In year-ending fashion, we are concluding our review of the top eight posts of the year.

In the later fall months, the production of youtube videos became a staple of the site.  There was a learning curve during the National Symposium on Adolescent Catecheses, and development of more for the Baltimore Youth Catholic Conference.  It all culminated during the many, many videos posted during the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry.  If I had to treasure one of these many children more than another, it would have to be this one. (and, yea, I know I blogged about it yesterday – - – this is what happens when you set a series of posts in motion weeks in advance!)

December 7, 2008

One the first night, Gene and Brad showed this video and encourage more sensative awareness throughout the conference. Ray East, Mike Norman, and Lee Nagel each made references to the “moonwalking bear” throughout the conference.

Soooooo, when the comedy club did it’s final piece – - – a very odd retelling of the Nativity story with some uncomfortable interpretive dance and where Judy McDonald “labored” through her casting as the Blessed Mother – - – well, there just had to be a special guest appearance from a living metaphor…

Pope Benedict met with the Roman Curia for the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings. Often, the pontiff’s customary address take the form of a travelogue and recap of the year’s activities.  Here, courtesy of Rocco, (UPDATED with a translation provided by Lancaster England’s coadjutor, Bishop Michael Campbell.)  is the Pope’s mention of World Youth Day, which he is emphasizing as something much more than a well organized party:

With this, however, the peculiar nature of such days and the particular character of their joy, their creative force for communion, find no explanation. Above all, it is important to take account of the fact that the World Youth Days do not consist of one single week in which they become public and visible to the world. There is both a long external and internal journey leading to them. The Cross, accompanied by the image of the Mother of the Lord, goes on pilgrimage in different lands. Faith, in its own way, feels the need to see and to touch. The encounter with the cross, which is touched and carried, becomes an interior encounter with Him who died on the cross for us. The encounter with the Cross arouses in the depths of youth the memory of that God who willed to become man and suffer with us. And we see the woman whom He has given us as Mother. The solemn Youth Days are only the culmination of a long journey, along which they meet one another and together they go to Christ. In Australia, not fortuitously, the long Way of the Cross through the city became the culminating event of those days. It recapitulated once more all that had taken place in the preceding years and pointed to the One who unites us all together: the God who loves us to the extent of the Cross. And so even the Pope is not the star around which everything happens. He is simply and solely Vicar. He defers to Another who stands in our midst. Finally, the solemn liturgy is the centre of everything, because there takes place in it what we are unable to accomplish and of which, however, we are always in expectation. He is present. He enters into our midst. Heaven is rent, and this makes the earth glow. It is this which makes life joyful and open and unites one to another in a joy which cannot be compared to the joy of a rock festival. Friedrich Nietzsche said on one occasion: “The ability is not to be found in organising a festival, but in finding people who can enjoy it.” According to Scripture, joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22): this fruit was abundantly visible during those days in Sydney. Just as a long journey preceded the World Day of Youth, so successive journeys flowed from it. Friendships were forged which encouraged a single, diverse style of life and supported it from within. The great Days have, not as their ultimate reason, the intention to create such friendships and in this way they bring about areas of life in faith, which are simultaneously arenas of hope and of a charity experienced.

In year-ending fashion, we are reviewing the top eight posts of the year.

Here is when the world changed for the site, offering a new look and new functionality.  All thanks to son, Clark, who left the IT nest and joined the US Army weeks after this posting.

September 1, 2008
We’re Back – New and Improved
It’s a whole new look for your favorite blog. After many years of the kind and indulgent hospitality of RaspaNet, we have moved off their servers. We have migrated to a new server and have a new format as we are utilizing WordPress. Why is this news??? The answer can be found in the lower right corner beneath this posting. Now. . . you can send in comments!! Please do! I’m excited to hear your thoughts, your humor, your dreams, your voice, all reflected upon this site. (which I hope you will come to own as your site as well.)

How did this all happen? Heck if I know all the coding and dynamics of it all! All I know is that son Clark spent a few nights deciphering the intricacies of WordPress and set it up in a manner that his “old man” didn’t have to do much mental heavy lifting. Thanks to Clark! (and thanks to Michael as well who started me down this dream quite a few months ago.)

Perhaps you have already watched this video from a different angle

Here is the Nativity Story told with Mary and Joseph, the stooge angel Gabriel, shepherds, angels, and some odd livestock, three kings with gifts that feature the Ronco 3000, the “Star of Wonder” who will eventually lead a version of Feliz Navidad, if he is able to get over a vision of a moon-walking bear.

Speaking of said bear, there have been some very ugly rumors spread in the last few weeks about this surprise character, and how bad a moon-dancer he was…. Know this, I am continuing to deny having had anything to do with the appearance of the bear. Let’s leave at that, huh??

    Son (and web site designer) Clark has returned for a Christmas break from basic training at the Army’s Ft. Sill. He looks well. Youngest daughter Meghan (and Santa’s favorite elf) was at the airport to greet him.  As always, click on pics to enlarge!

In year-ending fashion, we are reviewing the top eight posts of the year.

This post was referred to within our own diocese which, in effect, “outed” some local youth ministers as readers.

