So first off, I want to say that y'all had great answers to the first set of questions. I really enjoyed reading them. Keep it up!
This last chapter on community was really good & important for us, as we'll be needing to practice good community during our trip. The question this week is that I simply want to know what you got out of this chapter...what was most interesting for you or most challenging. How do you think that it could apply to our community as a trip in Boston?
MAKE SURE that you take time to answer the questions in the book on pages 43-45. Some of the answers probably are a bit more private than what would be best to post on here, but I'd love to hear your responses, so if you want you can email them to me (joel.harris@the-chapel.org), but you don't have to. But make sure you answer them in your books.
These questions are due by next Sunday (the 25th). If you're going out of town for Memorial Day weekend, make sure to post before you leave!
jdh
About Me
- joeldaniel
- i like to pick and choose when i use capital letters. i do middle school youth pastor sorts of things at First Friends, and am also their Instigator of Justice (the job title came with a sweet super hero cape, so i had to say yes). in my free time i give leadership to a small group ministry related to sexuality known as six19 and am an Associate Staff member with the CCO. i grew up in Canton, Ohio and live in a house there where i try to think about what it means to be a good neighbor. i hang out with students at Malone College (the college from whence i graduated), trying to help them think about living lives without compartments. I worked at Camp Gideon for 10 years. i miss the sunsets (among a myriad of other things). i enjoy discussing the emerging church, Quaker theology, HIV/AIDS issues, and the intersection of culture and Christ followers. i love the outdoors, get a kick out of leading worship, and half-heartedly pursue long-distance running.
54 comments:
where is the community section?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
~Luc Luc
ooops...sorry luc luc...i miss-titled it. This is it!
I found this chapter to be really interesting actually. I have lots of friends and they're all different in their own ways. But I think we all can reach out to other kids who aren't in our circle of friends. I try my best include other people, but sometimes, it's not easy. Sometimes I get so used to hanging out with just my circle of friends that I forget about the other people around me. I could be missing out on AMAZING friendships and not even realize it!
When Zach was talking about the book Four Souls, it really got me thinking about how I help my friends. Do I pick them up when they fall? Do I comfort them when they're going through hard times? Do they do the same for me?
In my group of friends at church, there's like, 6 or 7 of us. Me, Tonya, Holly, Lauren, Ashton, Brenna, Jenna, and Valerie. Ok, sorry, 8 people. lol and we're all really different, but in some way, we're all the same. They're always there for me, and they always make my day 10 times better. =] I just hope I do the same for them =]
Since most of us went on the NC trip last year (Can you dig it?!) we all kinda know each other. But I know there's gonna be some people who didn't go last year. Some people I've never met before. I think we should all try our hardest to get to know each other on the over nighters, so we can become great friends while on the trip. =]
Lets face it. Who doesn't want more friends!?!
When I was reading this last night, I prayed and asked God to help me reach out to others more, and not be so enclosed with my circle of friends. I think we all need to pray that prayer. Especially before the missions trip.
Oh my goshhh !!!!
I bit my lip like 40 times while typing this and it's bleeding like crazy!
Peace sonn
Mads
Community. What I got most from the chapter is that we're all different but we can all get along. We don't have to agree, but it's a good idea when we don't agree to talk about it and to see why we don't agree. Maybe hearing someone else's views and they hearing mine will help us to understand each other.
It was interesting to see how the people of Clapham, England were different in many ways but by working through their differences were able to fight for change together in the area of fighting slavery.
I liked what was said about Jesus and his disciples and how different each one was in their personality and their work. Jesus picked them to be his helpers because he knew he could use each one's uniqueness to form a community to do his ministry.
Community will be needed on our missions trip because even though we're each different and will have different jobs to do, we need to work together and learn from each other and be accountable to the group. By working together we can accomplish what none of us could working alone.
Oops - I forgot to put my name and it came out Anonymous. But I wrote it!
Community. What I got most from the chapter is that we're all different but we can all get along. We don't have to agree, but it's a good idea when we don't agree to talk about it and to see why we don't agree. Maybe hearing someone else's views and they hearing mine will help us to understand each other.
It was interesting to see how the people of Clapham, England were different in many ways but by working through their differences were able to fight for change together in the area of fighting slavery.
I liked what was said about Jesus and his disciples and how different each one was in their personality and their work. Jesus picked them to be his helpers because he knew he could use each one's uniqueness to form a community to do his ministry.
Community will be needed on our missions trip because even though we're each different and will have different jobs to do, we need to work together and learn from each other and be accountable to the group. By working together we can accomplish what none of us could working alone.
I liked this chapter because Zach talked about how he has a group of friends and their not all alike. They have their differences and still can become close friends. So, what I got out of this chapter was you could hang around total strangers your age and get to know them, but still could become friends.
It was interesting when Zach talked about four souls because this group of friends were different from each other but they still helped people and picked each other up when they were sick or had a rough day. Like at church I only hang around with my group of friends and i think it would be kinda weird to get to know someone if they were the total opposite of me.
While on the trip, i'm sure that there are people that are different than me, but if i got to know someone and talk to him/her then i know we would still get stuff done like the group of friends in the book four souls.
gkjnktvaomggg(good golly gosh) joel way to scare me!!!!!
Anyways...
Definately one of the most challlenging things for me is to step out of my circle of friends and talk to people i dont usually talk to(aka. the creepers). along with telling them about God and how he died for us.
