DAYA ENews -June 2009 Article

New York City Here We Come

by Lauren Woody

Getting ready for our pilgrimage to New York City this month has left me with mixed emotions. I am the kind of person who loves to plan things, so that is a really exciting part of the trip for me. I have gathered ideas from many different people on fun activities and ways to engage everyone in learning more about the Episcopal Church and how we interact with the world around us. I think we have come up with a list of wonderful things that will help us move into a closer relationship with God, while cherishing the community that will help us get there. I can’t wait to see how the people around me react to visiting with the Presiding Bishop, touring the first Episcopal Seminary, climbing the spire at a Cathedral, or seeing a Broadway play.

Among the participants going, more than half have never been to New York. I think being there when they see Times Square or the Statue of Liberty for the first time will be such a gift. I have not been back to New York since 9/11, so I will get to share in the awe and sadness of one of the greatest tragedies of modern times. I am a little nervous as to how I will react. We are taking a self guided audio tour that was put together by people meeting in Trinity Wall St. the day the towers fell. I have listened to it already and I cried when I heard the stories of crane workers, firemen, and family members of the deceased. I wonder where I will see God in the experience of being at this hallowed site.

I have had life changing experiences every time I have been on a trip like this and I expect this trip to be no different. I pray that I have the patience and the wisdom to be present, silent and still in a place so inundated with noise and hurry. I hope that I can open myself up to the presence of God and I can be present with the other people sharing this with me. I hope I can come home and incorporate the things I learn on this trip into my everyday life. I hope it will open my eyes to the wonderful things the Episcopal Church is doing to radically change the world around us. If only some of these hopes get realized it will be a successful pilgrimage. Wish us godspeed.

DAYA Enews- May 2009 Article

The Great 50 Days of Easter

by Tiffany Hatfield

Whew! After a whir of activity during Holy Week, I feel like I can finally settle in and savor the pure joy of the Great 50 Days of Easter (or at least the 30 or so we still have left before Pentecost). The “Alleluias” are back, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier about it. Don’t get me wrong, I get a lot out of Lent, with its pious tones and time for deep, serious reflection, but I am always glad to hear, “Alleluia. Christ is risen.” during Easter Vigil. He’s back! The same, only different! Like Gandolf in Lord of the Rings, only better! How awesome is that?!

Okay, so now I may have lost some of you as I let a bit of my nerdy side show through. I admit it, I love Lord of the Rings (LOTR). In fact, I booked my flight home from college one year so I could go directly from the airport to a midnight showing of The Return of the King. Bear with me though, even if you’re not a huge fan or haven’t seen the movies.

For last month’s Theological Brew, our Diocesan Coordinator, Lauren Woody had the ingenious idea to create a version of Stations of the Cross using movie clips—from Shawshank Redemption, Simon Burch, Cinderella, Chicago, and more—to tell the story of Jesus’ final hours. Lauren chose a clip from LOTR of the reaction of the characters to the heroic, sacrificial death of Gandalf the Grey to illustrate the despair that was surely felt by the disciples after Jesus died. She also chose a clip where Gandalf returns from apparent death in a glow of bright light—the same and yet remarkably different— to show the shocking nature of Jesus’ return to earth after three days.

As most people who sat through all 558 minutes (of the theatrical version) of those movies would tell you, after you’ve seen the heart-wrenching agony this band of brothers felt upon losing their leader, the reappearance of Gandalf is a sight for sore eyes. Even in a time of peril and uncertainty, there is such joy, such relief, such hope upon his return that your heart can’t help but leap a little in your chest. He’s back! The same, only different! So much like our own Savior! How awesome is that?!

Sometimes, it is easy to think, “Okay, Easter’s over, now back to normal.” Our “normal” is entirely new though. In this Great Eastertide, I keep pondering what a great thing it is that He’s back, that Jesus is raised from the dead. I think that each time we really, truly allow ourselves to experience the power of God breaking through the darkness, through the silence, through our walls and barriers and bodily shells, we come out all the better for it. We see the world in a new way. We encounter others in a new way. We are the same, only different. Like our old selves, only better… and it is truly awesome.

