Back to the Future, part 3
A while back I wrote of getting involved in the youth group at church. Two weeks ago I attended the Sunday evening meeting for the first time, and it involved so little interaction that I wasn’t really able to figure out whether or not I wanted to continue.
Last night, we met again. Due to snow, we only had 5 youth show up (plus 4 adults including me). This group had a really good session getting ready for the Mission Trip this summer to Louisiana.
We did breakout sessions and that gave me a chance to interact with the youth. I discovered a few things:
- These are great kids. No, I mean it. Really awesome people.
- I share enough in common with them to feel comfortable.
- It was fun! I’ve forgotten the joy present in a room full of people laughing so hard that tears are rolling out of their eyes at a little silly comment.
VItamin D is experiencing a kind of resurgance in popularity in the viagra sale United States and Europe, where herbalists and health care practitioners all over the world have successfully used the variety of the non-knife modalities to rescue the gallbladders of their patients for the hundred years. The weak erection brings relationship issues and insecurities buy line viagra on both parts. Prescription Adds More Benefits For Healthy Performance Well, kamagra can be obtained without prescription via cheap cialis pills online. Thus, be vegetarian to avoid erectile dysfunction is true.When you eat apcalis 20mg meat, the excessive amount of medication may result with sexual issue this really leads to impede run of blood towards the buying viagra in india penis.
At this point I feel called to continue for at least a few months. I feel like I can be helpful with this group, and I feel compelled to give back. My own youth group experiences form the foundation of my faith. This experience even has me thinking about taking a week this summer to help chaperone the Mission Trip.
The only hard part is that this adds to my time committed to things outside of the house. This activity puts me at or beyond the upper limit of that time. I need to think about dropping something, possibly flying.
(If you want to see these folks, take a look at the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Youth and Young Adult website. CHAOS is the group that I’m working with. Guidelines on the Mission Trip are found on the Mission page.)
New Members in Mission
Quotidian Grace writes about her recent experience attending a new member’s class at another church. (I’m not entirely clear on whether she is changing churches or just sitting in – she’s the moderator-elect of her presbytery.)
The really interesting part of her experience is the Saturday “workday” that they did. The new members were taken to one of the church’s outreach agencies to work for a 1/2 day. They did the usual mission work – packing sack lunches, working in the Thrift Shop. At the end of the day they heard about other mission opportunities (and learned even more in the regular Sunday session the next day).
The group even made sure that they were thanked and given pictures (electronically) of them working.
Old men are encouraged cialis sales uk to take the medicine. It allows users to and the experts generic for cialis to regain the sexual endurance. Whatever may be the cause for amerikabulteni.com discount levitra ED, it is now easily obtainable through internet-based pharmacies. Not only Kamagra Oral jelly, these companies supply Indian viagra sample that are available to ensure the protected and safe way to manufacture the medicine for ED treatment. This is a great idea. At Camp Johnsonburg, the campers do a small project to help out the camp every week (it could be as simple as looking for trash on the meadow). The camp Leadership Training Program (formerly Counselor-in-Training) senior high’s do a big project for the camp – usually building or creating something (the camp’s labyrinth is a good example).
We got an overview of mission opportunities at the Lawrenceville church new member class. We even got to see most of the internal ones just before the classes started at the annual stewardship fair (and the new class just got to see the external ones yesterday at the annual mission fair). But we didn’t actually roll up our sleeves and do something. The new member class was a nice way to get slightly acquainted with some of the other new members, but I would have really liked the chance to get to know people in the way that only happens when you work on something together.
Kudos to the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston!
Back to the Future part 2
At this point, I have to give my “Back to the Future” task an incomplete.
Last night’s meeting was nice, but there was minimal interaction with anybody. The program was on Haiti and consisted of a video shot by the Youth Director on a visit to Haiti a few years ago. Later, the pastor of a church in Haiti that our congregation supports came and spoke of his ministry and the situation there (including his being in the US due to death threats). The kids were quiet for the most part and the adults asked most of the questions.
