3rd Annual Camping Trip!

St. Mark Campers descended upon Sherando Lake campground for the 3rd annual spring trip this past weekend!  Historically, this has been both a chilly and a wet event.  This time - blue, sunny, and dry skies abounded!  However - the chill factor was quite a different story.  The day after returning home, my Leo reported at the dinner table that "the best part of my day was that I was not cold!"  

 Frostbite or no, it was a memorable, food-for-the-soul kind of weekend.  But don't take my word for it!  Here's what others had to say:

“What a wonderful camping weekend!  Thank you to all who helped it happen, especially Paul and Lois...you do so much to make this happen for us all.  Thank you to Pastor Sandy for worship leadership and bringing us together with good spirit and humor.  I love that.... and thank you to all who came, I loved that there were campers there that I had missed out on camping with last year. And, to those who could not come......there is always next year!”

Gathering for a meal

“Another wonderful weekend!  I love that [folks are] already looking forward to and planning for next year... to me, that's a true sign of a great trip, that everyone is thinking about the next year.  Every person on this trip brought something special and unique to the group.  I am deeply grateful to be a part of this community that continues to grow and flourish, and I know that we…consider our St. Mark family to be among the biggest blessings in our lives.  The worship service on Sunday was among the highlights of the trip for me.  Thank you, Pastor Sandy, for creating a meaningful, memorable service in such a beautiful setting. 

Thank you all!”

Rolling down the hillside never got old!

“Another great weekend with some of my faith family. I enjoyed it.  One surprise to me was the sunburn on my face....the only exposed skin to the elements during the trip... who knew? Next time, sunscreen can be packed too, along with long johns and hat and gloves....just in case.” 

The ongoing badminton game!

“I love the t-shirts [and] the medallions... Thanks for the wonderful sharing of food, thank you Sandy for another worship that really spoke to me. Thanks for dry skies!”

No-dye Tie Dye Shirts

Wowza Camp Medallions! 

“[We] want to echo the heart-felt comments made thus far concerning the family camping weekend.  Our time together was so special.  Being outdoors surrounded by trees, blue sky (mostly) overhead, the sound of Whippoorwills during the night (have to take your word on that!!), the sharing of meals, laughter and so many other wonderful moments are memories to be treasured.”



“Thanks to each of you for your unique contributions.  Everyone was so willing to do whatever needed to be done.  The service on Sunday morning was so very meaningful...a highlight of our mountain get-away.  Thank you for lovingly gathering us together to share in such a beautiful worship experience.”

Preparing for worship in Upper Whippoorwill Chapel

“[We] had a wonderful time... it was a first for our family and we enjoyed it very much. We are already talking about what to bring for next year (more blankets to go with our sleeping bags). We just want to say "Thank you" to all who planned, packed, organized, cooked, cleaned, shared, and sang, in addition to reaching out, encouraging, welcoming, socializing, laughing, and chit-chatting with us and allowing us to be a part of something so fun and enjoyable.  It was a wonderful experience to camp with all of you; it is a great memory to own. Thank you.” 

A great memory to own, indeed.  

Just 50-some weeks and counting until Sherando Lake 2014!

Trust and Commit

The Senior Highs have begun to explore the theme of identity and how our faith is formed, influenced, maintained, and challenged.  As the group gathered on Sunday after a gorgeous day of weather, the energy in the room was contagious - warm weather plus shorts and flip flops plus the promise of summer vacation made for a happy group.

Delving a little deeper into "Who am I?" we focused that evening on trust and commitment, beginning with a group exercise that found us seated back-to-back on the floor, linking arms with one another.  First in pairs and then as a whole group, we worked together to push ourselves into a standing position - success!  It was a particular joy to see how the kids coached each other so that every person was included in the group's overall success. 

 We reflected on times that it is hard to trust others, and when it is easy.  We remembered people from the Bible who trusted God, and who did not (including Simon Peter; Noah; Daniel; Moses).  We talked about times we find it easy to trust in God and commit to the relationship we have with God, and when it's really hard.

Unable to resist the pull of the beautiful weather, we took a break halfway through and headed to the playground with pitchers of water in hand.  We didn't tell the kids the plan until we reached the enormous, recently-delivered mound of sand, where we divided them into 3 groups and tasked them with creating any kind of sand sculpture they could possibly imagine - in just 12 minutes.

