A quick reminder that there is a scone bake this coming Sunday (November 13th).
Bakers are Kat, Rosalie, Emma and Stephanie, Sellers are Ben and Sam. Baking 8:30 to about 10:30, Selling 10:30 to about 12:15
We could use one more baker, if anyone is available.
Norm T.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Sunday, November 6, 2016
TONIGHT: YF Ends at 6:45
Because of the performance of Rutter's Requiem, a joint worship service with St. Paul's UCC at 7pm tonight, we will finish up with Youth Fellowship 15 minutes early, at 6:45. Sorry for the late notice, and thank you!
Thursday, October 27, 2016
This Sunday, 10/30
Morning:
8th-12th graders - Coffee Conversations
Good News Room, 11:15am-12:00pm
Lauren Dickinson will facilitate an open conversation space for older youth featuring, yes, coffee! Last month's discussion led to a conversation about #BlackLivesMatter and race, so plan to continue that discussion with the assistance of Youtube videos this week.
6th-7th graders - Explorers
Joyful Noise Room, 11:15am-12:00pm
An opportunity to have deep conversations about what the Bible is and what it means to us. This class is designed to prepare early junior high students for Confirmation later on. Teachers are Becky Rice and Lynda Withbroe. It's sure to be a fun and engaging time, don't miss it!
Evening:
All Youth - Youth Fellowship
Merriam-Lexington Social Hall, 5-7pm
We'll start with dinner, and afterwards we will be celebrating Halloween with some fun collaborative games and activities. We'll also be dividing up for a mission trip conversation with senior high and a conversation about what it means to live a life of service with junior high. Come for fun and for deep discussions!
Save the Date
November 6: Youth Fellowship
November 13: Confirmation Info Session; Youth Fellowship
November 20: Service Project, details TBA
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
We head out on the retreat today at 5! Meet at the church with a sack dinner.
Return will be at noon on Sunday. Look at the blog to see if we'll be delayed.
Next Sunday, 10/9
Youth Sunday
6th-12th Grade singers - Choir Rehearsal
Sanctuary, 8:00-8:30am
If you want to sing for Youth Sunday, meet Brad Bradshaw for a rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
All 6th-12th Grade Youth - Service Rehearsal
Sanctuary, 8:30-9:15am
All youth can have a role on Youth Sunday! We'll be assigning parts on the retreat, but even if you can't come on the retreat, meet up with us for the rehearsal to get a part.
All 6th-12th Grade Youth - Worship Service
Sanctuary, 10:00-11:00am
Youth will lead the service from start to finish on October 9!
Mission Trip 2016 Participants - Adult Forum
Plymouth Room, 11:15am-12:00pm
Mission Trip participants will share a presentation and Q&A about this year's trip to Chicago. All youth are invited to attend.
Friday, September 16, 2016
YouthNews 9/18/16
This Sunday, 9/18
Morning:
8th-12th graders - Adult Forum
Plymouth Room, 11:15am-12:00pm
Jeff Broberg will speak on water quality and why it matters for our lives and for our world.
6th-7th graders - Explorers
Joyful Noise Room, 11:15am-12:00pm
An opportunity to have deep conversations about what the Bible is and what it means to us. This class is designed to prepare early junior high students for Confirmation later on. Teachers are Becky Rice and Lynda Withbroe. It's sure to be a fun and engaging time, don't miss it!
Evening:
All Youth - Youth Fellowship
Merriam-Lexington Social Hall, 5-7pm
We'll begin with dinner, enjoy a scavenger hunt around Macalester's campus, and finish up at Dairy Queen, 143 N Snelling Ave. Bring $5 for ice cream and pick up your youth from Dairy Queen at 7 pm. If your youth walks or drives him/herself, we'll also have a group walking back to the church together.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Arrival time
I expect we will arrive around 5:45, so about 10 minutes early.
See you all at the bus stop.
Friday, June 17, 2016
"Somebody better say something, Somebody better do something, Somebody better feel something"(Mama Brenda Mathus) We must change something
Sam Gerteis-
This week I have found a common theme in the word: "change". During the school year I saw a lot of personal growth and change within myself, and decided to bring my philosophical theme with me.
