Life-Update

So, I've been doing a fair bit of writing lately, but not for the blog.  Alas, I apologize.  To fill you in on what I've been doing, here's an update.

I am the most recent addition to the staff at Saint Andrews in Mount Pleasant.  I am the assistant to the clergy, which is something between a secretary, a scribe, a gopher, a student, and a writer.  So far.  Today.  On my first day.  But don't worry, I'm still at Kudu part time too.  Can't give up the discount quite yet.

My Lifegroup is really exciting right now.  After a summer of inconsistent attendance and frustration from my end (no co-leader, little direction, and all amidst a big roommate transition), I have a co-leader (Andrew Yuhas), a vision (written on dry-erase boards), a few lesson plans, and the beginning of a Lifegroup leader's manual.  It's not for anyone in particular, just helping me to frame my thoughts and push them further.  But it's energizing to work on.  Oddly enough, one of my first tasks here at the main campus is to put together Lifegroup manuals for the LG leaders this side of the Cooper (river).  Maybe I can abscond with one during lunch for some light reading.

My brother and a good friend of mine bought a sailboat with me to flip (meaning, to fix up and re-sell).  She's a Catalina 22, in good shape, but needing some fiberglass work.  We hope to fix her up and spend a little time on the water before selling her in the spring, when the market is better.  But, we'll see.  If someone makes us an offer, who knows.  We're keeping the knots loose, just in case.

Questions that have been occupying my thoughts and conversations of late, and therefore may result in blog posts in the future: (in no particular order)

1-how can I date well towards marriage?

2-how can I pursue ministry as a job while doing a 'normal' job and doing 'normal' ministry on the side?

3-is seminary necessary for that which I feel called to do?

4-what makes a Lifegroup different from a church, different from a small group? Should it be?

5-how can my Lifegroup be both Spirit-led and structured?

6-how is the Spirit to be addressed in worship?  Is He to be worshipped directly? What does it mean to invite His presence to draw near, if He is already in us and primarily moves us by the gospel anyhow?

7-how does the gospel produce mission, in the most practical terms?

8-how do we move from an 'outreach project' culture to a 'life as outreach' culture, emphasizing discipleship over events as the primary means of both evangelization and growth?

9-how does one brace the interior wall of a double-walled sailboat hull to re-apply fiberglass to the outside?

10-how would Jesus respond to Syria?

11-how can we make worship songs that are easily accessible in small group settings but remain theologically rich and instructive?

12-how should I respond when I sense that something is not right in a situation or relationship but don't know what is actually making me uncomfortable?

And a few more here and there.

Some cool God moments:

1-Prayed for the gift of administration, and then was hired as the assistant to the clergy within two weeks.

2-Was meeting with Todd, discussing my desire to shift out of Kudu full-time but only if it led to greater preparation for ministry, when Steve walked in and offered me the job to work upstairs with the staff.

3-Had a long walk with Elizabeth in which we learned that, when we have not spent time with the Lord, we react in opposite ways (I get clingy, she gets defensive), ways which keep us both in check even if we're both running dry at the same time.

4-Have been incredibly encouraged by living with Andrew Yuhas, being able to discuss church theory and life group systems until all hours of the night.

Hope that's enough for now ;)