If you have looked out your window lately you may have seen snow, lights on string, and some weird decorated trees. In case you didn’t know, this means that it is almost Christmas. Which means all sorts of good things– a break from school, fabulous food, some great presents, and all the happiness and joy that goes along with these things. We think that Christmas is a great thing.
However, along with all these things, is the craziness of the season, the stress of gift buying, the Christmas pageants, the cookies to make, the perfect tree to find… Christmas may be great, but its also full of stress. So this Christmas we want to remind you of the joys and happiness of Christmas. After all, it is basically a birthday party.
I wonder sometimes why no one ever sings Happy Birthday on Christmas. You hear “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” or “Silent Night” but despite the fact that Christmas is supposed to be all about Jesus’ birthday, no one ever sings him happy birthday.
But anyways, I’m digressing. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, we hope you get a chance to relax and read our newsletter. We have had fantastic submissions from some great readers, so be sure to watch out for their articles. We are still madly in love with our contributors, and really, so should you. Without them their would be no WHY, and really, that would suck. So wherever you are, we want you to say a great big thank you to them (and we don’t care that they can’t hear you)!
Anyways, we hope you have a great Christmas, and a fantastic New Year! Enjoy the newsletter!
- Kathleen (and Charley)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Once Upon a Time… and Happily Ever After
You may be wondering how this newsletter came to be. Perhaps found its way into your inbox, or at your church, or maybe some which has left you are wondering… what exactly is WHY?
WHY is a newsletter made for youth and by youth of the United Church of Canada. It was started by Charley Switzer and Kathleen Kerr in the summer of 2006– the first issue coming out that September. We strive to make people wonder, question, and ask. We are all about you, your friends, that guy you barely know. We’re about church and God and religion and faith.
If you would like to receive any back issues, or would like to be put on the mailing list for future issues, email us at wonderingholyyouth@gmail.com, and we’ll be sure to put you on the mailing list! Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to provide hard copies by mail.
WHY is a newsletter made for youth and by youth of the United Church of Canada. It was started by Charley Switzer and Kathleen Kerr in the summer of 2006– the first issue coming out that September. We strive to make people wonder, question, and ask. We are all about you, your friends, that guy you barely know. We’re about church and God and religion and faith.
If you would like to receive any back issues, or would like to be put on the mailing list for future issues, email us at wonderingholyyouth@gmail.com, and we’ll be sure to put you on the mailing list! Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to provide hard copies by mail.
God and Love
When you hear mention of God, what do you think of? For myself, I think of a parent. Of a great mother, a great father who is always there; who is ever present. And when I, then, think of my relationship with God, I think of myself as a little child, who scraps his knee and goes running back to God, that great mother, for healing; for a gentle kiss on the place that hurts, that kiss that’ll make everything better.
It’s not always easy, though, to get back to God. Sometimes I find myself wandering more and more away from God and less and less into Her love. There are times when I feel lonely and scared, like a little child, and just wanting to find my way home to the home where She is, where She can kiss it all better. But sometimes to get back home, there is a big hill to walk back up, or a giant mountain to climb. Or some other difficult obstacle.
I sometimes ask myself how I ever got to this place, how I could’ve gotten myself to get to this point. More times than not I find myself clueless, without an answer. And sometimes it can seem that the road back up can be so hard. For a while, while I try to make my way back up to God, I feel as if I am almost there. I can almost feel the warmth of God’s radiant love shining on me, like I’m right at the edge of being home again. Then I slip back again, back into the cold and harsh world that we call life, reality.
It’s in these times when I feel most like that small child, most afraid. I feel like crying. A lot of times, in fact, I do. Most of the time it doesn’t make me feel any better though. Actually, I often feel worse. I feel alone, even if I am not. I feel as if I have been abandoned. And when I see so many people around me who are overflowing with love and happiness and with an overall plain joy, I often wish I could be like them and know what that is like once again.
There is a saying that goes “You can’t buy love”. Well, that seems like a very true statement. “Love” that has been bought is not really love at all. It’s just a cheap imitation, a little plastic toy that you take off the shelf in a 10-cent store. It ends up useless and void, because it is not real. Not true love. Real love is something that holds dear in your heart. It is something that holds strong in your soul. It clasps on to your very being, seeping down into you and filling a dark void to make you closer to a whole, rather than a crumbled up bunch of pieces; a jigsaw puzzle that seems almost impossible to figure out and complete.
