PYT 2007

Yes, Presbyterian Youth Triennium 2007 was a blast!!! i finally have some time to write about it.

Ashley dropped me at the Airport at 5AM Monday morning and i flew into Cincinnati and then Indianapolis by lunch time. It was a quick one hour bus trip with half the other small group leaders to West Lafayette, Purdue University. i ended up sitting with a kid about a year older than me, Jonathan Crooms, who was a Davidson grad and knew a lot of high school crowd who went there. He's currently working as a delegate of the PC(USA) to the UN. We got to talking about sports and the man in front of us turned around, Jay Smith, and asks "are we hating on Duke?" and we told him we were. So he joined us. Turns out, Jay is a pastor at a church in Concord, and it further turned out that he and his family live about 5 houses from my folks and his wife works at the same YMCA that i did. Training was interminably long, but i met some amazing folks, including my own small group leader from Canada in 2001 (who incidentally speaks like Kermit). He was beaming with pride that i was now a small group leader and my friend Cass from that group is now married. i also spent much of the week with Brian Maher, my old youth leader bud from PYC days in Charlotte. That was one of my huge highlights. We're trouble together.

Worship was great music-wise. Corey, who lead our discernment weekend for YAV back in April was there to drum and piano-fy. The lead guitarist looked like Martha Stewart, and the bass player was named Critter (real name). They all also lived on my hall, as well as famed Steve Price, the energizer king. My roommate was the snoring champion of West Texas and my suitemates were a 60-yr old Biker/Pastor with handlebar mustache and leather vest named AD who rides with Soldiers of Christ and an African American gentlemen from the Cumberland Presbyterian in Texas. They were both spectacularly cool and insightful.

i was not impressed with the drama at worship. It consisted of what everyone came to call the "French Tellitubbies" because they were some kind of raggamuffin squad of gibberish french vaudeville characatures. That being said, the best worship service by far was on Friday night outside. There was no drama, just music and a sermon, which was delivered by Mark Yacconelli!!! i was stoked because i'm in the middle of his Contemplative Youth Ministry book and it's phenomenal. He was an INCREDIBLE speaker and story teller. i was blown away and so were the kids.

My small group absolutely rocked. i had 14 youth and 3 adults. The kids were great and talkative and enthusiastic. i had to retailor most of the leader guide for more activity and less pointless Q & A. It's rare to have such an energetic group or one that bonds so well. They were a blessing. Of my adults, one woman was from Kansas, a town of 1,300 and the two men were from Texas. One of those men, Harry Abercrombie, is the older brother of Dave Abercrombie who helped lead this year's Charlotte delegation and led mine 6 years ago. In fact, Harry got up to tell my group that when he came six years before, "some kid stuck my glasses up his nose... and that kid is now your small group leader." That went over great. Yay teenagers. i'm not really old yet, nor do i plan to ever get old (i know, some of you are out there plotting for the same), but it was a weird feeling this trip to see the younger siblings of younger siblings of people i know. Lauren Patchett was there, and so was one of the Sult girls and Carlie Abercrombie's little sis, Aly. The small group leader next door to me was neighbors with the Wilson (Frank Wilson was one of my best college friends) family of Elizabeth City, NC.

i spent the little free time i had working the Project Burning Bush booth. One of this year's kids, Meg, was there, and one of last year's, Cindy. A few other Alums came by too. i spent all my time giving kids from all over the continent info on PBB and getting them hooked. We gave out over 500 fliers to interested youth and adults.

ALSO! When i was manning the booth, i discovered David Lamotte was gonna be playing for an hour or so after the international folks and my booth was in prime location. He and i got to talk for a bit and catch up because it had been probably a year or two since we last spoke. He said married life was treating him well. He played spectacularly as usual and then told us all that he is only touring for another 11 months before retiring. i'm sorry if this is the first place you see this news. He's been playing for 17 years and is ready to spend some time with his wife and his house in Montreat and do some traveling. David, i wish you well and God's peace. He signed the headband of my cowboy hat i wore all week and put a peace sign and exclamation point. He winked at me and said, "so you'll always have peace on your mind."

i may think of more later, but it was a spectacular time. God bless and hope to all.

Travelin Man

More on PYT 2007 later. Too much to tell to get in and i'll soon forget my Sunday travels.

i arrived at Indianapolis International after an hour bus ride with my Canadian small group leader
from 6 years ago. i spent about an hour chatting with a man who turned out to be the CPM liason for my suitemate Tom. i boarded a plane and ended up next to a Russian Orthodox priest and his wife and we had an amazing conversation for a few hours about faith and church and youth and places and travel.

There were about a dozen PYTers on the plane with us and when we arrived in Detroit, the student behind us knew Father Greggory from Perdue and so we got to talking and realized she was headed to Richmond too for her internship with horsies. We went to find a place to eat before our next flight and when we got to a place met a man from Nigeria, whom we both invited to join us for dinner. He told us he worked for Total Oil out of France and sold cars on the side. When he learned i was studying to be a pastor he totally lit up and told us he's also a full-time pastor of a church back home in Nigeria. So the three of us delved into Coney Island food, Milkshakes, and faith sharing. It was beautiful. He insisted on paying for our dinners and we talked for nearly 2 hours. Then we went our separate ways.

On the next flight i met 2 folks who work for the YMCA here in Richmond, a young couple and a man named Jeff Tuttle (yes, like MASH) who is a Country music singer out of Nashville. All in all, an exciting trip.

Move along

My grandfather surrendered in his long battle with cancer this past thursday night. He'd fought the good fight for many years and we got many more years with him than the doctors ever promised. Tomorrow is promised to no one, but he demanded as many as he could have to see us grandchildren grow and to pass on his advice and to take care of us. Born in 1922, his was a generation that saw this country at war more times than any other generation before. He was not only one of the few to finish grade school and high school, but managed to get through college and send his son and 3 daughters at a time when even that was rare. His marriage, mixed (between himself, a Protestant and my grandmother, a Catholic) was one of the many social and religious barriers he broke. He was a man of principal and great faith in his loving God. Years of attendance at his wife's Catholic church and arguments with several priests earned him the right to take communion there despite not converting and the respect of the priest who presided over his funeral. Years of dedication to his work on the railroad and to every person whom he ever worked with or lived near brought dozens of neighbors and coworkers, golf buddies and bowling league partners out to his wake and funeral. Almost all of them said that not only was he a good man, but "he had time for me." He was a man who did everything, and still made time for every person in his life. He raised a family that loved him and were ever present and went on to do things he was proud of. He raised a daughter who became a nurse and raised 5 children, while living out her faith in very real ways that showed her love for her family and the world. He raised one daughter who has served the public in NY government for more than a quarter of a decade, much of which was in the nutrition office, choosing and providing healthy meals for all children. He raised my mother who became a teacher and librarian, while earning a graduate degree and who raised 2 kids. He raised a son who served more than 2 decades in the Coast Guard, and the private sector where he more or less wrote the book on environmental disaster response and prevention, and moved on to work for the Department of Homeland Security and write the books on how better to respond to hurricanes and natural disasters. In so doing all of this, my grandfather raised 7 grandchildren who are all in or headed for college and met two of his future in-laws before passing. He is a man who not only worked hard to provide and to thank God for his blessings, but made time for the people in his life and to be a blessing to them. He selected I Corinthians 13 to be read at his service, and i read it knowing that he embodied what was within the text. He had great faith, much hope, and deep love, and he made time to let that love be shown in very real ways. May i be so blessed to live a life so full of all these things.