CHS Youth Group

Upon the Rock: May 29, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

On memorial day, my family enjoyed a hike on one of the many cliffs that decorate Wisconsin's landscape. David decided it would be fun to run up the last steep incline and I relished in beating him to the top (though I guess he had a tougher time with Ian on his shoulders). Standing on the cliff, heart racing, full of breath and life, I watched the familiar preeminent structures fade into a background of a much larger vision, where sky stretched wide and colored long smoothing lines against the rough edges of earth, where birds flew--not above us--but next to us, in the same wind that cooled our faces.
Rocks, cliffs and mountains have filled the religious imagination for ages. People have climbed the tallest heights to be closer to heaven, to find perspective, to see far off into the distance and into the depths of their lives. Questing to see more clearly allows us to unveil the everyday illusions, to put things in their proper size and allow new sights to come into focus.
In this week's gospel, Jesus calls his followers to hear the good news and live it. Jesus had just preached his Sermon on the Mount and he was probably standing on high ground over looking the stones of Palestine as he was telling folks to build their lives on the rock, on this new vision of God's Kingdom.
Recently we've all seen many homes destroyed by storms, cyclones, tornados, and earthquakes. We've watched fragile cities with feeble infrastructures crumble on top of its people. Even as we respond and rebuild, our faith in a good God who values us more than the birds of the air can be shaken to the core.
In this country we know how to make strong buildings that can withstand most storms. In the same way, we are called to build strong faith, one that is not constructed with crumbly answers or weak-kneed avoidance. May we have the courage to quest the mountains that lay before us, especially when the the rock is in our stomach rather than under our feet.

Dancing with God: May 21, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G" I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God," "u" and "i" dance." God, you and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

-Anonymous

Pentecost: May 9, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

There is a wind that sings songs through trees
moving leaves like tambourines
a breath that fills the spaces
in between
the dark knots of branches
where the air becomes a stage
on which life dances

Your Word descends on concrete
blowing babes out of their nest
the once fluttering heartbeat
drops like stone in the chest
into a night
where rocks cry
and flames speak-- fiery things
like alchemy
transforming leaden flesh
into a light
into wings

Big Shoes: May 2, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

My grandfather passed away before I could say what I needed to say to him. He was a Lutheran pastor, a quiet man with a sparkle in his eyes. He was always whistling a tune and when the uncomfortable silence would grow, he'd respond with a soothing sigh and a simple, "yup...so..."

He got sick when I was away at college, but by the time our family got to him, he had become someone else--his skin glowed a holy white, and his limbs curled in, like an infant. He spoke in moans and only asked for "mama" my grandmother. The doctors said death was very near.

I waited at grandma's house with the younger children, while my mom and her family stayed beside his bed. When they finally came home, they told me how grandpa had smiled as my uncle Tim, his son, also a Lutheran minister, had said the benediction, and made the sign of the cross on his forehead as he breathed his last.

That night I lay in bed filled with anguish. I had been too late and my grandpa would never know how over the past year I had come back to the faith that he had passed on to me. I drifted off to sleep with a knot in my stomach and tears in my pillow.

It was in that space between dreaming and waking when the smell of of grandpa's pipe filled the room and I could feel his presence near, so close, like a hug and a whisper in my heart, "I know," he said. "I know." I was relieved of my mournful anguish and filled with peace and renewed hope in the resurrection. When I saw his body the next day at the funeral, I thought, "why are you looking for the living among the dead?" I knew he had risen. He had gone home to be with his Father.

It's hard to let go of those we love and admire. They leave behind pretty big shoes to fill. When Jesus finally ascended into heaven, his disciples were left with the promise of the Holy Spirit, and no one to turn to but each other, their memories of Jesus and their faith. "Go be my hands and feet," Jesus had urged. And somehow they managed to change the course of human history.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to fill my grandpa's shoes or come anywhere close to Jesus' sandals. But will I try to fill my own? Martin Luther King Jr. said that we don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. We all have big souls tucked away somewhere. How will we get them free? One step at a time.

