We were blessed with a moment to sit down with Kenda Creasy Dean, who is one of the foremost researchers, authors and challengers of how our youth ministry is and needs to be. You can get more involved with Kenda’s work through the ministry of the Institute of Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Students & their Poverty, still Optimistic [Infographic]
I’m a sucker for an infographic. Here is one that is interesting to me in regards to students and their handling of finances…
A few things were interesting to me:
- college is a given part of life plans, more so than ever. so don’t say that growing numbers is putting faith in the reward of college. it’s more often a means to an end
- the optimism numbers are always in interesting measure to me.. who says “I’m just hoping I have a menial job that I can tolerate”
- Students are learning about debt and working, but is that the only thing to learning about finances?
Do you have some thoughts?
One Day I’ll Be Waiting For…
in the light of the craziness that has followed the killing of BinLaden and reflecting on a decade of war I am listening over and over to this proclamation by Matisyahu
Haunting Images of Tuscaloosa
I remember it really clearly. I woke up one morning at 5:30am for work and was there by 6am getting tennis courts ready when my sister called me freaking out “Are You OKAY?” “What’s the deal?” I asked back. “Are you not watching tv?”.. “No?.. I am at work.” “You need to turn on the tv.”
So I did..
My area of Alabama was on the national news as helicopters flew over areas of Tuscaloosa County all the way up to Birmingham. An F5 tornado dropped down in our area during the night. I knew we had a bad storm, but this?..
My buddy Darren came down from Nashville that weekend, Shannon came up from Auburn & we did what we knew to do. We went and volunteered however we could. This was when I had haunting images of tornados capacity embedded in my soul. We went out to an area and from as far as I could see to the left to as far as I could see to the right were wiped clean of any standing structures. No homes, trees down or stripped bare, foundation slabs, crap all over the ground.. People once lived here..
Today, I am unable to concentrate on other things as I am trying to comprehend what all happen to the place I called home for a great part of the decade of the 1990’s. So far, many of my friends still living in Tuscaloosa are accounted for. Still a few waiting to hear from.
As I can tell this tornado started somewhere close to downtown and then moved almost directly down 15th street where you had the likes of Central High School, the bowling alley, the mall, the golf course, and many eateries. Not to mention a huge assortment of apartment buildings & houses were scattered on or nearby 15th street. The tornado seemed to continue all the way up to Birmingham area (some 35-45 minute drive).
This guy probably regrets at the tail end of the video becoming an impromptu storm chaser. Gets way to close to a tornado than I’d ever like to be.
photos taken from Jason Clark Facebook album
As I know Red Cross is accepting donations via text for Alabama tornado relief. Text “REDCROSS” to 90999 for $10 donation.
NOTE: As I do have a youth worker contingent who is probably wanting to help, let me share words from my experience from our Nashville Flood almost one year ago. If you want to come help, just come and help. Don’t lean on people to do logistics for you as a short term mission camp does. Things are way to fluid & the people there have many pressing issues. Don’t try and schedule a mission trip out of this, this week or next. Wait until assessment groups can pull together and put in systems to be available for long term relief. Your hearts are in the right places, but in ways, the structural set up and needs of a youth community arriving (logistics of housing, a ‘what are we going to do’ etc.) on the scene are too much for people affected in the onset.
3 Less Graceful Transitions of power than Youth Specialties
Not surprised by the news that Tic will be transitioning out of his role at Youth Specialties. You could see that coming with the amount of folks that were put into more profiled leadership positions the last few years. I would say, his quicker transition is a surprise (as it seems to be for him as he talks about in the video).
I have met Tic a few times through the hallways and various impromptu gatherings of people before, during and after the National Youth Worker Conventions over the last decade. He has at all times been a person whom you feel the core nature of their heart & soul when you meet them. Even when that is a tougher conversation. YS won’t ever be the same, but that is not a bad thing. Mark, I have only met briefly but seems to be a energizing spirit and has crafted his own vision & practice in youth ministry and I’m sure that flavoring will salt YS in years to come.
It had me thinking.. What are some of the Less Graceful Transitions of Power in history that we can be glad YS isn’t going through?
- Julius Caesar & Roman Senate : Yes that whole killing Caesar thing didn’t go along so well. Not only were a bunch of people dead, but that began the end of the Roman Empire. Certainly not the most graceful transition of power.
- The Dutch & Spanish : No, not talking about a World Cup final game, though that was a nice if you were the Spanish. But back in the 16 & 17th centuries the Dutch didn’t care to be under the rule of Span’s King Philip and instead of talking it out they had an 80 year war. Not so graceful transition.. Suppose the Spanish got the last word with the 2010 World Cup Championship.. These things can be cyclical
- Salvatore Greco & La Barberas : This may be less on your radar than that Dutch v Spanish quarrel. Here is the beginning of our obsession with what we call the Mafia. Greco headed up the Sicilian Mafia Commission & was mad when some drug deal when bad and their buddy was killed and blamed it on the La Barberas clan and then “it was on” after that! Thus began the First Mafia War. Note: Not talking the Facebook game either