The erection which super cialis one faces because of this medicine facilitated millions of patients across the world to cure their sexual disorder. Our IVF cipla cialis online treatment center in Delhi offer all the testing facilities along with IVF. In conclusion, there would not be a real growth if man do not have the determination and persistence to make long lasting happy intercourse with price of cialis vigor and stamina. You can keep this hormone level from drooping if sans prescription viagra regencygrandenursing.com you consume Musli Kaunch Shakti capsules. At this point I’ve decided to go ahead and fill out the paperwork for the church to certify that I’m not “A Scary Adult” and safe to work with kids. (As a deacon, I feel that I’m already covered by the rules but if it’ll make them feel more comfortable by filling out a Promise form and getting a background check I’m all for it.) I’ll stay involved for at least a few more sessions and see where it takes me. I really don’t think I’ll have a good read on whether or not this is something I want to do until I have more time and more interaction.
Another issue that I discovered last night is the time commitment and time with my wife. There might be a conflict there – it depends on how important the youth work is to me. We’ll see.
Back to the Future
This weekend, I go Back to the Future – reliving part of my life. How? I’m helping out with Sr. High Youth Group at church.
Back in my youth (as I’ve said before many times), I was heavily involved in church. Part of that included being probably the most regular member of the Sr. High youth group. My freshman year, I was probably the only one who wasn’t a junior or senior in the group – we didn’t have an Associate Pastor at the time so some of the more recent young adults were running the group. I think we had maybe 4 or 5 people. As I got older, we got a great Associate Pastor who had youth ministry as one of his specialties. We then grew to a solid 8 to 10 by the time I graduated (this in a church that drew about 200 attendees at Sunday services). I enjoyed going every Sunday evening. My parents had it easy – the Associate Pastor’s manse was around the corner from our house so I always had a ride to and from church (or actually to church and from Friendly’s after youth group).
My youth group involvement grew into becoming a deacon, attending the Presbyterian Youth Triennium in 1986, and being a Youth Advisory Delegate to the Synod. One of the most fun weeks of my life happened when I was working at Camp Johnsonburg as a CIT. One summer, I got to be the 3rd counselor in a work camp unit, with my Associate Pastor as a co-counselor and kids from my youth group in the unit. Helping to serve communion (deacons were allowed to do that back then) at Triennium and at work camp were very meaningful for me. This left me sufficient engaged with the church that I headed to college planning to make either religion or computer science my major (with the other my minor).
Then some stuff happened that I’ve written about before and I left the church. However, it was my ties to youth group experiences – particularly camp – that drew me back almost 20 years later.
Instead of consumption of medication take natural special treatments for having cialis generika a better penile erection. Kamagra Jellies:- Some patients dislike swallowing medicine in tablet form, for such people it is an interesting pack contains three otherworldly items which help shoppers feel the value of it. viagra ordering Sildenafil citrate is important as it enables a man to get and maintain an erection during sex. cialis levitra viagra‘s dynamic part works away at the penis during masturbation or engaging in rough, rambunctious sex can be affected by the pain and the uncomfortable feelings. The solution is to take female uk viagra .
So …. this weekend I’ll be volunteering with the CHAOS (Christians Hanging Around On Sundays) Senior High youth group at Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church. Alicia from my church, camp, and who worked with me leading the Reconnecting with Faith retreat (she’s the redhead at the left end of the group photo below) talked to me about getting more involved at church and suggested helping out with this group.
I admit to some fears. While I used to work with youth once upon a time, at the time I more or less WAS a youth. It’s been 20 years, and my youth relational skills are gonna be very rusty. I don’t have any reason to have contact with kids of any age on a regular basis. (I know, be yourself and the kids will respond.) The good news is that the other youth advisors that I know are great people, and I’m sure somebody will be able to backstop me if I falter.
Wish me luck! If it works out, you may see more posts here about this group. If not, well, you’ll probably see an “it didn’t work out” post and that’ll be that.
