useful

We have what we call here in the Moody realm a PCM. These letters stand for "Practical Christian Ministry." A PCM is something that every student here at Moody is required to do each and every week. This is some type of ministry here in Chicago outside of school. For example, tutoring, working in a church in some capacity, whether it be youth group or AWANA, or playing soccer in a park once a week. So last year me and Ben Harrison, a dear friend, were Jr. High leaders in a church in Schaumburg, IL. I was technically the tech and video guy, while Ben was the games and activities guy, and we both helped lead a small group. Well I decided to do the same thing this year just because I had built some good relationships with the kids already, and I didn't want to have to start over somewhere else, so I felt like it would be good to continue to grow those relationships. So I've been going to my PCM now for about 6 weeks. The first was really good, it felt so good to get back to a familiar place and do ministry with those kids and just catch up with them again. But the weeks following this were just, ya know, nothing too special. I think some things that contributed to that were just plain old tiredness because I have class all day and then soccer practice, and go straight to PCM, so I'm so tired by the time 7:00pm rolls around, so its a struggle to stay energetic and interact with the kids. Secondly, I haven't been involved in a small group yet because one of my responsibilities this year is to be in charge of the Jr. High website, so me and Nat (the youth pastor) have been setting that up during small group time.

So I say all that to say this, last night was the first night since the kickoff of PCM that I really felt useful. Why? Because I was a little more awake than usual and Nat asked me to do announcements which is a little unusual, but I'm happy that he asked me, and he also got me in a small group. But little did I know that he was giving me my own small group. So I had 4 Jr. Highers to discuss the lesson with for a half hour and it was great! It was just good talking with them and interacting with them on a different level than I am used to when we are just playing games or whatever. I could also say that this was the first time that I felt like I was doing ministry, but I know that that statement is not correct or true because I am doing ministry in so many other ways, but thats the way I felt at first. I don't have to be leading a small group, or be up in front of everyone doing announcements to be doing ministry. Ministry is done in the small ways as well, and I need to remember that. So I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the year, especially the retreat, because that is a blast as I found out last year. And I can truthfully and confidently say that I love my PCM, and not everyone can say that, and if you go to Moody you know what I mean.

shout out to all my guys and girls at Refinery!