The school bus.
Sadly, mothers the country over will have to find something else to make them happy for the next few months. Schools out, or at least it will be a week from this Friday. What are our little Methodist youth* going to be doing this summer? We're going to CAMP!!!! Woot-woot!
This summer there are at least three camps that FUMC students will be involved in. Coming the first week in June is our District Youth Camp at Egen, for me and any high schooler (including incoming freshmen). Immediately following that--the second week of June--I leave to go to TWEENS Camp for pre-teens. Fun, fun. :) Finally, the last week of June, we have a couple students who will be signing up for CYME Leadership Camp for high schoolers who desire to be student leaders. FUMC does a great job of financially encouraging their youth to sign up for camp; the church pays the first $100 for any children's or youth camp, and no kid is turned away because they can't pay. I'm REALLY proud** of this church for their strong stance on youth camp. I've already had a couple, ehhmm older folks make sure I knew they were ready to help student's who couldn't pay. They obviously know how life-changing it can be!
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On the choral side of things, I was also very proud*** of the choir last night! We went rehearsed a song with an African ostinato feel as well as some very modern songs like Oceans by Hillsong UNITED. Furthermore, they did a little bit of improv and I was surprised at how well they took to it.
And here comes the soapbox... :)
As a side note, can I just say that worship is something that is important to practice! I'm not talking about the music part, which is also important to practice. I'm talking about worship itself. I believe too often we get in the habit of thinking that in order for a choir or praise band to be effective worship leaders all they need to do is practice the songs to be used. And whether or not that's our thinking, our doing definitely backs it up. But we as worship leaders**** should be in the habit of practicing worship. Part of each rehearsal should be spent worshiping our Lord and Savior. Pure and simple. Not practicing music. Not getting notes right or fixing rhythms. Just worship. And if in order to be ready to perform we need to practice our instrument at home by ourselves... then how much more should we also be practicing worship on our own?
God, help me to be a more effective worship leader. Help me to lead my leaders in being true worshipers. Teach me. How else will I be able to teach them? I need You.
* I'd rather say "our little Methies" but something about that just doesn't seem right.
** As if I had anything to do with it.
*** This time I did actually have something to do with it.
**** EVERYONE ON STAGE SUNDAY MORNING IS A WORSHIP LEADER!!!! And I'm sorry, I know 4 asterisks are a little much. They're just so fun!*******************************************
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