that is a great thing. Here in the Youth and Young Adult Office, we come together once a week to have a time of worship and the office comes together on Wednesdays for a short time of worship as well. It is a great thing. We take turns leading and everyone does it a little bit differently. We'll have hymn sings or meditative times, or Taize singing, or short messages...basically anything and everything goes.
The latest service I led for the Y/YA Office focused on grace and what grace is. Grace is a word that we hear in our everyday lives because it is such a common word, but I had never taken the time to understand what it truly means. And, truth be told, I still don't really have a firm grasp on it, but I'm learning. I asked the five of us in the office to take some time and ponder of what it is that grace means to us and to listen and reflect on an instrumental version of Amazing Grace. After doing some thinking I came to realize that grace is an invitation. It is an act of kindness as well as a way to forgive and to show one's faith. Grace is a gift that God has given us. Grace is something that I will keep exploring throughout the summer as I work with these youth and learn from them and grow with them.
I know this has been a bit random, but I have a feeling they will be for awhile. My goal is to keep you all up to date on my adventures as well as to give you a feel for what my life has been like these past nine months. I feel that I am in a great part of my life. There are so many new things to come in the future and many things that have happened in the past to reflect on.
The concept of "the journey" has been a huge part of my life since I've moved here. The first time I met with my spiritual director, David, he told me that while he didn't have all the answers he was, and is, willing to accompany me in my journey. Hearing him say that meant a great deal to me nine months ago, and still means a great deal to me today. Here is an invitation for you to join me on the journey that I am on. I will gladly join you in your journey as well all move forward in these lives that we live.
I have grown so much these past few months and if I could, I would try to explain it all here, but it simply isn't possible. I've learned to live in a house with up to six other volunteers all sharing one vehicle. I've learned how to live in a community with the same people that I work with every day and still manage to live peacefully...well most of the time : )
I've learned how to eat on $15 a week and live on $60 a month. I've learned that it's okay to put myself out there and meet new people and create a name for myself. I've learned that the weather here is crazy and that the winters never seem to end and then when they do, you have to watch out for tornadoes. I've learned and grown to love the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren and I have made many amazing friendships there. I've learned that as much as I love my job that it is still very trying at times, but that in the end it is all worth it. I've learned that having a spiritual director is an amazingly powerful thing and a great blessing.
As I go forth into the many adventures this summer I find myself well prepared. I have been blessed through my experiences at the Bridgewater CoB, and the Westminster CoB and now the Highland Avenue CoB. I get weekly e-mail updates from Bridgewater which bring news of joy and of sorrow and I am grateful for those because they have kept me in touch with my extended family. I go into this summer knowing that there are many people praying for me and my work. People that I know and people that I have never met before. Prayer is a very powerful thing and it isn't something that I am really comfortable doing in a formal out loud way. But I am constantly having a conversation with God and I know that is a great thing. Here in the Youth and Young Adult Office, we come together once a week to have a time of worship and the office comes together on Wednesdays for a short time of worship as well. It is a great thing. We take turns leading and everyone does it a little bit differently. We'll have hymn sings or meditative times, or Taize singing, or short messages...basically anything and everything goes.
The latest service I led for the Y/YA Office focused on grace and what grace is. Grace is a word that we hear in our everyday lives because it is such a common word, but I had never taken the time to understand what it truly means. And, truth be told, I still don't really have a firm grasp on it, but I'm learning. I asked the five of us in the office to take some time and ponder of what it is that grace means to us and to listen and reflect on an instrumental version of Amazing Grace. After doing some thinking I came to realize that grace is an invitation. It is an act of kindness as well as a way to forgive and to show one's faith. Grace is a gift that God has given us. Grace is something that I will keep exploring throughout the summer as I work with these youth and learn from them and grow with them.
I know this has been a bit random, but I have a feeling they will be for awhile. My goal is to keep you all up to date on my adventures as well as to give you a feel for what my life has been like these past nine months. I feel that I am in a great part of my life. There are so many new things to come in the future and many things that have happened in the past to reflect on.
The concept of "the journey" has been a huge part of my life since I've moved here. The first time I met with my spiritual director, David, he told me that while he didn't have all the answers he was, and is, willing to accompany me in my journey. Hearing him say that meant a great deal to me nine months ago, and still means a great deal to me today. Here is an invitation for you to join me on the journey that I am on. I will gladly join you in your journey as well all move forward in these lives that we live.
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