Young Adult Pilgrimage Announcement and Information

“As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world, a certain sense of beautiful mystery seems to gather and grow.” A.C. Benson

Pilgrimage has always been a strange word to me. I have always thought that life itself was a pilgrimage, and it is, but I have recently begun to understand the very spiritual nature of being intentional about a trip somewhere. Wikipedia defines a pilgrimage as “a long journey or search of great moral significance.” Great Moral Significance.

When I first started planning for the Young Adult Pilgrimage coming up in June, I sat with that statement for a while. We decided that going to New York, to the headquarters of The Episcopal Church, would be a great way to get to know how we fit into a larger picture.

We asked for an audience with the Presiding Bishop because we thought it would be a great way to understand what The Episcopal Church wants from us and what it is doing for us. We want an opportunity to show her who we are and why we are so important to the life of the church. We also think that having an opportunity to explore our cultural and religious history and its significance in the way the church interacts with the community is important. And our last goal is to try to get a better understanding of what the church does in times of crisis, like our relief work after 9/11. I think all this plays in to the exact definition of a pilgrimage, a “search of great moral significance.”

I never really understood the difference between a vacation and a pilgrimage until I went on a trip to Quito, Ecuador, in South America. I never thought that a “vacation” could change my life in the way that trip has.

By going with a group of people who were also there trying to have a life-changing experience, I was able to transform what could have been any other trip with something that opened my eyes to the love and grace that Jesus left when he died on the cross. I was given the language to put my spirituality into words. Having people around you who are searching for a deeper relationship with God is essential to the spiritual growth of any person.

Here’s what we are planning:

• Leave June 20 and return on June 27
• The cost will be $1100 for an entire week in New York City, which includes flights, lodging, activities, and transportation while we are there.
• The activities, which are subject to change at any time and are included in that price, are:
  --visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, The Episcopal Church offices, Trinity Wall Street (one of the first Episcopal churches ever built)
  --tours of General Seminary (the first Episcopal seminary), The Cathedral of St John the Divine including a spire climb, Ground Zero and St. Paul's Chapel (where most of the 9/11 relief was housed)
  --a day of mission work
  --a Broadway show and a show at St. Mary's put on by the Episcopal Actors Guild; and
  --A MEETING WITH THE PRESIDING BISHOP!!

The only thing not included in this price is your food. You will be required to bring extra money to cover that. I suggest you budget $50 a day, which is $350, but you can eat for cheaper than that if you try.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due by April 10. An additional $300 is due on May 8, and a $300 payment on June 5.

I hope you will consider joining us for this meaningful trip of discovery to learn who we were, who we are, and who we want to be as Americans, Christians, and Episcopalians.

Lauren Woody
Young Adults Coordinator for the Diocese of Atlanta

For more information or to register, please contact Lauren Woody at lwoody@episcopalatlanta.org.

March 2009 Article

A Lenten Reflection
by Michael Asmussen

Well, it is that time of the year again. We are now halfway through the time when we give something up or take something on for the 40 days of Lent (well, really more than 40 days, as you are allowed to indulge on Sundays). Growing up I would typically give up something that I had so rarely that I really wouldn’t miss it for those 40 days (like Dairy Queen blizzards). In fact, I got to be pretty good at picking something so specific that I really didn’t have to change my lifestyle. Obviously it was easy for me, but now I feel as if I was really missing the point (although, as a little kid, I think missing the point now and then really isn’t that big of a deal).

