Miss Lucy and her house

It has been so long since I have been on this page... but now that St Michael's is ready to bring on more help for youth ministry, I want to at least celebrate the moment beginning with the fy2013 July 1 date...by blogging a bit. The picture above is of the Allegany County Work Camp group from St Michael's.  Among other jobs, this crew prepped and painted the house of Miss Lucy... 84 years of 88 lived in this house. She was so grateful for the perseverance of our team.
The day was close to a hundred degrees... the crew was spent... but yes it was completed... kind of a miracle. What a great gift for Miss Lucy who at the end cried in joy.

Moment

When every moment counts, living happens.
When weather is...do
When weather and moments collide, living happens

So when you plan for months to celebrate the gift of wonder and awe...
and for the ten days preceding the forecast is for sunny and cool temps... and then on the day of the forecast changes to 10% chance of rain... and you get it and cold cloudy weather... you get a chance to reflect.
We were able to celebrate our All in Awe Fest... we moved our 5k award ceremony indoors before we finished.
We proceeded to set up and at the last moment, the sun came out and warmed us up.
Many people came to join in the wonder and awe and enjoyed the food, the music the fun and games, the fire, the movie.... and the mass.... was packed.
So our second year into this All in Awe fest... it is good to experience the cold damp cloudy approach. It is after all, the possible... it is after all, not our call.
What we did though was
We celebrated
we sang
we ate
we played
we ran about and rode the train

We warmed by the fire and watched Tangled.
Every moment counted and we lived!



We

Did you hear the saying...

Have you ever heard "If you come to a cross in the road, carry it".... No?, are you sure? Cause I am pretty sure I have... It reminds me of springtime... being outdoors.. I am sure it is a popular saying. Oh Well.... I guess I will just share about this cross...
We were on the mountain side in late February after the big snows... on retreat with our confirmation class... We were talking about the Holy Spirit and living with the gifts of the spirit... Throughout the weekend we experienced times of active efforts and other times were spent reflecting quietly. Reconciliation had something to do with many movements toward the cross.
In our trudgings to and from meals, we came across a random cross. In our path, these two sticks perpendicular to each other yet resting precariously amidst the washed out gully of the gravel road, brought to mind the reason for our journey: To contemplate the great mystery of Divine love for divine creation in us and around us.

It was just a momentary image surely washed away with the melting snow or early spring rains, or more likely the random striking of boot on twig by one oblivious to the existence and placement in the road on the way to a meal.
Yet for the divine spark which exists in us and developed technology to capture the image, it does not fade or crumble or rot... it exists for us in this image to remember and to ponder and to choose to strike obliviously or to willfully pick up the cross and carry it.



We move to the Saturday before Palm Sunday and our annual Archdiocese of Baltimore Youth Pilgrimage. Over a thousand youth and adults gather to remember our Lords passion and way to the cross... We invite those who are getting ready to start the immediate preparation and reflection for the sacrament of Confirmation, to do the pilgrimage... this cross was picked up and carried by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien and groups of youth-full pilgrims through the streets of Baltimore.




Our own Clay and Aaron chose to pick up the cross and carry it.
"Lord fill us with an openness to your great desire for each of us. Help us to recognize that it is through the cross that we are brought to unity in the Trinity."

" For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son, so that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"... Jn 3:16



Join us in seeking more about this man Jesus, a carpenter who created the world... we begin today... When you come to a cross in the road... will you carry it?

Yogi Berra: "If you come to a fork in the road, take it. "
Below is an additional pic and comment due to current events in the mojave desert.

This Cross Memorial was just stolen, after the Supreme Court ruled it could stay.. Now a replica is in place, only to be ordered removed by the government... So I guess if you come to a cross in the road, I really mean carry it in your heart and live it.

St. Michael's MEGA camp!!!

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Luke 12:34
What a treasure full of wonders! we look back on the summer and it was filled with good stuff... from the work camp to the mega camp... we had time for fun amidst service, worship, food, and recognition that all that we treasure will become a large part of our lives.