Some took the challenge quite seriously, and related their sculpture to our discussion, creating a bridge that represented trust and a triangle representing the Trinity:

Others had a rather....unusual interpretation.  This group created (as they described) a toilet and a volcano:

And the third group had more of a representative creation of a village, with several castles (and watchmen?) on a hilltop overlooking the village below:

One thing was certain:  the sand sculpting was great fun.  And so, too, was the swinging.

Returning back inside, we gathered for the first of many "Faith Fishbowl" conversations in which kids had the chance to write down (anonymously) a question they have about faith, religion, God, or life in general, and we'd try to tackle at least a few of the questions as a group.  Admittedly, there was some grumbling at the start.  (Write something down?  Is this school or something?) But with perseverance and a little coaching, they delivered some amazing questions: poignant; thoughtful; important. 

• Why do people believe in God?
• Do you have to go to church to have faith?
• What makes faith so hard?
• What do you think saves you or gets you into heaven?
• Why are people so afraid to talk about their faith?
• Does everyone have a purpose to live?
• What, exactly, is a sin?  How bad is unacceptable?
• Isn't the point of religion to inspire people to make the world a better place?  If people can do that without faith, why is religion necessary in the modern world?

How timely (and perhaps rather uncanny given the Boston Marathon bombings that would occur the next day) that the statement we tackled last was the following:

I don't understand why people can do something "evil" in the name of God or religion...

And while no one has claimed responsibility yet for the bombings, the discussion that we had on Sunday night was still very relevant to what was yet to happen as we sought to make sense of why bad things happen to innocent people.   

These questions, and these kids, hold the promise of so much more important dialogue.  They serve as a reminder that our deepest convictions and beliefs often form from the challenges and questions we put them up against.

Courtyard Cleanup & Camraderie

If there's one thing I've learned about this awesome group of Confirmands, it's that they will never say no to a good service project.  This group earned money for purchasing Good Gifts through the ELCA (including farm animals, clean water supplies, and health care volunteers), created and wrote handmade care cards for our members, and assembed Lutheran World Relief kits for victims of natural disaster.  They were thrilled, therefore, to dedicate the most recent youth group meeting on a project a little closer to home:  cleaning up and beautifying the once-lush but long-neglected courtyard just off the fellowship hall steps.

Before pictures:

 During:  (I especially love the snow shovel that N. is using to scoop up debris:  an ingenious new use for an old tool)

 Have you ever noticed that at construction sites, there's always one guy (or gal) standing around with his boot on a shovel, surveying?   R. proved herself a worthy cleanup surveyor:

 After a solid hour of hard work, we took a break for snack and birdfeeder making.  The Rainbow Sherbet floats (made with Sprite) were a taste of heaven, I tell you!  We snacked on fresh fruit and sipped our floats while we made sweet feeders to hang in the newly-cleaned courtyard

 Mixing up the birdseed, flour, corn syrup, gelatin, and water.....

 ...then molding the mix into Pam-sprayed cookie cutters....

The finished product!  We made about a dozen of these cute feeders for our feathered friends....

 After:  Ta-Da!  The Cleaned-up, Beautified Courtyard.  We pruned, trimmed, raked, swept, weeded, and shoveled up 6 huge trash cans of debris, then planted 2 caladium and 6 petunias in the now-beautiful space. 

 Please be sure to stop by and visit the courtyard.  The space is inviting, attractive, peaceful, and a haven for body and soul.  If you like what you see and enjoy your time in the courtyard, consider finding these Confirmands (and helpers, too) to thank them for their good work.

My own experience in the garden (after the kids had left and I was preparing for the senior high group) left me humming the beloved hymn that includes
"For the beauty of the Earth, for the glory of the skies....
...Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise!"  

Indeed, I am grateful.  For the beauty found in this space, and for the presence of the curious minds, able bodies, and caring souls of the young people among us.

Godsights

Godsight:  something that you witness that really catches you by surprise:  you notice it; you are amazed by it; you are in awe.  Often, we see Godsights in nature.  A Godsight could be a sunset - but it isn't every sunset.  It could be a radiant flower thriving in an otherwise barren bit of land. 

It could be the moment when you bear witness to an incredible act of kindness.  It could be the moment when you lock eyes with your newborn baby for the first time. 

