11/18/02

Sunday rewind: Our pastor is starting a series on 1 Cor 13, which is great, and after church I used my truck to bring lumber out to my folks so they can work on building a bathroom in the basement.

But the really cool part was at 8 in the evening last night, we had a “planning meeting” for 3rd shift, our new church. After feeding us chineese and pizza (interesting combo, but they both carry-out) we went into the upper-P.O.I.N.T. (one of our teen ministry rooms – used to be the original sanctuary/building) and “had church” kinda….

3rd shift is set up in a more experiencial way, using encounter stations about the room. This time, instead of different worship stations and whatnot, we had different question stations. Attendees were encouraged to move through each station, writing answers to planning questions in notebooks provided at each station.

This notebook concept is a new one. Well, okay, we *had* notebooks at the last 3rd shift, but they were just on the tables, for use whenever. This time, it turns out that using notebooks at each station may be how we will proceed from now on. It allows everyone attending a chance to “speak out” on every issues presented, and do it anonomously if they wish, without the rancor of dozens of competing voices vying for the leaders attention.

We talked about that during a regular 3rd shift, after the writing time, one person could read all of the comments from a given notebook (not mentioning any names, of course) and then the group can respond en-masse to the viewpoints or questions therein.

I think it will be a great technique. People were really getting into it tonight..er, last night. And then there’s me, who writes a book in each one of them, and wasn’t done writing as we were dismissed! *laughs* Plus, I took my shoes off (I wasn’t wearing socks) and danced around from station to station. I made myself at home at church, which is an important concept, no? *smile*

Saturday, I loaned my truck to the Landon Trail-Linn Creek leader (and took his car) so he could get rental equipment for working on the trail. Meanwhile, I dropped off some artwork to a cycle race, then went out to The Land for a board meeting. I got back to the trail work sites around 1pm, and no one was there!!

I drove from road crossing to crossing, wondering if I was just missing them driving around likewise – when John (the leader) calls me. He was at home. So he came back out, and we along with two other volunteers, “swept” nails from the trail, where non-supportive adjacent land-owner vandals sought to thwart our progress.

I ended up staying and working until after 4:30, which means it was 5 by the time I got home, and 6pm by the time I cleaned up and ate and left for the play at my old high-school.

I arrived, like, way early, and wandered the art gallery they set up in the foyer. Some really nice work, including several paintings by my gifted-teacher. The show was great! Fiddler on the Roof – the kid who played Teyve was perfect! – he kept excellent accent, even when shouting, and grew out his own beard! He was great. The rest of the performers were fantastic too, including friend Bridget, who I went to see. She is typecast as an old woman, I think. *g* Thats all that she plays anymore, it seems.

Well, Fiddler is a long program, so it was 11 when I got home. I had a good weekend as far as everything went well, and I “did alot”, but I didn’t “get much done”. I didn’t spend any time at home sorting paperwork, or any time doing dishes and other home maintenance. *sigh* So that will be my plan for this evening, after I get home from the YW.