Tuesdays are typically our bible study day during Summer CA. That is until Libby and Sarah conspired together to throw a pool party. Libby and Sarah were meeting together when the idea hit them that we should do a pool party. Libby came home that night and informed me of the plan which eventually made its way to Matt and the pool party was on. We met at the usual time and played our version of volleyball, which doesn’t require scoring but does require a faint hope of eventually hitting the back and forth.

When it got dark we headed out of the pool and over to the fire. We broke out the s’more ingredients and casually assembled them. A quick run to the store and our open fire became a grill. We ran along until 11:30pm or 12:00am and the hot dogs were a welcomed midnight snack.

CA never wants to be so focused on teaching people the gospel that we miss out on getting to know the people who we are trying to disciple.

Manastash is a popular hike here in Ellensburg. Often when you pull into the parking lot you will see that it is full. Locals integrate this trail into their daily lives. Some have hiked this trail literally hundreds of times. ROTC sometimes runs up this trail for training. What the trail lacks in length, it makes up for in grade. As we found out Saturday morning.

Seven guys showed up at my place that morning, ready to tackle the hill. We loaded up in the cars and headed out for the trail head. It isn’t that far away typically a 5-10 min drive but the Whisky Dick Triathlon was wrapping up and we had to wait for some racers that were finishing up (which we were more than happy to do).

A little way up the trail we realized that we weren’t gonna complete the trail as quickly as we thought so three guys had to turn around to make an appointment they had later that day. The rest of us kept on up the trail. Once we got to the top we conversed with other hikers and noted our humble victory in the log book that is kept in an old ammo box at the trial’s end.

Also the view was something to behold.

On the way down the four of us discussed what a group typically discusses when out on a hike: Creation. We talked about Genesis, about what the flood meant, about evolution, about how to read the bible and various other topics.

While the hike was nice the reason I do this work is for the conversations and the relationships. In this case, I think the hike was a success.

We aren’t meeting in the SURC (Student Union and Recreation Center) on campus during the summer, instead we meet in students’ apartments, my house or Matt’s place. Meeting in our personal residences affords us the opportunity to experiment a little bit with our meeting time.

Last week we placed a little altar in the front of the room. We opened in prayer, talked about Acts 13 then moved into a time of prayer where students had the opportunity to come forward and light a candle. As they lit the candle they had the option of saying out loud what they were seeking from God or thanking him for.

I have done this in the past, when I was in youth ministry. The kids always enjoyed this kind of prayer because it was engaging, active and involved fire. I figured I would give it a shot with the college group to see how they would respond.

When the students were done we prayed once more and moved into a time of communion.

After we finished up at my place we headed out to Dollar Scoop Night at Winegars. A good time was had by all.

This is a huge moment in the lives of these, now, officers. They have labored for at least four years, have completed their schooling, jumped through hoops with ROTC and have now attained the gold bar for which they have worked so hard.

The ceremony has a few special moments for each new officers. First is the oath of office. This is performed by another officer. I conducted one of the ten commissionees oath of office just like I did Patt’s last year. Then comes the pinning on of the rank. Having just sworn the oath, the new officer gets to where the rank of an officer. The parents of the soldier or their best friend or a significant other pins on the new rank.

After the rank is pinned on a Noncommissioned officer (NCO) renders the new Officer’s first salute.

After the first salute the new officer has a few minutes to address the crowd. Most of them thanked the cadre, their family and each other for their support. A few thanked God and one overtly thanked Christ. Most of the graduates were believers.

The invocation and benediction went well. It was my pleasure to serve the battalion in this way. I wish the new graduates well in their new careers.

While I was brushing my teeth the other day I was struck by, what I am assuming was, the Holy Spirit. I was given the inspiration to sit in the library and put up a sign indicating that I will pray with people if they desire some prayer.

It is finals week and the library is filled with students that are cramming for finals, frantically typing papers or groups bickering over their last project. When you look around the fishbowl you see exhaustion on the faces of these study groups occasionally interrupted by moments of levity that get them through the next half hour or so.

Look at the computer screens and you see words racing across a virtual page or power point presentations full of data and graphs. Look at the faces of the typists you see that hope that the next word will be their last.

Between all night study sessions, quad-shot lattes, and Red Bull, Sabbath is the farthest thing from the minds of these students. It is in this context that I hope to offer a moment of rest.

I started late last night and had one taker. A student walked up to me and asked if the sign was mine. I was expecting to pray for all the reasons I just listed above, but I was in for a surprise. The student wasn’t concerned with finals or papers or anything of that nature, but he was worried about his mother.

He made his concerns known and we took a minute and offered up a prayer for her as well as for him. After, we had a brief discussion about each other’s backgrounds and then he jumped back into the fray.

I hung around until about 11pm. I had no other takers and spent my time reading, studying, typing or praying for those around me.

I am trying to spend a couple hours everyday this week in the library. We shall see what God has in store.

Last Friday’s potluck was just ridiculous. We played Quelf again and these pictures are the result.

Come by and join the fun.

A small group of CA students, Matt, and I got away this last weekend to Vantage.

The theme that the leadership chose for the retreat was “Cultivating a Lifestyle of Worship.” Both Matt and I spoke and there was good discussion amongst the group on the topic.

In the evenings we watched a couple of movies. The most popular movie was Ink. The group really enjoyed it and they say that everyone one should see it. After the movie we played board games and generally hung out.

During the days we had a variety of activities planned, walks, discussion sessions, worship, and, of course, frisbee.

A good time was had by all, and we appreciate Brian giving us a place to lay our heads.

I spoke about my past bouts with cynicism and how the doctrine of the Image of God shifted my thinking for the better.

The fonts didn’t transfer but this is what it looked like through out the lesson.

I was worried that the second grade story time aesthetic would come off as condescending, but everyone responded well.

Enjoy the glimpse into the randomness that is our weekly CA meeting.

]]> http://eagerapollos.com/?feed=rss2&p=550 http://eagerapollos.com/?p=350 http://eagerapollos.com/?p=350#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 16:45:05 +0000 Mike http://eagerapollos.com/?p=350

For the past quarter and a half, every Friday I have meandered on to campus, cracked my bible and read aloud a passage of scripture to a few students. Lectio Divina is a practice involving reading of scripture, meditation, contemplation, and prayer. It’s the practice of listening to scripture and exploring what God is trying to speak into our lives.

To start, a few students and myself find a quiet room in the SURC. I write an outline of the process on the white board, along with some meditation questions. I select a short passage (like a psalm or proverb) and then we begin.

I read aloud the passage and the student listen, some read along and some let the passage wash over them. After the first reading the students are asked to recall a word, phrase or idea that stood out to them. Then they have time to reflect on why that idea struck them. Occasionally I ask them to write that word up on the white board.

I read the passage again and the students are asked to reflect on how this passage touches their lives or the lives of others in their sphere of influence. A time of reflection follows.

I read the passage a third time and the students are asked to ponder what God wants them to do or be in light of this passage. After that final reflection time, there is a period of personal prayer time, followed by a communal closing prayer.

The students that have experience Lectio Divina have enjoyed it. They say its a good time of quiet reflection at the end of a hectic week.