New Year!

It has been a long and somewhat uncertain summer for all of us at Franksville UMC. But summer is over and so is most of that uncertainty! Sure there will be some transitions now that Pastor Kaye is sure to be back with us, now that we are ready to move into our new sanctuary, and now that the Sunday School year is about to start, but I know that the growth possible through these transitions will be both great and rewarding.

As for the youth group--things are already in full swing and I am really looking forward to another great year with you all!

We have a busy year coming up, what with the addition of Confirmation, and I am really excited to see this year's confirmation class grow over the course of the next seven months!

I am hoping to blog a bit more this year and I, again, I don't think I can say how excited I am for this year to take off!

Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 5 Continued

Alright, now that I have gotten some sleep and (more importantly) some coffee, it's time for a bit more about yesterdays trip to the falls. Everyone loved it. We were able to swim underneath one of the waterfalls and then jump through it to ride the rapids. Some of us weren't too keen on the idea of all that so some of us just swam and played in the rapids and climbed on the rocks while others jumped through the waterfall. We also had the opportunity to slide down a natural rock slide! It was a blast; even if it was a little bumpy and tough on the buns...it was made of rock after all.

After the falls we met at one of the pavilions in the park for evening devotionals and worship music. We have a couple of budding dancers, and we have video, so we'll find a way to share it with you soon!

Then, after some time to unwind, we all headed to bed exhausted.

Ok, I think that covers everything from last night!

Until later,
Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 5

Our last day of work has come and gone which means we will be on our way home tomorrow. After breakfast we split up into groups and took off. Jenny took a group to the Damiano center where they spent time sorting clothing for a program that allows individuals in need of clothing for a job interview or whatnot to find an outfit free of charge.

Chris' group spent their day at Solid Rock men's shelter pulling weeds and staining a wheelchair ramp.

My group probably had the hardest work. We helped to set up and serve a picnic for the volunteers of Union Gospel Mission out in a beautiful park on the coast of Lake Superior. We helped not only by serving lunch but we helped by playing in the egg and water balloon toss competitions, to break the piñata, and to test out the volleyball net. The kids who went with me will tell you it was the hardest thin they have had to do on Wildfire to date. ;)

After our work day we took off for Amnicon Falls a great stat park full of waterfalls to play in. It was a great trip. But more on that later!

I am going to keep this short tonight because I am exhausted, but I will do my best to write more on our way home tomorrow!

Until tomorrow,
Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 4

Yet again another good day. Today we mixed ourselves up into different groups and spent the day at several different work sites. Some of us (Drew, Sam, Luke, Zach, and I) spent time painting the mobile home of a great family while another group (Nick, Nate, Blythe, Amanda, and Chris) went back to a job we started yesterday (moving sand to level a pathway) and while part of the group finished that, the others helped out by playing with some little babies. Our third group (Katie W., Chloe, Katie G., Katelyn, and Jenny) spent the morning at a local nursing home hanging out with the residents doing hair and nails.

Now, just to confuse things a bit more, we switched groups again for the afternoon. Here is what I hope is a simplified breakdown: Amanda, Chloe, Katelyn, Blythe, Katie W., and I helped out with VBS at Faith Church while everyone else went to help a woman move to a new home. Though I don't know much about how moving went today (The responses I got from the couple of youth I got to ask about it consisted of a "it was good" and a "fine" so I am assuming it went well) I can tell you that everyone involved with Franksville's VBS should be excited because Camp E.D.G.E seems like a lot of fun. And I know for a fact Amanda was taking mental notes of all that was happening so to be ready to help out next month. Plus, all the girls who are helping with Franksville's VBS said today was good practice, so be ready for some great youth volunteers this year!

After our work day we hit the showers, hopped in the van, and took off for our dinner and a praise concert at a church in Duluth. The food was great and the musician did a fine job.

Then it was off to Canal St. in Duluth for some fun free time before heading up to Enger Tower, an awesome look-out point over the lake. We had pleanty of fun climbing the spiral steps of the tower, taking in the views, and scareing each other in the dark. Ahh, good times.

But in all that we did today, that which entertained the group the most was a $0.15 "Fortune Telling Fish" picked up at one of the shops on Canal St. I think we spent nearly 30 minutes to an hour with that little plastic fish so to decipher it's movements to see who was "in love," who was "false," and who was just "indifferent." The patrons of the Caribou where this all took place were, I am sure, happy to have the constant string of giggles disappear when we left.

Oh, did I mention Luke has a new moustache? It helps to keep his upper lip warm.

Until tomorrow,
Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 3

Our second work day has come and gone. We were split again between the Salvation Army Store (with Jenny's crew--Luke (a powerhouse worker I hear) Zach, Katelyn, and Katie W.); the Salvation Army Corp. (with Chris' team--Blythe, Amanda, Nathan, and Nick ( the box carrying monster); and my team (Chloe (a master painter), Sam, Drew, and Katie G.) at Solid Rock Men's Shelter. By the end of the day the groups were mixed around a bit so to better use our time to complete more projects as we finished our assignments but everyone continued to work hard and we got a lot accomplished. Not only that, but some of us even got some shopping done at the SA Store!

