9.09.2008

A New Chapter of things

About forty people showed up to our little camp out in Idaho called Christian Summer Camp, and gathered together in fellowship for skill share sessions, worship, prayer, and good ol' horsin' around. And somehow Gary, Bailey, Marcus, Mando, Seth, Bear and I all made it out to Seattle so only Adam has separated from the group, but the day is coming upon us when a lot of us will split up.

Marcus and Bailey plan to go East and visit friends in Pennsylvania, Gary plans to spend some time with his lady friend, and so on and so on... And I will plan to stay here in Seattle for a "hot minute."

I've decided to come stay here in Seattle to spend some time with good friends who have been a part of my growing process for a number of years now, and maybe a mentor or two. Also I've decided to be committed to the Seattle branch of Scum of the Earth. I've felt a desire to be committed to a small local church in order to be of service there for a while and I really felt G-d pressing me to that. So that's where I am.

However, and wonderful opportunity has arisen for me to go with the International Bible Society to Uganda for a pastors conference with my mother, a pastor from Paris, IL, and one of the pastors from Scum of the Earth Denver. I've been asked to come along and help lead worship for this conference.

Had it been a "mission trip" I probably would not have joined the 10 day trip, but apparently some of the pastors and leaders of different ministries in that part of Africa have asked for young white people to come and hold conversation with people specifically on the topic of reconciliation. While I don't yet know how prepared I am for this, I am excited to learn from pastors who's congregations have a faith with beauty that comes from simplicity.

Josh Peebles (Scum of the Earth) and I will spend a few days after the conference with a number of people there and then fly back together.

Please pray for the finances involved in this trip, seeing as plane-flights to Africa are not the cheapest things in the world. In fact the budget for our two-and-a-half week trip is supposed to be about $2500. And the truth is I don't know very many people that ever live on that kind of budget.


As far as this blog goes, I think being in a more stable place than Marcus' I will be posting on this blog more than he, but I hope you may be able to look forward to updates from him as well.

Thank you for your continuous prayers.