Sometimes I feel afraid to even attempt to try to put the puzzle together. I’m afraid of what I might find if, in the very end, I do put it all together. I don’t know if I do want to know. Sometimes it seems that I would prefer the struggle and the hurt more than I would the complete puzzle. I’m afraid that in the completion of the puzzle I’ll find something in myself that I did not want to see, imperfection. A broken spirit. A soul in the form of a small, scared child. That’s the truth of it. And through it all, there is still a part of me, somewhere inside, that wants to be loved and embraced by God. I still want to know that there is love out there that will keep me and hold me and let me know that everything will be alright in the end.
So maybe, one day, I will finish the jigsaw puzzle. And who knows what I’ll find there. Maybe I’ll find that love that I’ve been searching for. Maybe I’ll find God in all Her glory, standing there with arms wide open and smiling. And as I walk the distance between her and I, She’ll say, “Welcome home my child. Welcome home my dearest son. I am glad that you have returned.”
When I feel lonely, lost, and hurting, maybe, just maybe, I’ll remember this. And in the deepest, most desolate, and most dark part of me, a little light will shine. And I’ll smile because I’ll know, with all my heart, that no matter where I am, I am home when I am with God. Thanks be to God.
- by Nico Anderson
It’s not always easy, though, to get back to God. Sometimes I find myself wandering more and more away from God and less and less into Her love. There are times when I feel lonely and scared, like a little child, and just wanting to find my way home to the home where She is, where She can kiss it all better. But sometimes to get back home, there is a big hill to walk back up, or a giant mountain to climb. Or some other difficult obstacle.
I sometimes ask myself how I ever got to this place, how I could’ve gotten myself to get to this point. More times than not I find myself clueless, without an answer. And sometimes it can seem that the road back up can be so hard. For a while, while I try to make my way back up to God, I feel as if I am almost there. I can almost feel the warmth of God’s radiant love shining on me, like I’m right at the edge of being home again. Then I slip back again, back into the cold and harsh world that we call life, reality.
It’s in these times when I feel most like that small child, most afraid. I feel like crying. A lot of times, in fact, I do. Most of the time it doesn’t make me feel any better though. Actually, I often feel worse. I feel alone, even if I am not. I feel as if I have been abandoned. And when I see so many people around me who are overflowing with love and happiness and with an overall plain joy, I often wish I could be like them and know what that is like once again.
There is a saying that goes “You can’t buy love”. Well, that seems like a very true statement. “Love” that has been bought is not really love at all. It’s just a cheap imitation, a little plastic toy that you take off the shelf in a 10-cent store. It ends up useless and void, because it is not real. Not true love. Real love is something that holds dear in your heart. It is something that holds strong in your soul. It clasps on to your very being, seeping down into you and filling a dark void to make you closer to a whole, rather than a crumbled up bunch of pieces; a jigsaw puzzle that seems almost impossible to figure out and complete.
Sometimes I feel afraid to even attempt to try to put the puzzle together. I’m afraid of what I might find if, in the very end, I do put it all together. I don’t know if I do want to know. Sometimes it seems that I would prefer the struggle and the hurt more than I would the complete puzzle. I’m afraid that in the completion of the puzzle I’ll find something in myself that I did not want to see, imperfection. A broken spirit. A soul in the form of a small, scared child. That’s the truth of it. And through it all, there is still a part of me, somewhere inside, that wants to be loved and embraced by God. I still want to know that there is love out there that will keep me and hold me and let me know that everything will be alright in the end.
So maybe, one day, I will finish the jigsaw puzzle. And who knows what I’ll find there. Maybe I’ll find that love that I’ve been searching for. Maybe I’ll find God in all Her glory, standing there with arms wide open and smiling. And as I walk the distance between her and I, She’ll say, “Welcome home my child. Welcome home my dearest son. I am glad that you have returned.”
When I feel lonely, lost, and hurting, maybe, just maybe, I’ll remember this. And in the deepest, most desolate, and most dark part of me, a little light will shine. And I’ll smile because I’ll know, with all my heart, that no matter where I am, I am home when I am with God. Thanks be to God.
- by Nico Anderson
Me to We: Turning Self-Help on its Head
Millions turn to self-help in pursuit of happiness and success. But perhaps the idea of helping ourselves- self-help- is completely backwards. Maybe, fulfillment, success, and happiness can be found when we turn from ‘me’ (focusing on ourselves) to ‘we’ (reaching out to help others).