Our day finished out with dinner of pulled pork sandwiches, fries, and slaw at First UMC in Duluth, MN followed by a great night of free time and worship on the beach at Wisconsin Point. It was a great opportunity to expend the last of our energy, do some swimming, collect sand, worship God, collect sand, and--oh, did I mention we picked up some sand? I think I saw Drew pour about a cup and a half out of his shoes when we got back to the church. No joke. But it was all worth it. There is something about being outside, surrounded by beautiful scenery, and next to an bonfire that makes the love of God feel just that much greater.

After worship we came back to the church, dried off and got rid of as much sand as possible, cleaned out the van and started to get ourselves ready for bed. Unfortunately, however, any thoughts of an early bed time (ok so maybe the thought of an early bed time was only in my head) vanished when everyone was offered late night sundaes!

All-in-all it was a great day and we're looking forward to tomorrow!

Until tomorrow,
Jonathan

Wildfire Photos

My phone won't let me put pictures directly into the blog but be on the look-out for a possible web album or other link of some sort. And if that doesn't work we'll get pictures up after we get home.

Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 2

Today was our first day at our work projects. Chris and Jonathan's crews worked at the Salvation Army Store sorting clothes and other donated items and Jenny's crew painted part of a classroom at a local Catholic school. Overall our work day went really well and everyone worked really hard.

After we showered and cleaned up, Jenny taught the group how to play "Ninja". We quickly learned that Katelyn VanSwol is a "Ninja" monster and almost impossible to beat. She is ridiculously fast--I'm talking borderline super-powers fast. And I think she knows it because she always looks overly surprised and slightly appalled when she gets beat.

Our dinner tonight was provided by a member of First UMC Superior and was fantastic! We were invited out to their house overlooking the bay and were able to worship together as the sun was going down. Very picturesque. It also seems that our kids are listening (at least somewhat) because we had a great conversation about grace and the awesomeness of God's love in the van after worship. It is always great to hear the kids not only talk about what they heard in worship, but talking and thinking about it critically as faithful teenagers--dare I even say, like faithful young adults?!

Then it was free time and we set out on our way to the highlight of our evening, geocaching. And even though we were unsuccessful in our attempts to locate the cache it was definitely a good group effort. And I am not sure we've given up on finding it yet. After all, there's still plenty of free time to fill...

Until tomorrow,
Jonathan

Wildfire! Day 1

Today was a great day of driving! No joke! We had great weather and even though we used every seat in the van everyone was happy and no one complained. I am considering it a minor miracle. We were the first group to arrive and were put right to work getting some of the supplies ready for the week.

Our dinner tonight was provided by a local congregation--burgers, hotdogs, potato salad, fruit salad, and a plethora of treats for dessert. Not too shabby!

After that we played some games, had a water balloon fight and then went, dripping wet, to worship. In worship, Pastor Joel prepared us for our week in service with others by talking about piety and mercy.

Our night ended with free time to run around, play volleyball and just hang out.

Now, being that lights out is at 12:30, many of us (mostly over 18) are anxiously awaiting that glorious moment when we might be able to shut at least one eye and attempt sleep. Haha, yes, I realize the absurdity of that statement. Sigh...

Until tomorrow,
Jonathan

Yesterday I smiled.

Yesterday I smiled. 

I smiled when the youth let me share their umbrella, when I saw wonder in their eyes. I smiled when the shepherds led their sheep on the metro, when the excitement of going to a "real" mall lit up their faces and they rushed over to show me their new hats. Yesterday I smiled because God has truly blessed us. 

Pastor Ann

So, if you couldn't tell by our lack of posts both Thursday and Friday, the last two days of our trip were busy! We had some of our most exciting experiences on Thursday and Friday and because I don't want to tell it all, you'll have to check back later in the week to hear some posts form the kids--but I'll tell you a little to keep you interested!

On Thursday we had the opportunity to talk with a panel of formerly homeless and homeless individuals to hear about their experiences with homelessness and living on the streets. This was probably one of the most eye opening experiences for our group. By talking with the group we were able to break down a lot of the myths and stereotypes about homelessness and were able to hear the incredible stories they had to share. 

Then, after lunch, we took a boat ride... more on that later. 

After our boat ride, we had the chance to run around the National Mall and to visit the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History before heading back to our hostel for dinner. Once back we had a phenomenal meal of spaghetti and meatballs provided by Jayne Sadowski (THANKS JAYNE!!!).

Alright, that should be enough to keep you reading... more later!

The Super Cool Youth Group

"Chili" Days in Washington D.C.

Hello Everyone!

