Yesterday was my first Sunday at the church as a youth pastor and not a candidate. It was really neat, and the people were really supportive. I got to say a few words on the spot (I'm not always good with that, but I didn't get excommunicated or stoned, so that was good), and the church prayed together about the youth group and my ministry while the youth were all up front with me. I know that the youth group will grow, and that we are going to have a great time together. After church was a potluck to welcome me, and it was a lot of fun and a lot of good food. Since it was my brother's girlfriend's graduation party yesterday afternoon as well, I had to slip out around 1:30. I unloaded some of the stuff from my car into my house, and just as I was leaving, an older man stopped me to talk for a minute. He asked me about my plans for the youth group and so on and so forth, but then he told me what happened to the other youth pastors that were most recently before me. He said that they were asked to leave because they had "inappropriate things" on their computers. Now, that could be anything from music that curses excessively up to pornography, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. I told him that the most inappropriate thing that can be found on my laptop would be a picture of someone picking their nose. It's always surprising and yet not shocking to me how people in high positions of leadership in the church as still susceptible to the same sorts of problems that the parishoners or those outside the church can fall prey to. People tend to judge the fallen leader more harshly than others because they should most certainly uphold the Word, and it is a tough thing. Tough because they SHOULD be living according to right teaching, since they are teaching others by both words and actions. Tough because they are still human and capable of failure. No, I don't expect to be asked to leave because of anything along those lines or anything at all. I'm excited to be a change for this group. A twenty-something female as the youth pastor. Ironically, I only know one other woman that was a youth pastor. Her name was Lorraine, and she was my youth pastor for years, as well as being my Bible Quiz coach and choir director. She was a good example in my life of not only how to run a group, but how to have fun and still maintain respect among the youth and the rest of the church body.
I have planned the first meeting as a luau, which always makes me happy. Good fun, good food, and a festive atmosphere. I hope they have as much fun as I do. Mostly, I hope it is that bang that truly kicks off the summer and our time together as a youth group. We are small, but big things all start that way.
