Hanging with Phil

Posted on February 7, 2014 by terrielton

Phil, the compensated celebrity spokesperson for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, invited me to spend a long weekend in St. Louis. I, along with 650, said yes. (Phil’s the one in the middle and here’s the invite if you want to see Phil in action –

Honestly, it wasn’t convenient. (There were several things going on at work and at home which I had to miss.) But I missed it last year and I needed to go. Why?

First, as many will say (including Tara Ulrich and Organic Youth Ministry) the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Gathering is more than a learning event, it is a network. And while this network is always there – virtually accessible with local and regional opportunities to gather – there’s something powerful about being in a space where the virtual network is physically real.

I’ve been teaching children, youth, young adult and family ministry at Luther Seminary for the past 9 years … and the funny thing about students is…well, they graduate. So one of the coolest things I get to do at this gathering is hear how life and ministry is going today…on the “other side” of graduation. While in St. Louis I had dozens of conversations with Luther alumni, now working in some area of ministry in the first third of life. I heard their joys, and felt their struggles. I listened. We laughed. We worshipped together, and we dreamed about what it means to move the church forward into this new age. These conversations were rich, not only because we reconnected, but because we were now partners in ministry – colleagues and friends.

But that’s not all. For the past several years I have worked with a team of leaders on a church-wide initiative on equipping youth ministry leaders. When we started it was a new concept, never tried before. People were confused and unsure how it would go, but they went with it. Now, three years later, people are coming up to me and sharing really cool stories about how they are using the work of this initiative to empower leaders – adults and youth – in ministry and in integrating their faith into their daily life. The smiles, many accompanied with hugs, tell me their confusion has turned to hope. I love the church. But I also know the church has to rethink it’s frames and approaches to ministry if it is going to faithfully live out its calling. While in St. Louis, I had a glimpse of the change taking place in the church.

And there’s one other thing. Our church, the church I have been part of all my life, is shifting it’s leadership model. Oh, don’t get me wrong…we don’t have it all figured out but we are on our way. And I got glimpses of a new future, a future were leaders are humble, servant leaders with a mission and vision. There is a desire for faith to be alive among God’s people and God’s people to be active in God’s world. For two days after the big gathering, I had conversation with some of these leaders. They, like me, had other places they could have been and other things they could have been doing. But they came together in St Louis to think beyond their stream of work and vision about a new day, a day where our church initiatives are more connected and collaborative. Why? because fostering faith among those in the first third of life – babies, children, youth and young adults – matters!

So today, I’m tired and having a hard time reentering the world I left behind. It’s so easy to get back to the daily tasks…and I will…but I want to reengage in light of what I just experienced. How might my daily work, my ordinary work, keep these ideas alive? How might my decisions, big and small, be part of our larger church’s exploration of what it means to be church in 2014 and beyond? These are just some of the questions which distract and challenge me today.

For those of you who were in St. Louis – thanks for your work. You matter, your work matters and your presence in the ELCA Youth Ministry Network matters. Help me, help us, help each other and the church live our calling. And to those who were not there but are in some way part of this larger network of God’s people seeking to faithfully live their faith everyday…stay connected, both virtually and physically, because it helps fuel the journey.

Terri

Faith Formation in a Digital Age

Posted on January 22, 2014 by terrielton

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation Study – Generation M2,

Over the past to five years, there has been a huge increase in media use among young people ages 8 to 18.

That doesn’t surprise anyone, especially parents and youthworkers.

According to the study…in 2005, the average media use (computer, TV, music, video, etc.) was 6 1/2 hours per day (with a content level of 8 1/2 hours because of multi-tasking). In 2010, the average media use was 7 1/2 hours per day (with a content level of 10 3/4 hours). That means young people are engaged with media more than 53 hours a week.

How are they spending their time?

listening to music – 43%
using the computer – 40%
watching TV – 39% (although not in real time, but recorded)
reading – 27%
playing video games – 22%

And 20% of media consumption (2:07) occurs on mobile devices!

And, according to a 2013 Pew Research Study,

78% of teens have cell phone (47% own smartphones)
23% of teens have a tablet computer (similar to the adult population)
95% of teens use the internet
93% of teens have a computer (or access to one at home)

(For the full Kaiser Report and the Pew Study go to the research section http://wp.me/P3aRO2-10 .)

On the one hand, that’s just a bunch of numbers. On the other hand, those numbers paint a picture of the digital shift taking place in our midst.

The world is changing, it’s fluid and hard to get our head around the impact of all these changes. But those of us involved in faith formation need to take note. These changes are shifting the ground so much of ministry rests on. As church leaders, and parents and grandparents, try to stay connected with children, youth, young adults and their families, it is important to take a step back and take account of the impact these media devices are having on our culture.

As I work with leaders, I note five key aspects of culture which haven been impacted by the digital age.

Access to information has shifted, and this means learning has changed.
Communication patterns have shifted, not only digitally but also face-to-face.
Socialization is changing, and not just for young people.
Multi-tasking is changing the ability to focus, and our sense of time.
Technology is integrated in a way of life, it is not separate from our daily living.

