Saturday, March 22, 2008

Another "Last"

As the days tick down until Mandy and I pack our bags for Seattle, I will try to blog with caution and avoid being the guy who only writes and talks about another "last time" doing something here in Sioux Falls before moving. "This is the last time I will use this restroom. This is the last time I will say the word 'bucket.' This is the last time I will hop on one foot." You get the point.

With that said, though, I experienced a pretty big "last" last night. It was our Good Friday Service that is annually led by our high school youth group. This has always been one of my favorite services of the year. Our middle school youth group leads the Sunrise Service, and I would rather stab myself in the eye with a soldering gun than try to motivate a group of Tweens at 6:30am. The Good Friday service is different, though. It is so special to see the spiritual maturation that has happened in the lives of the students. They do such a great job of leading our congregation in worship and it is great to see the older generations finally recognize our youth as vital pieces of this "body of Christ" puzzle.

The students did great last night and I am so proud of them. I am positive that on Good Friday next year, sitting in worship somewhere across the country, I will be thinking about these students and missing them badly. May God continue to work in their lives long past my time here at Asbury.

5 comments:

  1. I agree, Jason. The youth did a wonderful job last night bringing to life the meaning of Good Friday. Thank all of you for leading worship - the clear voices reading the Gospel for Good Friday, the interpretation of Good Friday by the liturgical dancers, the music and readings. Very well done.

    It is wonderful to see how the Holy Spirit is working in these youth and to know that their spiritual journey is on solid foundation. I am so glad that you have been part of their spiritual journey. Each one is a gift to us!

    The pounding of the nails into the cross is always so moving and dramatic. The hammering seems deafening in the silence of the sanctuary. It just drives home the fact that we are as guilty as those individuals centuries before us.

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  2. How long have you been at your church with your youth

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  3. It will have been almost 4 years when we leave in July. I will have gone through 4 school years...quite a while in the life of a youth pastor. I'm no Clint Walker though.

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  4. I was in Belgrade 5 years, so about the same I suppose.

    Are you still going to do youth work after seminary or are you going to look at other kinds of ministry.

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  5. I think my years in youth ministry have come to a close. I am not really sure what type of ministry God is calling me too, but I don't foresee it being youth ministry. We shall see.

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