I have to absolutely get better at this because im going on a missions trip to boston (in case you guys didnt know that already) and there are going to be some people that i am going with that i might not know. Plus i am going to be talking to people in boston if we would go to a soup kitchen or something like that. or be with the little kids or something.
As madison said, i really do try to get out of my circle of homie dizzles and talk to other people but it really is hard. you always want to be around the people that you know and are fun to be with but you can get to know other people...and who knows maybe they are just as much fun as your other friends.
anyways that is all that i have to say
peace
Luc Luc
I love this book and I know that sounds really nerdy hahaha!!!!!!!
This chapter was really good, its so amazing for me because I have so many different friends at church, dance, and school or other places I go hahahaahahahhaha. A lot of my friends are like me but then were all so different from eachother. I love meeting new people but someties its wierd making friends because I hope they will like me for me!!!!!! I'm never different around any of my friends ever, i hope that I'm like those Four Souls with anybody. I always get really used to only my friends and sometimes feel overwhelmed because of howmany people want to tell me their problems or have to talk to me!!!!! All the time I never want to make friends but then I think about what God would do and feel like a retard for thinking that. I always try to be the comforter but it never works for me I'm always the one who is comforted with my friends, probs because I'm soooooo emotional hahahahaha I cry about everything.
It's really funny because in this chapter were talking about reaching out to others and your friends but at this time I'm really losing my best friend. She's being a really big jerk to me and my othere bff. We used to be the three musketers but not anymore, I really feel like God is helping me through this time because I need to be reaching out to others but I don't want to because I'm always thinking about my friend.
I'm really trying to reach out to others and be peoples friend. On this trip I really hope everyone becomes really close friends and no crap drama happens. I love all my friends and pray that God will help us reach out to others on this trip to Boston.
-Lil Brummy-
I simply want to know what you got out of this chapter...what was most interesting for you or most challenging. How do you think that it could apply to our community as a trip in Boston?
The most interesting thing in this chapter for me was learning that every thing we talk about in school is not important. That is purely true for me. I always talk about what I did, what I’ve done, what I’m going to do, or what’s going on with other people. Sometimes, it feels like the most important thing to be talking about at the time, but it really has no effect on life at all. I mean, we’re just going to forget about it the next day anyways. Maybe we do that because we don’t have anything better to talk about. If talking about ourselves and other people was banned from school, what would we talk about? Algebra? (not like that’s important!! :] )
I think that in Boston, we should avoid chatting about school and focus on the “here&now” factor. Instead of bragging about ourselves or gossiping about others we can create new conversations.
one of my favorite parts of this chapter was page 41, the last paragraph, where Zach talks about listening to conversations at school and how they are about what we did over the weekend, who we hung out with, what we did with our families, etc. I really like mindless/all about me conversations like that, but i like meaningful conversations like that a lot more. I agree with Zach about how a community is a lot more than those basically meaningless conversations, and that a true community is a group of people you can be honest with about anything, and that everyone can be accepted. I also like what he said about it being a 'safe place'.
On page 39, I liked the part that said "so while they were deliberately trying to grow together in their faith and develop real and honest friendships, there were times when their frustration with one another brought out the worst in them." My friends and I are sooo much like that. The only thing any of us have in common are our quirkiness and love of Monty Python movies. Other than that, we are completely different people, which is probably why we mesh well together; but also why we butt heads a lot. we've all been friends for awhile and we've seen each other go through really rough times. Those memories, at least for me, come up a lot when I'm with my friends and sometimes, unfortunately, bring back some old [bad] habits. So we can definitely get frustrated with each other and bring out the worst in one another. But we also can bring out the best in each other, and I think thats because we are so different and teach each other new stuff. If you think about it, every single person going on this trip are so different from the next. Thats where 'applying our community as a trip in Boston' comes in. because we're so different, we can all bring out the best in each other by teaching everyone new things about Jesus and god and just life in general; which would help us teach awesome things to the people we get the chance to meet in Boston. We can teach each other/Boston people thing about God and Jesus that maybe we/they have never thought of before. Like it says on page 40 [the quote from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10] "Two are better than one". One mind alone can do amazing things ; think of what we can do with all of ours together!
Most of my friends are a lot like me but I do have a couple that are different from me too!! but no matter what i have fun with any of them!!!
This guy i met from my trapshooting league is a lot different from me but he is a cool guy that he would be fun to hang around with because he does a lot of things that people usually wouldn't do but not bad things.
I have tackled things with a community of friends (aquantinces) through battallion with the habbitat for humanity! and it was made easier by the fact that everybody had fun and worked!!and it was also hard to work together in the fact that some of the kids you don't see eye to eye with you work with sooo.....
Gary Older
“Wilberforce decided his faith would impact what he did with his life”
-I think most of us who are going have or are realizing how true that statement is about our lives. With that in mind I think that could be a way to bring us closer as group. I feel like we need to keep in mind on the trip we’re there to grow closer to God, each other (our community), and share our love and services to those who God has placed in our path. Like Champan we need to be willing to help people we’ve never met. And in the process we’re unifying our goals, purpose, and mission. Like we need to have the same heart and purpose but different personalities and attributes that overall makes us unique. So as a whole we can be the body of the greatest super hero ever….. LARRY BOY (jk) Jesus.
