One

I recently had the privilege of planning and executing a youth convention for my diocese on the theme of Living Generously. Teens had a chance to explore the Millennium Development Goals in depth. The Convention featured Moses Jonkiel II as the keynote speaker, detailing his journey from “lost boy” to living generously. Through his hard work with fund and awareness raising, the various projects have benefited his home village. Before the establishment of wells and a grinding mill, village women were penalized by the manual work and unable to attend school. The teens participated in an object lesson, carrying water around downtown Sioux Falls to simulate how far it was for the village girls to fetch water before a well was installed.
The teens had several service opportunities over the weekend as well. They served at the St. Francis House, which serves homeless individuals and families, cleaning the yard and patio to provide a space for residents to relax. One of the staff stated, “I like my yard to look nice, why would it be any different for their home?” Later that evening, they packed bags for the residents of Children’s Inn, which provides emergency shelter to children entering the foster care system in the Sioux Falls area.
On Saturday night, the teens participated in a tour of the MDG’s, rotating through eight stations representing the goals. At each station, the participants had an opportunity to learn more about that particular goal and participate in an activity related to it. We started talking about food and hunger, and ended with economic justice. While some of these topics may seem as dry as the bones in Ezekiel, we did our best to infuse them with flesh and sinew, and the ruach or sacred breath. Bringing them alive through games (like filling a pot with a cup that had a hole in it) to discussion circles, the teens had a chance to explore concepts about making the world a better place. The UN hopes to meet these goals and eradicate poverty within this generation. They heard the story of Rita Mosquito, performed an improv based on barring young women from attending school, brainstormed ways to end hunger, played a water resources game and made a caterpillar to represent environmental renewal. One of the most meaningful moments was when the group counted off to show how many children in the developing world don’t live to see their 5th birthday. In between, the teens had a chance to bond with one another and have theological and political discussions, deepening the bond they developed over the weekend.
The spiritual center of Saturday night was a U2Charist, which is a Rite II service, using the music of U2 interwoven with the liturgy. U2 is an unabashedly Christian band, and have never disguised their faith being part of their music. Bono has put his money where his mouth is, and has been a passionate advocate over the last 25 years for just distributions of resources. From the opening notes of Beautiful Day, to Gloria, 40 and God Part II, I could see the transformation in front of me. Many of those present said it was the highlight of the convention, and caused them to think of secular music in a different light. A top 40 hit like Mysterious Ways or One could be a worship song. On Sunday, the teens were an integral part of worship, acting as acolytes and lectors as well as sharing the prayers of the people they wrote based on their experiences. The closing speaker was WNBA superstar Olympia Scott, who is just amazing to hear speak.The fun highlight was a late night game of glow stick tag! Most participants wished that the convention ran longer, and were sad to see it end. I know I was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUbZoQvKJ9U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Water at the Well

Today is Ash Wednesday, which is the start of Lent. It is the liturgical season of repentance, transformation and change. The 40 days leading up to Easter is a chance for spiritual renewal, to be reborn.
I've struggled for years to make Lent more meaningful. I think it's reflective of my faith journey. There have been years where it was Easter before I knew it, and other years 40 days seemed like an eternity.
I grew up thinking of Lent as a punitive season, where you're sent to time out. You give up something, and suffer through it. Then, at my old church, things got turned on it's head with Lenten thinking. You don't have to give something up to prove that you are pious. You can also take something on-a new service project, spiritual discipline, healthy living tool-instead of moping around. I've worked to be a factor of change in my world, to have a spiritual jubilee on Easter morning. I'm looking to spend the 40 days of Lent to cancel out some negative forces, and let the sunshine in.
Several years ago, I decided to pray Compline every night during Lent. It is the final prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the framework of monastic living. It is the final prayer of the day, and I found it a peaceful way to settle into sleep. It's been years, and it's still part of my practice.
One year, I gave up meat for Lent, which is now a trend. While it didn't deepen my spiritual journey as much as I thought it might, it added another dimension to my life-I began to focus on compassionate living. Another year, I read the Purpose Driven Life.
Once I gave up giving things up for Lent, it took on a new dimension for me.
When Jesus took to the desert (the Biblical basis for Lent) I don't think He was looking to give up something, I think he was searching for a deeper meaning for His ministry. As a result Lent is no longer a season I dread, but a chance to deepen my faith, my personal ministry. It's a labor of love-I am just one little minion in a sea of minions.
Faith needs to elastic, not static. It needs to change, twist, be flexible. Where my faith was in my early 20's is completely different than it is now in my early 40's. If it had stayed the same, there would be a problem because that means I haven't changed.
Lent is a chance to go to the well and find water, and never be thirsty.

4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:4-14)