So, I’ve had an interesting last 10 or so days. It all started off with a Unite In Worship conference that featured Robin Mark and Brian Doerksen as the headliners. It was amazing to sit and listen to these to in workshops, and to sit (or stand as the case tended to be) and be in worship with them. The primary preacher for the weekend was the very entertaining and engaging preacher Calvin Miller, but also there was Barry Adams of “The Father’s Love Letter” fame.
Given that I think Bev and I were the only two UCC members in the whole building for the entire weekend, it was really interesting to sit and chat with people from more evangelical backgrounds. Besides the amazing worship that was there, these discussions gave me some things to think about as I continue to ponder how to reach out to today’s potential worshipers, without turning away those already in the pews. Given that I am now tasked with implementing a weekly contemporary service for a local church, these thoughts will be running through my head a LOT in the next few weeks and months as I get a reasonable amount of free reign to try out new things.
Spiritually charged, yet physically drained, I then spent 5 days in Sackville, NB at the annual Maritime Conference meeting of the UCC, and spending it the best way possible. That being with 100 youths from ages 15-19. What a blessing it is to engage these amazing youth in faith discussions, and to see them grow not just year-to-year, but in many cases day-to-day as well. The music by The Message was amazing as always, and the energy was infectious. Only I wish I hadn’t had a wicked cold this weekend, and thus not much of a voice at all (not that I let it stop me!).
So… this week I continue to process all that I have seen and experienced in the last 10 days, as I start this new ministry with the youth of this church. I have already met with a youth leader at a nearby church, and am beginning look at ways in which we can share resources to allow our youth to experience and feel safe and at home in the church.
I am very excited to see what lays ahead of me in the next 12 months as I start to build a youth ministry and at the same time wrap up my degree so that I may begin a new minstry, one where I’ll hopefully be ordained and active in a whole new community!