For this year, I have come up with something looks like it will work much better. Just in case others are in a similar position or haven’t found anything yet for Transfiguration Sunday (February 19th), here is part of the lesson plan for what we will be doing:

Transfiguration Thaumatrope
(Before Sunday: Learn to say Thaumatrope.)

Start by introducing the craft so that it will connect to the story:
Today we learned the word Transfiguration. What did that word mean? (When Jesus was transfigured – when he was changed – he didn’t look like himself.) What do you remember the story saying he looked like? (He looked bright, white, glowing.)

I want to teach you another T word. It is Thaumatrope. A Thaumatrope is a thing. This is a Thaumatrope. (Hold up the example) It is a special thing that when you spin it, lets you see more than one thing at a time.

When the disciples saw Jesus Transfigured, they were able to see Jesus as something completely new and different — even though they knew him as their friend Jesus.

Lets get started.

Give everyone a picture of Jesus and have them color the background and paint Jesus white with the glue and glitter (You could skip this and just have them color him white, yellow, or using a gold or silver crayon). If they want to color Jesus, have them make his clothes white or yellow so he looks like he could glow. Have them set this picture aside so any glue or paint can have a chance to dry.

In person, the Thaumatrope looks better, but this still gives you the idea of how it works.

As they finish, they can start the next picture – this one they should not use any glitter but they can use any colors they would like (The effect is better if they use similar colors for the background).

Finally, they will cut both circles and glue them back to back with a wooden skewer stuck in between. (Have them put the pointy part in between the paper.)

As long as the glue and glitter is dry, they can spin their new Thaumatrope and see Jesus’ Transfiguration. (Theirs may not dry right away, in which case they can all try spinning the example Thaumatrope.)

Making a Thaumatrope could be used for a couple other lessons too — Angels rolling the stone from the tomb at Easter (one side a closed tomb, the other an open tomb), the wedding at Cana (one side with Jesus and water, one side with Jesus and wine), parable of the mustard seed (one side with a seed, one side with a tree) and Pentecost (one side with everyone gathered, one side with everyone with flames above their heads).

As long as the images are very similar, it will look like one image when you spin the Thaumatrope.

We were planning an away trip for this past weekend.  One girl who signed up to go was not able to join us last minute due to the death of her grandfather.  The youth had all been looking forward to going for a few months and suddenly, the dynamic changed for all of us.  We were leaving one of our own at home to go through something difficult on her own.

We left on Friday and vowed to keep the family in prayer throughout the whole weekend.  Whenever we did devotions, prayed for travel or prayed for our meals, we lifted them up.  The calling hours were planned for Sunday afternoon with no formal service.  When it came down to it, our youth voiced their desire to be there for the one.  They made the choice to leave the fun filled uplifting event early and go to the calling hours on the way home.  So we did.

About an hour from home and the funeral home, I had the last second thought to have a talk with my youth about what to expect.  As it turns out, this was a good thing, none of the youth had been to calling hours or a funeral home before. We talked about how to greet the family, how to express our prayers and sympathy.  We even talked about how to view the body, which it turns out there was not one.  We talked about how it was a great way to be the church to the rest of the family that did not know us. 

When we got there, they all got A+ ‘s in funeral home behavior.  They showed their compassion, their love, their faith, and their concern. They showed Christ.  Even though this turned out to be the absolute strangest, most unplanned, saddest and most hopeful event ever, I would not have changed a thing.

A friend and colleague, Michael Sladek, is a graphic designer, a former youth minister and a member of the ELCA Youth Ministry Extravaganza planning team, and the owner of Impression Media Group in Seattle.  He recently led the 3rd Tuesday Conversation (more info on that in a second).   His topic was  “How to Make Your Stuff Look Good” and he provided us with 11 Commandments to help us when making our publications, presentations, and web pages for ministry.  The webinar is approximately 30 minutes long.

Click here to watch the webinar
(Please note that you will be asked for your email address and name to access the recorded webinar)

As I mentioned before, 3rd Tuesday Conversations are monthly conversations with experts in the field of youth ministry and beyond.  3TC conversations are free for ELCA Youth Ministry Network members.  More information can be found on the Network website.  I know that we’ve mentioned it before, but if you aren’t a member of the Network, join today!

For a couple of years, I have avoided the “when tragedy strikes” workshops at conferences.  I figured I had not dealt with any, and by the time one came along, I would not remember the information anyway.  Today, I regretted that choice. 

Today, there was a stabbing at a local High School.  The incident occurred between two teachers, there were no students involved, and there are numerous rumors floating around about why.  I’m not sure it matters. None of “my kids” were physically hurt, some were not even in the building when it happened.  And then there is the one that saw the whole thing happened. And he is the one that will never approach me for help, or for a chat, or for anything.  I sent him a text message, and talked to his mom.  Beyond that, I hope and pray with everything I’ve got that he will find that much needed conversation somewhere else.

