Mike McClenahan

Wednesday night we tried something different for the Thanksgiving Eve Worship--we incorporated Students in each part. Students played in the band, read a litany and shared the reflection on Psalm 100. They also served communion alongside pastors. So how was it? I think the students felt honored.  'We are the whole message?'   'We get to serve communion?' Spencer and Molly and intern Rachel did a great job reflecting on Psalm 100 ... personal, funny, deep.   The congregation clapped after each meditation, not as a performance, but I think out of gratitude . Junior higher Grace and intern Jessica read the litany of thanks. Stew led us in a reading of Psalm 100. 'Best service.'   'Students have so much to teach us.' 'Inspiring.' Jamie shared his experience of asking junior highers, "What celebrity would you swap for a family member?" None of them answered the question, saying, "I don't want to lose anyone in my family

I have blogged recently about how we experience community in the church. We are brothers and sisters, we are family members, we are members of one body and all the parts work together. Because of our relationships in Christ, what forms is a kind of intimacy with each other. This closeness grows as we learn together, worship together and serve together--but especially when we risk together. The risks we take can be internal risks of trust and grace--can I share authentically with this person and still be accepted? Other risks are external risks of experimentation and leadership--can we walk through this new door together and come out the other side still friends, still trusting God together? The real joy of ministry is never the predictable times of meetings, worship services or planning sessions, but it is always those times of risk, both internally and externally where we depend on God together and we actually are transformed . That change is miraculous because it's not something