Fr. Norman Fischer from St. Peter Claver parish in the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky,flew to us and shared how we can be treasure seekers, bearers and sharers...
Sometimes it is tough to see our own gifts... and it is elusive like a shadow that trails behind. and yet a shadow exists only because we or something reflects back the light... Our treasure and gift is the same... we can reflect the light back for others to see and to share.
His enthusiasm for God and us was so evident over the three days he was with us that our trip to Hershey Park on Thursday went auto-pilot after Fr Norm flew back to Kentucky on Wednesday.
The message to our youth was all about how we can seek the gifts in us and be a Princess or Prince of the kingdom... and that together we can seek that goodness.
In skit fashion we saw that by working together and sharing the load by using our gifts we can journey towards the kingdom.
At Cascade we enjoyed a perfect day in the water, on the slides, paddle boats and in the meal.
It was a chance to reflect or have a blast, to take a chance in a leap, or to observe life around us.

On Wednesday we had prayer in the sanctuary and heard Fr Norm teach us to forgive and let go of the things that burden us. Our skit showed the burden of holding onto grudges and hurts and how by releasing them we can be free to live and to love our neighbors... as ourselves.

On Thursday we gathered extremely early and took a group picture on the group picture steps... and then rode the four coach buses to Hersheypark. It was a great hot day for the park, the water the fun the food the laughter... all throughout the park you could see the gold treasure map shirts on the backs of our youth... in groups and large masses of people. It was a fitting end to our week of adventure. We continued to seek out treasures, gifts, places and adventures. we rode the Great Bear, the Lightning racer, and Fahrenheit! We all ended the day in chocolate of many varieties, cups, candies, hats, and other assorted treasures at the Chocolate Factory. And just like that at 9:00... 07 I mean, with some hearts pounding from the cross park run... we began the bus ride homeward.. many tired and happy campers... hmmm.
The most amazing experience of the week was to arrive at St. Mike's parking lot at 11PM full of waiting parents... and at 11:15... the lot was empty... what a gift!!!

So thanks to all our campers, to our peer ministers, to our adult chaperones and to our adult planners... and to Gabby and Fr Norm for a great experience!
Look for news of our next camp... seek it, bear it and then share it!

Work Camp St Mike's Style

We were missing several of our people... but this is as good as the group pictures get! Our planning began almost a year ago, and culminated in our group departure last Sunday the 21st from St. Michael's. Our hope was to serve several communities in western Marylandand with the help and support of many folks we were able.


G.I.F.F. The Great Iron Fence of Frostburg took on a legendary life of its own. Our Camp Coney group sent many young scrapers and painters to St. Michael's in Frostburg to bring some former shine to the old iron fence... about 100 years old I heard... Among the many other acts of service, these youth performed great landscaping services to a family who had been parishioners of St. Michael Poplar Springs in the early 90's...
Our Habitat crew, 41 strong donned the hardhats and framed walls, roof sheathing, graded and seeded a yard, laid up a concrete block foundation and generally set the stage for great success for the Garrett County Habitat for Humanity affiliate... our 6th year with them!
The McLeans whose house we framed interior walls and sheathed, joined us and the Habitat community for dinner at Ida Maust's place... a beautiful mid-week break. Great food, friends, volleyball, campfire and singing made it the special time Wednesdays in Garrett County are for work campers. Thanks so much to our hosts at Gareett County Habitat for Humanity, headed up by Doug Riley, executive director, and Frank Ferry Site Super.

Beach Volleyball at St Michaels

Let's get this game started...
Test...1,2,3...
The girls strategize before the game...
An evening of beachball volleyball, and some basketball mixed in with a few snacks, pizza, and the Beachboys... both musically and on the court.
Serving it up, the girls took the first game.
The boys came back and won the second...
Meanwhile Fr Mike took a break from his duties, just long enough to rest in the added light.
The crew gathers for a pic...
and then the noodles get noodling... It was fun, there was reflection of light and the message of Jesus, the light of the world...

Confirmation Retreat Summit Lake Camp

It was a cold and frozen mountainside when we arrived on Friday.


Surrounded by quilts from those before them, our youth had much on which to reflect.

Sunday afternoon as a group we gathered outside the chapel for a group photo... The sunshine made us blink, but the warmth allowed us to smile!
A little yarn and much affirmation is a great way to sum it all up!