Daily Journal

Daily Journal

Day 12: Reign On Me

published on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 by ag227@duke.edu

Theme: Anticipating the Reign of God
Faculty Speaker: Dr. J. Kameron Carter
Lectionary Texts: Ezekiel 47:6-12 and Proverbs 3:13-18; Psalm 147; Revelation 22:1 – 5, 20-21; Mark 13:32-37

Reflections on the Lecture
Dr. J. Kameron Carter was introduced as a Duke University professor with an “amazingly hungry intellect”.  Dr. Carter’s instruction focused on reviewing the past nine plenary sessions with the Reign of God, also known as The Kingdom of God.  He enthusiastically proclaimed that the Reign of God is at the core of our Christian identity and is about deliverance not power.  The two fundamental aspects of Christian life that are significant to understanding the Reign of God are: 1 – Baptism and 2 – Prayer. 
God reigns by choosing to be friend and partner to creation, not ruler.  Furthermore, it is impossible for us to say “God is with us”  if we refuse to be with each other.  We must be mindful of the fact that our connection with God is always rooted in who is next to us and we must understand that the will to control/manage our associations is a result of “The Fall” not God’s will.  Furthermore, the Kingdom of God is about the world we live in today not just the heaven that promises us eternal life, and anticipating heaven includes living in a world that can be very different today.  Therefore, as God’s children, we must resist the world’s attempt to alienate us from God, each other and ourselves.  God has provided a new reality for us through incarnation, and Baptism is our pledge to have complete allegiance to God.  Our new allegiance to God transforms the way we think about the everyday activities of life.  As we leave DYA, we must remember that “the Spirit blows where the Spirit wills”, and the transformations related to DYA participation, for youth and staff, will be unique for each of us.  However, we can leave DYA knowing that, “The Reign of God is the love of God” and because He loves us we can love Him, ourselves, each other, the earth and ALL of His creation.   

 

                                                              


Quotes:
“Come hither children of God!”
Miles Barnhardt, DYA youth participant, leading the morning blessing
“I keep hoping that someone is going to surprise us by telling us we have another week.”
        Jordan Holoman, DYA youth participant, expresses sadness about leaving DYA
“We can’t get the Reign of God twisted with our other ideas of reign.”
        Dr. J. Kameron Carter
“Part of our problem today is that we have an atrophy of imagination.”
        Dr. J. Kameron Carter


Other Activities:

Our last meal in the Great Hall will fondly be remembered as youth and staff singing and dancing to music from the 1980s and 1990s.  The Morning Prayer reminded us of how truly AMAZING God’s grace has been throughout our two weeks together at the Duke Youth Academy.  Many of the outspoken prayers reflected heartfelt desires asking that our “bonds of fellowship never be broken” and our new spiritual insights never forgotten.  It was an extremely hot and busy day with exit surveys and packing.  Our evening worship service included a special time to recognize 10 years of faithful service for Katherine Owen, as DYA resident artist/Professional Potter.  Reverend Dr. Jeff Conklin-Miller thanked the youth for disrupting their busy schedules to make time to participate in DYA.  He explained that DYA provides a glimpse of what Christians “do” rather than just their beliefs.  He defined the DYA experience as “a practice not just a set of values intended to change the way you live.”  It is a practice meant to open our eyes to a new expectation and concern for those who are not at the table.  The world is constantly telling you that, “You are your own person”, but DYA reminds you that you are part of a community.  Holy Baptism is the mark that reminds us that we have died to self to become children of God.  Listen to Jesus (Mark 13: 32 -37) – stay awake and be ever watchful expecting to see places where God’s reign has already begun, experiencing heaven on earth.  Most importantly, he reminds us to always be mindful that God goes with us to begin our transformed journeys after DYA.  The service ended with a joyful song and dance celebration of the Living God we serve.  The long day concluded with “fun times” in the common area of the dorm, the youth shared hugs and tears with each other and staff as we thanked God for unforgettable DYA memories.  

 

Submitted by Sheree Bryant, Mentor

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Day 10: New Life from Dry Bones

published on Thursday, June 28, 2012 by ag227@duke.edu

Theme: Reconciliation
Faculty Speaker: Rev. Chris Rice
Lectionary Texts: Ezekiel 37: 1-14; Psalm 104 [1a, 24-35]; Romans 8: 14-27; Acts 2:1-14a, 22-47

Reflections on the Lecture


Today in our plenary session, Rev. Chris Rice began our conversation about reconciliation by highlighting figures (Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Saint Paul) who showed that “another way is possible” in the face of injustice, war and crushing opposition.  By looking at the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5, Rev. Rice emphasized the centrality of God as the source of reconciliation: “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us” (v. 19).  Rev. Rice pointed out  that though the actions of individuals are significant, healing conflict does not begin with us, it begins with God.  We learned that, as Christians, reconciliation is in our DNA; through the Holy Spirit, we are called to expand the “we” of the church, to eat and read and pray with those who challenge us, with those who are difficult to be around.  Rev. Rice explained that central to our reconciliation journeys is remembering,  that is, telling the stories of injustice and oppression and asking “what went wrong?”  After watching several videos about individuals and communities that are engaging in reconciliation journeys, we discussed how we might be people who are formed differently, formed by boundary-crossing, truth-telling love.  We ended our time by discussing the concept of Pilgrimage and how it differs from Tourism and Mission.  We learned that pilgrimage is a sign that points beyond itself, to a truth greater than the mere act of traveling, and a process in which strangers become companions, where we learn to listen and to encounter a God that is not safe, but good.