Bye bye coffee...sniff sniff...April 24, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Bye-bye coffee...sniff, sniff
I finally did it. And I don't like it. And I hope it won't be for long. But I was having some physical symptoms that may be alleviated by giving up caffeine, my beloved cup 'o coffee, that black sea of morning magic that makes my day worth jittering all the way through. OK, I hear ya, I should have given it up for Lent... but I just wasn't ready to live without it.

I wonder if this is how the disciples felt when Jesus said he was going away. The disciples clung on in fear, unsure of how they could cope without their daily dose of Jesus. But Jesus reminds them that the same Spirit that lives in him, will come to live in them when the Paraclete comes. (I just love that name for the Holy Spirit, it makes me think of a talking bird with track shoes on).

I hear a call to find that Spirit, the one that wakes me up without caffeine, the one that abides within, who speaks to me, who runs the race with me. The Spirit who nudges me to let go of addictions and attachments and realize that my true hunger is for God. What are you addicted to? Maybe it's an unhealthy relationship, a drug, perfection, work, approval, something that gives you god-like energy but bears bad fruit. The challenge for us is to wean ourselves from those energies and begin to feed on the Spirit that produces abundant life. Change is uncomfortable, withdrawal is uncomfortable, but it's all a part of the process that brings us into new life.

In this week when we celebrate Earth Day, we all are being called to look at our lifestyles and how they effect the world. Waking up to face the problems in the world around us is not fun, (especially without coffee) but we have the hope of seeing our sorrows turn to joy and new life springing from ashes--or coffee grounds--if we are willing to admit our unhealthy habits and give into the Way that the Spirit is calling us.

Stones: April 16, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

Stones
Thrown at prophets
I hope for castles to keep me safe
But the Rock is in my stomach
Heavy
Rejected
Cast away
You turn to me
and say,
"You belong
Out of the rubble"
Building blocks
You're building rooms
For Spirit to dwell
You take it all
And make me new

Finding the Voice: April 10, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

I used to get so nervous when I sang in front of people that my throat would close and I could barely squeak out a note. When I was taking voice lessons from Anton Armstrong, the acclaimed director of the St. Olaf choir (which only made me more nervous) he decided to help me relax by putting his hand on the back of my neck, pushing my face towards the floor and giving me a good shake (in front of my entire class). This must have been some nifty trick he learned in "how to make your vocal students relax 101" and maybe he only skimmed the readings, or decided to ditch the lab portion of the class where they worked on fine tuning that shake. I can only speculate because, for some reason, it didn't work. I was actually more nervous after this little relaxation exercise. But it wasn't over. "Sing!" he commanded. "Eeeeiiiik," I squeaked. "Sing!" he repeated. "EEEEIIIIK!" I squeaked louder. "SING!" he insisted, and I knew, this nightmare wasn't going to end no matter how much I wished I could zap myself out of this space and time, the laws of physics were on his side and they insisted this moment continue. Maybe it was the loss of blood to my head, or maybe it was my quick assessment that things could definitely not get any more embarrassing than they already were, but, all of a sudden, to my surprise, my voice burst forth from the depths of my private hell and soared straight up to the earth plane, passed through my quivering lips and exploded into a world of sound and light and colors. At that exact moment, coincidentally, all the air was instantly sucked right out of the room, because everyone, including Dr. Armstrong, gasped.

For a long time when I recalled this moment in my life, I recoiled in shame, because I always remembered my nervousness and my embarrassment. Later, when I shared this story with a friend, he said to me, "he knew you could sing," and the lights went on. This was the whole point. But I had missed it because I had only listened to the negative voices in my head and still doubted my singing abilities. Dr. Armstrong had heard the voice in me, and like the Good Shepherd pursues the lost sheep, he was not going to give up searching for it--no matter what.

