In a twenty-four hour period, I was part of two (all-too) brief visits from Jim Knowles and Brian Reynolds.

Jim is the Special Markets Manager at Group Publishing.  He visited with our office staff about our upcoming collaborations with “Resource and Renewal” training sponsored by Region 4 and this summer’s The Micah Experience workcamp within our Archdiocese.  But we also spoke of the shifting scene of youth ministry within other organizations and faith traditions.  We not alone in sweating Catholic identity as the Methodists and and the Lutherans are also figuring out their identity as well as (re)emphasizing Jesus.

Brian is the Chancellor and Chief Administrative Officer of the Archdiocese of Louisville. He’s also President of the Catholic Youth Foundation USA (Have you supported the Mt. Everest Challenge Campaign yet? You should have read about it here!)  Brian was in leading a retreat for the Region 4 diocesan directors and I volunteered to taxi him from the conference center to the airport.  We talked bishops, the joys of our work,  the resilient hopes for our ministry despite the gloomy economy, and the one diocesan director  who got the April 1st e-mail regarding the closing of this blog but never followed the trail further for the full April Fool’s silliness. I’m concealing his/her name, but that’s probably not needed as she/he might still think I quit blogging weeks ago anyway!

It is a busy, busy week in ArchBalt, but moments with the likes of these guys are some treasured opportunities and amongst the blessings of being bound to Baltimore.