As the day went on, and I reached out to the youth in the school I know, I made contact with a senior boy, he was not in the school at the time, but wanted to come talk anyway.  I haven’t seen him often since confirmation, so I thought it would a little awkward, but I was determined to be there for him.  I made coffee, had cookies ready to go, and waited.  He came.  We chatted.  He did not have much to say about the incident.  He attends a special computer program at a county wide school for part of the day, so he had details, but not the whole “lock down experience” that the rest of the school had. 

I let him lead the conversation.  We talked about college, his sister, his job, his parents, his math grades, his English grades, his concerns about his girlfriend and the effect upcoming college moves would have on their relationship.  We talked about my love of coffee.  We covered a lot of ground before we got to the stabbing and even then he did not say much.  But we were in God’s house, talking through all of it.  He felt comfortable, and comforted.  I felt blessed to be here.  To listen, to love, to pray, and to be a part of his afternoon on a day he will never forget.  I am glad he came here, to the church, for that comfort. 

Forgive my ramblings, it’s been a long day, but I’m about to get to my point.  We all grumble about the “post confirmation exodus.”  But I am glad that he know here was a good place to be on a terrible day.  As much as I regret the exodus, I’m glad for proof that the peace of Christ lives on in the heart and mind of this young man, and I pray that it does for the others as well.

Archives:  Past Webinars
Click on the title link below to download the webinar.  Please note that you will be asked to register with your e-mail address to download. 

Upcoming Sessions:
Click on the link below to get more information on an individual webinar, and to sign up to participateI

Who are these Webinars for?
These webinars are for professionals and volunteers who work with young people in our congregations.  They are great preperation for participation in the ELCA Youth Gathering, as well as your youth group meetings, mission trips, service projects, Bible study and other events. 

Linda is 8 and in the 3rd grade.  A friend of mine, also from church, babysits her and her brother once a week or so.  I happened to be at his house while he was sitting last week.  Linda was asking for chores so she could earn some cold hard cash.  Last time she did this, she was angling for book fair money.  This time, she was raising money for God’s Global Barnyard, an ELCA World Hunger program.  She proceed to tell me and my friend what the money was for (with exact detail) and why it was important to her.  Simply stated, God asks us to help each other.  She proceeded to mop and vacuum and dust. I was so very excited to see what I thought was a little girl asking for pocket money actually be God’s Kingdom at work.  I am proud of what Linda learned in Sunday School, glad of the continued conversation that happened with her Mom and Dad, and glad that were encouraged and enthusiastic action behind those conversations.  Linda is not perfect.  I’m sure she will continue to bug her brother when her mom is not looking, forget to feed her Guinea Pigs (Baby & Bella) and may even get a lunch detention later on in life, but she is and always be a Child of God.

This year, I found these wonderful frames made of recycled materials and that support hunger causes.  I loved picking out a picture of each youth for their frame.  They are filled with memories from youth group, eating oreos and confirmation retreats.  I loved working on them, and made the process much longer than it needed to be.  On the back of each frame I glued a piece of paper with the students name, confirmation verse, and the blessing we bestow on them during the service.

It is my hope and prayer that each time the confirmand sees the frame and their picture that they are filled with warm and fuzzy memories of our church, their community and everything that went into them affirming their baptism.

Well, it’s a church with a steeple, but you don’t need to open the doors to see all the people. Two Belgian architects have created an amazing steel-framed church, built from 100 stacked layers and 2,000 columns of plates. From some angles, you can see it clearly, but from others it seems to disappear. Don’t expect to attend services there, though—the church is actually an art installation titled “Reading Between the Lines.” (via Newser)

The Belgian architects were trying to make a statement about faith, but it begs the question for us, Is your church transparent?

This question can be taken in a number of ways:

• Do our churches show others what we are doing in a way that they can feel welcomed and join in because they know what they can expect?
• Do our churches keep others safe by not allowing certain things to happen behind closed doors?
• Do our churches unveil structures in a way that everyone can find a role in God’s mission in their daily life?

How is your church transparent?

1. When we find out someone is expecting, a new parents or thinking of baptism, we start sending them “Growing in Christ” materials from Concordia publishing. The materials are marked as to when the family should receive them, so they are easy for a volunteer to keep track of and send out. The materials tell the parents what is going on with their child from a faith development aspect and what they can do to encourage that growth.

2. Pastor meets with the family to talk with them about why they want to have their child baptized, what responsibilities come with it, and why it is more than just dumping water on the head of some poor sleeping baby.

3. In addition to some the materials above, we send some of our own that talk about things specific to our church. Our nursery facilities, our preschool, and other things.

4. On the day of the baptism, a photo of the child and his family are taken and put our our baptism board. That way, the congregation gets to know the family (at least visually) that they are supposed to be supporting and praying for. The child/baby is also presented with a felt baptismal banner made by one of our confirmation students. This is a means to teach our confirmation students about what is going on during a baptism, our responsibilities for the baptized, and shows the family more support.

To be honest, none of these things take a large amount of time, effort, or are beyond basic, but it is is better than nothing. I’ve seen other churches do things better. But, It is really important to do something. Parents need to understand that we have the resources and devotion to support them and their child. These are things any church can do, large or small.

I hope and pray that every family who has children baptized fully understands the covenant they are making and that they feel true support for that undertaking.