Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Students serving the world
It use to be I would have a ton of students show up for the fun stuff we did like bowling, laser tag or whatever but in the last 7 years or so I have seen a real shift. We now have twice as many students come to our community service Saturdays as we do to any "fun night" we do and these Saturdays have become our best way to invite new people into our ministry. I believe there are several reasons for this, one is that most schools now require community service hours to graduate the other is that students care about the injustice they see in the world. Most of our students live in a culture where their parents do most things for them, they really do not have to do much for themselves. Providing places to serve is different though, students like to be needed they want to physically do things but they really do not know what to do and so they often do nothing. That is why things such as Invisible Children have really taken off. It is flashy and cool and it is empowering to students that they can be the change they want to see in the world. IC taps into the things they are already doing such as facebook twitter and other social media. Students today have incredible resources at their finger tips the problem is that we as a society have never really asked them to do something productive with those resources. They just want to see the difference their giving makes and it inspires them to do more. Our largest challenge is connecting what they are doing with how they live as Christ followers in the world. It is more then just a good deed , we love others because God first loved us. When we can make that connection this Service Revolution will revitalize the Church.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Big Listen
New post on Christ Church Children's Ministries from Rebecca Guzman
by Rebecca
Last Tuesday, I forgot my lunch. Then staff meeting went long (which is actually pretty unusual), and in the end, I had about 25 minutes to get lunch, get back to the church, and eat before I had to leave to tutor. I approached Wendy's (the Baja Salad is great!) and immediately started to park my car even though there was nobody at all in the Drive-Thru.
Why?
Well, there's a really good reason. I almost parked because I always park.
And I wish I could tell you that it's because I have some principle against drive-thrus. That I believe one should have to walk inside and slow down. Or that I think it's wasteful to use the gas to sit there (which it can be, if the line is long). But the truth is not either of those things.
I always park because I used to have a broken driver's side window motor.
It was fixed in July of last year after it failed inspection.
Now, I don't go to the drive-thru often. Probably not even once a month.
But still. That was 7 months ago. And I paid a solid $300 to be able to use that window.
Why am I telling you about my window? Because I think we get caught up in this pattern so easily in the church. The nature of congregational work means that it is passed down from one person to another.
And it means that they way we are doing things might not be the best way. It's just the way that we do them.
So this year, at Christ Church, we're looking to try things a new way. We are trying not to do things a certain way because we used to have a broken window. We're inspecting our structure to see if it works for who we are now and for who God is calling us to be. We're hoping to add some more staff to help us (all of us) live more faithful lives rooted in a deeper spirituality. We're going to break out of old patterns that don't fit and try on new ones that reflect our understanding of how we live into God's kingdom here and now.
But before we can do all of that, we really need to hear your voice. Yes, your voice. You, sitting behind that computer screen or holding that smartphone. Especially now, parents of nursery, preschool, and elementary aged kids are an important part of the conversation about where we're headed. There was a day in September when 30% of those gathered to worship were 10 years old or younger. On a normal Sunday, it's around 25%. Do you know what a rare and special gift that is? Come to a listening session so we can hear you.
And we need to hear from your children, too. No one has to convince me of the value of the dreams of children. Bring them to the listening sessions too. They'll see things that we've forgotten to see. They'll remind us of the possibilities that exist with our great, great God, and they won't be afraid to dream too big. They'll consider constructing an amusement park. They'll imagine an outdoor arena for Christian rock concerts on our property. They'll ask us to build a shelter for the homeless in our backyard.
Come on. Let's go!
Grace and Peace, Rebecca
P.S. Make sure to sign up: http://www.christchurchrichmond.com/christchurch21
P.P.S. I was not paid to advertise Wendy's Baja Salad. But maybe I should have been.
by Rebecca
Last Tuesday, I forgot my lunch. Then staff meeting went long (which is actually pretty unusual), and in the end, I had about 25 minutes to get lunch, get back to the church, and eat before I had to leave to tutor. I approached Wendy's (the Baja Salad is great!) and immediately started to park my car even though there was nobody at all in the Drive-Thru.
Why?
Well, there's a really good reason. I almost parked because I always park.
And I wish I could tell you that it's because I have some principle against drive-thrus. That I believe one should have to walk inside and slow down. Or that I think it's wasteful to use the gas to sit there (which it can be, if the line is long). But the truth is not either of those things.
I always park because I used to have a broken driver's side window motor.
It was fixed in July of last year after it failed inspection.
Now, I don't go to the drive-thru often. Probably not even once a month.