In recent years I have taken to giving up candy and ice cream for Lent, which is difficult, because I am a HUGE fan of some of the Easter candy. (Especially Cadbury mini eggs-- in fact, I have been munching on a few while writing this). I figured that these things would be simple enough to give up, and really didn’t think they would be that hard. But the first time I decided to give up candy and ice cream for Lent I really struggled. I would often wrap up work doing groundwater sampling at a gas station, and an ice cream bar or milk shake really would’ve hit the spot. Somehow I managed to restrain myself, and in the process I felt as if, in a strange way, my faith had been strengthened.

Something that I have not tried myself is the idea of taking on something for Lent. As strange as it might seem, for those of us who feel like we have too much going on, or maybe for those that find it too hard to give something up, taking something on might be the better fit. It can be something like trying to exercise more, eat healthier, make an attempt to make a difference in somebody else’s life, or even something as simple as making the effort to take time out of each day to clear your head and re-focus.

If you haven’t started a Lenten discipline yet, it isn’t too late to start. We still have half of Lent left, so whether you decided to give something up or take on something, take the opportunity to step back and think about the promise of Easter that comes at the end.

November Newsletter Article-- Young Adults ROCK

Young Adults ROCK

There is a reason why Compline is more wildly popular among young adults than say, Morning Prayer. Sure – on one hand, it fits better into the rhythm of our lives, and soothes the mystery of our day with offerings to God. However, if you spend a lot of time reading Compline, and accept – as most Episcopalians do – that praying shapes believing, the words found in this bedtime prayer speak to the deep needs of many young adults today and help us through the “chances and changes of this life.”

Tending to our deep spiritual lives was just one of the topics in the north Georgia mountains on the weekend of October 10-12, 2008. Sponsored by the Diocese of Atlanta Young Adults (DAYA), the first Young Adult Summit was held at Camp Mikell in Toccoa, GA. This gathering – the first of its kind for young adults in the southeast – drew 35+ young adults from three surrounding dioceses, for workshops, fellowship, and discussion on empowering young adults for leadership and personal spiritual growth. With workshop topics ranging from campus ministry to spiritual direction, Episcopal Relief and Development to the discernment process, there was a wonderful balance between learning how to feed our own needs and the needs of others.

Part of what was so amazing about the weekend was that it was hosted, staffed, and sponsored by young adults for young adults. It “practiced what it preached” and “preached what it practiced.” If the point was to empower young adults, the best way it was done was that young adults were the ones doing the empowering. Sure, there were many people of all ages there to support what was happening and to lead workshops, and be resources, but none of it would have been possible without DAYA, director Lauren Woody, and the incredible young adults involved with this group.

Our own Bishop J. Neil Alexander addressed the gathering on Friday night, and was the keynote speaker. He rejoiced in this gathering, and spoke candidly about his own experience as a young adult in the church and his hopes for young adults today. Primarily he spoke of relationships – emphasizing God’s relationship in the Trinity, and urging us to worry less about how much we love God and focus more on how much God loves us.

And that is exactly what it felt like we did that weekend, and what I carried away from this amazing time together. Relating to each other was the purpose – some new relationships were formed, others rekindled, and others deepened. I believe the people that were at the first annual Young Adult Summit were impacted in ways that cannot be contained or measured. The energy was palpable.

You might not have actually felt the shift of the earth on its axis that beautiful fall weekend, but it occurred and nothing will ever quite be the same again. Primarily, we rejoice in just how far we have come already – the recognition of the gifts and ministry of young adult leaders in the Diocese of Atlanta who work many, many hours to make this event, and many weekly events possible. We celebrate and recognize the presence of Christ among us, working through us and in us to make a safe, warm, welcoming place for young adults in our church.

And we look to the future for the second, third, fourth…annual Young Adult Summits and to finding our place in this church and in the world. I am honored to have been a part of this first event, and know that mountains moved that weekend – and trust God is working in us daily to raise up, recognize, and nurture the young adults among us. Watch what happens next!


Submitted by Sharon Hiers

DAYA Enews - May Article

This is the complete article that appeared in the DAYA Connector - the official enewsletter of the Diocese of Atlanta Young Adults.

