Youth Academy

Day 6-Passion

Saturday, July 11th, 2009 | Uncategorized

We had another great lecture today by Dr. Rieger on why Jesus had to die on the cross.  He went through several historical theories of atonement and we talked about what it means that Jesus died and what the implications of his death are for how we live.  We also had our third Arts Village and a very special worship service with Ken Medema.  I am copying the email one of our artists in residence sent to some friends and colleagues from home about the day.

“I am working with a most remarkable team of talented, creative, kind, and caring staff at the Youth Academy.  Tonight was another amazing and life-impacting day for the youth and adults. Ken Mendema and I, per Taylor’s suggestion, worked together in concert this afternoon in the Storytelling class. It was astonishing and deeply powerful for all of us. I had no idea who Ken was or what he could do and am so glad that Taylor pressed to have him come to the Storytelling class and to allow me to work with him. I moved my class from the classroom to the chapel altar end of the nave so that Ken could play piano during the class. We all stepped into the unknown as we adjusted at the last minute to experiment with this setting. My approach was to have 15 items on display in my “classroom” table…statue of Peter holding the keys and the rooster, photo of Daniel and I on the tractor in Point Enterprise, Indian Storyteller figurine, USAF chaplain’s field kit, book on Satchel Paige the Negro baseball player, photo taken in Germany of the four in our family by the vineyard, Bitburg wooden clacker, Boston Red Sox baseball cap, etc. I opened the class with having the students each select one item that reminded them of something in their lives, even if they did not know what the item was. (I would later tell them what that item meant to me…only after I heard their connection and story first).

They wanted to know what some of the items were but I told them it did not matter what the item was nor did it matter what the items meant to me…that what mattered was what the item reminded them of in their own lives. Then they had two minutes each to tell of what that item reminded them of in their lives…their story. I was introducing them to telling and shaping their own story by seeing themselves in some item. I started the process by telling them that my mind at that point was REALLY in Atlanta, Georgia where my wife and daughter were picking up my son from the airport after his year of school in Germany. Told them I wanted to be there at this moment at the airport but that I was going to work hard to be here in this moment for them. All of a sudden Ken broke out playing a most beautiful piece, that he had just composed while I talked, with my exact words in prose and song and then he added my unspoken parts…and a father wanting to be in Atlanta but choosing to be here for these people in this circle, etc. We all had to wipe the tears from our eyes. I have never seen anything like this nor experienced anything at that level of creativity. He did that with each story, from the serious to the most humorous elements of one’s story. The first girl connected with the Point Enterprise tractor story…and told of how she and her sister used to love to play on the farm around a tractor and how she missed those days. Another boy (earlier in the week) came to life over the tractor story when he found out the photo was taken in Mexia area…he is from Teague and was thrilled that someone even KNEW where Teague even was located!

 

It was beyond description of what he could compose and play and sing right on the spot. Genius mind and skills. No one wanted to leave the church building tonight when our service was over. We could have danced all night…and he had youth and adults up dancing (UMC ministers in robes, I add danced alongside the youth and even the artists!), youth processed to the altar with two beautiful processional crosses draped in liturgical fabric pieces while Ken played, youth read the scriptures while Ken played, Ken sang and played while communion was served to folks in blue jeans and shorts and ministerial robes in the campus chapel, Ken had us up and dancing to a song (he says God calls us to dance) and having the time of their lives…then he would switch and play classical hymns in prayerful manner.”  

 

As I hope you can tell, we had powerful night.  Rev. Leah King brought preached the service and spoke of how the wounds of Christ and the peace of Christ are inseparable, and that God is with us in our wounds.  The students and adults were all deeply touched by her words and God’s Spirit was among us throughout the evening as we listening, prayed, sang and danced.

To the parents who are reading this: be very, very proud of your kids.  They have been gracious and kind to one another and to the staff and gone above and beyond to be helpful and supportive.  NOt only that, they are SO FUN.  We just can’t get enough of them!  It was an incredible and exhausting day and they all hung in there with each other for every minute of it.  I am so thankful to be able to witness the community they have formed!

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