Over the next few posts I am going to say more about each of these shifts and ponder how they might relate to a bigger question: What impact does the Digital Age have on Faith Formation?

Stay Tuned!

Dec. 13 – man on the street, part 2

Posted on December 14, 2013 by terrielton

As promised, here is part 2…another incredible story from a man living on the street. Listen to John’s story.

Dec. 12 – a man on the street

Posted on December 13, 2013 by terrielton

It’s been really cold in MN this past week. And, among other things, I came to appreciate my house (and heat) in a new way. Several times this week I’ve thought…I wouldn’t make it homeless. Part of what makes the rest of my life “work” is that my home not only provides warmth, but it also orients my day and my life. I’d be lost without my home. I wouldn’t know who I am.

And then I thought of Mary and Joseph. Ready to have their first child and they find themselves homeless. In our world we don’t think too highly of people who are homeless. In fact, we often don’t SEE them, or try not to. One message out of the Christmas story is an invitation to SEE people without a place to call home. And to LISTEN to their story.

Today and tomorrow, I’m going to post videos of two people who live on the street. And these two men have amazing stories. See them. Listen to them. And, perhaps, you will understand a new part of this familiar story.

Thanks Mary and Joseph for being faithful. Thank you innkeeper for seeing them and listening to their story.

Dec. 5 – Unexpected Generosity

Posted on December 5, 2013 by terrielton

The weeks before and after Christmas are filled with gift giving…and sometimes “finding the right” gift makes gift giving a real chore. But there are times when the moment presents itself and I get to give a gift that is meaningful AND perfect of the person and the moment. Often those gifts are not the most expensive or the ones that are displayed in our living rooms. Yet they might be the ones we remember.

In this season of giving, what if we looked for opportunities to extended unexpected generosity? Maybe it’s letting a mother with a small child go ahead of us in the checkout line. Maybe it’s baking an extra dozen cookies for a co-worker. Or maybe it’s doing a little extra around the house.

Giving material gifts is a great tradition, but I’m trying to remember that giving is about much more than giving gifts. What if the holidays were filled with little, unexpected generosity? And what if we were part of creating a “generosity movement”?

See this video and let your imagination loose.

Dec. 3 – What is LOVE?

Posted on December 3, 2013 by terrielton

More than Valentine’s Day, the holidays center on love. But what is love? (And how does one describe love?) Our question for today centers on love. As you think about love, do you think about fancy parties and perfectly wrapped gifts? Or do you think of sticky kisses and cards made with crayons, construction paper and lots of glue?

Take some time today to ponder what love looks like for you in this season. And as you do, here are two videos describing love – one from children and another from adults. (You choose which one to watch – or watch them both!)

Kids on LOVE, from our friends at SOUL PANCAKE

What does Love look like to YOU? again from our friends at SOUL PANCAKE

Dec. 2 – Waiting for What?

Posted on December 2, 2013 by terrielton

Many say it’s hard to live your faith most of the year, but I find it particularly hard to hold on to Advent and Christmas while the world offers Rudolph and Santa. So, trying not to get lost in the holidays this December, I am posting a video and a question each day to keep me centered. And, of course, you are welcome to join me as you like.

Advent is a time of waiting. But waiting for what? Joe Kay offers a great reflection on what it means for Christians as they wait upon God. (I encourage you to read it – http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/12/02/what-are-we-waiting) In a nutshell, he reminds us that God has already come to earth and our waiting has more to do with God waiting for us, than our waiting for God. What if waiting is active, not passive? What if rather than wait for some “big moment” advent invites us to see the little ways God is already active in front of our eyes?

This is a season filled with waiting…how might you reorient your waiting to be focused on God’s activity in our midst?

Today’s video is a music video – I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons. Listen to the words and wonder, what are you waiting for?

Thanksgiving Family Devotional

Posted on November 26, 2013 by terrielton

It’s that time of the year when we pause to say thanks. Many congregations will mark this season with a worship service…and if your congregation is like ours, it will not be well attended. What if we could help families mark this time at home? Here’s a great resource from a congregation in Colorado. Happy thanksgiving!

thanksgiving family devotional

#nywc and #aar/sbl

Posted on November 25, 2013 by terrielton

We live in a world where you can be in more than one gathering at a time, kind of. Thursday I got on a plane and headed to Nashville. The same day many of my colleagues boarded a plane to Baltimore. All of us were on work-related trips, and truth be told I could have gotten on either plane and had an enriching time.

Baltimore was a national gathering of religious scholars, people who teach and research in a wide range of disciplines and work in a variety of colleges, universities, seminaries and divinity schools. People come for the learning, yet many experience it as a reunion and networking opportunity…having dinner with PhD colleagues, drinks with past professors and running into colleagues at receptions or in hotel elevators. Publishers come to introduce their latest resources, trying to diffuse them into the field; authors come looking for opportunities to pitch their proposals, with hopes of tenure and ‘making it’ in their career.