In the expanse of the trip, we had the pleasure of hearing great and tragic stories from both DOOR Director, Juan Pablo (J.P.), and up and coming motivational rapper Ms.Lah Tere. They both spoke of the struggles they had experienced in their youth, growing up in the then very poor neighborhood, Humbolt Park. With J.P. then going into his large personal lifestyle changes and finally becoming DOOR Director, and Lah Tere telling about her personal strive to become a very powerful independent women who "doesn't take nothing from nobody" and gives her all to help others.
Within our group I am very proud to say that I have never felt this group to be as close together as we have on this trip. I would say that all previous social groups have been combined into the most hardworking group of "neighbors" that I have ever been a part of. I am so happy to have our new Youth Pastor, Corrine, introduced into our group on what I would consider my best mision trip so far.
Although I would love to descriptively run through all that we have done, heard, and seen, it is truly to much to put onto one post. So all I can say is that y'all who weren't here should ask us youth if you would like to hear more!
Back to the topic of change, I saw great things. It is with this that I was able to see that although how tragic the past, it is with change that we see greatness. Change is what brings communities back together, it is the product of personal growth and learning from our mistakes, it is a process of spiritual movement, and most of all it is a philosophy on life that brings out promise and love in times of need. We need to see the change in our own lives, in order to help change others lives, and it is in this that I must say that my most influential and spiritually grabbing mission trip has come to a close.
Special recognition and prayers for those at the Salvation Army Family Shelter, community gardens, and the Iglesias Mision Del Valle Church.
Working at the Salvation Army, or Political Incompetency in Illinois Politics
Hey Folks,
This is Grace, here to tell you about our trip to a Salvation Army branch that provides temporary housing for families with children. The trip was made by my work group (Lee, Emma, Max and Sam), and we were joined by Corinne midway through the day.
We started out be talking to Pam, who works at the Salvation Army as a volunteer coordinator in addition to many other things. She was very grateful to have our help, because the Salvation Army in Illinois is very underfunded. This is where the political incompetency bit comes in. For about a year, the state of Illinois has been unable to come up with a budget. This means that organizations like the Salvation Army are not getting funding from the state. If this budget-less limbo continues, folks are predicting that the Chicago Public Schools will not be able to open. And it looks like this budget nonsense will keep up until the governor of Illinois is out of office.
Krista, a DOOR volunteer who worked with us that day, told us that the budget has been an issue in Illinois for a while now. She explained that the current governor was a sort of businessman turned politician, who had campaigned on the idea of being able to manage money well. Sounds familiar. Well, it hasn't turned out well, especially for the Salvation Army temporary housing place that we visited, that is now looking at a deficit of about 450,000 dollars. That's quite a bit of moolah.
Well, onto something a little more cheerful. I was very impressed with the set-up of the Salvation Army branch that we visited. It is located in an old Holiday Inn, so residents stay with their families in the old hotel rooms, complete with the bathroom. They offer computers for the purposes of finding employment or more permanent housing, as well as three meals a day for the residents. Since children are the main focus the branch, Salvation Army staff are especially diligent about making sure that each child attends school, as well as all the meals, especially breakfast.
Talking about meals brings me to the main purpose of our visit - doing a vigorous deep-clean of the tables and chairs in their cafeteria. This was, surprisingly, a lot of fun. We played some Contact. We used WHEAT, this conversation starter that Corinne introduced us to. And it was very satisfying to see the changes to the furniture as we moved across the room.
It's too late at night to come up with a resounding, coherent conclusion to this jumble of thoughts. I'd just like to say that it felt good to do a day's work for an organization and place that does good work, even while it is hindered by a lack of funds.
This is Grace, here to tell you about our trip to a Salvation Army branch that provides temporary housing for families with children. The trip was made by my work group (Lee, Emma, Max and Sam), and we were joined by Corinne midway through the day.
