Today, as we left the service, our teens were standing by the doors, with huge soup kettles, collecting for the "Souper Bowl". All the money they collected will go to our local soup kitchen. It was a great promotion. They raised over $400 between the two services. Our youth are hard-working and dedicated to serving in Christ's name. I'm sure there are many, many young people, church-affiliated or otherwise, who are just as devoted to community service, but we hardly ever hear about them.
This group includes the high school kids in my Christian Education class. Today we discussed the effect that the media has on children. A couple of the youngsters are against any kind of censorship of their musical or TV habits. One young man, however, talked about how parents have the responsibility to know what their children are watching. "I don't want my kids watching violence or sexually explicit shows; I'm going to be a tough dad."
He also said that he feels when kids, teens especially, imitate the violence on TV, that the blame can't easily be placed on any one factor. He said that parents have a big role in the values their children have, that school has a role when it places too much emphasis on "popularity", and that the TV and music industries should be more responsible. "Look at the RAP stars and how messed up most of them are." It was the general feeling of the whole group that children who grow up with a sense of right and wrong, who have a tradition of going to church, and who have a faith community and a support system, can't be harmed by the garbage on TV or in music.
Have I said how much I learn from and respect these boys?!
The aforementioned "date" is what I have been waiting for. A member of the Diocesan Standing Committee and two members of the Commission on Ministry have to interview me before I can proceed with my journey to Holy Orders. It has been a long wait. The committee was chosen in early October, and there has been no word from them since then. The Bishop finally told them to get off the pot (there are six of us who have been waiting), and get the interviews done. Mine is February 10th, which happens to be my 66th birthday. I hope that is a good omen!
Work has been really tough these past few weeks, and the beauty and warmth of St. John in the Virgin Islands is fading from memory in this constant snow. Now I have something to look forward to besides the far-distant spring! I'm a little nervous, also, but I will try to be ready for whatever God has in mind for me.
Mr. Priest and I were talking about this interview today, and what the consequences will be if they give me the go-ahead. I will have to leave my dearly beloved church family behind. I will be assigned to another church, and my duties there will keep me too busy to stay involved in any meaningful way in my own church. That is very difficult for me. Although this journey was begun when I was a small child, the majority of my mature growth has been with this congregation. It is difficult to think of facing the many bumps and barriers ahead of me without their weekly support.
And DB will have a difficult decision. The church I will most likely be assigned to is about 15 miles from our home. The Rector there is an old and beloved friend. So occasionally DB will join me there for Sunday services, but he wants to remain connected to our current church. This means he will go by himself. My
Sundays will be work days for me, so he'd be by himself anyway. Life is full of changes.
Inspite of that, Life is good. Thanks be to God. Amen
8:18 PM
I wonder if I am the only person in the world not watching the Super Bowl? If I am to believe the hype, I am. If the grocery store yesterday was any inkling, I am. If the cars parked in people's yards, lights all ablaze in the houses is any clue, I am. So be it! I like sports in person, sometimes, but I've never been able to enjoy any of them on the TV.
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