There's a lot of voices in our world that can easily drown out the voice of One who calls us all by name, who leads us to places of nourishment, who keeps us safe. Voices of peers, parents, our own insecurities can make it difficult to hear which way we're being called to go. Which college? Which career track? Which friends? We fret and we squeak and maybe we doubt that there really is a voice calling us to sing (or paint or dance or do whatever it is we were made to do) and we give into despair, but that's the thief that comes in the night. John's gospel reminds us again of the good news, the point of it all: the Good Shepherd calls us so that we might have life, and have it abundantly. So may you hear the voice of God, and may you hear it louder than your doubts and fears.

Make a good second impression: April 3, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

If I were ever raised from the dead, I think I'd jump around and run wild through the streets screaming like a mad-woman. See! See! Look at me! Check this out! Can you believe it??! Jesus is much cooler than me though. Maybe his last temptation was to resist being a show off-- yeah, I conquered death--no big deal. And his ultimate miracle was his subtlety. In this week's gospel we hear the strange story that takes place on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus is outrageously reserved. No one recognizes him. And he allows himself to play the village idiot. "Are you the only one in all of Jerusalem that has not heard that they crucified the one we thought would redeem Israel?" his disciples ask him. At one point he is ready to leave them, but they invite him to dinner. "OK, I guess I can stay..." Jesus ups the anti, begins to wax eloquently about the scriptures and finally the climax of the story comes when he breaks the bread and then it all clicks for the disciples. "Oh! It's him!" But just as they get it, he disappears. No time for the big laugh, the high fives, the "I really had you guys going!"

Like any well crafted scene, this story has a turning point: the disciples' despair at the beginning transforms into hope at the end. And that is the real resurrection that continues to happens in each of our lives as we witness hope blooming in the deserts of despair.

The good news is that Jesus is in our midst, we just don't recognize him at first glance. Christ is hidden behind our first impression of others. So we welcome the stranger, we look closer, we toss out our first impression and help create a good second one. Like St. Francis said, "where there is hatred, sow love."

Dust in the Wind: March 26, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

Our weekly e-mail keeps transforming as I learn little tricks and admittedly give into my somewhat obsessive compulsive, perfectionist impulses. I think about how most things in life are a work-in-progress, most especially our spiritual lives. How much focus do I give to my own personal transformation? Do I stay up till 1:30 in the morning to work on it? Not usually. So much of our spiritual lives can be tucked away underneath a mask or a persona. Too often we let it go, let it get a little messy, like that one closet I throw everything into before company arrives. When we feel our anxiety rising, or can't quite put a finger on what may be bothering us, chances are the closet is full and ready to topple down on our heads next time we try to open it. Spring is here and it's almost time to open the windows and let the fresh air clean out our dusty dwelling places. Resurrection may be something profoundly theological and perplexing, but it may also be something as simple and everyday as taking time to clean out an old closet, to do some reorganizing of our values and habits, or just to open a window and let the wind blow the dust away.

March 13, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

JESUS:THE HUMBLE KING
Imagine Jesus riding into Jerusalem on his feeble donkey, surrounded by a small group of peasants and outcasts who cheer on their messiah king with simple things: palm branches and shouts of "hallelujah" that sing on the wind. Now imagine another procession taking place on the other side of town: Pontius Pilate leads a thunderous procession, riding a war-horse, surrounded by his armored cavalries, bearing weapons, banners sewn with gold, and loud trumpets proclaiming the power of the Roman Empire to thousands of onlookers who both fear and cheer, "Lord! Savior! Son of God!" --all common names for the emperor. This is the tension of the Passion. Here we have two different pictures of what it means to be a king: one will kill to have power, one will lay down his life to have power. Both will have to face death. Which king will you follow? How will you use power in your life?

March 6, 2008 Youth Group News

2008-06-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Crime solving shows fascinate our imagination. Watching detectives trail the mystery of death may symbolize our own need to track our spiritual life, death and resurrection. What crime has been done against our spirit? Where might we find new life? Asking questions like these is like gathering the bones of our history and putting together the missing pieces. In this week's lectionary readings we'll hear about Ezekiel facing a valley of dry bones. God asks him, "Can these bones live?" And then the impossible happens. They can and they do! We'll also hear the story of Jesus' friend Lazarus who passed away before Jesus could heal him. And we see another parable of resurrection-- Jesus raises Lazarus back to life. What is fascinating as Christians lies not so much in death, but in how God will give life back to us. What areas in your life are you struggling with now? Give those bones to God in prayer, and see how the life giver can create something new!

pasta dinner!

