Higher Things, Day 5

Repeat after me: It is important to pay attention where you are going while driving.

It is important to pay attention where you are going while driving.

So, okay, we took a short cut last night. A long cut. It's stupid when you're on one interstate and just by staying straight it magically turns into ANOTHER interstate and since you were having too much fun playing games in the car you didn't notice until you were almost in Tennessee and then had to turn around and go back and get into the hotel 2 hours late. #stupidinterstate

So yeah, it was a late night. Google says 6 hours of driving today, but probably a little longer since we'll be dropping off on the way. But at least I could turn around in the shower this morning! Did I tell you that? The dorm showers at Higher Things were kinda on the small side. Think: transporter pod and you kind of get the idea.

I think I am sleep deprived.

Anyway, yesterday was a good day. :-)  Our team officially lost the Tetramorph challenge, but we really won. Everyone knows it. The other team just got mercy. Here are the conference stats:

We made our traditional stop at Cracker Barrel for dinner. Here are some pictures:

Ever wonder what the pegs see while you're playing the game? #scary

Susan won! Yay!

So now breakfast and back on the road. Thank you all for your support of our youth and helping them attend the conference again this year. It really means a lot. The solid worship, the theological conversations, and the reinforcing teaching is important. 

Next year the theme is "Concordia."

Higher Things, Day 3

Wednesday is in the books. The excitement started early as one of our young ladies got a little sick in the morning, as we were waiting for Matins to begin. Not sure if she just had an upset stomach or a little bug, but with a little TLC and rest, she was doing better by the end of the day. Hopefully, she won't miss anything today and if it was a bug, that the other ladies have been washing their hands lots so it doesn't spread around!

Things have been going well. It's hot (except in my room, which is like the arctic!), but all the prayer offices and preaching have been well done. I did not go to any of the smaller breakout sessions yesterday (there were three) opting instead to spend time in the library and try to get some work done. I have a writing deadline coming up that has me a bit concerned . . .

Today is another full day and lots of fun activities going on tonight. I'll be teaching my breakout again during the last session, late afternoon - a tough time! But we'll give it a go. :-)

Finally, some more pictures of friends I've seen here . . .

A friend and fellow Kantorei member who I probably haven't seen since Seminary! Tim Killian.

Fellow SELC District pastor John Gutz.

(I like him even though he said he voted for me at the District Convention!)

Mike and Sara Scudder. Mike was a classmate and fellow Kantorei member also.

I was the crucifer in their wedding.

And finally, David Scarborough, cousin of Sarah Fields. I met him at Higher Things last year, and then again at George's Ordination and George and Sarah's wedding. He is one of the college volunteers helping with the conference this year.

Higher Things, Days 1 and 2

Well, it has been an extremely busy summer for me thus far, so I haven't posted much. Now I am away with the youth at the Higher Things Conference at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. It is a nice campus, with our buildings not too far apart. The dorms are nice too - just very, very cold!

So, day 1 of Higher Things. This is what we did:

Drive. The we drove some more. Then we drove farther. Then we drove more, and more, and more. (I think you get the idea!)

We got to our stop for the night in Evansville, IN after midnight ET. A nice family there, relatives of some folks who go to our church, put us up for the night. It was crowded, but nice. Not enough sleep, though. :-)

All the young adults on Tuesday morning.

Got up early Tuesday morning to finish the drive here. It was only about 2 hours or so more - good! Got checked in and settled in, and then the Opening Service, the first Plenary session, dinner, Evening Prayer, the first Breakout session, and then a couple of hours of free time before Compline and bed. A very full day!

The service was well done (as usual) and the plenary speaker was engaging for the kids (not all are). They did have me slotted to teach during the first breakout session - for some reason they usually do! It's hard at the end of the first long day, but it went alright. I had about 30 come and we had a good time. My next slot is the last breakout slot on Thursday afternoon - that will be both easier and harder.

One of our young ladies participated in the talent show on Tuesday night during free time. The set-up wasn't too good for her (poor sound quality) so it didn't come across as well as it should have. So she didn't win, but she still had fun.

So all in all, a good and full day.

And a couple more pictures for you, with some friends I met . . .

Pastor Peter Ill from Illinois. I knew Pastor Ill when he was Vicar Ill in New Jersey.

Pastor Jim Leistico, now from Ontario, Canada. This is actually the first time I've met Jim in person! Every time before has been online.

I met a few more than I didn't get pictures with. I'll try to get them the next couple of days.