But still. That was 7 months ago. And I paid a solid $300 to be able to use that window.
Why am I telling you about my window? Because I think we get caught up in this pattern so easily in the church. The nature of congregational work means that it is passed down from one person to another.
And it means that they way we are doing things might not be the best way. It's just the way that we do them.
So this year, at Christ Church, we're looking to try things a new way. We are trying not to do things a certain way because we used to have a broken window. We're inspecting our structure to see if it works for who we are now and for who God is calling us to be. We're hoping to add some more staff to help us (all of us) live more faithful lives rooted in a deeper spirituality. We're going to break out of old patterns that don't fit and try on new ones that reflect our understanding of how we live into God's kingdom here and now.
But before we can do all of that, we really need to hear your voice. Yes, your voice. You, sitting behind that computer screen or holding that smartphone. Especially now, parents of nursery, preschool, and elementary aged kids are an important part of the conversation about where we're headed. There was a day in September when 30% of those gathered to worship were 10 years old or younger. On a normal Sunday, it's around 25%. Do you know what a rare and special gift that is? Come to a listening session so we can hear you.
And we need to hear from your children, too. No one has to convince me of the value of the dreams of children. Bring them to the listening sessions too. They'll see things that we've forgotten to see. They'll remind us of the possibilities that exist with our great, great God, and they won't be afraid to dream too big. They'll consider constructing an amusement park. They'll imagine an outdoor arena for Christian rock concerts on our property. They'll ask us to build a shelter for the homeless in our backyard.
Come on. Let's go!
Grace and Peace, Rebecca
P.S. Make sure to sign up: http://www.christchurchrichmond.com/christchurch21
P.P.S. I was not paid to advertise Wendy's Baja Salad. But maybe I should have been.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
What is worship ?
Read Psalm 43
1 Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
We sit in rows, week after week, singing songs, listening to messages and “doing” church. But what happens when we go home? What happens when real life hits and all of the sudden the idea of “worship” needs to be broader—your definition of who God is needs to be broader? Worship is about us and God, but it’s about so much more. It’s about the past. It’s about the people in our present life and it’s about the activity of our day in and day out world. Worship isn’t just singing songs. Worship is how we live our lives.
How would you define worship? How have you experienced worship, both privately and publicly? Is worship something you enjoy? What do you think of the idea that we can worship God with both music and also with our lives?
1 Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
We sit in rows, week after week, singing songs, listening to messages and “doing” church. But what happens when we go home? What happens when real life hits and all of the sudden the idea of “worship” needs to be broader—your definition of who God is needs to be broader? Worship is about us and God, but it’s about so much more. It’s about the past. It’s about the people in our present life and it’s about the activity of our day in and day out world. Worship isn’t just singing songs. Worship is how we live our lives.
How would you define worship? How have you experienced worship, both privately and publicly? Is worship something you enjoy? What do you think of the idea that we can worship God with both music and also with our lives?
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Cinderella story
We all love a good Cinderella story, where the main character involved goes from being walked over and pushed around to being the hero. And it happens in the most unlikely of places. Take VCU for example. Most people did not expect them to even make the NCAA Tourney and when they did no one expected them to beat USC or Georgetown or Kansas the list goes on and here thy are in the Final Four. We love it when we see it , the little guy finally beating the bigger guy. Or nerdy guy finally getting the cute girl or the job or whatever . There is something inside of us that makes us want to pull for the under dog, the not good enough or you will never be able to do that sort of mentality.
The question is do we just like a good story , the drama and the thrill of it all or is it because in some way or another we have all felt like the under dog. At some point in life we have all been told by someone we did not quite measure up, we are not quite smart enough or fast enough or whatever enough , you do not meet the standard. That is what is so great about the Cinderella story, we find out the things that are not good enough are not a part of the equation for what God uses for greatness, in fact I believe that God wants to make each of in to a Cinderella story.
Look who are Jesus picks as a part of his team, the not good enoughs the left outs and the guys who fish for a living. They are not trained they are not qualified, they really have very little going for them except they are willing. They are willing to drops their nets and follow Jesus, they are willing to give up everything they know to follow this guy who is proclaiming good news. The good news is that with God and through the help of the Holy Spirit we are all a part of a Cinderella team, a Cinderella movement a thing where the sum of the parts may not look like much but when moving in the right direction can change the world. That is what draws us to teams like the VCU Rams because they have overcome unbelievable odds when no one gave them a chance , their story draws us in because we hope it is our story to. That God may take my life for whatever it is worth and accomplish far greater things for Gods Kingdom then I could ever do on my on. It is what excited us about Easter , the Messiah defeats death the ultimate number one seed and replaces death with Life. That my friends is how I spell VICTORY. All I have to do is trust and believe that God through Christ is who He claims to be. My Prayer is that we may all have a Cinderella story when it is all said and done and claim the Victory that is ours. May you know that God is always calling the not good enoughs and may you have the guts to respond.