We started out be talking to Pam, who works at the Salvation Army as a volunteer coordinator in addition to many other things. She was very grateful to have our help, because the Salvation Army in Illinois is very underfunded. This is where the political incompetency bit comes in. For about a year, the state of Illinois has been unable to come up with a budget. This means that organizations like the Salvation Army are not getting funding from the state. If this budget-less limbo continues, folks are predicting that the Chicago Public Schools will not be able to open. And it looks like this budget nonsense will keep up until the governor of Illinois is out of office.
Krista, a DOOR volunteer who worked with us that day, told us that the budget has been an issue in Illinois for a while now. She explained that the current governor was a sort of businessman turned politician, who had campaigned on the idea of being able to manage money well. Sounds familiar. Well, it hasn't turned out well, especially for the Salvation Army temporary housing place that we visited, that is now looking at a deficit of about 450,000 dollars. That's quite a bit of moolah.
Well, onto something a little more cheerful. I was very impressed with the set-up of the Salvation Army branch that we visited. It is located in an old Holiday Inn, so residents stay with their families in the old hotel rooms, complete with the bathroom. They offer computers for the purposes of finding employment or more permanent housing, as well as three meals a day for the residents. Since children are the main focus the branch, Salvation Army staff are especially diligent about making sure that each child attends school, as well as all the meals, especially breakfast.
Talking about meals brings me to the main purpose of our visit - doing a vigorous deep-clean of the tables and chairs in their cafeteria. This was, surprisingly, a lot of fun. We played some Contact. We used WHEAT, this conversation starter that Corinne introduced us to. And it was very satisfying to see the changes to the furniture as we moved across the room.
It's too late at night to come up with a resounding, coherent conclusion to this jumble of thoughts. I'd just like to say that it felt good to do a day's work for an organization and place that does good work, even while it is hindered by a lack of funds.
Recap and Reflections
Hi blog,
It's Ben
Today is Friday, and I haven't yet blogged, nor have most people. It's been a fun, busy week, which is why I haven't been blogging, I swear.
Quick recap:
Sunday- Arrived and met JP (Juan Pablo, NOT just "Juan") the guy who runs it down here at the First Church of the Brethren in the Garfield Park neighborhood. As JP informed us, it's in the top ten most violent and impoverished neighborhoods in Chicago. Sleeping in the balcony of the sanctuary. There are three other groups also staying in the church-- one from Raleigh, NC, one from Greensboro, NC, and one from Wisconsin.
Monday- My group (Lauren, Kat, Len, and Miranda) along with group 1 went to Cornerstone, a community of people who live together and work only to feed the hungry. We helped prepare and serve lunch, did some prep for dinner, and cleaned. Good work.
Tuesday- My group went to the "Spanish Church" as JP, and now everyone, calls it. It is a church named Iglesia Misson del Valle in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, adjacent to Garfield Park, unfortunately they are moving. Before going to the church JP took us on a gentrification tour. Humboldt Park, the neighborhood that JP grew up in, is a mostly Puerto Rican neighborhood that is quickly gentrifying. Affordable subsidized housing is being torn down and replaced by upscale condos. People that have lived in Humboldt Park their entire lives are being displaced. We worked at the church splitting hostas and moving stuff around in preparation for the church move. They are moving for multiple reasons-- They want to capitalize on the rising property values and move to a location that will be mortgage-free, they want to follow the spanish-speaking residents as they move further west, and they want a location that is more accessible for their elderly members.
Wednesday- My group worked at a community garden in the North Lawndale neighborhood. According to Margaret, the local volunteer that we worked with, the garden started around ten years ago and has a 99-year lease with the city. It lies next to two vacant lots that we helped keep up which the community garden technically illegally develops. The work was nice and hot. In the evening we went to millennium park, Lou Malnati's Pizza, and then watched "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in the park behind the History Museum.
Thursday- All of the MPUC youth worked at the Spanish Church, packing tons of stuff into a big van and hauling it over to the thrift store that the church operates a few blocks away, and putting it into the basement. After a few hours of work the other groups joined us and the women from the Spanish Church cooked us fried chicken and rice and beans and it was delicious.