Nashville was similar. A national gathering, one which offered more learning than one person can handle and one filled with networking, reuniting AND introducing colleagues from all parts of the country. And yes, publishers were there pitching their resources, as were all sorts of other ‘vendors.’ And yes, there were aspiring authors hoping to take their ideas to the next level. And this gathering also hoped to advance participants careers, as it also hoped to further the work of faith and religion.

But these two gatherings were also not the same. As I followed both on Twitter, I noticed something different. My colleagues in Baltimore offered teaching tips and nuggets of scholarly wisdom; they tweeted some fun, even whimsical quips of their experience. And while some of the tweets from Nashville also fell into those categories, the gathering in Nashville was centered in something more than learning and networking. And that center was what I needed.

Young and old, from near and far, representing different church traditions, the group in Nashville were Youthworkers and they gathered around a shared mission. Several times each day the networking and learning was interrupted by ‘the big room.’ ‘The big room’ brought everyone together celebrating everyday ministry, joining thousands of voices in praising God, and reminding all of us who God is and who we are in this shared mission. The center was not doctrine, shared experiences or great ideas, but our love for discipling young people and sharing the good news of GOD’s love with them.

As a scholar, teacher and church leader, I’m usually leading others and proposing ideas about what it means to be church today. I’m encouraging leaders and listening to the joys and challenges of leading ministry today. And while I love my work, I get tired. And when I do I sometimes forget. This weekend I was reminded, even encouraged, not only around youth ministry but also about being church again. Sure, there are tons of frustrations, challenges and obstacles. But guess what. Being a ministry leader today matters. It really does. Thousands of us gathered in ‘the big room’ and heard that message again, and that’s the message I wanted to share with others. That was what I was tweeting about.

So this weekend I was in Nashville, ease dropping into the gathering in Baltimore, and I got on the right plane. As I return to work this coming week, I do so thankful, blessed and excited to be called into ministry with young people. #nywc

Immersed in Change

Posted on November 18, 2013 by terrielton

My life has been immersed in change. I know, I know…I’m not alone. But jump in with me in reflecting on these moments, and let’s see if any leadership lessons on leading change emerge.

First work. A few weeks ago I was chatting with a new student about last fall semester and it suddenly occurred to me, last fall was a lifetime ago. We, Luther Seminary, are living through a series of one year anniversaries – dates on the calendar which remind us our course for the future has changed. In October our board had their regular fall meeting – and we remembered it was last October when the board discovered some financial concerns. In early November we quietly moved past the one year anniversary of the resignation of our CFO. And coming at the end of this semester will be the one year anniversary of our president’s resignation. I remember how tired I was in January and into the spring, but I had forgotten now much territory we had covered since December 2012. Talking with students who were not around last fall was a bit surreal. I remember living that life, but it seems like a distant memory now. Lesson: Huge, disruptive change disorients people and plays with their sense of time. Leadership Questions: After the “crisis” has passed, how do organizations regain a healthy sense of time? And how important is it to help people gain some perspective? What is the role of noting one year anniversary’s of significant moments in an organization’s history?

Second church. On Reformation Sunday our congregation concluded a year of celebrating our 50th anniversary. The past twelve months we had noted different memories of the past, different moments in history which marked key parts of our congregation’s story. And it all came to a head with a grand worship experience and some gatherings on the last Sunday in October. Facing my 50th birthday this summer, I realize the importance of reflecting on the past and taking account of the twists and turns of one’s story – personally and collectively. During the celebration I had the chance to share stories and catch up with many people, some I had not seen in awhile and others who I see but haven’t shared this deeply in some time. As the weekend ended and we started the next 50 years, two things crossed my mind: we don’t do this often enough and it matters what story we tell. As much as I treasured many aspects of the celebration, I also noted the key parts of the story which were not told – parts that were important to my almost 30 year experience there. Lesson: What story we tell matters. Leadership Questions: Who decides which story of an organization will be told? How do we tell the breadth and the depth? How do we share the joys and the challenges? How do we tell the story of the “old timers” and the “newbies”?

Third home. Our family has two seniors, one a senior in high school and the other a senior in college. And being a senior is a year full of change. There are celebratory endings – or series of “lasts” – and imagination about the future. There are moments which force you to appreciate the current chapter and moments which force decision about a future direction. There are anxieties and honoring. There’s community to journey with and there are moments when “no one understands.” Yes, all of those things are true, and often they are paradoxical. Being a senior has its good days and stressful days. And living with, trying to parent and support, two seniors has its own ups and downs. Yes I’ve been there, but this isn’t my journey. Yes I have experiences, but I can’t make other people’s decisions. Yes I know some things, but it’s not wise to let learning moment go unattended. Being the parent means I have to roll with the changes, but not get too drawn into them. Lesson: Leading people in change requires staying relationally connected while also not doing other people’s work. Leadership Questions: How are we balancing being relationally connected and only doing the work that is ours? Do we know our role? Do we know what the work is and who’s it is?

As I continue to live in the midst of change, I’m noticing I need moments to rest and to reflect. But I also need moments to grieve and let go. I’m trying to find a healthy way through all three of these scenarios. I know you have your own set of scenarios, and I hope these lessons and questions might help you discover both an accompaniment partner and some fruitful lessons for the journey.