August 8, 2008
Why you should plan to get you and your adult volunteers training!
OK, the final seconds advertise a conference in Canada that I will not be attending. . . but, the final question is essential: you do all this for me, is there someone who does this for you?  Beyond the gimmicks, books, and (dare I say it?) websites . .  is there somewhere that you receive guidance, encourage, training, and a spiritual boost?  Hope so.

And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace!The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her,“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

A Christmas picture of Mother and Child set for the season? 

Unfortunately, not.

TIME magazine identified this Alexandra Fazzina photo as one of the top ten pictures of the year.

It portrays Siamoy, an Afghan woman from remote Badakhshan province in Afghanistan, feeding her one-month old baby. The remote, mountain region has the highest maternity mortality rate in the world.

Longtime readers of the site are well aware of this blogger’s preference for the movie White Christmas. But, my favorite Christmas tv show is more obscure.

A Wish for Wings That Work brings the characters from Bloom County, Opus the Penguin and Bill the Cat into a Christmas tale of community (dysfunctional and odd though it may be) and redemption (strange as it might seem) to us.

I think this is one of the most beautifully illustrated cartoons, even if it is a story that involves hairballs and transvestite bugs.

This weekend, give yourself a happy 23 minute gift and view it all:

Part Two

Part Three

In year-ending fashion, we are reviewing the top eight posts of the year.

This and yesterday’s post ran one day after another.  Again, another video metaphor for where I think we are going… 

Friday, 11 July, 2008
COMMUNION: CODA

(This is a follow-up to yesterday’s postings.)
   The musical episode of Scrubs starts out like this: a patient has a brain aneurism and hears everything like she is in a musical. In the end, a risky operation is required.  She starts with the very same concerns as yesterday’s Rent group.

    “Communion” is found in the response of the doctors who make a commitment that “You’re gonna be ok, that’s what’s gonna happen.”  It’s not that you will be better or fixed (althoug h that is intended), but that you’ll be ok because of the promise that “right here beside you, we won’t let you slip away, (you can) plan for tomorrow.”
    This is not a polly-anna commitment, but a deep declaration that we must make as church to each other.  In Youth Ministry 3.0, Marko explains this communion relationship with these markers (and in parenthesis, I’ve added my own take.)
  * Small (as in you and me and those surrounding this hospital bed)
  * Slow (we can afford to be patient, we know healing takes time and effort),
  * Simple (as looking you in the eyes and promising our selves to each other)
  * Fluid (plan for tomorrow, conditions might change but the meaning of why we are together will only deepen)
  * Present (right here beside you and that is where we’ll stay . . . In this clip from Shall We Dance, Susan Sarandon describes that as being “witnesses.”)
  * Jesus-y (For us, as Catholics, this is living out our understanding of Eucharist.)
    In his book, Marko will describe YM 3.0 as involving communion and being missional.  Recently, there was a conference on lay ministry held in Rome.  The theme was: “Collaborators in the Lord’s Vineyard: Called to Communion, Called to Mission”
     Friends, we “get” the future of youth ministry . . .  living it out . . now, that’s totally a different matter!

In year-ending fashion, we are reviewing the top eight posts of the year.

This and the next post ran one day after another.  It’s a personal moment of pride for me, but then a brief look into where I think we are going…

Thursday, 10 July, 2008
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
(All right, at the complete risk of being perceived as self-serving, here’s a story ~)
   Recently, Marko, dropped word of the acknowledgements that he was placing in his next book.  Part of it reads like this: ‘When I was incubating these ideas for a general session talk at the National Youth Workers Convention in the fall of 2007, I posted some questions on my blog. A handful of youth workers were especially helpful in helping me with words to describe what I was thinking about Youth Ministry 3.0. Particular thanks go to D. Scott Miller, Adam Lehman, Len Evans, Gordon Weir, Tammy Klassen, Bob Carlton, Tash McGill, Mark Riddle, Robin Dugall, Daniel So, etc., etc. 
    This has not been an uncommon practice of Marko’s. . . Our local LifeTeen’ers came back from the June LifeTeen Training Convention noting that he had called me out by name related to his sensibility of the role of “communion” in the future of youth ministry. OK, fair enough, play the Catholic card in front of the Catholic folk, but he did the same recently in a sermon at the Journey Community Church in La Mesa, CA (podcast here; name drop occurs after the 24:00 minute mark.)  Marko has been consistent in his acknowledgment.
    How cool is that? 
    Anyway, here’s my life lessons learned through this:  1) I am humbled by Marko’s generosity of gratitude as well as challenged to maintain that attitude in my own life;  2) I am compelled to continue to contribute to the conversations regarding our future ministry with young people (so, that blog ain’t going away anytime soon); and 3) I must find ways to celebrate the blessings and contributions that so very many others provide that nurture and sustain my ministry.

       If you would like to review some of Marko’s thoughts as well as my own, check out the April 2008 series on Youth Ministry Next.  Meanwhile, there is still more immediately following. . COMMUNION: PRELUDE
    Marko starts his presentation by re-telling the fairy tale of the Ugly Duckling. When I speak of the stuff of young people’s need for affinity and the role of “communion” in our future, I start with this clip from Rent. This almost Taize-like rendition of Will I evokes each person’s deepest fears or disconnects: loss of worth, loneliness, that it just may never get better.  We who live with faith and hope and love are haunted by this in others. . . and as we will see (tomorrow) have something more to say.