Friday- I went with the group to wicker park, a trendy hipster neighborhood. We went to a great bookstore, a thrift shop, Cheesy's: an all-grilled-cheese place, a bookcafe, and an ice cream spot so good that it may even be the best I've ever been to. Another group went to the Art Institute. We did our closing ceremony in central park, near where we're staying. We went to the Mexican neighborhood of Pilsen for dinner which was also delicious.
Two things have really struck me this week: The way that the city is changing, and the people that are working to change it.
It's hard not to have mixed feelings about gentrification. I look around and think "Wow, this neighborhood looks really nice," but I know that the people who have lived there their entire lives don't get to experience that niceness because rising rent and property tax pushes them out. How can gentrification be good for a neighborhood if it loses its community in the process? So much to think about. I still haven't figured it out.
The people we have met and worked with are incredibly passionate, strong, and hopeful. The seemingly impossible challenge of bringing peace, justice, and harmony to the impoverished and violent parts of Chicago has become the lives of these people. JP has inspired me to no end. His story is one of so much pain and confusion and despair, but isn't really mine to tell. I can say that he has mounted overwhelming odds because of his strength and god's help. He has become a person that devotes his life, not just his job but his life, to the service of people and the community. He has gotten through so much personally, and still retains an amazing ability to be selfless. On Tuesday, while we were at the Spanish Church, we needed work gloves. He offered to walk down to Wallgreen's to grab some, and out of nowhere, he told me to come with him. I got the chance to tell him about the Twin Cities, and and myself, and I got to hear more about him. We didn't find any gloves at Wallgreen's, but on the way back he told me to duck into this Puerto Rican restaurant. "I want you to try this" he told me, and explained to me the selection of fried foods in a glass case at their takeout counter. I ended up with a fried ball of meat and plaintains, a malto soda, and some bread pudding. My walk with JP was probably the highlight of the whole trip for me. There were so many others: Latere, Pastor Rosa, the women at the Spanish Church, Margaret, and more that I hope others blog about, because their stories are so incredible.
It has been such a blast. I've managed to read two books already, between the ride down and all the time on the Blue Line.
Love you mom, see you tomorrow.
What a trip.
Until next time,
Ben Bushnell
It's Ben
Today is Friday, and I haven't yet blogged, nor have most people. It's been a fun, busy week, which is why I haven't been blogging, I swear.
Quick recap:
Sunday- Arrived and met JP (Juan Pablo, NOT just "Juan") the guy who runs it down here at the First Church of the Brethren in the Garfield Park neighborhood. As JP informed us, it's in the top ten most violent and impoverished neighborhoods in Chicago. Sleeping in the balcony of the sanctuary. There are three other groups also staying in the church-- one from Raleigh, NC, one from Greensboro, NC, and one from Wisconsin.
Monday- My group (Lauren, Kat, Len, and Miranda) along with group 1 went to Cornerstone, a community of people who live together and work only to feed the hungry. We helped prepare and serve lunch, did some prep for dinner, and cleaned. Good work.
Tuesday- My group went to the "Spanish Church" as JP, and now everyone, calls it. It is a church named Iglesia Misson del Valle in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, adjacent to Garfield Park, unfortunately they are moving. Before going to the church JP took us on a gentrification tour. Humboldt Park, the neighborhood that JP grew up in, is a mostly Puerto Rican neighborhood that is quickly gentrifying. Affordable subsidized housing is being torn down and replaced by upscale condos. People that have lived in Humboldt Park their entire lives are being displaced. We worked at the church splitting hostas and moving stuff around in preparation for the church move. They are moving for multiple reasons-- They want to capitalize on the rising property values and move to a location that will be mortgage-free, they want to follow the spanish-speaking residents as they move further west, and they want a location that is more accessible for their elderly members.
Wednesday- My group worked at a community garden in the North Lawndale neighborhood. According to Margaret, the local volunteer that we worked with, the garden started around ten years ago and has a 99-year lease with the city. It lies next to two vacant lots that we helped keep up which the community garden technically illegally develops. The work was nice and hot. In the evening we went to millennium park, Lou Malnati's Pizza, and then watched "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in the park behind the History Museum.