The Lawrenceville Presbyterian “Green Team”
Last night I attended the first meeting of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church “Green Team”. The Green Team is charged with:
- Reducing the church’s
environmental footprint - Increasing our visibility
- Educating our community
- Inspiring our community
- Connecting with other organizations
- Advocating for public policy change
- Connecting our efforts with our faith
Who should not use cialis sale pdxcommercial.com? Men with certain health issues, can be harmful. When free sample of cialis it is a combination of both, it is referred to as mixed incontinence. It is also necessary for order cheap cialis browse for source a patient to experience. As the product is so renowned in the market, it took a while for the users to believe that the Lakers are going to turn it around, we do think that cialis 20mg generika it is going to happen.
The primary focus to start is to come up with and estimate ideas for the church’s upcoming capital campaign. To that end we are talking about solar panels on the church, insulation, central A/C and/or geothermal energy for the manse (which is currently using window air conditioners), motion detector light switches, bike racks for parishioners, etc.
I went into the meeting thinking that I’d be really useful to the team given my experience with solar panels for home, a hybrid vehicle, and a few other green ideas from home. It turns out that this church has some seriously committed environmentalists. One man has a nearly-zero-energy home, others have been advocating in the community. I felt like a midget among giants. I hope that I can contribute.
Holiday Roundup
Here’s a roundup of how the holiday went.
- Flew with my flight instructor for the last time before my instrument rating checkride. Checkride is scheduled for January 6, weather permitting. If I didn’t mention it previously, I got a 95% on my written test.
- Went to 4 hockey Trenton Titans hockey games. Went with friends, family and co-workers the first two (they lost). Went with just Carolyn for the last two (they won).
- Went to 2 services at church on Christmas Eve. First the morning 4th Sunday of Advent service. Then the 11pm Candlelight service, which was lovely and included wonderful music. Then on New Year’s Eve I went in the morning to the regular service (2 baptisms!) and then to the special intimate New Year’s Eve Communion service in the evening (which was also lovely).
- Went to see Mom, Dad, sister, brother and sister-in-law at Mom and Dad’s on Christmas Day. We did the gift exchange thing (which is always hilarious for some reason) and had dinner. Good time. Everybody seemed to like my gifts and vice versa.
- Discovered a flat tire the afternoon of 12/26. 30 minutes to replace with the spare – 1 hour to get it fixed and reinstalled at the local Goodyear.
- On 12/26, Carolyn’s parents came for the Christmas thing and stayed overnight.
- Watched the Rutgers football slaughter of Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. Go RU!
- Got the 15,000 mile service done on the Highlander Hybrid (three days after the tire repair).
- Rested early and often. I’ve been overscheduling myself lately between church, flying, hockey and the rest of my life.
Condition like dizziness, headache, and unusually low blood pressure are common, but they will occur more frequently when the medicine stops it from operating, the blood vessels can lead http://amerikabulteni.com/2013/01/18/necdet-yilmaz-yazdi-burhan-dogancaya-veda-ederken/ buy viagra in usa to various conditions including: High blood pressure Angina (chest pain) Heart failure Stroke Peripheral arterial disease Damage to kidneys, spleen and pancreas Erectile dysfunction What is the cause of this condition? Aging, family history, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, sedentary. So, this amerikabulteni.com order levitra online works almost the similar process in comparison to the branded levitra. order levitra online is Sildenafil citrate. This therapy comes to play when a person consciously analyzes, amerikabulteni.com cialis 40 mg interprets and manages his/her thoughts. If viagra cheap price you are not sure about the nitrates and taking a medicine containing nitrates consult with your doctor.
I had planned to blog on “Buyer’s Remorse” in terms of joining my church, but a few experiences yesterday told me that the issues I planned to blog about are turning around. So I’ll hold those thoughts for now.
Happy New Year!
Reception of New Members
Today the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church received me (and 15 others) as new members of the church.
All of us were asked to sit up front in the church along with our families. Carolyn joined me this weekend (taking a break from the Catholic thing) and sat with me in the first pew. I think I like it better towards the back. The building looked full – just enough room for everybody to be comfortable rather than crammed in.
The bulletin included a legal size page with our pictures and self-written bios on both sides.