It’s been awhile since I have read a book that has left me feeling sure of what I want to do with myself, with a firm sense of direction. And that’s saying a lot considering I’m at that point where university applications, scholarships, and that 100%-tried-true-and-tested clichéd conversation “so what do you want to do (with your life) after high school?” is perpetually popping up.
Written by Craig and Marc Kielburger, “Me to We: Turning Self-Help on its Head” is a book that challenges every individual to think outside themselves and reach out to help others, create community, and change the world. As hard as we might try, life will never be completely meaningful if we base our success on materialistic gains and isolate ourselves in the race to be the ‘best.’ Moving from ‘me’ to ‘we’ can be as simple as offering a smile or holding open a door; it’s about volunteering and caring for you neighbours; it’s about taking small steps toward changing the world.
When you stop to think about global issues plaguing our world today, it’s overwhelming. Poverty. War. Racism. Starvation. Terrorism. Climate change- the list goes on and on. “I’m only one person- how the heck can I make a difference?” But the truth is, you can. (Surprisingly) nobody has one direct answer. (“According to Mr. E-Z-Solve, world hunger can be eliminated if we follow these 1352 simple steps…” yeah right.)
However, each of us can make a ripple- albeit a small one- which might affect someone else, which might reach someone else, and perhaps someone else. The challenge is in recognizing that each of us can be part of that wave by reaching out and working together. You don’t have to do something worthy of the six-o’clock news for your actions to be ‘worthwhile.’ Simply caring for one another, sharing gifts of time and talents, being generous and selfless all count. And in taking that step to help someone else, we are left feeling pleased with ourselves, content with our lives, and happy. Simple.
“Me to We” outlines the ‘steps’ to happiness but not in terms of ridiculous schemes or crazy money-spending ploys. Instead its pages of stories, inspiration, and down-to-earth ideas encourage, motivate and empower. I was left feeling incredibly optimistic about our world and my life- and I would most definitely recommend this book.
- by Charley Switzer
It’s been awhile since I have read a book that has left me feeling sure of what I want to do with myself, with a firm sense of direction. And that’s saying a lot considering I’m at that point where university applications, scholarships, and that 100%-tried-true-and-tested clichéd conversation “so what do you want to do (with your life) after high school?” is perpetually popping up.
Written by Craig and Marc Kielburger, “Me to We: Turning Self-Help on its Head” is a book that challenges every individual to think outside themselves and reach out to help others, create community, and change the world. As hard as we might try, life will never be completely meaningful if we base our success on materialistic gains and isolate ourselves in the race to be the ‘best.’ Moving from ‘me’ to ‘we’ can be as simple as offering a smile or holding open a door; it’s about volunteering and caring for you neighbours; it’s about taking small steps toward changing the world.
When you stop to think about global issues plaguing our world today, it’s overwhelming. Poverty. War. Racism. Starvation. Terrorism. Climate change- the list goes on and on. “I’m only one person- how the heck can I make a difference?” But the truth is, you can. (Surprisingly) nobody has one direct answer. (“According to Mr. E-Z-Solve, world hunger can be eliminated if we follow these 1352 simple steps…” yeah right.)
However, each of us can make a ripple- albeit a small one- which might affect someone else, which might reach someone else, and perhaps someone else. The challenge is in recognizing that each of us can be part of that wave by reaching out and working together. You don’t have to do something worthy of the six-o’clock news for your actions to be ‘worthwhile.’ Simply caring for one another, sharing gifts of time and talents, being generous and selfless all count. And in taking that step to help someone else, we are left feeling pleased with ourselves, content with our lives, and happy. Simple.
“Me to We” outlines the ‘steps’ to happiness but not in terms of ridiculous schemes or crazy money-spending ploys. Instead its pages of stories, inspiration, and down-to-earth ideas encourage, motivate and empower. I was left feeling incredibly optimistic about our world and my life- and I would most definitely recommend this book.
- by Charley Switzer
Just a Little Something
One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are." Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every single thing you have!
- The other day, my dad shared this email with me and it really puts life into perspective… something we need to keep with us, especially during the holiday season. Amongst all the hype about wish lists and wants and gifts and expenses, it can be easy to lose track of what really counts in life. Take a second during all the craziness that Christmas usually entails to appreciate what you do have.