Thursday- All of the MPUC youth worked at the Spanish Church, packing tons of stuff into a big van and hauling it over to the thrift store that the church operates a few blocks away, and putting it into the basement. After a few hours of work the other groups joined us and the women from the Spanish Church cooked us fried chicken and rice and beans and it was delicious.
Friday- I went with the group to wicker park, a trendy hipster neighborhood. We went to a great bookstore, a thrift shop, Cheesy's: an all-grilled-cheese place, a bookcafe, and an ice cream spot so good that it may even be the best I've ever been to. Another group went to the Art Institute. We did our closing ceremony in central park, near where we're staying. We went to the Mexican neighborhood of Pilsen for dinner which was also delicious.
Two things have really struck me this week: The way that the city is changing, and the people that are working to change it.
It's hard not to have mixed feelings about gentrification. I look around and think "Wow, this neighborhood looks really nice," but I know that the people who have lived there their entire lives don't get to experience that niceness because rising rent and property tax pushes them out. How can gentrification be good for a neighborhood if it loses its community in the process? So much to think about. I still haven't figured it out.
The people we have met and worked with are incredibly passionate, strong, and hopeful. The seemingly impossible challenge of bringing peace, justice, and harmony to the impoverished and violent parts of Chicago has become the lives of these people. JP has inspired me to no end. His story is one of so much pain and confusion and despair, but isn't really mine to tell. I can say that he has mounted overwhelming odds because of his strength and god's help. He has become a person that devotes his life, not just his job but his life, to the service of people and the community. He has gotten through so much personally, and still retains an amazing ability to be selfless. On Tuesday, while we were at the Spanish Church, we needed work gloves. He offered to walk down to Wallgreen's to grab some, and out of nowhere, he told me to come with him. I got the chance to tell him about the Twin Cities, and and myself, and I got to hear more about him. We didn't find any gloves at Wallgreen's, but on the way back he told me to duck into this Puerto Rican restaurant. "I want you to try this" he told me, and explained to me the selection of fried foods in a glass case at their takeout counter. I ended up with a fried ball of meat and plaintains, a malto soda, and some bread pudding. My walk with JP was probably the highlight of the whole trip for me. There were so many others: Latere, Pastor Rosa, the women at the Spanish Church, Margaret, and more that I hope others blog about, because their stories are so incredible.
It has been such a blast. I've managed to read two books already, between the ride down and all the time on the Blue Line.
Love you mom, see you tomorrow.
What a trip.
Until next time,
Ben Bushnell
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Stones there forever
Tonight when we went with our staff member J.P. for last reflection, he took us to the little church where he had been a member. As he spoke he talked of one of those passages from the Old Testament, from Joshua, it seems pretty far afield from our experience. It was the one were Joshua took 12 people from the 12 tribes to take stones and made a monument of sorts, to be there forever.
Then J.P. asked us after passing out small stones, to write a word or two on the stone based on our experience in the week and we were to then go leave it in the park, to stay there forever. So we took Sharpie pens we took the stones and wrote a word or two, agape was one, privilege was another, and also justice. Another was simply love.
Our volunteer guide from DOOR later pointed out that to take the take a week off, drive to Chicago and clean gunk off of cafeteria tables with a picnic fork is, in fact, pretty humble walking.
We all sort of agreed that kids who are homeless still deserve to eat their breakfast off of a clean table. Is cleaning it for them "humble?" Not sure what the answer is, but we do know that there is a place for people who volunteer to do the kind of service that isn't very glamorous.
In Humboldt Park in Chicago, there is a stone now with that idea on it. The Sharpie marking will fade, but that stone will be there forever.
Then J.P. asked us after passing out small stones, to write a word or two on the stone based on our experience in the week and we were to then go leave it in the park, to stay there forever. So we took Sharpie pens we took the stones and wrote a word or two, agape was one, privilege was another, and also justice. Another was simply love.
