Thursday Examen
I’m grateful to these for setting a tone, pointing out paths, and wandering along with me and many others as we matured. They are “youth workers” within and beyond traditional Church and Christian faith. A few of the many that I owe thanks: Rev. Tommy Potter, Rev. Margarett Harrison, Paul Gertz, Rev. Dr. Nancy Pittman, Burr Phillips, Rev. Bob Schomp, Dr. Andy Fort, Dr. Claudia Camp, Dr. David Grant, Rev. John Callison, Dr. Ambrose Edens, Dr. Cy Rowell, and many camp counselors along the way.
Today, I remembered these during the Examen.
Opening Music to Ponder . . .
“Grace”, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, U2, 2000.
Psalm 19
Reflecting
For what moments was I most grateful today?
For what moments was I least grateful today?
Thinking about the important “youth workers” or “mentors” in your life, remember a time when one of them listened to you.
Thinking about the important “youth workers” or “mentors” in your life, remember a time when one of them encouraged you.
Thinking about the important “youth workers” or “mentors” in your life, remember a time when one of them challenged you.
When did you last listen to a child or youth?
When did you last encourage a child or youth?
When did you last challenge a child or youth?
When did I feel most alive today?
When did I most feel life draining out of me today?
When today, did I have the greatest sense of belonging to myself, to others, and to God?
When did I have the least sense of belonging?
Psalm 40
Departing Music to Ponder . . .
“Come Sophia”, Hymns Re-Imagined, Miriam Therese Winter, 1999.
Today is “Thank a Youth Worker Day.” It’s an unofficial way to remember those that journey alongside children and youth as they mature, claim their beliefs, and practice a faith. For me it is both secular and religious because there are many that as Social Workers, “Big Brothers and Big Sisters,” teachers and public school volunteers, coaches, and neighbors that look after, guide, and advocate for children and youth without religious intentions that are as important as those who have a religious affiliation. These are different folks from those that stand in as adopted parents, mothers or fathers, for children and youth whose parent(s) that are absent, too busy, too immature, fallen, abandoned or have died. There is not an unofficial day to remember these persons, but there should be.
I serve in youth ministry out of what I consider my “obligation” to the adults that journeyed with me. One layer of my call to ministry is to be the kind of adult in a religious setting as the many that listened, encouraged, and challenged me. This extends beyond the Christian community to the kids that ride their bikes through my yard, wander the neighborhood, and those that talk during the movie I’m trying to watch. Though it seems unpopular, I do think it takes a village to raise a child which is one reason why my companion and I treat other people’s kids as our own. It is why I follow what is happening in the school systems. It is why I am concerned with “grade inflation” and the Christian revisionism that is happening within the Texas State School Board and textbook committee that infects all textbooks in public schools. We are childless by choice, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility for children and youth simply because they don’t share our specific DNA code. Quality “youth workers” want children and youth to have their own experiences of belief, disbelief, challenge, comfort, and faith. Our responsibility, I think, is to ensure opportunities and access just as we had, but moreover, to advocate just as adults did for us, or in spite of what adults did, when we were that age. I think another aspect of a quality youth worker is that it requires you to be a mirror for parents, institutions, and systems responsible for children and youth. Just because I don’t have kids that live with me doesn’t mean that I can’t reflect back what is being said, taught, organized, and instilled by parents, institutions, and systems. I’ve been observing parents, systems, and institutions in my capacity as “youth worker” since 1985. I’ve participated in my denomination’s youth ministry in local, Regional, and General manifestations since 1981. It is why I bring a sense of urgency and obnoxious cynicism to statements like, “If the OGMP is concerned for children’s ministry and youth ministry in our denomination then budget for it the same way you do new church ministry. Otherwise, please stop talking about it.” If you are a Sr. Minister in a congregation concerned about children’s ministry or youth ministry in your congregation or community, the next time your congregation decides to raise your salary, set a tone and ask them to give that money to support ministry with children and youth. Remind people from the pulpit at least twice a year that children’s ministry and youth ministry is something you all do together: volunteers, dollars, listening, teaching, and modeling the practice of faith. It is not something a hip-college kid does alone or that parents do because everyone else has done their time. Set the tone that children and youth matter not because they can help your congregation grow, but because the hospitality model of Jesus welcomed them and cared. That is missional ministry as important as mission work in other parts of the world. For me it is why universal health care, school lunches, and quality educational programs beyond congregational walls is as important as what happens during Sunday school and at youth group.