YOUTH MINISTERS MAKING HISTORY DID YOU KNOW? The youth of St. Andrew’s have begun CREATING and LIVING into their OWN MINISTRY?! Well, now you do! WONDEROUS things are happening on holy ground as our youth are making St. Andrew’s history. Since January, the youth have been studying the Millennium Development Goals (#2-8) and are ready to put their knowledge to good use! During Lent, our morning Christian Formation class is discussing and participating in activities focused primarily on Millennium Development Goal #1: Eradicating Extreme Hunger and Poverty. We are accomplishing this by narrowing the vast, expansive idea of poverty and defining it with experiences of Madison, St. Andrew’s and The Road Home. *** AND *** Continuing on March 22nd, once a month, St. Andrew’s youth will visit the families of the Road Home at various church sites! PLEASE DON’T MISS OUT! YOUTH CAN JOIN AT ANY TIME!!!! Christian Formation Class – 9:15am Sundays, The Newell House Evening Youth Group – 6-8pm: 3/8, 3/22, 4/19, 4/26, 5/17 YoUtH GrOuP FoCuS: The Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Declaration embodies a global partnership for development. Endorsed by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, the Declaration represents the commitment by developing countries and their partners in the developed world to build upon a universal framework for the eight Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015. While the first seven MDGs target concrete obstacles to development (in the areas of poverty and hunger, education, equality, health and the environment), MDG 8—develop a global partnership for development—represents the underpinning of all these Goals. This past winter and continuing into Spring, the youth of St. Andrew’s will be busy learning about and discussing social justice and the MDGs. We have already had an introduction video and discussion, Matt Wayland led us through an activity about Goal #2 (Achieving Universal Primary Education), Drew Rittel played a game with us about Goal #3 (Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women), and Jess presented 2 United Nations videos about Goals #4 & #5 (Child and Maternal Health). We also experienced a morning activity with St. Andrew’s Coolio group (2nd-5th graders) and learned about global partnership and working together (Goal #8), Liz Koepnick guided us through Goal #7 (Environmental Sustainability), and Bill and Amy Dunlop led an activity that dealt with Goal #6 (Combating HIV/AIDs, Malaria, and other Diseases). This has been a very challenging and enlightening topic for our group. I thank everyone involved who has helped plan and lead the activities. I also want to thank all of YOU for being so committed to the games, videos, and discussions. Your respect for the MDGs and your devotion to social justice is truly inspiring for everyone involved. Youth group is focusing on Goal #1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty during the Lenten Season (see “Youth Ministers Making History” above) Discover your “Spritual Profile” I found this quiz on www.ExploreFaith.org. The questions were interesting to think about and it was fun to read about my “spiritual profile”. And while this is only a website quiz, I liked how it made me take a moment to really think about who I am in regards to living as a spiritual being. Here’s a small tidbit of what my outcome was: You are a Companion. Companions are people who naturally connect with the Holy One through their relationships with others. They believe that God is present in everyone and look for the spark of that presence when they are with others. They look to others to help them make sense of their own faith, and trust that God will speak to them and lead them through the words, actions, and holiness of other godly people. They relate best with God through shared interaction. They tend to spend more time praying and worshipping with others than by themselves. If they were to meet God face to face, they would want to have those they love with them. In the Bible, Ruth was a good example of a companion. After her father-in-law and husband died she became a companion to Naomi, her mother-in-law,.Through Naomi’s personal faith and the faith of Naomi’s people, Ruth felt the touch of the Holy One and discovered a new way of living and being. Try this out and see what kind “spiritual profile” you have!!!! Prayers for Youth Watch over us, O Lord, as our days increase; bless and guide us wherever we may be. Strengthen us when we stand; comfort us when discouraged or sorrowful; raise us up if we fall; and in our hearts may your peace, which passes understanding abide all the days of our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Collect for a Birthday, Book of Common Prayer, page 830, adapted.) O Lord, If I did as much for my soul As I do for the approval of others I’d look better for eternity. Godde*, I think you are a metaphor for all that we love; your presence in the beloved’s heart, the lake’s mystical beauty, the healing touch. *Godde is a feminine spelling of God Dearest One, Increase the capacity of my heart. Take its edges and stretch them out To include all in me that I do not love, All in my family that I judge, All in my church that I fear, And all in the world that doesn’t fit. O God of my heart and understanding, Be alive in me this day. Nourish me and challenge me. Show me how to ask and how to receive from you. Be in me, with me, beside me, around me. Open my heart to a way that will support your purpose for my life. Deep peace of the rolling waves to you. Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. Deep peace of the flowing air to you. Deep peace of the shining stars. May peace, may peace, May peace fill your soul. May peace, may peace, May peace keep you whole. The mercy of God came before our mistakes; Our mercy must come before the mistakes of others. Those in the circle of Jesus had no doubt of his love; Those in our circles must have no doubt about ours. O Lord, give me strength that the whole world Look to me with the eyes of a friend. Let us ever examine each other with the eyes of a friend. -Hindu Veda Look to this day, For it is life, For yesterday is but a dream, And tomorrow is only a vision, But today, well lived, Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope. -Sanskrit proverb |
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