I chose "walk humbly." It's from this snippet from Micah, "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
This came out of a discussion we had after cleaning the gunk off the tables and chairs in the cafeteria of a transitional housing center run by the Salvation Army on the north side. The tables had a little edge on them, where the gunk had built up, and we found that plastic picnic works were the perfect tool to clean the gunk off.
Our volunteer guide from DOOR later pointed out that to take the take a week off, drive to Chicago and clean gunk off of cafeteria tables with a picnic fork is, in fact, pretty humble walking.
We all sort of agreed that kids who are homeless still deserve to eat their breakfast off of a clean table. Is cleaning it for them "humble?" Not sure what the answer is, but we do know that there is a place for people who volunteer to do the kind of service that isn't very glamorous.
In Humboldt Park in Chicago, there is a stone now with that idea on it. The Sharpie marking will fade, but that stone will be there forever.
Thursday
Today all of the groups helped move stuff and clean up at the Spanish church. Everyone we met there was incredibly kind and caring, and very passionate about what they were doing. Even with having to move, they were full of positive energy. Helping out felt not like we were doing a service so much as we were helping them as equals, and that we were an active part of what was happening. The food they made was absolutely delicious too.
Miranda
Miranda
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Lah Tere
Hi everybody!
Today we had an inspirational speaker come speak to us about her life and past. I cannot explain the emotions and feelings I experienced when she came to speak. Lah Tere moved to New York when she was 19 and could no longer afford college because her dad was withdrawing money in order to buy drugs. She performed 2 raps for us that were absolutely encouraging and astonishing.
"You are, you are, you are who you've been waiting for."
This is a section from Lah Tere's rap "You are." When Lah Tere performed this in front of is, she had all of us rap and repeat the phrase. When I was saying this, I felt very strong and empowered. It made me feel confortable being myself and living with my mistakes and choices I have made through my life.
With Love,
Emma Manderfield
Today we had an inspirational speaker come speak to us about her life and past. I cannot explain the emotions and feelings I experienced when she came to speak. Lah Tere moved to New York when she was 19 and could no longer afford college because her dad was withdrawing money in order to buy drugs. She performed 2 raps for us that were absolutely encouraging and astonishing.
"You are, you are, you are who you've been waiting for."
This is a section from Lah Tere's rap "You are." When Lah Tere performed this in front of is, she had all of us rap and repeat the phrase. When I was saying this, I felt very strong and empowered. It made me feel confortable being myself and living with my mistakes and choices I have made through my life.
With Love,
Emma Manderfield
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Charity v. Service... v. Change
Hey All
Today we are out at two worksites, but all day we seem to still be processing the discussion that followed the presentation last evening by our host, J.P. A native of Chicago, J.P. told us that he found himself in social work with chemically addicted youth as after going through challenges of his own. He did, and still does, live in the next neighborhood over from ours, traditionally a Puerto Rican and Mexican immigrant community.
It is now gentrifying like mad, and J.P. talked about how mostly white group like ours visiting and living in the community does not reinforce stereotypes of white people. Most people in his neighborhood see white people as affluent, with money and material wealth and not needing things like churches or community organizations, or they come into the neighborhood to do "charity." And "charity" in this context meant that it was not coming inside to meet people and understand how they live, but to give stuff away and then leave.
As he talked he held his hands up, showing the white people doing charity as up on a higher level, and all involved saw it that way.
So that framed our discussion. What are we doing in Chicago, charity or service? We generally liked the term service, that felt to us like the kind of thing J.P. was talking about, meeting people and sleeping here and taking the bus. (And oh did we ever take the bus. To get to the community center garden jobsite today Lee, Norm, Emma, Liam, Sophia, Max, Rosalie, Stephanie, Sam, Nick, Max and Grace took the Blue Line subway to the J14 bus, to the 71 bus. It was 16 miles one way in all.)
And we are doing service, not giving away something that we could spare. We are meeting people face to face to provide a little help, working alongside people in the centers.