Go Rams !
The question is do we just like a good story , the drama and the thrill of it all or is it because in some way or another we have all felt like the under dog. At some point in life we have all been told by someone we did not quite measure up, we are not quite smart enough or fast enough or whatever enough , you do not meet the standard. That is what is so great about the Cinderella story, we find out the things that are not good enough are not a part of the equation for what God uses for greatness, in fact I believe that God wants to make each of in to a Cinderella story.
Look who are Jesus picks as a part of his team, the not good enoughs the left outs and the guys who fish for a living. They are not trained they are not qualified, they really have very little going for them except they are willing. They are willing to drops their nets and follow Jesus, they are willing to give up everything they know to follow this guy who is proclaiming good news. The good news is that with God and through the help of the Holy Spirit we are all a part of a Cinderella team, a Cinderella movement a thing where the sum of the parts may not look like much but when moving in the right direction can change the world. That is what draws us to teams like the VCU Rams because they have overcome unbelievable odds when no one gave them a chance , their story draws us in because we hope it is our story to. That God may take my life for whatever it is worth and accomplish far greater things for Gods Kingdom then I could ever do on my on. It is what excited us about Easter , the Messiah defeats death the ultimate number one seed and replaces death with Life. That my friends is how I spell VICTORY. All I have to do is trust and believe that God through Christ is who He claims to be. My Prayer is that we may all have a Cinderella story when it is all said and done and claim the Victory that is ours. May you know that God is always calling the not good enoughs and may you have the guts to respond.
Go Rams !
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Interesting thought on Worship..
“If leading worship is just about bringing a group of people into a room so we can get goosebumps and sing songs together, there’s not much value in that. But if leading worship is a means to an end, that we leave this place as a different kind of people, as part of a new humanity that God wants to create – the people that are caring for the widows and orphans, that aren’t bound by the systems of this world but becoming free, becoming fully engaged in our world – then that matters.” Gungor Band
I think most of us want to be engaged in this way and the truth is that every aspect of church life ought to lead to this end. Everything from finances to the way the church is maintained. Ultimately we want what we are a part of to matter, from the soccer team to youth groups , we want our time that we put into something to feel meaningful. And we can certainly feel this space with plenty of things but we usually still feel a bit hollow inside, shallow as if it is not quite enough. That is why this statement echos so much truth for me, worship is not about me as much as it is propelling me forward into the world and becoming fully engaged in the world. That is my prayer that I may become fully engaged with the world around me and not just watch it pass me by.
I think most of us want to be engaged in this way and the truth is that every aspect of church life ought to lead to this end. Everything from finances to the way the church is maintained. Ultimately we want what we are a part of to matter, from the soccer team to youth groups , we want our time that we put into something to feel meaningful. And we can certainly feel this space with plenty of things but we usually still feel a bit hollow inside, shallow as if it is not quite enough. That is why this statement echos so much truth for me, worship is not about me as much as it is propelling me forward into the world and becoming fully engaged in the world. That is my prayer that I may become fully engaged with the world around me and not just watch it pass me by.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Happy and Sad all at Once ..
SO I will be the new youth minister at Christ Church Episcopal in Short Pump in the end of July and could not be more excited. It is a large church and youth ministry w another full time youth minister. The really exciting thing is that they seem to be a church committed to serving their community and want to be and do more. I am excited by this because I know from my experience with Embrace Richmond, poverty is everywhere. In some places it is the poverty of not having enough resources and in other places it is the poverty of not being in community it is the poverty of love/ In either case Jesus has a lot to say about both.
I will miss my friends at Embrace and I am sad to leave them but I also know that I will have the opportunity to continue to serve alongside them and continue to strengthen the bridge between the church and the world. I really feel this is a great place for God to use my gifts and for our family to be in ministry together. Please keep me and my family in your prayers and if you want to check out a great church go to http://www.christchurchrichmond.org/
I will miss my friends at Embrace and I am sad to leave them but I also know that I will have the opportunity to continue to serve alongside them and continue to strengthen the bridge between the church and the world. I really feel this is a great place for God to use my gifts and for our family to be in ministry together. Please keep me and my family in your prayers and if you want to check out a great church go to http://www.christchurchrichmond.org/
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