2008-04-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

Seder Supper Pictures

2008-03-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

Youth Group Progressive Dinner 2008

2008-03-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

Give up not having fun for Lent

2008-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy thinking up a Lenten discipline with a twist. I've had my years of giving up chocolate and coffee, but I found that when Lent ended, I just seemed to turn into more of an addict, free to binge like never before. Somehow, I think I missed the point. I'm supposed to be looking introspectively, wondering what is keeping me from being my best self. Certainly it's not coffee (dear God, please don't let it be the coffee!) This year I've decided to give up negative thoughts. Yesterday, stupid me, I just caved in. But I'm back on track now, mostly, trying to be more mindful of the thoughts I let linger. Did I remember to put on deodorant today? Lent after all, is not about being deprived of fun, but an opportunity to become more conscious of what is standing in the way of our real joy, our relationship with God.

The Gospel According to Ceiling Cat, Srsly

2008-01-01T10:39:00.001-08:00

I just found out someone has been working on the Cat Bible Translation. Being the Cat Lady myself, I couldn't resist sharing the good newz wid my kittehz.

Mark 1
1 K, I just telz u this, but I telz u agin. Ceiling Cat haz son name Jesus Christ. This hiz stori:2 Wise catz sed, Ceiling Cat send wai smrt d00d.3 He make thingz redy 4 Jesus.4 Hiz name John. He wantz us to dunk in water. (wt*? iz he srs?)5 Catz let him do thiz crzy thing though. They dunk in water. Srsly6 John wearz crzy clothez and eatz bugz (I guess he no haz cheezburgr)7 He sez, "New cat come, he's wai better thn me8 I torturz u with waterz but he givz u Hover Cat. Srsly.
9 So Jesus, he come to John like John sez. John torturz Jesus with waterz.10 Ceiling Cat sends Spirit of teh Ceiling Cat.11 Ceiling Cat sez "This mai Kitteh. I'ze happy."12 Then teh Spirit sends him 2 wild.13 An he was en wilderness long tyme (srsly, 40 dais!). An Saitan wuz offering many evilz cheezburgrz an catnipz to him. An he wuz wit teh sqirrelz, an angelz were giving him srsly betur cheezburgrz an brushd hiz fur.
14 Aftr John wuz arrestid (LOLPWND!!!1), Jesus came into Galilee, tellin all teh kittinz about teh good newz of teh Ceiling Cat,15 an he sayd, "Eetz tyme, kittenz! Ceiling Cat'z kingdim is here! Turn from yur eevil wayz an believe in teh good newz!"

Happy New Year!

Spirit Sighting: on the way to Midway

2007-12-01T23:36:00.000-08:00

I was sure my elbows were permanently damaged from pulling the navy blue suitcase up and down the long ramps that connected all the trains I needed to take to get through Chicago to Midway Airport. The luggage was nearly half my size and stuffed with at least eight pairs of shoes—just in case. I was lucky to be lugging it, since I didn't have a suitcase of my own the day before and my co-worker Vicki didn't want me to buy a new one as much as I didn't want to, since we both agreed that suitcase shopping was depressing, so she lent me hers. It was huge and I was very excited to bring as many clothing options as this baby could hold, that was, until I had to pull my own weight.

I left at 5:00 am to catch my 7:40 flight and I was standing on the train platform when my plane was boarding. I called David and woke him up at 4:40 am California time to give him the good news.

“It’s Thanksgiving travel, Jessica!” he cracked out of his sleepy voice, trying to whisper loud enough so I could hear him without waking his roommates. He was at the Society of Biblical Literature conference in San Diego and shacking up with his buddies to save on the cost of a hotel room and sharing a double bed with a man named Tim who liked to sprawl. “You might not be able to book another flight! What time did you leave?”