Higher Things - Day 4

Last Day! Always somewhat sad. Here's a picture I forgot to post yesterday, of Sam playing in the drenching rain before Evening Prayer:

The last day always has a lighter schedule - opening Matins (which I preached at), then the final plenary session, lunch, and the closing service (which I also assisted at). Then quickly check out and get on the road. Thankfully, it did not start raining (although we heard thunder during the service) until we were all loaded and in the van. :-)

Since we missed a good part of the opening service (see first Higher Things post) it was good to be able to soak in the whole closing service. Great pipe organ, great singing, ending with the Te Deum hymn (LSB #941) - which, by the way, is the theme for next year! Te Deum! So we'll get to sing it at least twice. :-)

Here's a picture from before the final plenary, but first, an explanation. The College Volunteers who help out at these conferences always have a different color t-shirt so they can be quickly identified. This year it was yellow and they kind of looked like the minions from the "Despicable Me" movies! So they dressed up like them for the final day . . . 

(Sorry my picture is not better! I think my flash was off and I was sitting back a bit.)

The drive halfway home was pretty easy. We stopped in Florence, SC - got here about 11 pm. When I booked the hotel on the internet, it looked really nice. Well, instead of using the word that starts with "F" and ends in "bag," (let the reader understand), let's just say they had a really awesome photographer! I would highly recommend them if you are in need of one! ;-)

So, off to breakfast shortly, and then the rest of the way home. 

Higher Things - Day 3

With day three always begins the creeping and accumulated tiredness of the conference, but there's still much happening!

This is a picture of the youth filing into our chapel for Matins. We don't quite fill it, but it's great hearing all the kids and a great pipe organ singing our great hymns. We're here at least three times a day for Matins (morning), Vespers (afternoon), and Evening Prayer (evening). Wonderful liturgies that the kids really love.

Last night, sadly, it rained pretty hard right before Evening Prayer. We tried to wait it out, but it just kept raining. But you know what? The kids all ran to the chapel (several minutes, depending on how fast you are!) and would rather be soaking wet than miss Evening Prayer! And I don't just mean my kids - ALL the kids here. I give them a lot of credit for that.

Here's our group photo after Evening Prayer in our - at varying stages of wetness - conference t-shirts.

The rain also meant we didn't go to the fireworks. :-(  I love fireworks. So we stayed in and played games instead - which were a lot of fun, too. Some pictures:

Today is the last day, and then the long drive home. Another good week! Now, breakfast and the kids get to hear me preach!

Higher Things - Day 2

Things were a bit more normal today! Lots of opportunities for worship and learning. I taught my one breakout "What's Your Worth?" for the second time today. Tomorrow I will teach: "Lord, Teach Me to Pray!" Sadly, most of the kids didn't know their catechism when I asked them about a part of it. :-(

Rob and Sarah have been playing violin during some of the prayers offices. I don't yet have a picture of them together, but here's Rob next to the organ, introducing the closing hymn at Evening Prayer last night.

The excitement for the day came after dinner in the dorm. The fire alarm went off. (It's VERY loud!) At first, one of the University people came through and said it was just a test, but shortly after that he came back and said in a very stern voice: Everybody out - now! 

We waited across the street for a little bit as the fire and police men checked out the building. Then a policeman came strolling across the street carrying a fire extinguisher . . . yup, one of the kids had sprayed it and that set off the fire alarm. I think they found out who did it, not sure. We still had to wait for a while before entering our floors as they cleaned up and reset everything. Hopefully, no repeats tonight!

So, we went and played some basketball at the Rec Center on campus. We didn't do too badly!

Finally, it was back to the dorm for a little rest and talk and for one of the kids, a shower. Can you guess who? (He/she did not want his/her picture taken! But that never stops me. :-)

VBS Day 1 and Housing News

Well, the first day of Vacation Bible School is in the books. It was a good day. In the past, the kids are usually very calm and mild mannered the first couple of days, and then when they get used to things and get warmed up, the last few days are much more raucous. But this year, they started right in! So it was a fun day.

We're using the Higher Things package "From Above." It is affordable (only $75 and reproducible) and well done. The kids can easily understand the different directions - we can't go up to God, God comes down to us from above. So I'd recommend it to others, especially if you have a small VBS. Here's a couple of pictures from day 1 of the kids building their "Tower of Babels" from sugar wafers, graham crackers, and chocolate icing!

In other news, our realtor made our house listing "active" Saturday around 1 pm. That same day we had three folks come to look at the house! Sunday we had 6-7, and Monday a couple more. Today, one is scheduled so far. Last night we received one offer, which we'll talk over with the realtor today. So things are moving, at least on the selling side. Now we just need to find one to buy that is big enough and suits our needs. We'll be looking at one today right after VBS . . .