Quotes:
“Reconciliation is never bigger than the person nearest to us each day who is difficult to love.”
-    Rev. Chris Rice

“I know that evil will not take the last word. Never. Never.”
-    Maggy Barankitse, founder of Maison Shalom in Burundi

“There are some things that God can only teach us by moving our bodies onto strange ground.”
-    Rev. Chris Rice, on pilgrimage

Other Activities:

Today was a very full day at DYA. After our usual schedule of plenary, worship workshop and lunch, we gathered in Goodson Chapel to prepare for our pilgrimage to the American Tobacco Campus. After readying our hearts and minds through prayer and song, we traveled to American Tobacco Campus to move our bodies onto a strange ground outside the campus that we’ve known for 2 weeks. Once there, we were given the “corporate tour” in which we learned about the revitalization of ATC from tobacco factory to multi-use complex that now houses offices, restaurants, cultural events and social gatherings.  We then read and discussed some very different narratives of women who worked in the tobacco factories in the 1920s.  We then heard from Ray, a black man who worked at the factory in the 1970s and 1980s.  Throughout all of this, we encountered stories that made us uncomfortable, angry, confused, guilty and mournful.  When we gathered back on campus, we discussed our feelings and reactions to the pilgrimage; in much confusion and angst, our fitting response came in songs and prayers of confession and lament. 
    After dinner we gathered in worship to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There, in the worship of our gathered bodies, everything was not solved, but it was good.  As the people of God, we are thankful that  it is not by our power, but by Christ’s that all things are made new.  Thanks be to God for another day to struggle and laugh and heal with one another.  For tomorrow, there is hope in the risen Christ….and rest time.

 

                 

 

Submitted by Amy Greene, Mentor

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Day 9: Life in the Spirit

published on Thursday, June 28, 2012 by ag227@duke.edu


Theme: The Church as Witness
Plenary Speaker: Bishop Kenneth Carder; Matthew Nickoloff, preacher
Lectionary Texts: Deuteronomy 6; Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 84; 1Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 1:1-8

Today we had a chance to move from theological doctrines into more of an "embodied" plenary session with Bishop Carder. Bishop Carder bearings a wealth of experience and wisdom to such a discussion about the ministry of the church as it witnesses to the world. Keeping with the theme of resurrection from Monday, Bishop Carder explained that the church's ministry begins with the resurrection. The session began with Bishop Carder asking students " in what form is the risen Christ present today?" He then went on to explain how the church is to be Christ's presence in the world today through its "witness." However, Bishop Carder was careful to explain that the presence of Christ in the world today is not limited to the church- God moves without the church's participation as well.


After hearing a short testimony from a DYA alum, Bishop Carder continued by outlining the four ways he believe the church makes the presence of Christ known in the world: "The church is a herald, a sign, a foretaste and an instrument. The church is a herald when it proclaims God's kingdom. The church is a sign because it is not the destination itself, but it points to the destination. The church is a foretaste when it gives the world a glimpse (or taste) of heaven. And finally, the church is an instrument in that it is able to be employed in the bringing of the kingdom..."God brings the kingdom. But the church can do things to erect signs that point to the kingdom." the session concluded with students sharing stories of how they see their own congregations working as heralds, signs, foretastes, and instruments of God.
During the afternoon, participants enjoyed a time of rest before getting to experience our second prayer practice time. After a great meal provided for us by the congregation at Duke (the congregation worships in Duke chapel), we enjoyed our first student-planned and led worship time. The service had a very contemporary feel and Matthew Nickoloff, our resident musician, preached about how God chooses us to be children of God.

Quotes:
"If my identity and sense of worth are tied up in what I look like... Boy, I ain't worth much!... [If this is how you think] you're doomed to be insecure and to not know who you are." -Bishop Kenneth Carder

"I saw this old guy and was like, 'Oh great, I'm gonna fall asleep!' But I didn't! I was really paying attention... I didn't snooze at all!" -DYA participant

"You can sing harmonies! I love you!" -DYA participant to peer singing harmoniously

"I LOVE CHOCOLATE SOOOOOO MUCH!!!" -DYA participant responding to Bishop Carder's description of a foretaste being like getting to sample his grandmother's fudge before it was finished.

"God's claim on us is this: I know you by name. You are mine. I bought you with a price." -Bishop Kenneth Carder

Submitted by Russ Bowlin, Mentor

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