Report 4

Record of Ministry activities
Meeting with Pastor: 30 minutes
Sunday School: 1 hour
Church/Children's church: 1hour 30 minutes
Youth group: 1 hour

Personal Reflection
This weekend was a very hectic one. I realize it was Fall break and we are supposed to relax, but my life is just too busy to relax! I worked on Friday and Saturday night as well as Sunday afternoon. Sunday was just ridiculously crazy. I got to the church about 9 a.m. and left at about noon, then ate lunch, went to work for 3 hours, then went back to church. Needless to say, I was very tired. The good thing, though, is that it was a good day and good time at church. My Sunday school class is a group of students who are really hit and miss. We had four this Sunday, though, including me. 4 is about our average, but if everyone showed up on the same day, we would have about 10. I proposed an idea to my pastor a couple of weeks ago and he thought it was a good idea. This week, I took it to my Sunday school class, and they seemed on board. The basic idea is to serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate as people enter the church building for Sunday school. My class would run it, and we would close up about 10 minutes into class; this way we can still have class and can serve others.

We then had church, but I helped with toddler church. We only had 2 this week because so many are sick or are trying to avoid getting sick, but it was a really good time. The two we had are very talkative and opinionated, so it was nice to be able to actually listen to what they had to say. The woman I helped did the lesson, so I was basically just the second adult in the room. I still had a really good time, though!

Youth group on Sunday night was interesting. We are going on retreat this coming weekend. Usually everything is planned out at least a month in advance. This year, though, our main leaders are planning a wedding for their daughter in December. This has taken up most of their extra time. So on Sunday, we were still discussing details about retreat, when the money is due, and where we are staying. We will be going to the Creation Museum, which I am very excited about. I am the only one in our group who has been before, so I am excited to be able to share the experience with my teens. I am doing the lesson on Sunday morning and am a little unsure what to teach on. Of course I would like to talk about creation, I just do not want it to be too much of the same thing. But I am sure I will work something out.

Spiritual reflection
RAM camp was 2 weeks ago, and I am still on a pretty good high from that. Retreat is coming up this weekend and I am super pumped. My biggest struggle right now is working a retail job and still fitting in church. My manager does not attend church and does not understand the importance of me going to church and helping with my youth group. I like working where I work (and it's nice to have a little extra cash) but it is difficult to work with my manager. I realize the secular world is not always going to be glamorous, but it is frustrating to have to explain over and over that I want and need to be at church. Other than this, though, my spiritual life is great. I am excited about the upcoming weekend and ready to spend some quality time with God and my friends.