After a simple breakfast of Fruit Loops and Cap'n Crunch we journeyed through the rain to meet a lady named Susan, our seminar coordinator, at The United Methodist Building. The United Methodist Building is cool because it is the only privately owned building on Capital Hill and is across the street from the Capitol Building and next door to the Supreme Court. After a few rousing games of hangman we started the Seminar with Susan.

The seminar was about poverty and equality and how the government was involved in these areas. Our favorite activity this morning was a group game where we tried to pass a Hula Hoop around the circle while we held hands. It was tough but taught us about team work, how to work together and how to socialize in a community. Then a man named John talked to us about the government budget. He used to lobbyist for a very important organization but quit to work for the United Methodist Church and to speak for those whose voices were not being heard. He taught us about the Federal budget and where our tax monies go, like medicare, medicaid and the military.

We then had a yummy lunch of assorted sandwiches from a catering company who helped train those who are jobless in the culinary arts.

After lunch we strolled through the wet sidewalks to visit U Street. We met Rev. Jim at the Whitelaw Hotel. He taught us about the history of U Street. U Street began as a segregated community in Washington, D.C. which used to be refered to as the Black Broadway. We also learned that because of riots in reaction to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination that almost the whole community was destroyed. In last 10 years it has gone under gentrification which pushed people who couldn't afford the increased housing prices out of their own community. After all of this we decided to tour U Street and saw the first african american YMCA. We also saw the African American Civil War Memorial but the wind picked up and rain pounded and so we headed to dinner early.

We ate dinner at Ben's Chili Bowl. Many very famous people, including Barack Obama and Bill Cosby, have eaten at this restaurant. It is important because it is central to the communtiy of D.C. and has been around for over 50 years. It was delicious, the chili and half smokes were awesome. The bathrooms were also awesome.

We then entered the rainy city yet again and took the Metro to Union Station! We have almost mastered the Metro however Diane is still having anxious times keeping up with Amanda. At Union Station we shopped and people showed their appreciation for Washington D.C. and Barack Obama by buying t-shirst and hats.

After a long day of rain and chili we finally got to have our down time at the hostel. It a was awesomely fantabulous day.

- Your Super Cool Youth Group

Adventures!

Hey Y'all!

Our adventure started this morning with breakfast at the hostel. Here at the hostel there is a program that serves homeless people who can't buy their own food. At breakfast they serve both men and women. At dinner they serve women and children. We had a lot to choose from for breakfast like eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast and fruit. 

After our energizing breakfast we got ready to go for a walk through the city. But first we had to have a hostel orientation with Hostel Don. After that we walked to the Methodist Building where we will be having the seminar this week. 

Before our capitol tour we split up for a bit. Some of us went geo-caching at The Summer House while some of us went to the National Botanic Gardens. The Summer House was "awesome," it was designed as a place for weary travelers to rest and have a drink of water. So we did just that.  At the Botanic Gardens we saw lots of different kinds of flowers. Like carnivorous ones that eat bugs and a cactus called "Old Man Cactus" that looks like it has a grandfather's beard. 

Next we went to the Capitol for a tour. Our, Nicholas, tour guide was like the smartest person in the world. He told us all about the features of the capitol building and that the first woman to lie in state in the capitol was Rosa Parks. One really cool feature in Statuary Hall was that there was a "whisper spot" where John Adams used to sit. Because of the architecture of the room, he could hear someone whispering on the other side of the room. This is called Statuary Hall because the room holds some of the statues donated by each state to the collection at the Capitol. The two statues from Wisconsin are of Robert M. La Follette and Father Marquette. 

The top of the dome has a fresco that was really pretty, but if you looked up too long you'd get dizzy. And we did a lot of walking so our feet are really tired. Some of the coolest parts of the Capitol were the visitor's center because they had a lot of interactive stuff to do and being able to walk where a lot of really important people walked. 

On our way out some of us stopped by the gift shop and bought fake copies of The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and The Declaration of Independence. Haley and Emily on the other hand tried to steal the real one. Just kidding!

After a lot of walking and a ride on the subway we made it to the White House. We sat there for a long time, but never saw the Obama family, but we did see two guards walk in the house. 

After that we did some more caching, sat around a park and rested, and then caught the subway home. We had a great dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, french fries, collard greens, biscuits (Jonathan and Eric took down about half of them by themselves), and cupcakes all provided by the dinner program at the hostel. It was yummy. 

Now we're all hanging out and getting ready for bed so we can be up and ready for the seminar tomorrow. 

That's all for now!

Your Super Cool Youth Group

are we there yet?

its about 10:21 pm and we are about 70 minutes away from dc. while it has been a pretty long day for the drivers all of the youth seem to be in good spirits. the inter-van challenges have been quite intense and I am proud to report that the green machine is currently in possession of the trophy after a day of domination from the purple people eaters.

more tomorrow when we get to our nations capitol!

peace,

your super cool Franksville youth group