weekend review

game: We made today 'old school' game day. That means we played tag and Red Light, Green Light. In second service one of the variations on tag we played was amoeba tag. This is where the person who gets tagged links arms with the person who is 'it' and they try to tag more people. I had all the participants in a close space, but things got a little out of hand when one jhi'er ran into a pole holding up large curtains we use in the gym and knocked over a column of them like dominoes. It was very dramatic and cool to watch, but not the kind of feel we are going for. Of course most people liked the game and it gave them a chance to run around and interact with people they don't normally talk to.

systems: I don't like asking for help. That's why I wind up doing a ton of things during the weekend and don't get to chat with students much at our gatherings. This week Marie helped me find people to do literally dozens of things. I wasn't stressed, I talked to a TON of teens, and I could focus on the sermon. Thanks Marie!!!

song service: We had an unusual amount of participation in first and second service today. I'd say more than 75% were really engaged in what was going on. The band did really well and there was a real sense that God was moving on the hearts of everyone in the room.


family feel: The service still had some elements that were a bit sloppy, but I think we improved on the things that are most important. We engaged every teenager that came through the doors, had a good first time visitor meeting, and had an above average family feel in the lobby and during the service.

sermon: The students sure did listen well, but I don't think I offered enough practical tips on how to obey parents. We spent a lot of time with the "Boy Jesus in the temple" story. We tried to say that if Jesus obeyed his parents, we need to obey ours as well.

attendance: We had below average attendance this week, and I'm thinking that there are a lot of middle schoolers sitting with their parents in 'big' church. We'll be thinking of some ways to get them across the parking lot into our building. The ones that are coming to jhi seem to like it a lot.