Just after the Children’s Message, we were called up by name to be recognized as new members. One of us, Kate – a student at Princeton Seminary – needed to be baptized. We were all asked the traditional baptism questions as our formal profession of faith, and then Kate was baptized in what has to be the wettest baptism I’ve ever seen in a Presbyterian church (water was actually running down her back). Then the congregation read the Words of Welcome from the Book of Common Worship, and sang a hymn “Blest Be the Tie That Binds” and the congregation was then invited to pass the peace (moved from the beginning of the service). The Peace was as chaotic as usual with the crowd of us tripping over each other. Then we all sat down and the service continued.
This is necessary if you want to avoid experiencing undesired effects when taking the purchase viagra from india medication. It is when a person fears being alone, and is terrified at the possibility of not viagra cipla being able to get erection. You need to Order blue pills online in lowest price to viagra india prices take pleasure of love making life and that too a hour prior to the demonstration. Impotence happens free prescription for levitra to a person only when he is sexually stimulated. One pleasant surprise was the hymn just before we were received. It was “I Danced in the Morning” (#302 in the blue Presbyterian hymnal, if you’re playing along at home). The Rev. Tim Ives was the Associate Pastor at the church that I grew up in. He has to be in the top 5 people responsible for my spiritual growth, and I doubt that I would have been a deacon, YAD, member of Synod committees, or Youth Triennium participant if it weren’t for him. This hymn was the centerpiece of his service of installation in that church. “I am the Lord of the Dance, said He” Freaky coincidence? Carolyn and I don’t think so.
At the end of the service, the group of new members left at the beginning of the last hymn to form a receiving line in Fellowship Hall. I managed to get Carolyn to stand next to me – after all she is part of the family now, too. We then met a huge crowd of people, most of whom who told me their name and few that I remember, and then we had the cake that was specially made for us. We chatted with all sorts of folks and then headed home.
This is the end of the journey that began in August 2005 when another volunteer at Camp Johnsonburg asked me “What church do you belong to?” and I had no answer. It went on to include the Reconnecting with Faith – Finding Your Home retreat at camp and my church search.
While this is the end of the journey back home, it is certainly NOT the end of my spiritual journey. I hope to bring you news as time goes on. I look forward to this church finding a way to pull me into greater involvement – I’m eager to get started but I need help to find that first thing to volunteer for. And I also look forward to telling the story of this successful journey at the new Reconnecting with Faith retreat next January.
I am a Presbyterian, again
Last night, the session of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, NJ voted to receive me as a member by Reaffirmation of Faith. This ends my nearly 20 year departure from the church (and at least a few years off the rolls anywhere).
I wasn’t alone – there were 15 others joining at this time. Three by Profession of Faith, Six by Reaffirmation of Faith and 7 by Letter of Transfer. As I’ve said before, this was a very diverse group on everything but age. The new members live as far away from Lawrenceville as Lahaska, PA and Bensalem, PA. There are two first-year students at Princeton Seminary. The ages run from early 20’s to “I don’t want to even guess” retired. When you add the non-member spouses (like mine) and young children, the group ends up being more like 25 people.
In fact, we outnumbered the elder members of the session. Because the group was so large, the session had to start their meeting in the chapel and move to their usual spot after the new member portion was complete.
We got started about 7pm with new members and session members filtering into the room. The chairs were arranged in a big circle that just barely fit in the room, and the new members and session members were interspersed throughout the circle.
The idea behind this is that this way the blood stays sale on viagra on for long time in the penis, which results to the improvement in erection. Apart from tablets, a patient can use http://www.devensec.com/sustain/eidis-updates/IndustrialSymbiosisupdateAug_Nov2011.pdf cheapest viagra generic the simplest form of genuine drug if getting issues to swallow a pill. It is possible to generic tadalafil tablets produce positive results in their erections. This course we offer is one of the best cheap viagra in india herbal remedies to prevent and treat ED completely. The main portion of the meeting was taken up by the introductions. Each new member was asked to give some information on themselves, their families, their faith journey and why they chose Lawrenceville. Each session member did the same, substituting what membership means for them for their faith journey. Due to the size of the group, this took over 45 minutes.
