OIAC Part III: Seize the Booty

So, we had Laity Session this afternoon. I was sitting in Smith Auditorium with a few other young adult seminarian types while we had the Laity Worship. Someone was reading, quite animatedly I might add, from one of the epistles, I think of Paul, out of the The Message translation by Eugene Peterson. (Props to anyone who can find the exact sitation I'm about to mention). Anyway, we were listening when all of a sudden we heard the words "seize the booty." We all snickered. You have the admit, that's friginilarious. It was so distracting that now I can't remember anything else about the passage. Anyway, I think that's definitely going to be our in joke for the rest of Conference. You know, it's just a great slogan: Seize the Booty!! Oh my. Eugene, what possessed you to think that it was okay to say that? I don't know.

Anyway, then I went to a Laity session on Young Adult Ministry. Another good opportunity. Ministering to Young Adults: Seizing the Booty. It was a pretty good session led by my friend Amy Edwards. The most interesting that I heard was this: if you're thinking about starting a young adult ministry, the first thing you need to do is evaluate you intentions. Why do you want young adult ministry? Because your church needs new life? Or because you truly want to meet the needs of young adults and want to be in ministry WITH young adults? Don't use us to boost your numbers, please.

Then I went to a second session on gays and lesbians in the church. It was called "Breaking the Silence." I am so sad that we can't get ourselves together enough to make a way for gays and lesbians who have been called by God into ordained ministry. We are losing so many good, good people because we aren't attuned enough to God's continuing movement in the world. And we're not doing anyone any favors with this don't ask don't tell policy. It's not good practice to encourage your clergy to live a lie. We need help.

Then was the Willamette Dinner. I got a sweet Willamette calculator. I had to bug out early in order to make it to choir rehearsal.

We had a pick-up choir for the Memorial Service tonight. We sang Seasons of Love from "Rent". Pretty challenging for a pick-up choir, but I think we did okay. My friend Roberta Egli was very involved in the service and did a wonderful job. We also celebrated communion with sung responses from The Faith We Sing. That was nice. And I'm really impressed with the conference musicians this year. There's been quite an improvizational style, which I love.

Okay, got to get to bed. More tomorrow.

And don't forget: Seize the Booty!!