It could be a cloud formation that is breathtaking, or an unexpected view around the bend in the road. 

It could even be a sound, or a taste, or even a smell, or perhaps a complete and utter feeling of peace and calm after feeling quite the opposite.  It could be a rock on a trail, in the perfect shape of a heart.

Godsights are sightings of God:  they are what happens to you that makes you stop in your tracks, appreciate the beauty before you, and prompt you to offer a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving to God for the very concrete, very clear reminder of God's presence in your life. 

In order to catch sight of them, we must be mindful and be open to the opportunities in our everyday lives.  Sightings abound once we really start to pay attention.

Dear Reader, what Godsights have you seen this week?

Turk Mountain Hike

Spring Break presented the perfect opportunity for a youth event.  All youth in grades 6-12 were invited for the day of adventure.  We met up on Wednesday morning at the church and set out to Shenandoah National Park for a 2.2 mile hike up Turk Mountain, which is one of the first hikes inside the park.  Although it was a bit chilly at first, our quick pace and the warm sunshine warmed us up quickly.  At the summit, we enjoyed a picnic lunch - and a spectacular view at almost 3,000 feet above sea level.

Some pics:

Picnic lunch

The whole gang, plus a glorious view!

Making our way back down the mountain...

One of my favorite moments of the hike was toward the end when Will spotted this amazing "Godsight*" in the middle of the path.  No one had noticed it on our way up the trail, but Will easily spotted it on our return trip.  In our Sunday School classroom, there is a beautiful poster of hearts found in nature - exactly like this rock here.  The kids enjoy looking at the photos, and they quickly agreed that this rock photo would be a perfect addition to the poster.  But more importantly, it was a pretty great example of a Godsight*, and a powerful moment when we all paused to take in this sight of God's good works.  It made our hike feel a little bit more special, a little bit more memorable.   

*see next post (or embedded link)  for more on Godsights.

The travel there and back was just long enough to require some car ride entertainment, and we played everything from Celebrity Alphabet to Bizz Buzz to Charlie's Brother's Made Up Word Game to "I'm going on a hike at Shenandoah and I'm going to bring...." (water; a machete; an apple; a bottle of toothpaste; a bearskin rug; a packet of Sweet N Low; an Arizona Arnold Palmer; a cinderblock; batteries; a clock; socks; a sweatshirt, and.. and.. and...) - in other words, we had all the hallmarks of a great road trip, without the "are we there yet?"s or "I have to go to the bathroom"s!  Despite a fully functioning GPS and two drivers who have been to Shenandoah many times, however, there was one wrong turn and one turn around.  Because in addition to not playing the guitar, Fearless Leader also has no sense of direction.  None.  But apparently, I'm not the only one.  At the summit I asked the group, "Now which way do we head back down?"
And this is the answer I got:

This way!  No, this way!!

   

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter morning was BEAUTIFUL... inside the church, at least!  Forced to relocate the Easter egg hunt indoors, the junior high and senior high youth did an excellent job "hiding" tons of plastic eggs, and the undercroft was alive with color!  Both the eggs and the bright spring clothing of the egg hunters filled the space with bursts of cheer.  Gray clouds, chilly temperatures, and a steady drizzle was no match for the mirth and happiness of the morning.

Brunch on Easter Morning

He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

Family Ministry: Egg Coloring & Crafting

On March 30, half a dozen or so families gathered together for an afternoon of Easter preparations.  Heidi and Tim organized an egg-celent craft for the creative kiddos, as well as prepared a slew of bright hues for egg coloring.  We noshed on yummy treats like chocolate peanut butter bars, rice krispies, brownies, popcorn, and cookies.  Meanwhile, the junior and senior highs prepared dozens and dozens and dozens of plastic eggs stuffed with candy for the Easter morning egg hunt.  It was a lovely afternoon of fun and fellowship, and a perfect way to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' resurrection!

A few photos from the event:

Creative crafters, hard at work on a most egg-celent product!

A plethora of pretty pastels!

Hmm....

Quality Control predictably included some testing of the candy...

Our time together was a wonderful anticipation of what was to come.  There was a sense of excitement, and joy, in knowing that the next day would bring the end of Lent, the return of the Alleluias, and the celebration of our risen Lord.