Then there was another idea brought forward by one of the youth. What we do on mission trips isn't charity or service. We are the project. Learning more of what we need to learn to see people as people just like us, occasionally in need kind of like we are. And the point is to change from the experience, learn when we find out the situation on the ground isn't as we expected, and to become less self-centered and find a place for service in our lives.
So there we have it: Charity v. Service v. Change. Maybe there isn't a best answer, but it's great that we are here all together, asking the question. It's a very good start to this year's mission trip.
Today we are out at two worksites, but all day we seem to still be processing the discussion that followed the presentation last evening by our host, J.P. A native of Chicago, J.P. told us that he found himself in social work with chemically addicted youth as after going through challenges of his own. He did, and still does, live in the next neighborhood over from ours, traditionally a Puerto Rican and Mexican immigrant community.
It is now gentrifying like mad, and J.P. talked about how mostly white group like ours visiting and living in the community does not reinforce stereotypes of white people. Most people in his neighborhood see white people as affluent, with money and material wealth and not needing things like churches or community organizations, or they come into the neighborhood to do "charity." And "charity" in this context meant that it was not coming inside to meet people and understand how they live, but to give stuff away and then leave.
As he talked he held his hands up, showing the white people doing charity as up on a higher level, and all involved saw it that way.
So that framed our discussion. What are we doing in Chicago, charity or service? We generally liked the term service, that felt to us like the kind of thing J.P. was talking about, meeting people and sleeping here and taking the bus. (And oh did we ever take the bus. To get to the community center garden jobsite today Lee, Norm, Emma, Liam, Sophia, Max, Rosalie, Stephanie, Sam, Nick, Max and Grace took the Blue Line subway to the J14 bus, to the 71 bus. It was 16 miles one way in all.)
And we are doing service, not giving away something that we could spare. We are meeting people face to face to provide a little help, working alongside people in the centers.
Then there was another idea brought forward by one of the youth. What we do on mission trips isn't charity or service. We are the project. Learning more of what we need to learn to see people as people just like us, occasionally in need kind of like we are. And the point is to change from the experience, learn when we find out the situation on the ground isn't as we expected, and to become less self-centered and find a place for service in our lives.
So there we have it: Charity v. Service v. Change. Maybe there isn't a best answer, but it's great that we are here all together, asking the question. It's a very good start to this year's mission trip.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Arrived safely and at work today.
For those not following Twitter. We arrived on time (by Amtrak standards) and made it safely out to the Church of the Bretheran. Today 1/3 of us are working in some local gardens while the others are at a homeless shelter that provides meals for those in need.
Prep'ing dinner
Prepared lunch for 100, served, cleaned up and now are starting dinner. One continuous day at Cornerstone. 
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Mission Trip Potluck Picnic
Some reminders and requests for the potluck:
Date: Wednesday, June 8
Time: 5:30pm (we'll probably make announcements/meet at around 6:15pm)
This is for the whole family; youth, parents, siblings.
What to Bring by youth last names:
B-H: salad
J-K: side dish
M-W: dessert
Also please remember to bring all your filled out forms, if you've not turned them in already and if you have a picnic chair, you might want to bring that as well.
Ventos are providing Chicago dogs and fixins and we will
provide a veggie option as well.
There will also be water and lemonade provided.
If you want to grill or drink something else, please bring that with you.
**Special note from Karen: Guests are encouraged to bring their best ping-pong game (They have an outdoor table.)
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Silent Auction and Participation Opportunities
Senior High Youth Member and Parents:
Early today I sent out an email with details of the youth meeting we had this past Sunday. The need for youth volunteers to sign up to help with the silent auction are included in that email.
If you did not get this email, please let me know and I'll forward it to you. Otherwise, please stop by the Silent Auction table that will be set up in the social hall for the next couple of weeks. Forms will be available there to submit items to the silent auction, sign up to help, and be a part of the mission trip. I will also have lists of past silent auction items for ideas.
Thanks for all your support -
Norm T.
Early today I sent out an email with details of the youth meeting we had this past Sunday. The need for youth volunteers to sign up to help with the silent auction are included in that email.