- The other day, my dad shared this email with me and it really puts life into perspective… something we need to keep with us, especially during the holiday season. Amongst all the hype about wish lists and wants and gifts and expenses, it can be easy to lose track of what really counts in life. Take a second during all the craziness that Christmas usually entails to appreciate what you do have.
What’s the Big Idea?
Do you have a big idea for youth ministry in the church? What would you suggest if the national church asked you.
This was the challenge that a dozen youth and I faced this October in Toronto. We were participating in a Youth Think Tank Meeting with Rick Garland and Amy Crawford, the national youth and young adult reps at General Council.
The day was full of animated discussions, careful listening, and creative ideas. Each person had their own ‘big’ idea. For Jamie Wood, the idea that stood out the most was the “invention of a website for the youth in the United Church; a resource to keep youth updated on what’s going on and what it means to be a United Church Youth today!” This way, youth could be connected to other congregations and events. Just think, wouldn’t it be great if you were out of ideas for ‘what to do,’ you log onto the site and there are ideas from other youth across the country to share! It certainly holds promise!
Along with all our dreaming, we also provided our feedback on several major youth proposals that have been submitted to the GC Office. There was a sense that the national youth ministry from GC “should have a broad focus on many youth, not specific youth in specific programs,” explained Charlie Peters.
Aside from all the meeting ‘stuff’, we also had an opportunity to check out life in the big TO, feasting in Chinatown and strolling down trendy Queen Street!
So I pose a challenge, if YOU have any big ideas please send them to W.H.Y. and we’ll be sure to publish them in our next issue!! (There’s no judges, but we’ll be sure to feature them in big, bright letters for all to see!!!)
- by Charley Switzer
This was the challenge that a dozen youth and I faced this October in Toronto. We were participating in a Youth Think Tank Meeting with Rick Garland and Amy Crawford, the national youth and young adult reps at General Council.
The day was full of animated discussions, careful listening, and creative ideas. Each person had their own ‘big’ idea. For Jamie Wood, the idea that stood out the most was the “invention of a website for the youth in the United Church; a resource to keep youth updated on what’s going on and what it means to be a United Church Youth today!” This way, youth could be connected to other congregations and events. Just think, wouldn’t it be great if you were out of ideas for ‘what to do,’ you log onto the site and there are ideas from other youth across the country to share! It certainly holds promise!
Along with all our dreaming, we also provided our feedback on several major youth proposals that have been submitted to the GC Office. There was a sense that the national youth ministry from GC “should have a broad focus on many youth, not specific youth in specific programs,” explained Charlie Peters.
Aside from all the meeting ‘stuff’, we also had an opportunity to check out life in the big TO, feasting in Chinatown and strolling down trendy Queen Street!
So I pose a challenge, if YOU have any big ideas please send them to W.H.Y. and we’ll be sure to publish them in our next issue!! (There’s no judges, but we’ll be sure to feature them in big, bright letters for all to see!!!)
- by Charley Switzer
Check it Out!!
Here are some great upcoming events to check out:
Kairos 2008
If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, we want to invite you to join us for Kairos 2008. Kairos is a national event of the United Church of Canada that is specifically intended for young adults. It is hosted every three years by a different Conference and London Conference is proud and excited to be hosting in the coming year. From August 24th-29th, 2008, young adults from all across Canada will gather at Five Oaks United Church Education and Retreat Centre (near Paris, ON) and live in community together for one week. There will be opportunities for fun and games, learning and discussion, music and art, worship and prayer. We will eat, sing, talk, laugh and celebrate Sabbath together.
Our theme for Kairos 2008 is “It Matters.” We will be wrestling with the questions of what matters for us as young adults, what matters for the church and what matters for the world we live in. The five theme streams that will take place during the week will focus on the topics of the environment, political activism, arts and creativity, technology and leadership. We will celebrate Sabbath together, worship together, and engage in discussions together, while also striving to create time for people to be alone with God in nature.
Head to the website (www.kairos2008.ca) to check out the video and stay tuned for registration packages and more information. Everything will be posted online as soon as it becomes available.
We look forward to seeing everybody next summer!
- by Kerri Graham
Kairos 2008
If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, we want to invite you to join us for Kairos 2008. Kairos is a national event of the United Church of Canada that is specifically intended for young adults. It is hosted every three years by a different Conference and London Conference is proud and excited to be hosting in the coming year. From August 24th-29th, 2008, young adults from all across Canada will gather at Five Oaks United Church Education and Retreat Centre (near Paris, ON) and live in community together for one week. There will be opportunities for fun and games, learning and discussion, music and art, worship and prayer. We will eat, sing, talk, laugh and celebrate Sabbath together.
Our theme for Kairos 2008 is “It Matters.” We will be wrestling with the questions of what matters for us as young adults, what matters for the church and what matters for the world we live in. The five theme streams that will take place during the week will focus on the topics of the environment, political activism, arts and creativity, technology and leadership. We will celebrate Sabbath together, worship together, and engage in discussions together, while also striving to create time for people to be alone with God in nature.
Head to the website (www.kairos2008.ca) to check out the video and stay tuned for registration packages and more information. Everything will be posted online as soon as it becomes available.
We look forward to seeing everybody next summer!
- by Kerri Graham
A Wondering Holy Youth Christmas
What I wanted was a clever title for this section. Perhaps “have a WHY-te Christmas” or “We Wish you a Why-re Christmas” however I realized how silly this sounded, and went with the title you see now.
Perhaps just as you are finishing your Christmas shopping, you’re haunted by a feeling that you still have one more gift to get, but you just can’t think of what it is. Do not fear, we know who you have forgotten. You’ve forgotten us– WHY needs some Christmas presents too.
“What on earth could a newsletter need for Christmas?” you ask yourself, or perhaps “Is a piece of paper really asking me for a Christmas present?” Well, let me answer these questions for you, in a handy shopping list of sorts.
1. Articles– Write! Write! Write! We know you all have Christmas break coming up soon (Yes, we are psychic) and therefore we know you will have all sorts of spare time to write us an uber-fantastic article. So pick up that pencil (or pen or typewriter or keyboard), and write away! (then don’t forget to send your works to us)
2. Pictures– perhaps you will get a camera from Christmas. And then by chance you take about a billion pictures with it. And just maybe some of them will be good. And then, you send them to WHY so that we can include fantastic pictures amongst our pages. Alternatively, take some pictures with your old camera, or your parents camera, or that camera you found on the sidewalk, and send us those fantastic inspirational pictures!
3. Your email address– no, we are not going to stalk you or send you all sorts of junk, we just want to send you future issues, so that you don’t miss out!
4. Feedback– did you like the articles in this issue? Was there something that resonated especially for you? Do you just find WHY to be special in general? Do you have idea’s for what you would like to see in future issues? Tell us all about it. We love our feedback, (all of it). We’d love to know all of these things. We’d love to know anything about you actually, where you first heard of WHY, or maybe about something amazing that has happened in your life that you just have to share. Well then, EMAIL us!
Perhaps just as you are finishing your Christmas shopping, you’re haunted by a feeling that you still have one more gift to get, but you just can’t think of what it is. Do not fear, we know who you have forgotten. You’ve forgotten us– WHY needs some Christmas presents too.
“What on earth could a newsletter need for Christmas?” you ask yourself, or perhaps “Is a piece of paper really asking me for a Christmas present?” Well, let me answer these questions for you, in a handy shopping list of sorts.
1. Articles– Write! Write! Write! We know you all have Christmas break coming up soon (Yes, we are psychic) and therefore we know you will have all sorts of spare time to write us an uber-fantastic article. So pick up that pencil (or pen or typewriter or keyboard), and write away! (then don’t forget to send your works to us)
2. Pictures– perhaps you will get a camera from Christmas. And then by chance you take about a billion pictures with it. And just maybe some of them will be good. And then, you send them to WHY so that we can include fantastic pictures amongst our pages. Alternatively, take some pictures with your old camera, or your parents camera, or that camera you found on the sidewalk, and send us those fantastic inspirational pictures!
3. Your email address– no, we are not going to stalk you or send you all sorts of junk, we just want to send you future issues, so that you don’t miss out!
4. Feedback– did you like the articles in this issue? Was there something that resonated especially for you? Do you just find WHY to be special in general? Do you have idea’s for what you would like to see in future issues? Tell us all about it. We love our feedback, (all of it). We’d love to know all of these things. We’d love to know anything about you actually, where you first heard of WHY, or maybe about something amazing that has happened in your life that you just have to share. Well then, EMAIL us!
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