The 2nd to last paragraph in the Four Souls section said “If one guy was sick from a parasite or just lonely another ‘brother’ was there to pick him up” That just made me think of how most people don’t have that. Or at least don’t realize they have someone too help them up. It’s like we fall down it’s our fault; so it is our job to get up again by ourselves. It’s like grace and loving kindness don’t even exist. I can think of times when I have fallen I didn’t see or feel any hands. But now I realize if I just asked I would have been helped up. There has also been times were I knew they was help around me, but my stubborn pride wouldn’t accept it. I wanted to die before I accepted that help. Luckily God changed my heart and allowed me to break down and accept the help I needed. What I’m trying to say with this little story is that I think we can improve the trip by continuously letting each other know we’re there and we can help. While at the same time I’m saying it’s challenging to ask for it.
One of the reasons I think that finding real community among teens is hard, because we like to stay in the shallow. We don’t want to go past the point we’re our feet can’t touch the bottom and we can’t standup by ourselves. We feel the reward of going into the deep isn’t worth the risk of drowning. Least that’s how it is seems to be with friendship and anything that has to do with one’s real soul. But if you take that metaphor and get rid of the comparison (therefore getting rid of the metaphor) and just look at the water there’s a big difference. As kid you probably couldn’t wait to go in the deep and use the diving board or swim out to the raft. Why can’t it be like that spiritually too?
Shawna I slightly disagree with you. I think our “round table” :p has more in common than Monty Python and quirkiness. Though quirkiness could describe are various attributes in broad manner. But just think now we have books now that Hawk-lyn is into Twilight. And we all pretty much have our faith in common……. I just reread what I highlighted from your entry and this came into mind. “Nothing gold can stay…..Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay Gold.” I’m still trying to figure out how that really relates to what you were saying. But of the top of my head it came to me because there always is gold, but when the bad stuff comes along the gold doesn’t show up quite as well.
Holly I don’t know what you cry about but being emotion isn’t a bad thing. It’s being apathetic, unfeeling, and hardening yourself that isn’t good. Crying is one of the best coping skills and I’m just learning how to do it again. I’m not quite sure what I’m trying to say or what I mean by this….. I felt a connection and wanted to tell you that.
I totally agree with Luc the most challenging thing for me is stepping outside my circle(s) and talking to people I don’t know well. Like even written on here is awkward for me. If you’ve ever seen me in person I probably didn’t seem shy. But I really am, at first anyway. Like sometimes I want to say something but I don’t because I don’t normal talk to them. And sometimes I just thing it would be taken wrong or cause conflict so my brain yells at me to stay quiet.
WE TOTALLY NEED TO SING VEGGIETALES SONG IN BOSTON!!!!!!
My friends are people I’ve known for years. Thou i have been making new ones as well. When I’m with my friends i feel secure and that i can tell them anything. Even thou we sometimes get on each others nerves or bump heads with each other they are still my friends. We all show our individuality in many ways. That’s probably what i like most about people.
In the Community chapter my favorite part was page 41. I love the words that Zach spoke. "I think community means a group of people with whom you can be honest about what really matters to you. It's a place where you can be accountable, where you can explore new ideas together, and where everyone is accepted". I feel the same way. My life feels like that I’m climbing Mt.Everest. As i start to climb my friends are there to be supportive and when i feel like i can't make it, they are there to pick me up. Getting nearer to the top, there are others who need that same support so i pick them up so we can all make it to the top.(sorry if it was bad analogy, haha)
The N.C trip brought me so much closer to different people. I met Madison,Tonya,Holly,Hailee, and tons more that I’ve became friends with.(kudos,kudos,kudos).It was a great experience and i loved it. This chapter is exactly true. We all hang out with people we feel comfortable with [which is nothing wrong with that], I do that all the time but I always step out of the circle to include others in. I’m always happy to meet new people.
Kudos to everyone who’s coming! I can't wait to see new and old faces on the trip!!!!
Abby :P [sorry if its a bit short this time]
wow this sucks it didnt post the thing i just wrote...
Jon c.
Jon c. here
So yeah i just wrote a longer thing but it didnt work. so im gonna make it shorter.
So yeah the most challenging thing for me is like most of my good friends are all sport fanatics, and i dont really dont have any guy freinds that they mostly enjoy sports. To me sports is a way to connect better, like im ussalluy shy around people that i dont know, but in sports i can talk to anyone and start a conversation. But back to the challenge i dont have very many friends who dont play sports. and i know people i just dont connect well with them. And when i try to talk about their intrests like what ever it is, i insult them by saying something dumb on acident. then i feel dumb and dont really know waht to do. and now they dont like me. So i stray from them and go back to sports. also shouldnt i enjoy the activivty im trying to understand and learn from the other people who dont enjoy sports? Help me out man
I thought the section aboout the four men was interesting. But one thing i have to say is that everyone is gonna have personality clashes, like, my bestfreind and i are both natural leaders and were both strongwilled. So we get into alot of arguments. But thats just how life is, u just have to apolijize and forget. its life its gonna happen to everyone.
I also think that my connections with sports will help me relate to some of the kids down in boston.
Jcrabbs
Hey, was uppp? This is Lauren Herr!
I think this is a really good chapter. It's so true thatwe sometimes hide in our own little circle of friends and in the process end up leaving people out. I know I've done that a time or two. We should never do this though because:
1. It could be hurting someone's feelings because they think we don't like them or something.
2. They could be really cool people that we might have a chance to share God's love with.
3. You know Jesus would hang with them even though they are different cuz he was friends with tax collectors and prostitutes and so on.
All of these are important things that we should keep in mind when we're making decisions about friends. I have some pretty different friends myself that even though they're like the total opposite of me, they're pretty flammm!
