At this gathering, Josiah Likkel, Asia Tanis, and two of Asia's friends, Kylie and Sylvie, were in attendance. Nell Colyn joined us, too, as Angie was out of town that Sunday.
I introduced (Eric) the format and purpose of our time, then opened with prayer. After Josiah and Asia shared some things, about school, sports, American Girl dolls, etc., both Sylvie and Kylie warmed up to the idea of telling the group a few things they were excited and/or challenged by in life. They fit right in! All three girls had American Girl dolls with them. I think Nell joined us at the end of the "life talk" part of the meeting.
We read Mark 9:38-41; although the Lectionary Text went beyond this, because it was so full, I decided to first stop at verse 41 and see whether or not we would have time to go beyond. I also told them the story from the Old Testament Lectionary reading in Numbers 11, about Joshua's jealousy for Moses, when the "rogue" elders seemed to be threatening Moses' authority. The youth really focused in on a core aspect of the "insider" versus "outsider" dynamic. They could understand John's "jealousy" in the context of sports, jobs, friendships, etc. This took us all the way through 10:15AM, and we closed with prayer in the same way we opened.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
NOTES FROM SEPTEMBER 13 TWEEN TIME
The first scheduled session of the year began small: myself, Eric, the adult, and Asia Tanis the only youth able to make it at 9:30AM. Josiah was playing bass that day, rehearsing downstairs until 10:00AM. I decided to divide our session into two parts: life talk and bible talk. Asia had a lot to say about things: the Kent school district was on strike, some of her friends were in school in neighboring districts, and she felt conflicted. After a while, we turned to the Gospel passage of Mark 8:27-38, where the exchange of Jesus and Peter is recorded, in which Jesus says, "Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." We talked about this harsh rebuke, and then the meaning of Jesus' following paradoxical words, about losing your life if you try to save it, but finding your life if you willingly lose it for Christ and take up your cross. These are profound words for anyone, but may be especially striking and bewildering to youth, hearing them for the first time. When Josiah joined the conversation, he and Asia seemed to get along and communicate well. All in all, it was a great first session!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
A DIFFERENT NET - Mark 1:14-20
Gospel Text:
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
NOTES: Mark says a lot with a little amount of text: Baptist John’s been imprisoned; Jesus has taken over with a simple message, and at the time of his choosing, he calls Andrew, Peter, James and John. Though John 1 tells us these men had already been primed by the Baptist, their former teacher, with detail not recorded in Mark’s narrative, detail which demonstrates some recognition and familiarity with Jesus prior to this episode, Mark’s point is clear – the men’s embrace of Jesus was sudden and dramatic, literally dropping one net to take hold of another, a spiritual net, embracing the calling to become “fishers of men.” Here is our own calling and challenge, timeless and universal, to all who hear Jesus’ voice, who read Mark’s account, who sense that whatever “net” they’ve been holding on to may not be the “ultimate net.” What’s more, the backdrop of the lectionary passages from Jonah and 1 Corinthians enrich and strengthen Mark’s theme, of letting go to take hold, of repenting, turning, changing course, living with a different set of values, priorities, loyalties, etc., as if a different reality is taking shape. What “net” might have a hold of you? How might taking hold of Christ’s “net,” to answer his call, also be God’s approach to “net” you, save you, gather you? To use Paul’s examples from 1 Corinthians 7, what mourning or joy, what keepsakes, what things of this world grip you? Can there be following without repentance? Can you be engrossed in the Spirit if engrossed in earthly sorrow, celebration, or stuff? The Good News is clear: the Kingdom of God is near; let go, take hold; turn and follow a new Lord, a new direction; real life is there, with Him.
Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
29What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Old Testament Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
NOTES: Mark says a lot with a little amount of text: Baptist John’s been imprisoned; Jesus has taken over with a simple message, and at the time of his choosing, he calls Andrew, Peter, James and John. Though John 1 tells us these men had already been primed by the Baptist, their former teacher, with detail not recorded in Mark’s narrative, detail which demonstrates some recognition and familiarity with Jesus prior to this episode, Mark’s point is clear – the men’s embrace of Jesus was sudden and dramatic, literally dropping one net to take hold of another, a spiritual net, embracing the calling to become “fishers of men.” Here is our own calling and challenge, timeless and universal, to all who hear Jesus’ voice, who read Mark’s account, who sense that whatever “net” they’ve been holding on to may not be the “ultimate net.” What’s more, the backdrop of the lectionary passages from Jonah and 1 Corinthians enrich and strengthen Mark’s theme, of letting go to take hold, of repenting, turning, changing course, living with a different set of values, priorities, loyalties, etc., as if a different reality is taking shape. What “net” might have a hold of you? How might taking hold of Christ’s “net,” to answer his call, also be God’s approach to “net” you, save you, gather you? To use Paul’s examples from 1 Corinthians 7, what mourning or joy, what keepsakes, what things of this world grip you? Can there be following without repentance? Can you be engrossed in the Spirit if engrossed in earthly sorrow, celebration, or stuff? The Good News is clear: the Kingdom of God is near; let go, take hold; turn and follow a new Lord, a new direction; real life is there, with Him.
Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
29What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Old Testament Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
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