Sunday, April 19, 2015

April Update!

April 19, 2015

What's new with you? A question that needs to be asked more. It's not the typical, "How are you?" It asks what changes there have been in your life or what might be fresh on your mind instead of the same old work questions. So what's new with me? Quite a bit actually. If I was asked back in September what my work would look like in April, I highly doubt I would have been able to answer closely to what I'm currently doing. 

At Lakeview Presbyterian Church, I've started seeing the inner workings of a church by putting a good amount of my time into office work. Tasks involved have been making the bulletin, creating the slides for the TVs during worship (yeah, Lakeview is fancy you KY people), ordering toner for the copier, answering the office phone, coordinating volunteers for Sunday, and even taking out the trash. But that's not all I'm doing. Today I got to share in a dramatic reading with Barrett in place of the sermon. I rather enjoyed it, and am becoming more comfortable in front of Lakeview's congregation. I'm also still teaching youth Sunday school and helping to start the Lakeview Mission Agape Project (LAMP). Life at Lakeview has been rather busy, and quite different lately. But I work 2 jobs! 

With MidCity Ministries I've had the honor of organizing and leading the entire tutoring group on Thursdays for a few months now. It felt like a promotion of sorts (without the pay increase of course). Still, I value that I am entrusted to organize the program and truly enjoy it. Unfortunately, Patience (one of my supervisors there) has had some family members with health problems. She has had to leave and take care of them, leaving me in charge of organizing on Tuesdays as well. I still get to tutor my kids on Tuesdays, but it's a little more challenging. We were planning to go on a camping trip with our Wednesday middle schoolers this past weekend, but the the weather did not permit it. Instead, we went to Sector 6, an indoor trampoline park. Oh my gosh. I love trampolines and foam pits. I think I had more fun than the kids.  With school ending next month, again my work will change. But until then, life will go on. Please keep Patience and her family in your prayers. 

Yesterday I went to the Angola Prison Rodeo. Um. That was different. Ask me about it some time.

Last weekend us YAVs had the pleasure of meeting up with other YAV sites for a joint retreat. It couldn't have come at a better time with work becoming more and more challenging. Joining with Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, and Little Rock, us YAVs took Gulf Shores by storm. We got to spend a few nights together worshiping, telling our stories, and simply relaxing. It was wonderful to meet all the 1st years since I didn't go to orientation this year. 



I'm so grateful to be doing this year of service. I'm thankful for the work placements I have and how much I enjoy them. This year I really wish I could work here again. But seminary is calling...

Have you ever walked the road to Emmaus?

-John