No Strings Attached

The youth group met yesterday afternoon and completed the shopping for Christmas for Camden Kids. Then we went to downtown St. Marys to give away dollar bills. It proved not as easy as you might think to give a stranger a dollar. If the person took the dollar they were given a business card which read,

It's a free dollar.
There really are no strings attached.

This is just an exercise
to help our youth group
learn about the
free gift of God's love.
Thanks for helping.
Then we gathered and talked about buying the toys and sending them off with no strings attached, the children who get them will have no idea who bought them. And then the dollars given again with no strings attached, not even the name of the church given (which could be viewed as advertising). These are both tangible signs of how God gives us so many gifts out of love, rather than because we earn or deserve God's love.

We can give for what we get in return, making sure the person knows that we gave him or her something. Or we can give without the recipient even knowing who gave the gift. The second option best models the agape, the self-giving loving we find most fully revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Thanks Kelly and Ginger for helping out!

Episcopal Youth Event

Our own Kalyn Dial is at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas for Episcopal Youth Event, the huge every three years gathering of youth from across The Episcopal Church. The group from the Diocese of Georgia is pictured above with Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori and Kalyn is at left below, looking less intense and more grace filled than the others in the photo.

Youth Group Pool Party Photos

On Sunday, the youth met went to the Schwaller's home for a pool party. The rain held long enough and a good time was had by all. As shown in an earlier post some of the group then went to back the church for a little acolyte training/practice to make for a full day. Thanks to the Schwallers for hosting the group and taking these photos!

Teen Is Not a 4-Letter Word

I remain clueless as to why it is difficult to get adults to assist with youth programs for their churches. Many parents want to run and hide when the idea of working with middle and high school students is brought up. Yet, I have found working at youth events to be some of the most rewarding time in my ministry.

I just spent the weekend serving as a spiritual director for New Beginnings #32, a middle school retreat of the Diocese of Georgia. I love these weekends, especially as they are led by teens for teens with the talks given by teens and small groups led by teens. Adult participants and leaders are on hand, but their roles are in the background. The real work of ministry is done by the teen leaders.

At New Beginnings, there were three of us taking part from King of Peace. Kalyn led the games and gave a wonderful talk on friendships. Kyle was a participant attending his second New Beginnings and I served as one of two priests. I have served at several New Beginnings weekends as well as other diocesan youth events. Once again it was an amazing weekend of listening to what is going on in the lives of teens. Much of it is heartbreaking, as you hear the teenagers side of a broken home with a teen working to adjust as his or her parents' marriage falls apart. You also get to see up close the real work that goes into a teen deciding what they believe rather than just accepting all their parents' beliefs as their own.

Through it all, I enjoy watching that transition as children work their way to adulthood in the environment of Honey Creek, our camp and conference center where the teens do such a good job of providing each other with a base of love and support.

The best thing an Episcopal parent in south Georgia can do for their child is to encourage him or her to take part in Diocese of Georgia Youth Events. And for adults who are interested in assisting in ministry for and with teens, taking part in chaperoning these weekends is also highly recommmended.

Upcoming events are:
Winter Blast (grades 9-college), December 14-16 at Honey Creek

Happening #80 (grades 10-12), January 11-13 at Honey Creek

Convention Lock-In, Augusta (grades 8-12), February 8-9 in Augusta

High School Work Weekend (grades 9-college), February 29-March 2 at Honey Creek

Spring Fling (grades 6-9), March 7-9 at Honey Creek

New Beginnings #33 (grades 7-9), April 3-6 at Honey Creek

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor