Sunday

Sunday was so great that it needs its own post.

I forgot about the time change, which was okay because I had a lot to do before I went to church.

At church, the youth were in charge of the entire service. I was blown away by the maturity of the kids as they conducted the service. The dramatic pieces (some might call them dances rather than human video) were well-done and well-rehearsed and really inspiring. Two of the students gave their testimonies for the speking portion of the morning, and I was quite impressed with their ability to articulate what God is doing in their lives and their courage to get up in front of everyone and be so vulnerable. The kids who prayed and who conducted the communion service demonstrated equal maturity and openness.

I think the most striking feature of the morning was what a great example the youth set for the adults. They did everything with such a realness and vulnerability. They weren't just putting on a show, they were sharing their selves with the congregation. I was also very glad to see that the pastors truly gave over control of the morning to the youth. They were allowed to participate in all aspects of the morning from making the announcements, to staffing the prayer team. This was such an incredible picture of how the body of Christ works and a great testimony to the fact that everyone belongs and has something to offer. The (older) children are equally as capable to serve as the adults.

After church, I hosted a pumpkin carving party at my house. We had a lunch of soup and pie and then we carved pumpkins. I really had a great time even though I was dead tired. I didn't realize how tired I was at the time, but looking back, I was walking around like a zombie all afternoon. Again, I forgot to take any pictures. I think Dan might have gotten some, but I am not sure. Some day I am going to remember...

In the evening, I went to the prayer group with Abby and we went on a prayer walk. The goal of the prayer walk was to pray for every home in the Elmhurst neighborhood where the church meets. We broke off into small groups and covered the entire neighborhood. I went with Abby. It was really interesting to walk around and pray with her and it was also interseting as we were looking for something specific to pray for at each home, what you could tell about people by the outside of their houses. It was a great time and I am excited to see what comes of it.

Yesterday I spent a little time in the morning with my grandma, then I slept for the rest of the day until I went to work. It was a good thing too, because work turned out to be very hectic.