“5 am! The trains are running late, the transfers are killing me and this bag weighs a thousand pounds!” I should’ve called a limo. I wish we could afford a limo.

“And my cell phone is dying,” I added.

He moaned, “Jess!” which I interpreted as, “Are you the most irresponsible person in the world?”

Just then a trained pulled up, I pressed the cell phone into my shoulder and heaved the beast and I inside. “I think I just stepped on the wrong train,” I said after the doors closed. It was a pink line and I needed the orange. David sighed. “Well it looks like I may spend Thanksgiving in Chicago…” Adding a nervous, "heh, heh" like I was trying to joke, but my heart dropped into my shoes when he silently agreed with me.

“Call Southwest,” he finally said.

I breathed again knowing there was a little hope.

Back on the orange line I sat listening to my cell phone’s low battery beep while I was on hold waiting to talk to a Southwest representative. “Did you know that every four minutes people switch the nostrils they breathe out of? Why don’t you take a moment to calm yourself and relax before your representative attends your call.”

Yes, why don’t I. It sure would be embarrassing to go home and tell everyone I spent Thanksgiving alone because I missed my plane. But what really worried me was the thought of my elbows dislocating on the way home and the long-term pain I would have to explain to the doctors--it was a really heavy suitcase--yes, eight pairs of shoes--do you know how long the ramp is at 56 and Cermack?

Beep.

Breathe.

Beep.

Breathe.

The doors flung open at Pulaski. A large young man stepped on the train, locked eyes with me and smiled a goofy sort of smile. Great.

“Do you speak Polish?” he asked.

“No.”

“What about Italian?”

“No.”

“What language do you speak?”

Beep.

“English. And a little bit of Spanish.”

I would have ignored him had I not just been reading the Episcopal bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori’s book, A Wing and a Prayer, where she reminded us that we are all connected in the body of Christ, that God cares about even the least of these—especially the stranger—and we have something to learn from everyone.

“Como se parla?”

“What?”

“What is your name? in Spanish,” he said.

OK, so maybe I wasn't going to learn Spanish from this guy.

“Oh, you mean Como te llamas?” I said.

“Yeah, como te llamas?”

Beep.

“Me llamo Jessica. Como te llamas?”

“Me llamo Roberto.”

“How come you don’t speak Polish?” Robert asked me.

“I really don’t like learning languages,” I said.

“Polish is easy. Here’s how you say hello—cześć. Here’s how you say goodbye—do zobaczenia!

“You like languages…”

“Yes!”

“Did you study them in school?”

“No. I just picked it up.”

Beep.

“Southwest, how may I help you?” It was almost a miralce. I put my finger up in the air so Robert would wait and rapidly told the woman on the other end that I was not going to make my 7:40 flight, hoping and praying my phone's bye bye jingle was at least another minute away. “You can fly standby at 8:30 for no extra charge,” she said.

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” My blood pressure dropped enough for me to promise myself another cup of coffee to celebrate.

“Where are you going,” asked Robert after I hung up.

“To California. My husband and son are there with the in-laws.”

The train made its last stop at Midway.

“That’s a big bag you got there,” he said.

“Yeah, I got it.”

He turned to me and I saw a light flicker in his eyes. “As soon as I saw you today, God told me I needed to help you. Let me carry your bag,” he said and lifted my suitcase with ease. “Too many people just care about money, money, money. That’s not what it’s all about. It’s all about love and helping one another out, Jessica.”

Robert carried my suitcase all the way to the airport’s escalator where he stopped and held out his finger to me, in a hand that held his lunch, which I shook and then he added, “sorry I could only give you my finger to shake because I have all this stuff in my hands.”

“That’s okay, Robert.”

He smiled big and beautiful, set down the suitcase and said, “do zobaczenia!”

November 11, 2007

2007-11-13T11:52:00.000-08:00

Breakfast club met again this week, and was a chance to catch up after the weekend (a very long weekend for some). We spent some time looking over the newspaper and pulled some interesting articles out to discuss including topics like the moment of silence in schools, technology’s place in religious teaching, and evoking Christ’s name for sympathy or support. In supper club we played games and made our own sub sandwiches - which were really good. A few youth group members won special prizes for bringing friends along, but in the end everyone filled up on candy and toys. We heard some excitement around going to see a movie next week, so be on the lookout for more information on possibly seeing Beowulf Sunday afternoon or evening.