Like my friend Yuqi. She's from China. I met her at the Chapel's International student Ministries. She' so different from me. I mean she's from the other end of the world! But we had a ton of good times together before she went back to China.
I have plenty of other friends that are really cool, but i would have never met them if I hadn't stepped outside my comfort zone for a sec.
Yep. That's what I think. Bye now.
-L-Dawg FaShizzle
I think one thing in this chapter that really stuck out was the part on the book four souls becuase i find it unbelievable that four guys all completely different from eachother could do the stuff they did especially at their age. i dont kno a lot of twenty year old guys who can honestly look for an opportunity to serve i dont think i even do that enough with all the time i have. so i think for our trip we can all learn from this group of guys cuz we're kinda like them we all have our different strengths but when we get together we can do awesome things
sam s
I agree with Abby B. we should sing Veggie Tales songs while we're there. Preferably Barbra Manatee.
I thought this chaper was very interestiing because he's right. Everbody has their own little cliques and we never take the chance to get out of our safty zone with our group of friends to go help or just talk to someone different. last year at the north caorlina trip i met a lot of ppl just from the akron campus i didnt know.. and i really loved talking to them! it was soo cool to meet new ppl and i realized that one way to get ppl even close to knowing the lord is for us as christians to be kind and helping to others, even if they are different than us. To lead others to christ we have to show them we can get a long and love other ppl no matter where they came from or who they are. i think we will really meet some intersting ppl in boston and maybe some we dont really like, but we are here for a reason and we are here to love everyone! i think this might be challenging for boston but i think if we all work together it'll go great! =]
i really liked this chapter because it put out there that you don't have to hang out with people that are the same as you. and really you probably shouldn't. I think hanging out with different types of people helps you be non-judge mental about others.it also makes you feel a lot more comforatable too.
i also think that having different types of friends together evens everything out. a loud and a quiet person even eachother out. an athletic and an un-athletic person even eachother out, and so on.
working together as a community can accomplish so much. i just watched the Simpsons movie and all the members of the community worked together to stop the polution of the lake. this was a great example of working together. this is the kind of thing that everyone should be doing. well, maybe not un-polluting a lake, but helping accomplish a goal.
this chapter opened my mind by realizing that just because someone looks a certain way or you just see nothing in that person, that you should just tell yourself that that person might have something to offer you and you could really end up having a great friendship!
M.Swires- This chapter speaks to me.It tells us to reach out to ur friends and the peeps that just walk by us every day on the street.I myself have a lot of friends and we like to keep it tight so we just usually chill wit each other, but I try to include some of my jocky friends to come join our nerd parade so i guess im kinda doin ok. But when i think bout all theppeps who need a friend and could probably help me out too, i try even harder to spread my choices of friends.Even though me n my friends r nerdy we talk about God and what it means to be a christian so i guess we're doin good in the whole religion thing.
The Four Souls book...now that had to be interesting. Four friends against the world.Sounds like EHKO
only we don't have 4 members.Madison asked if she was to pick up her friends, comfort them,and would they do the same? the answer... OF COURSE!!! thats what friends do! yea maybe it doesnt always seem like that but deep down everyone has that caring instinct, u kno? Like u dont care who they r u just wanna help them,comfort them, just be there for them even taking the brunt of anger venting.
Like me n eric, we're pals,buds,compadres,etc... anyway he always makes me have this sense of comfort, like i'm right where i need to b. Sean n seth do that too.along with all the other dudes at EHKO.
POINT IS!!!! That we all need to stand together, be UNBREAKABLE to the evil of the world. I want everyone who reads this to go look up the song "unbreakable" by Fireflight its how i feel about our whole community.
So my friends i leave u with a
encouragemental statement... We can stay strong. We can stand together and look evil in the eyes, and be....UNBREAKABLE.
woe im hyper theres like ten cans of Monster at my feet and I'm listenin to Boston's greatest hits!! Whoooooooo!!!!!!!!! Im gonna go get rid of my energy.
M.swires is wired
I thought the section about the Four Souls was cool. They were usually there for each other, but sometimes they just got on each others nerves because they were so different. And their differences made them stronger. If one of them had tried to go out on their own and serve the world, they would become discouraged very quickly. Like it says in in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (page 40 in Be the Change) Two people (or more) can hold each other accountalbe for their actions as well as promote and encourage them fro the things that they do right.
I think that this applies to Boston because there's a reason that fifty of us are going and not one of us. We can encourage each other, hold each other acountable, lift each other up when we are tired and are homesick. One person just couldn't do that on their own.
I got a lot out of this chapter it helped me realize that we all need to stick up for one another and watch out for everyone. This chapter will help me drastically with my friends. one of my best friends is my neighbor Brandon he is very different that me be we get along (most of the time) and he is also not a Christian this chapter, I think will help me to gain the courage to talk to him once again about Christ. I also want to say that I agree with Sam s. when he said that he didn't know how four guys all different could accomplish so much at their age, that is amazing. The chapter could help us in Boston to know how to get to know who we are serving and how they need help. Also it could help us when we or someone else is feelig down or misses their family to help comfort them.
Thats all for now sorry its not that long.
Peace Out, Sam H.
hey this be josh lingy,
This book is really good. Hey you guys (eric and jdh) Did you see my suggestion last time? Yeah lets show these on sundays please.
1. Almost all of my friends are exacly like me the more like me usally the better the friends.
2. Getting to know someone different then myself would be fun because it would show me how to better work with others.
3. Most of my conversations are simple unless I am with a good friend or trusted christian. If I'm in those situations then sometimes The conversations can change.