Higher Things, The Picture

This is me and my crew at the Higher Things conference. We are in the courtyard of the dorms we stayed in at Wake Forest, and we are wearing the "official conference T-shirts." The youth really enjoyed their time there and are already looking forward to next year. Maybe we can get a few more to go along with us . . .

UPDATE: (Well, not really an update - more like an addenda!) Do you know how many miles it is from my house to Wake Forest University and back again? Exactly 666!  :-)

Warming a Pastor's Heart

So we're all packed and almost ready to leave Higher Things, when a young lady who attended one of my breakout sessions on Private Absolution came up to me and told me that it was her favorite session of all that she went to, appreciated it greatly, and - here's the good part - that she went to Private Absolution for the first time that night! :-) Awesome.

Twelve, Day Four

The last day at our gathering was just as good as the previous three. Not as much going on. The breakout sessions are all done - just worship and the last plenary and the closing Divine Service. All in all, we are all glad we came. We had a great time and the kids learned a lot. We are looking forward to next year's gathering already, and hoping we can bring a few more. Our adventure yesterday was the drive home. All was going well until we were about one hour away - then we drove into an amazingly intense storm! At first, we saw the lightning in the distance, and then the wind and rains descended upon us. At one point I noticed a shadowy figure way up in the sky moving, so I slowed the car and then this enormous top of a tree that had broken off in the wind crashed down right in front of the lane I was driving in! We finally had to pull off and wait it all out. The weather men on the radio said there were 60+ mph winds. But we got home safely. No power when we arrived, but it came on early this morning. So all in all, a great week. It was great being with my two oldest kids for all that time, sitting together in church and at the plenary's, and all the time having fun in the car. If you read this and see them, ask them about bacon, paraphernalia, pit bulls, plenary texting, and "gambo!" :-)

Twelve, Day 3

Another busy day. In addition to the plenary speaker, there were three "breakout" sessions, or sectionals. Lots of good topics to choose from, and the kids went here, there, and everywhere, and heard good teaching on lots of things. My session went better than yesterday - also had a much larger group. It been good to teach about Private Absolution and hear from those who came to the sessions. For fun tonight there was a talent show. These kids got talent! Some really very good stuff. The winner was a young man who composed and performed his own piano piece which was simply amazing.


In case you are curious, our day today went like this:

Breakfast
Leaders meeting and choir rehearsal
Matins
Plenary Session
Lunch
Breakaway Session
Vespers
Breakaway Session
Dinner
Evening Prayer
Time for Private Absolution
Breakaway Session
Free Time
Compline

If you're counting, that's a lot of worship and learning time! But also a lot of fun. The kids are already talking about next year. Me? I'm going to bed! :-)

Tomorrow we finish up and head home. Gonna get back kinda late. But it's been a good trip. Well worth it. If you haven't gone before, go. You won't regret it.

Twelve, Day 2

The second day at Higher Things went well. I had my first breakout session on Private Absolution. It went okay. I thought it was a little rough, but others told me they heard good things about it, so that's encouraging. I am going to rearrange a couple of things for tomorrow's session - I had too much and didn't get to some stuff. So I'm going to fiddle with it and improve a little.

As to be expected, the worship has been a high point. Also making new friends and getting together with other groups and folks. That's good to see. My two children, Robbie and Sarah, are two of the three violinists here. They played some today and will play for the closing Divine Service. Not sure about tomorrow. Sounded good today as the accompanied the choir. Not sure what else to write except that everyone's glad they came, even if they are a bit tired!

Twelve

I'm at the Higher Things Conference in North Carolina with two of my children and another young lady from the parish. Today was the first day. So far we've had the opening Divine Service, the first plenary session, and the first breakout session. I think all were impressed with the Divine Service - how many were here and the gusto of the singing of the liturgy and hymns. They were also please that they know all the liturgies we will be doing and most of the hymns. I have trained them well! Much more to come tomorrow. I do the first of my presentations on Private Absolution tomorrow afternoon, and then again on Thursday morning - then I'm done. I've never presented here before, so I'm not sure how much to prepare or how it will go. I probably have too much. I went to one of the breakout sessions tonight, which I would say was just alright. I've also seen lots of pastor friends here. I am looking forward to an opportunity to talk and catch up with them. I'll write more tomorrow, if there is time. But it's getting late and we'll have Compline soon, so I'll sign off for now.