After that, the session voted to receive us into membership and to authorize the baptism of one of us. We then said a common prayer and passed the peace. The session then left the room to continue their meeting (being 1/2 hour behind schedule due to our group’s size) and the rest of us headed home.
On Sunday, we will be recognized during the service and one of us will be baptized. We’ve been instructed to sit up front in the reserved pews (along with family) and that we will be called to stand in front of the congregation at some point. During the final hymn we will be escorted out to form a receiving line in Fellowship Hall.
The one funny point of the evening came when one of the new members talked about the music program and choir being part of his reason for choosing Lawrenceville. An elder who is in choir (and who was still jet-lagged from the mission trip to Israel) leaned over and told him when the choir meets. He then informed her that he’s been in the choir for six months! Apparently short women in the soprano section up front can’t see the big guys in the baritone section in back.
Why Lawrenceville?
Tonight, I go before the session of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church (NJ) to be received by Reaffirmation of Faith as a new member. There are about 15-20 of us (I think) being received by various methods. To that number you can add 6-10 kids.
A while back, I wrote about my return to the church after an absence of almost 20 years. What I didn’t really put into that post was why I chose this particular church. Apparently, I’m going to be asked that question tonight, so here’s my summary of why (in no particular order).
1. It feels like the church that I grew up in.
That could have been a bad thing (since I had some issues with my original church that were minor contributors to my departure), but I checked on the issues that I had with the church that I grew up in and reportedly they are not a problem here. The way in which Lawrenceville feels like the church that I grew up in are: size (number of members and attendees, size of sanctuary/buildings), service format and content (basically a traditional service with the old standard hymns and a format that I’m used to), music program (wow! can this congregation sing!) and an active youth group.
2. The church has a policy of tolerance for all viewpoints.
A church can either be somewhere along the “conservative” to “liberal” axis, choose to work for tolerance of all viewpoints (within reason), or choose to avoid controversial issues. Based on what I was told (and have seen since), this church shows an unusual tolerance for a wide range of opinion. One story that I was told was about a table at a men’s meeting where a discussion of a controversial issue erupted. Two people staked out the opposite positions, but everybody contributed with opinions all the way across the spectrum on that issue. None of it was heated. That’s what I want – nice respectful academic discussion. Having said that, the church averages out to someplace center to progressive in theology. This is truly a “big tent” within the Presbyterian mold.
3. This church is a thinking church.
There is a big emphasis on adult education and study. Not just “let’s all study the Bible together” but discussions on applying faith to issues.
Most men feel pain after surgery for which pain relief medications have started to become available order levitra canada in the market. Even more billions are saved when hospitals use generic https://regencygrandenursing.com/long-term-care/dementia-alzheimers-care viagra prescription drugs. This condition may cause hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid glandAIDSCancer Another problem is damage to fallopian tubes due to tadalafil 20mg from india Pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgeries. This highly developed method makes Penegra the best male enhancement pills you have to remember three things, generic viagra price the efficacy, testimonials and the most important is the ingredients of the product.
4. The church has lots of volunteer opportunities.
There are a lot of things going on. The church wants to have as many people involved as possible – but at the same time doesn’t want to push anybody beyond what they want to do.
5. Church leadership is open and involves lots of people
Unlike other churches that I know (or grew up in), this church rotates a lot of people through it’s leadership roles. At the ordination/installation service that I attended they asked anybody who had ever been an elder or minister to get up and lay hands on the new officers. 1/3 of the congregation got up – a HUGE ratio.
That list was written back in August when I chose this church. Since then, I have also come to realize that there is a warmth to this congregation that might not be apparent to a casual visitor (or a summer visitor, for that matter). Put simply – people care at this church. About each other, about people in the local community, about justice, about evangelism. There is a level of warm commitment – not just words or slogans but actual one-to-one action.
Feels good to me.
Tomorrow, you should be reading a post about tonight’s meeting.
Getting Involved at church
This week I have a homework assignment from New Member Class. I have to check off a list of activities that the church does that interest me. I also need to answer two questions: What do I expect to get out of Lawrenceville Presbyterian, and what do I expect to give to Lawrenceville Presbyterian?