4.Some of my friends that I thought were growing strong in their faith are actually struggleing with major temptations. Many of them don't seem to want help I can only hope that god can work in their hearts and make them want help.
5. The only communitie things I've done is the missions trips I've been on. If we hadn't worked together nothing would have been done.
6. I primarily have two groups I hang with. One is kind of the cool nerds and one is the plain nerds. I spend equal time with both and am a part of both.
Wazup?Antwaun's back.
I thought that this chapter was really good, and I enjoyed it. There were many things that stuck out to me, but I think what stuck out the most was that our friends are usually the people who are most like us. I started to think about that and I realized that it is usually true. Most of my fiends play the same sports as me, they watch the same t.v. shows, listen to the same music and like the same things as me. This was really interesting for me to hear and think about for me. I think that is true because we don't like to feel uncomfortable, and if we're around people who aren't like us we don't feel comfortable. Most of us like to fit in with others. It's hard for me to talk to people who are out of my group of friends that I don't know well because I'm a pretty shy person until you get to know me.
I think that on our Boston trip if we talk to people outside of our group of friends then we will be more succesful. Also, we would all make new friends and our 8th grade group at church would become stronger. At sometime in our lives, we're going to have to work and be around people who aren't like us. I mean face it, you are not going to be around your same group of friends your entire life. So why not try talking to other people on this trip? just a thought.
I really enjoy this book so far; especially this chapter. It opened my eyes to many things.Can't wait for this missions trip and I'll see ya'll at the sleepover.
Love you all!
-Jacob A.
what stuck out the most in this chapter was the whole buddy system, or friend thingy he was talking about. i have been trying to find some friends who i can keep me accountable and who i can keep accountable. i have also been praying about it. reading it here got me thinking about it more, and now i am going to try to get a group together to do this.
i thought it was a little funny that he said to find people who are different from you and who dont share the same interests, but it is a great philosophy.
On the Boston trip there will be people who dont get along (not for sure but maybe) and if we could all work together it would benefit the trip very much! I will try my hardest to work together with people i dont know very well, or like that much.
God bless!
can't wait to see you all this coming friday!!!
hay its me ashton!!! well i got allot out of this chapter but i dont think its what most people got out of it. in the fist part of the chapter that is about the comuity and how you your friends are alike. well i dont fully belive that. he makes a great point and everything but thats dont true for most people because that isn't true for me at all. I'm friends with like everyone and i'm not shy at all. i dont care what people think about me. i always find somthing to talk about with my friends weather we are toltally diffrent or not it dosn't matter. were i live and were i go to skool we all know each other and well we do fight and everything but were still all friends and we always are there for each other.
i also dont belive that when he said "a community means a group of people of people with whom you can be honestt about what really matters to you." well i mean i do in away but i mean like if your friends with everyone like that life would be to good to "perfect" if i sould say. that it wouldn't be worth livin. eveyone has his/her problems with other people and if your relationship with someone. then i dont think it would be real. But dont get me wrong i do understand what he is saying and i belive it in a way.
in the story of four brothers is that i think it is very true and well i mean but if you are exactly the same as someone you will fight because you are the same and if both of you are stubern then it will lead to fighting. so nomatter who you are you will end up fighting in one way or another.
i got allot out of dis chapter but it made me think that the boy who is writeing this is a little to brayde buch for me.
this will help in bostin beacuse be points out how important it is to work togather to trust and be honest with eachother. I think that being friends with eveyone will be helpful to because then i can make more friends and i will never be lonley.. haha..
I THINK WE SHOULD DRIVE TO BOSTON NOT FLY!!!! HALF THE FUN IS GETTING THERE!!!!
ASHTON (HAYY BAY BAY)
I liked this chapter. It had alot of good thing to say in a small amount of pages. I peronally liked when Zach talks about how different the disciples were and how Jesus used them to model community. But over all i liked everything he had to say in this chapter.
Something that can help us in Boston is how we each have something to conntribute. And by having everyone contribute we can be an influence and have a great week serving others.
-Heather Cagwin
In this chapter, I realized I usually only hang out with a certain group of friends. We are kinda the same, but were also different. Like we have a few things in common (like dance for instance) but we also have very different personalities. At some places, it seems like i have a few different groups of friends. I try to talk to all of them but its sometimes hard to, cause some of them dont like some of them and all thiss stuff.
I think that sometimes im shy around new people, but other times im not at all. Like if I have something in common with someone, we will start talking about that. But if i have nothing in common with them, its hard to start a conversation.
In NC I was put in a group with Taylor C, Valerie D, and Maddie F.
I knew Taylor and Valerie, but I wasn't very close with them. I had no idea who Maddie even was. But, once i started to talk to them and hang out with them, they became some of my best friends. Even though I wasn't in a van or small group with my really close friends, I became really close to a whole new group. This past trip to Asylum, I was in a van with my best friends, and 2 girls I didn't know at all. When we got to the camp, we were all really good friends.
I hope that in Boston, I will meet alot of new kids going on this trip. Also, i hope we will be able to reach out as a whole group to the people in Boston who need to hear about the Lord and what He has done. We shouldn't get all wrapped up in "whos in whos group" or anything like that. We should be concentrating on ways to help the poeple there.
~hailee h.
