Happy Reformation Day!

I'm going to do a post tomorrow, but I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Reformation Day! And of course, I've gotta remind T-Bone to post about preaching in the Castle Church this morning!

(oh, and there's some Halloween thing too. Have a good one of those, or something. :D )

A slow week....

Hey folks. This last week seemed like the slowest for some reason. It's almost as if my mind was someplace else. It may have also been that I really didn't have much this week. We had a new member class on Thursday, which I led a devotional for (and used Bones' piece below, so thanks!). I was amazed at the difference in our release time classes yet again. We have a half-hour for 2,3,4 grades and another 1/2 for 5th & 6th. 2-4 is INSANE. 70 kids, and about 40 of them are talking or hitting each other. Wonderful. Meanwhile, the 5th and 6th graders are attentive, considerate, and calm. It's crazy to me.

The main other thing this week was that my mom and brother came down for the weekend. They got here about 2 on Saturday afternoon. My mom immediately set out to cleaning my house, which I was 1/4 annoyed by and 3/4 happy about. I felt about 90% moved in before this weekend, and now I feel about 99% moved in. We also discovered that my couch is also a hideabed, which is fun. Then on Sunday, after church, I usually have Junior High Sunday School. I had my lesson all planned out, but I went up to Mom after the service and said, "It would be so much more fun to punt." I brought her into my class and we talked about a lot of different things, including my brother. The kids seemed to really enjoy it, and they were a little more attentive with my Mom in the room. :D

Overall, a good week, but slow. This next one will not be so, however. Not only do I preach on Sunday (woo hoo!), we also have a baptism and a wedding on Saturday. (Yeah, I know. Private baptism. Don't get me started.) I also need to get my forms into the sem, as I have been delinquent in that. Blessings to all!

In Christ's Hope,
Christopher

I'm lucky.

I feel so honored to be in this place. It has been a wonderful time for me of growth and understanding. This past week was just another example of that. Even in the midst of confusion and misunderstandings and hardships, God is still good, and God is still present with that life we so desperately need. The major piece of that which happened this week was I assisted with a baptism this past Sunday. It's always a privilege to be a part of something like that, especially to the tiniest of our brothers and sisters, knowing that even before water is put to head or words to mouth, God is there, saying "I love you. I forgive you. I am yours, and you are mine." It's powerful, and it's amazing.

Short post this week. Next week, the big thing is a new member class on Thursday, and I need to get my learning agreement and project forms back to the sem before they start breathing down my neck. I wish you all the best, and may the seeds you plant grow where they may.

In Christ's Hope,
Christopher

Wow. That's Confirmation?

The title pretty much says it all about the main focus of my post today, but there are some other things that happened as well. Tuesday was a very busy day, ranging from text study to a county ministerial meeting to a communion service at a nursing home. Thursday was a conference meeting, with pastors all over the conference gathering for fellowship, worship, and learning. We had a session on dealing with kids with learning disabilities in our Sunday School and Confirmation classes. We set up a "pumpkin patch" on Saturday to raise funds for the 2006 National Youth Gathering, which is pretty cool. I made a scarecrow for it, which is always fun. Sunday, we took 4-6th grades to a corn maze in Iowa, which was great. The three kids I worked with were just as hardcore about it as I was, and we got through it, with all the stations, in about 50 minutes. The average is between 60-90 minutes.

The biggest thing that happened during the week, if not for Wednesday, was assisting with a wedding on Saturday. The wedding took place at the family farm, up on a deck in the front of the house. Two things could have been changed: 1. The bugs were HORRIBLE. 2. We were at just the right position to get not only the sun direct, but the sun reflected off one of the barn roofs. We were toasting up there. Otherwise, it was a wonderful service that I felt blessed to be a part of. I read the "prayers of the church" for the couple and for all families. So, most of the ceremony, I'm just kind of standing there with a front-row seat. Pretty fun.

Now, onto Wednesday. We had Confirmation AND Release Time start. I immediately shifted into this "taskmaster" persona that is completely not me. I was gruff and short, and giving stern looks everywhere. I said after release time to one of the other pastors: "It's tough work being the heel." Then came confirmation. Our 7th and 8th graders are, shall we say, rambunctious. We had set up a seating chart, hoping that would help. All we got was whining. I felt like I needed to do something, but what I did was bring out the taskmaster. I was trying to explain, but just like they say, working with Junior High kids brings you right back there, into all your insecurities from those days. So, I had a rough time of it the first time. My supervisor and I processed a lot after the class got done, and to be honest, I shed a couple tears. But now, I've put it in a drawer and it's out of my sight. I've got a fresh start starting Wednesday.

Next week is busy. I've got my second Internship Committee meeting on Tuesday, council meeting on Wednesday, and our cluster meeting on Thursday. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing a couple people I know at the cluster, including Bones. God's blessings to you all on your ministries!

In Christ's Hope,
Christopher

I got to preach!!!

What a week. There's been a lot of visits to make lately. We did home communion visits this week, along with a few visits to the hospital. There have been a couple of folks in the hospital lately, so I've been getting used to where the hospitals are. Our plans changed up yesterday afternoon when we had someone go back into the hospital in Mason City, so we had to make a run down there. That's really the extension of the ministry of the church, right there.

Before I talk about preaching, I have to mention that I fulfilled a dream on Friday night. I had mentioned in passing a couple of weeks ago that I'd always wanted to work the "chain gang" at a football game. The guy I was talking to said that he could talk to the folks at the high school and would see what he could do. So, on Friday, at Glenville-Emmons Homecoming game versus Alden-Conger (gotta love consolidated school districts), I was working the chains. For about 2 1/2 quarters, I worked the "clip" which marks the actual yard lines on the chains in case of measurement. The other 1 1/2, I was able to work one of the yard markers, the actual chains. We had to go out onto the field for a measurement after a 4th down play for AC with about a minute to go. The measurement was at my end, so I had the best seat in the house for AC coming up short, and GE winning 14-8. Good times. I'll probably work the chains again for the game on the 15th. Fun. :D

PREACHING! Woo Hoo! I got to lead pretty much the entire service on Sunday, because my supervisor was filling in for another pastor at another church. The sermon went pretty well. The text was Luke 17:5-10. I got to use the metaphor of the painter. You wouldn't walk into an art gallery and say "My, what wonderful paintings that brush has made." You say, "My, what wonderful paintings that painter has made." The brush is still there. The brush is still acting. But all the credit goes to the painter. So, when it comes to faith and work, it does not matter the size of our brush (faith). What matters is that we are the brush in the hand of the Master. Sweeeet. :D My next Sunday preaching is Oct. 31, which we all know what that is. It's our "contemporary" service, so I'm hoping to bring out my Heretics T-shirt.

Well, that's last week. Next week, we bring 4-6 graders to a Corn Maze nearby, and I will be assisting with a wedding on Saturday. Blessings to all!

In Christ's Hope,
Christopher