November 4, 2007

2007-11-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

Breakfast club this week consisted of our All Saints’ Day Performance for the Sunday school children, complete with microphones, costumes, and laughter. We had a few angels, a few saints, and a great audience to cheer them on. Afterwards we spent some time up in Jessica’s apartment making a breakfast of eggs and grapes, and playing Mario Party on Nintendo Wii with her 4 year old son, Ian, whose talent for the game was much greater than ours.

In the evening we gathered for dinner at On The Border and shared lots of chips, guacamole, and cheesy sauce. We celebrated Andrew’s birthday with song and ice cream – lots of ice cream – and generally spent the evening among good food and better friends. At the end of the night we returned to the predella for our tradition of quiet reflection and prayer.

Next week join us for a more low-key Sunday, gathering for Breakfast Club at 10am in the youth room, and then again for Supper Club at 6:30 in the same space. We have spent a lot of time getting to know each other, and are excited to continue this precious journey together.

Nuestra Senora Halloween Party!

2007-10-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

October 21, 2007

2007-10-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Club resumed with Rebecca and Jessica joining the group this week. We're still learning names and we're excited to get to know you all better. We ate food, relaxed and caught up with friends. We also shared the past weeks high's and low's and discussed strengthening our spiritual eyes by looking for "Spirit Sightings" each week as we try and see God at work in the world around us. Mother Teresa made a spiritual practice out of seeing Jesus in every person's eyes, even the most downtrodden. Last week Father Jay quoted a friend of his who said that Jesus comes to us in every person we meet, but sometimes Jesus is disguised pretty well. Maybe if we keep looking, we'll learn to see better--Jesus was always healing the blind and we hope to wake up to the dreams that God has for us. This Sunday Fr. David said that sometimes life hands you a banana and says, "God's on the line." We want to say "No!" to the banana, rather than answering a call that seems ridiculous. He talked about the Rules of Improvisation--really the rules of life--which remind us that to be fully engaged in life we have to learn to say yes to the things that come our way. If life hands us a banana--we have to answer that call. So whether we're seeing "Spirit Sightings" or going bananas, hopefully we can share our strengths and our struggles together in youth group.

At Supper Club we had a super fun time playing Capture the flag (or frisbee) in the church. Jessica snagged an early win for the girls, but the boys won round two after we enjoyed pizza. We closed the night offering up our prayers and hopes, making a sacred space under the stars together. Whether you're an old-timer or you haven't joined us in a while, we'd love to see you again!

What we want to get out of Youth Group

2007-10-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

have fun and meet people
get to know people
get more people to come
meet more people and make new friends
have fun
learn more about self
have energy
do new projects
come every Sunday
expand horizons
grow spiritually together
a year to grow together
attendance
expansions
learn soulja boy
people should want to come
grow close enough to always be there for each other
feel included
continue to be inclusive
grow in faith, hope and love
continue momentum

J & R's First Sunday

2007-10-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a fun group! We are so excited to get to know all of you more. You all have so much passion and a strong desire to grow--in numbers, in faith, in depth.

We're going to continue to build our community with get-to-know you type games and listen together as we discern where the Spirit is leading us. We have a lot of ideas percolating, but we know you do too and we want to hear from you and create this ministry together.

We set up this blog to keep in touch and post happenings and fun stuff. Feel free to comment or add things!

Supper Club Highlights-October 14 : The non-working markers got trashed, we traced our hands, 3 random facts about yourselves became our first impression, Subway--Spirit got some too--oops! You got to hear a few random facts about us like: Jessica ate raw cat food and Rebecca was on the Bozo Show. We shared our hopes for Youth Group, and there's a lot of hope to expand. We had ice cream Sundays and managed to avoid a whip cream showdown. We closed with predella prayers in the nave.

Next week, same time, same place!