I found this chapter to be a real eye-opener. At school we all have our cliques and we don't really go out of them. I've been trying to make friends with other groups, but it's hard because people are just content with who they have. It's hypocritical for me to say this though because I am the same way with my group, which is something I have to try and improve on.
The part about the four souls was a good example of a community. It showed that you need different types of people in your group, so that you have different ideas and talents going into the group. It also made me realize that with most of my friends I have a very shallow relationship, although I do have a few I can really trust and depend on.
I thought this chapter was really relevant to our trip in Boston because if we wish to succeed in our goal, we will have to form a community among ourselves that we can rely on. We all sort of know each other, but I really think the overnight meetings will help us build a stronger relationship.
I really like the way Zack writes this book because he shows specfic examples from the bible, and in real life to support what he is saying.
~Sean
(Sorry i'm late, ill finish the first weeks later today or tommorow)
I thought that this chapter was really good. With every chapter I read the book gets better and better. I think that having different friends, rather than just the same friends from the same group, is a real eye-opener to some people. At school I have a certain group of friends that I hang out with, but at the end of the day I have ensemble and there is a bunch of us that are in different groups that unite together. But once were there no one really cares what group of people you hang out with. The only thing that we care about is that we all love to sing! It doesn't matter if your a "jock,nerd,artistic,or theatrical." Our main interest is the same even if others have labeled us different.
In the book Zach Hunter says "I think community means a group of people with whom you can be honest about what really matters to you." I like what he says here because its true, if your always hanging out with the same people and never choose to branch out, you may never find those people who you can share what matters to you with.
Also one of the questions in the book had asked "Were things that didn't used bug you about someone now do?" I would personally like to be like the guys in Four Souls because even though that had to be with each other for a long period of time, they didn't let each others differences get to them. For me I sometimes have that problem. If I'm with the same person for a long time I start to get annoyed with them and pick out little things that they do and make it into something bigger than it should be. I know that that is not the way that God wants me to be but I sometimes just can't help it. This doesn't stop me from meeting new people though because I can defonantly say that I'm a "People Person." I love meeting new people and making new friends.
I'm and soooooo excited for the Boston trip and really hope everyone can branch out from their same group of friends and get to know each new people for who they are. I'm going to continue praying about letting things that didn't but me about a person before now do and try to focus more on the good traits that my friends and family have.
Hola me llamo GÜIDO.
I thought this chapter was great. I have a lot of friends at school and at church that I like to hang out with. Like Jon said I have alot of friends who play sports and it's easy to find a topic to talk about. But when your with other people it's hard to talk with that person who isn't involved in the same activities as you are. I find that I have friends that are like me, and friends who are't. I think it helps me to not just see how one type of people live. You need to have indepth knowledge of other peoples believes and religions. They may not be right about a topic, but that doesn't mean you should ridicule the person. You should help them out and give them advice. I find it hard talking to new people I don't know. It feels wierd to get out of your circle of friends and have a real conversation. The only way we can over come this fear is to practice and gain experience.
I also like the part that talks about how we all have different qualities that make us special. We all need eachother to get a task done. Some people have better leadership skills and that makes a group stronger. I think with all the talent we are going to do awsome at Boston.
I can't wait for the sleepover and the missions trip to finally come.
-Brandon S.
Hey! Can't wait till Boston!
" Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work: If one falls,his freind can help him up. Put pitty the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
I love this verse! I think that the meaning of community is completley summed up in it. To me this verse says with out freinds, family, and neighbors you would be no were.
When Zach talks about how every school is filled with tiny communities i completley agree. In my school there are the jocks, barby dolls, band, chior, ENSENBLE(the most amazing group of freinds you could have!), and many more.If everyone explored different groups/communities our communities would by 100 times better.
Another thing that i got out of this chapter was that everyone has something that they are good at. And in a community every is needed because of that strongsuit.without a leader there would be no rules and no one for the followers to follow. Without followers there would be no one for the leaders to lead.
With the trip coming up i think that there are probably a few things we need to work on. One would be making freinds with people outside of your campus. We did a great job last uear and i beleive we can do even better this year. Another is telling yourself that everyone in our community is here for a purpose and that everyone has an important role.
My challenge for all of us is to have fun, work hard, help others, and be an amazing community!
~Hanna Shaw~
This chapter got me thinking about me and my friends and how we should reach out to other people. Like madison said, I have alot of friends who are all different in thier own ways. Like the guys in (four souls)Zach talked about how all the guys were different and what made thier frinedship interesting also brought about the worst in them too and that's why it's hard to hang out with people who are alot different than you.
If you hang out with people who are alot different than you it doesn't mean you have to be best frinds with them but you should never ignore them either. You should be careful who your friends are but you should also try to reach out and influence people in a godly way. Also people that are different from you may also be able to inluence you in good ways you never thought of. Like in the town of Clapham, They were all different and they used their differences to make decisions
and therefore worked together to make a change. If we could all be like that the missions trip would go pretty smoothe. For me, the most challenging thing is stepping outside my comfort zone and getting to know people i don't know very well and don't have things in common with. You can't be best friends with everyone but you can be friendly and try to be friends with people you don't know very well. This is alot easier said than done, i know, but we can all try and ask God for stength to help us. Daniel A.
Howdy! It's Hayden again.
Mostly my "circle" of friends have shared qualities with me. We're all weird and do weird stuff. Those aren't just my friends. I have friends that could fit in any catgory: goth, geek, jock, etc. But, most are friends are like me becuz it's easy to relate to them. We have similar interests which is a good way 4 conversation.