A New Community by Charles Shipp
May Enewsletter

When I was in high school, one of my friends told me to be sure to find a church when I went to college because having that community was so important during turbulent times. That advice stuck with me, and after I moved from Memphis to Auburn—seven hours away from home—I quickly realized how true it was. I found a church there, and that community really helped me get through college and grad school.

When I graduated and moved to Atlanta, I had to leave that support group. I felt a little lost—Atlanta is a huge city and I hardly knew anyone here. I found myself thinking “Where do I start? How do I start from scratch and find a new group of friends?”

About a week after I moved in, I got a message on Facebook from a fellow Episcopalian welcoming me to the city. Granted, I was a little weirded out by this. How did this person find me and know I had just moved here? But, I did feel welcome. Then, two days later, I got another email, this time from another Episcopalian about my age. By this point I was thinking there was some covert Episcopal spy network hunting me. Anyway, she told me she was Episcopalian and invited me to church the next Sunday. (God sometimes has a blunt way of getting through to people.) So, I went.

She invited me to meet a group of young adults for lunch after church, and presto: within a week of moving in, I had met about ten Episcopal young adults. It was amazing—instant community. I now had a lifeline in this incredibly big city. Those young adults from across the diocese are now my best friends in Atlanta.

Spring is a big time for moving. School is out, people are coming home for summer, graduating and finding a job. Wherever you end up, reach out and find a group. I know it helped me get my bearings here in Atlanta. The church is such an easy way to get rooted in a new place, be it Atlanta or somewhere else. Atlanta, and much of North Georgia, is full of 20s and 30s, and the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta has some of the best young adult ministries in the country, both in our parishes and at the diocesan level. If you’re moving into the diocese, across the diocese, or to a neighboring diocese, DAYA is a great place to get hooked into to your new community and find some fantastic new friends. Check out the website at www.dofaya.org for information on how to get involved in diocese-wide events, and for links to individual parish young adult groups.

Peace in Christ,

Charles Shipp

DAYA Enews - March Article

This is the complete article that appeared in the DAYA Connector - the official enewsletter of the Diocese of Atlanta Young Adults.

Don't Call it a Retreat:
A Reflection on the Vocare Experience by Sarah Jordan
March Enewsletter

What does “vocare” mean? Sure, it’s Latin for “to call,” but what does it really mean? As a pilgrim at DOG/DOA Vocare #3, I discovered that Vocare is about discovering who I am meant to be through God’s eyes. I went to a weekend filled with uncertainty and found a loving community who accepted me- flaws and all- and helped guide me through my journey. I learned to rely on God for insecurities that I didn’t even know I had. I found love, acceptance, and clarity all through what- at the time- seemed like goofing off with a bunch of wackos.

I wasn’t expecting to find genuine friends who I would so quickly call “family.” My biggest struggle going into the weekend was a lack of community; I had recently been severely betrayed by those around me and felt weary of everyone. I know God had me attend this weekend to meet them and fill my heart with love and trust again. Even now after Vocare is over, I talk with my new friends daily and rely on them for strength in God’s word. I truly feel like I’ve been adopted into a new family and feel completely blessed to know such strong ties formed through the love of Christ.

As for my fellow pilgrims, many struggled with insecurities about their future. Which path should they go down? Can’t God give them a clear sign? What should they do in the meantime waiting for an answer? I am extremely blessed to know my calling, but others who struggled found peace through the weekend. Slowing down and praying about God’s will helped guide them to trust God into sharing His plan when the time is right.

This sounds intense- I know- but it wasn’t until I began reflecting upon my weekend once I returned home that I discovered these things. While I was there, I thought that I was having a fun time with a group of cool people who just happened to be sitting around having deep conversations. It’s hard to explain what Vocare is because it must be experienced for oneself. I do know, however, that Vocare will be a milestone in my continuing spiritual journey. Don’t call it a weekend. Don’t call it a retreat. Call it an experience. And it’s one I will treasure in my heart always.