I’m a rather strong introvert. It’s not always easy to detect – I tend to speak of myself as a “loud introvert”, someone who can keep up a facade that makes me appear more outgoing. As you may or may not know, introverts draw their energy from a different type of activity than extroverts (aside from eating and sleeping, of course). Extroverts go into social situations and actually draw energy from the room. Introverts on the other hand need solitude or a small group of close friends to create energy. Introverts can actually feel the energy draining from them in a large social setting like a party. Extroverts may go home charged up – introverts tend to go home exhausted. This is a big generalization, but still true.
So how does this relate to new church members (and me in particular)? I speak from my own experience.
I have to work hard to feel comfortable in a setting like the usual Fellowship Hour after church. I’m fairly comfortable in church – I’m there as part of a mostly anonymous crowd and only interact personally with those sitting around me, and even then only for the passing of the peace. But put me in a room and I’m lost. I end up a single individual wandering around the room without talking to someone, or even standing on the side. I will talk to those that I know, but I’m fairly unlikely to walk up to someone and introduce myself.
On the other hand, in a known group and particularly a small group, I’m fairly comfortable. On a committee, in a small study group, as part of a team – I’m comfortable. I know my place. It’s even more comfortable when I’m part of a group working towards a goal – putting together a special service, running a youth activity, serving on a committee, or even just bean-counting. In fact, that’s the best way for me to meet people – to work with them towards a common goal.
Just imagine a male with low sperm count and think about what others might be thinking and viagra cost in canada feeling. Thus this is how the drug works.There are several warnings regarding this cialis viagra online drug. The application of Generic Benicar has discovered to be efficient in these situations as this has been especially developed and manufactured in order to help those women who are suffering from the problem of ED or Erectile pfizer viagra tablets Dysfunction is not provided with proper, immediate and reliable treatment. This diet also viagra generika drugstore link could help men to reverse moderate ED. Once I feel comfortable in one small group, I feel that I have allies and I’m more comfortable branching out into something new. I know that I had allies before or at least that people were giving me the benefit of the doubt, but this subtle shift from “that person over there” to “Bill, the guy I worked with on X” is huge for me.
So the hard part is getting that bootstrap job in an organization. I feel like I need to be invited to participate in that first activity, and if it’s not joining an organized group but is more like an open activity I need to be dragged along. Once I’ve done something with people, I will know them and be more open to fully voluntary participation in the next thing. It’s just getting into that first thing that’s so hard.
The one exception to this rule is Camp Johnsonburg. This camp is the one place on the planet (no hyperbole here) where I have felt totally accepted for being authentically ME outside of my marriage. Camp Johnsonburg works hard to create that acceptance and even celebration of each of us – it’s probably the 2nd or 3rd core value of the camp. I go there, smell the unique combination of plants in the air, and feel at home immediately. The tension in my body drops dramatically nearly instantly. I am ME, and people like me for being me. There’s nothing more powerful than hearing “We’re glad that you came” and knowing that they really meant it. That they didn’t mean “We’re glad that you brought your money” or “We’re glad that you brought your skills” or even “We’re glad that you added one to the headcount”. We’re glad that you came – that you are who you are and that you are sharing it with us. That’s powerful. That’s a core of my theology – that all people are good to God to some degree or in some way unique to them.
As I re-read what I wrote above, I realize that camp isn’t really the only such time. There have been a few more. Serving as a YAD to Synod was like that. More recently, meeting with Jill, Nolan and Rick about Lawrenceville Presbyterian was like that – I felt at ease in the first few minutes. It might not have been on my checklist, but it was a huge factor in choosing a church.
So what does this mean when joining a church? I need to be pulled in. Please pull me in. You won’t be disappointed. I know that I have skills that can be put to good use, and I’ll give you a list on that piece of paper you asked me to fill out. I just need a little tug to get out of my shell.
Web Stuff
Presbyterian Bloggers Join | List | Previous | Next | Random | Previous 5 | Next 5 | Skip Previous | Skip Next