Someone really different than me is my brother, Dylan. It seems everything he likes or does i do the opposite. It's imnteresting to kno him so I can figure why he luikes that and see his view on things. I could learn different ways to see life and different views on pretty much everything.
I can have deep discussions with few people but one of these people being Josh. we always just open up and share our lives. Some of my others friends just can't handle deep conversations They aren't mature enough, yet. Josh and I have been friends forever and can pretty much tak about whatevers on our minds.
Lots of my friendships progressed becuz my interests and feelings have progressed. Some things I used to love now I hate while some people I know may still dwell on those things. Working through that will just give different views on things and make me more tolerant on others ideas.
Something I've tackled with a community probably was N.C. trip. everyone came together to get all the work that was needed just in time. It was easy becuz You get others ideas and sometimes speak your mind to help the group as a whole. That also may be a bad thing becuz maybe what they wanna do is something that you hate and u think it's stupid. You just have to work through it.
As i said earlier, I have a huge variety of friends. Friends to hang with, talk with, or have fun with. Maybe one friend I know isn't very outgoing but i know if i'm in trouble, he'll rescue me. Different friends help with different situations.
Thanx fo' reading.
Skittle
Hi everybody!
Man, this book is so cool, I really like the way that Zach Hunter can relate biblical times to right now. It's so strange how much the two generations are alike. Community I think is one of the most important things. I mean, one person couldn't go to Boston all by themself to try to accomplish everything that we wanted to, everybody counts. It was so amazing to me how those four guys had that missions adventure together. That would be life-changing. I think what Zach had said was important, that even though those guys might have gotten on each other's nerves, they were always there to back each other up. This is something that we all need to realize for this upcoming trip. Nobody's perfect, and everybody might be a little annoying at times, but we all need to work around and ignore those factors. Some people may be too worried about what someone else isn't doing right, and instead of talking or gossiping about that person, we should all just worry about ourselves. I'm definitely not suggesting to be selfish, but I believe that we need to focus less on what a teammate CAN'T do but focusing more on what they Can do.
-Special K
I love kara starkeys last sentence it is so true!
hmmmm...well i was sorta surprized at what zach had to say in this chapter, hes a really inspired kid! i guess what i got out of this chapter was that, yeah, i do hang out with people who are a lot like me, and i think that it makes us feel safe, but we dont really accomplish anything when we do that. i think that we all could sorta get out of our comfort zone and get to know someone who is not just another version of ourselves. i really likes what he had to say about the four souls people, and think that they can be an insperation to us on our trip. each one of then were different but they all had a basic common goal, and i think thats sorta how we're gonna be on hte boston trip. i think it shows that we need to stick together on the trip and work as a team.(im definitely going out to buy that four souls book tomorrow)
-eric m/EZMAC!
Hello! sorry my comment is so late... umm..
So what i got out of this Chapter is that although we are so different from some of our freinds, and some of our freinds are so different from us, we can use our different strengths and skills together and make one powerful community and accomplish many things together.
i like what he says on page 38 about how many things get done by "a group of freinds with different talents and a common goal, working together to accomplish something none of them could do alone."
Its going to be cool in Boston when we all, with our different talents, work together to accomplish something none of us could do alone.
Taylor C.
This was a good chapter because it basically tells you that you need to step out of your comfort zone and talk to different people and become friends with them. It also tells you that just because their different doesn’t mean that they aren’t in some ways the same.
The most interesting part was when he started talking about the book called Four Souls and how they were all different but they were all friends and when another was not doing so good they would help out. Then he says that’s what community is about and I agree with him about that but people think that it isn’t.
During the trip people will be completely different and if I just try they wouldn’t seem that different. I bet if people tried today everywhere would be like the clapham sect.
i just want to say that i am really
enjoying this book. i'm really glad
this guy felt led to stand out and make a change in this world especially at such a young age. it really takes guts to write a whole book about being the change when your fifteen years old.
i like this chapter a lot mainly
because it talks about teamwork and
getting along with others. i am like a lot of other people in the
way that i tend to only hang around
people that have the same interests
as me. although i'm friendly i find
it very hard to talk to people outside my group of friends.
i think teamwork will be a huge factor on this trip. getting along with others no matter what the sircumstances and being patient with eachother will help this trip be very sucessful.
looking forward to seeing yall at the overnighter!
David LLLEEEBBOOOO
first off, I know i'm late, but I lost my book and spent all yesterday looking for it and ended up buying a new one. sorry about that.
anaways, what I got out of it was that you can't do as much alone. for example, why not send just one person up in the space shuttle? well, because there needs to be a system of checks and balances. two heads are better than one! (or, you know, forty- two heads.)
also, I think zach brought up a good point when he said community is not just a group of people. I never really thought about it, but I guess the word community has a much deeper meaning than what most people think. community, as he said, is more of a brotherhood, diverse yet united. unlike just a group of friends, talking and laughing together, a community has real purpose and reason to their conversation.
in boston, I think this will help everyone not to try to do things or complete tasks by themselves. I hope that people will take on the community viewpoint, especially during discussion or work. I want this trip to deepen my faith and make me a stronger person, and not just be a "well, that was fun" kind of experience.
-cody-
First off, sorry this is so late, I tried and it didn't go through the first time. Anyway I really liked this chapter. I have a bunch of friends who are like me, but a bunch who aren't too. I think it is good this way though because we all have something different to offer but we all can relate in some way. But I am also sometimes too caught up in my circle of friends and I am too afraid to step out of that circle and talk to someone new.
