In February 2009, and again in February 2010, I co-led two successive trips to New Orleans.
Both times, we travelled during University reading week. Both times the trip closely coincided with Mardi Gras.
I wonder why the students came.
Was it pure altruism? Was it a process of self-discovery? Was it the story of a city neglected by its own mayor, state politicians and federal government?
Was it the plea from our friends and partners in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana? What was it, exactly that brought two separate groups together to travel to New Orleans? Read more…
As the current manifestation of the “occupy” comes to a close I find myself being asked what I feel about the movement. I have to answer that my feelings are complicated.
First, I feel excited. That so many people from around the world are bravely speaking out against the system that dominates us, that entraps us, that takes our imaginations hostage so that we cannot even dream of another way excites me. We know that change happens when people join together and speak out, and that is what is happening.
Second, I feel angry. I find myself getting angry especially in regards to the movement in Canada, when I hear people saying “What are they complaining about? Read more…
Most youth and young adults head out on short term missions because they want to make a difference, they want to help, they want to battle injustice. It would most likely be devastating for them to know that their short term endeavors may actually make things worse for the people they are meant to serve! Read more…
It is obvious that Christmas has gone from celebrating the birth of the prince of peace to a celebration of the victory of consumerism. But how do we talk about it with our teenagers? Here are a few resources that I have found helpful in starting up conversation around consumerism and Christmas:
What Would Jesus Buy?
A documentary following Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping as they travel across the U.S. toward the “shopocalypse”! It is at points hilarious, at times troubling at times incredibly touching. This film works equally well with adults or with youth, so try something crazy, get parents and youth to watch the film together!
Advent Conspiracy
A movement trying to get Christmas to be less about buying and more about worshiping fully, spending less, giving more, and loving all. A website full of resources, ideas and stories, this movement to go from buying stuff to solving water issues around the world is something your youth may get excited about. Check it out here.
Coyote Solstice Tale by Thomas King
One of my favorite children’s books of all time, this funny, touching and beautiful story can be a great way to ease youth into the conversation. And seriously, who doesn’t love a kid’s book.
Now I know, it is getting really close to Christmas, and though these may be great ideas, it is a bit to late. Well friends, it turns out that consumerism is not just an issue at Christmas time, but year round. Here are some non-Christmas related resources.
The Story of Stuff
Shorter then WWJB, this film looks at the impacts of our consumption on the environment and other people. Done in a very accessible way, this video is a great starting point for discussing the impact of our stuff on our world. Check it out here.
Last, music video’s can be a great way to start the conversation with your youth. Here are two that look at consumerism from very different angles.
Wings by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
One of my youth introduced this video to me. A song about how the artist was recruited into the movement of consumerism through his shoes. An amazing song and a powerful video.
I Own You by Wax Tailor ft. Charlie Winston
A really cool video, and an interesting song from the perspective of your stuff.
Consumerism is probably the biggest issue facing our youth and society today. If we want to help our youth explore the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus, we are going to have to make them aware of the current God of stuff that demands their allegiance. If you have any resources, please let us know.
Last night my wife and I attended a mind blowing concert by the Wisconsin band Bon Iver. Bon Iver’s self titled second album was released earlier this year, and in my opinion is by far the best album of the year. What makes Bon Iver so incredible is the way that they take a bunch of random, and odd sounds and bring them together to make something beautiful. At any one moment the nine person band could all be singing in harmony, one of their two drummers could be soloing, there could be a clarinet solo, a trombone creating just a layer of noise, a massive saxophone (is there such thing as a bass sax) making bizarre noises, trumpet valves being used as percussion, with Justin Vernon’s falsetto rising above it all. If you were to hear any of these parts on their own you could not envision that when layered together they would create a breathe taking soundscape, but that is exactly what happens.
As I was watching them create I began to realize that I was having a spiritual experience, and it had nothing to do with the words of the songs, I have no idea what he is saying most of the time, but it is the beauty of the music itself through which I was experiencing the presence of God. In his book Simply Christian, Bishop Tom Wright once wrote:
“The arts are not the pretty but irrelevant bits around the border of reality. They are highways into the center of a reality which cannot be glimpsed, let alone grasped, any other way. The present world is good, but broken and in any case incomplete; art of all kinds enables us to understand that paradox in its many dimensions. But the present world is also designed for something which has not yet happened…Perhaps art can glimpse the future possibilities pregnant within the present time…Perhaps art can help us look beyond the immediate beauty with all its puzzles, and to glimpse the new creation which makes sense not only of beauty but of the world as a whole, and ourselves within it.”
The Bible is the story of God bringing about God’s peace, God’s shalom, on earth. This peace is not just the absence of war, but rather the harmony of God, humanity and creation all living in right relationship. Isn’t this what beauty is? The interplay between individual parts to create a unified whole. It is how colours contrast, how sounds work together, how movement and words are combined, how words are placed together. When we experience beauty, we are given a glimpse of that peace of God that the world is heading for. What if we began to share this with others? Began to tell others that the transcendence that they experience in the beautiful is a glimpse of the peace that God is bringing into the world all around us? We are all wanting to experience God, what if we let people know that they already have? That those experiences with beauty were experiences with God. How would this change how people see God? How they see art and beauty? How we see worship? How we experience the world around us?
This is the audio version of the interview I had with Christian Harvey in the fall of 2008. I hope you have as much fun listening to it as we had in recording it.
The rain has stopped, but the evidence of the fall downpour is still obvious as we look out the ministry office at St. John’s Anglican Church in Peterborough, Ontario. I’m sitting down to talk with Christian Harvey, the Youth Worker at St. John’s and the Youth Coordinator for the Episcopal Area of Trent-Durham. Christian has been the Youth Worker at St. John’s for almost 6 years and has a Bachelor degree in Religious Education. He’s involved in social justice in Peterborough and we’re here this morning to talk about my one of my favourite topics: Youth Ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada.
(M. R.) So, Christian, Good morning! To start off, tell me about what you do here at St. John’s and in Peterborough.
(C. H.) I’m the youth worker here at St. John’s Anglican Church in Peterborough. By being a youth worker, I spend a lot of my time outside of the church. I work in the schools, so I go and I hang out. I run a drum program here at the church for anybody from five…well, actually I have no age limits, we have people that range in age from five to seventy-five. I run a cooking program for youth who are in the community and who want to make a difference. I am starting a housing program for youth, where they can get involved in issues regarding housing. And, I work quite a bit ecumenically with other youth ministers.
(M. R.) How did you get started in Youth Ministry?
(C. H.) I was playing in a rock and roll band and, while I was doing that, I decided I wanted to volunteer. So, I volunteered at the junior-high group at the church I was going to at the time; I was in the senior high group and I volunteered there for quite a long time. Then, at one point, they gave me part-time work doing some stuff with the junior-high and eventually the youth pastor left and they hired me on full-time for a little bit. My job was then terminated there (he says laughing), but I was then hired here at St. John’s and that was six years ago. But I started youth ministry just through following other youth workers.
(M. R.) What brought you to the Anglican Church? Read more…
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