If you did not get this email, please let me know and I'll forward it to you. Otherwise, please stop by the Silent Auction table that will be set up in the social hall for the next couple of weeks. Forms will be available there to submit items to the silent auction, sign up to help, and be a part of the mission trip. I will also have lists of past silent auction items for ideas.
Thanks for all your support -
Norm T.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Youth Fellowship Resumes
Happy New Year! I hope the holidays were really good for everyone.
The Youth Fellowship Program resumes this Sunday, January 24. We will meet at 5pm for our usual program. There will be a Mission Trip information meeting for all parents and youth (9th - 12th graders) at 6pm. At this meeting, we will go over some of the basic information, logistics, costs, fundraising plans etc.
Next Sunday, January 31, there will a big day for our church community. As you might have seen, the Pastoral Search Committee has found an excellent candidate, Rev. Corinne Ellis, to be our new minister. She will be preaching on January 31 and there will be a congregational meeting afterwards to vote her in as our new minister (though she won't actually start until May). Since Corinne will be working with the youth there will be a special meet and greet for the youth around 12:30pm in the Plymouth room. Please come to worship, cast your vote and stay to meet Corinne.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday.
Adam
Monday, January 18, 2016
Need Volunteers for this Sunday (1/24) Scone bake
Mission Trip youth -
We still need a number of volunteers for this coming Sunday. We are baking scones for the church annual meeting. We will bake from 8:30 to 10:30 and we will also need a couple of people to help serve scones and clean up (about 10:30 - 12:30). So far for baking, I've got Len and Sam, and then Nick B. for serving/clean up. I need 3 more bakers and at least a couple more for serving and clean up.
Please email me if you are able to help. Thanks Norm T. normt@computer.org
We still need a number of volunteers for this coming Sunday. We are baking scones for the church annual meeting. We will bake from 8:30 to 10:30 and we will also need a couple of people to help serve scones and clean up (about 10:30 - 12:30). So far for baking, I've got Len and Sam, and then Nick B. for serving/clean up. I need 3 more bakers and at least a couple more for serving and clean up.
Please email me if you are able to help. Thanks Norm T. normt@computer.org
Monday, January 11, 2016
Fund Raising - Looking Ahead to the Spring
We have had 4 very successful Scone Sundays, earning a total of more than $1400 so far.
Continuing in the spring, we will again provide scones for the Annual Meeting on January 24th (As with last year, they will be free with a good will basket on the table for donations.) We will continue then with sales of scones and coffee on March 13, April 10th and May 8th.
Also we will kick off our biggest fund raiser, the silent auction. An informational meeting on this, as well as the mission trip in general will be held at youth fellowship on January 24th. (Mandatory meeting.) We will accept auction items from then until February 14th. Bidding will take place February 21, 28, March 6, and ending on March 13th.
NOTE: I need to get youth to bake and distribute scones for the annual meeting - we will need 5 youth to help bake from 8:30 - 10:30 and then 2 or 3 to help setup and clean up at the annual meeting (probably 10:30 - 12:30). If you have not already participated in a bake or sales, please consider this date. Please let me know at the email below!
I will have signup for the rest of the scone bakes and silent auction activities at the meeting on the 24th.
Thanks for your participation in past and future events. If you have any questions, please contact me, Norm T. at normt@computer.org
Also we will kick off our biggest fund raiser, the silent auction. An informational meeting on this, as well as the mission trip in general will be held at youth fellowship on January 24th. (Mandatory meeting.) We will accept auction items from then until February 14th. Bidding will take place February 21, 28, March 6, and ending on March 13th.
As a reminder, to receive full credit for participation in
fund raising, all youth must help with 2 scone bakes/sales, each must submit at
least one personal auction item and assist at least one day with the silent
auction bidding. (Additionally each youth must participate in one “other”
activity. There have been a few of these and hopefully there will be more this spring.
They are announced via the blog and youth facebook page.)
I will have signup for the rest of the scone bakes and silent auction activities at the meeting on the 24th.
Thanks for your participation in past and future events. If you have any questions, please contact me, Norm T. at normt@computer.org
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