Anyway, I really liked the part in the book about the four souls. I thought it was cool how four people who were totally different worked so well together. Even when they got on each others' nerves they still worked together. I think this is a good thing to think about on the missions trip because we are all different. Because of this we all have something different to offer. And if we don't let the little things bother us, we could really do a lot of good things as long as we all work together.
cassie t
Kevin S.
I really liked this chapter, because it makes perfect sense and i deffinatly agree with what zach has to say. I have a lot of friends that are just like me, we have the same interests and hobbies. But i agree with what zach says about how if you were listening to kids conversations at the school cafeteria you wouldnt hear about kids talking how they would change the world, you would here more like what are you doing friday night and i agree. I think that if kids started to think about ways they could help in this world and worked together they could do some amazing things.
NNNNNNNNNAy
I feel that we need to live as community and not outcast other people just because their different.
We all could be missing out on some great people if we do not live as a community. When zach was talking about the book Four souls it got me thinking about how i help my friends, do i help them when they need it, or do they even help me.
I think when we go to Boston we should all have a get together when we all just take the time to meet some new people that we might not hang out with that much. I feel that it will benefit each and everyone of us.
I try to ask God for guidance to help me reach to everyone and be their friend, because everyone needs a friend..!!
Ryan wandling
I like to have friends that are different. Like my friends like to do different things and we talk about different things when we're hanging out together. My friends and family are like my community because when someone needs help we all pitch in and help. on our trip community is important because if just one person did all the work then it would take a long time, but if we all pitch in we could do a good job and move on to get more done. last year I worked with BAMCO to have a summer neighborhood club. the adults helped the teenagers run it. the teenagers, including me! ran the activities and everybody had fun. If we didn't work together it wouldn't have been as much fun for the kids, or for us! So for our trip I think we should all work together.
elijah
HAYDEN I CANT EVEN FREAKIN BELIEVE THAT YOU DONT THINK IM MATURE!!!!!!
im very mature :)
I thought this chapter was pretty interesting, it talked about how different people can all contribute something different to a group, or to the world. This chapter reminded me that everybody has their own unique abilities.
this applies to boston because we're a group that's a mix of so many different kids. and this chapter proves that all of us working together will make us stronger. this chapter also shows that a mix of different people are better, because when someone has a weakness, there can be someone totally different to fill the weakness with one of their strengths. this is going to help us sooo much in boston :)
- J-Breezy
What I got out of this chapter is that you should always help people who need it. By doing this you are hopefully planting a spark in their hearts to do the same thing. If not you can know that you tried. Also, if you are trying to make the world a better place then you should include and accept everyone who wants to help you. Or even if you aren't trying. you should include many different people because their input is just as important as yours. Another thing, if you include different people then you have a better chance to get out of tough situations because different people have different experiences. Some of which you might go through later and they can help you. If you don't help them then they will not help you when it is your turn.
This could apply to our Boston trip because when we help them hopefully they will go and help others . If not we havew the good feeling that we helped people an can feel better about ourselves.
Hey sorry this is late Joel, i wasn't able to get on the comp. there for a while but i'm catching up on everything now.
I think this was a great chapter in the book, and Zach had a ton of really good things to say. The most true part of this chapter was when he talked about Mike Trey Jedd and Scott, and how even though they had their differences, thats what helped them to do a better job. Everything that one person wasnt able to do, the other could, and it really helped them when it came to difficult tasks.
This is the most important part of community because we cant all be good at everything we do, and when those times come, there are others to do what we cant. An important thing to remember, though, is that we have to be willing to let others help us, or community wont work. Like Zach says, its hard for teens to be in true community because we all do have our own niche and we're somewhat territorial to it. Most people would say to learn to put our differences aside, but i think its more about acknowledging the differences, and using them to help each other.
Sometimes community is a lot like a crossword puzzle. There are certain clues that we would never be able to figure out without the overlapping letters of other words. But once those letters are added in there, it just clicks. In community, there are certain problems we could never solve on our own because we simply don't have the abilities to. But when you combine even a little of other peoples unique abilities (like the overlapping letters), with your own knowledge, it makes it easier to solve the problem (or complete the word).
In Boston, we will all come to find our own abilities, and they're definitely not all going to be the same. Our challenge is to enhance each others abilities by combining them with our own. Once we are able to do this, everything will become easier than if we tried to tackle the project on our own.
*Desi*
I got so much out of this chapter,including,what a community is.
All of the kids on our team are very different.And to example what a true community is like then we'll all have to pitch in some time and effort to get along with people we dont really know or like.
I love how the village of Clapham worked together with all those different people.When you have many talents in one group,its fustrating,but you can learn a lot from it and it will help us to become better friends.
<3
we are all different in our own ways but we all can get along. even if we disagree we need to talk about it and commuincate with the others so we can se why and what the other person thinks that way we can see other peoples point of veiws. it was cool to see how the people of Clapham, England were different in many ways but they worked through their differences and were able to fight for change as a team in the area of fighting slavery. I liked what zach said about Jesus and his disciples and how different each one was in their personality and work. this helped him get things done because he knew tht they were all different and had unique talents. Community will be an important part on our missions trip because even though we're each unique and have differenrt stong pointts and weaknesses and we will have different jobs to do that will be easier for others, we need to work as a team and learn from each other and be accountable to the group. if we work together instead of fighting about somethings tht ae different we will be able to accomplish way more than one alone.
Post a Comment