Kenmore Connection Article

For those of you who don't live in Kenmore, here is the article that I wrote for the Kenmore Connection. On a side note, First Glance could still use your donations to continue doing the great work that they do. Click here to make a donation. Enjoy! 

I love Kenmore, plain and simple. I've lived most of my natural life here, made some of my best friends on Saxon Ave, and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. When I became an adult and it came time for me to buy a house, I only looked in one zip code - the 44314. I can't help it, I just love it. However, like any good love story, this relationship has had plenty of rocky moments. In Kenmore we have all the problems and issues that come with being a post-industrial, inner city community.

Through it all, I've defended our town even when it wasn’t easy to defend and I felt like I was being loyal for the sake of loyalty. It was sad. But last summer, I found some hope. I can't remember exactly how I found out about them but I know that when I did, I was ecstatic.  

First Glance, a teen outreach center on Kenmore Blvd, is the medicine for what ails us here in Kenmore. By reaching out to teens and helping guide them in their formative years, they're helping to lower crime, keep kids drug free, and make our community a better place, through a variety of methods.

They have a program that helps young mothers learn parenting skills and supply them material help that is earned through a point system, not just handed out. Another program, named Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, is a teen girl abstinence program where the girls hang out, have fun, take field trips, and eat. Wednesday nights are skateboarding nights. Here, kids can (legally) show off their skills and hang out with other skaters on an indoor course. They also have two open recreation nights where the kids can come in, hang out, and be themselves. There are computers, basketball, skateboarding, video games, and food. Through all these programs, First Glance serves several hundred students from the community.

However, the biggest service that First Glance offers is hope. When a kid is struggling at home, has no place safe to go, or is a teen mom, they need to know that there is hope that this situation isn't going to be like this forever but that it can change for the better. Volunteers at First Glance are there to reach out and offer comfort and guidance and let them know they can make better decisions. They can choose to be a good person. And maybe one day they can make a difference in Kenmore for someone else. 

I started volunteering at First Glance back in October on the Thursday open recreation night. When I started it didn't feel like I was doing much. I go in, hang out with the kids, make small talk, and it's over. I really didn't feel like I'd done anything significant. In my mind, I thought I would be given a more distinct job, not just show up and hang out.

Since then I've learned I was very wrong. Where First Glance shines is the forum they provide for us volunteers to connect with these kids: a non-threatening place for us to get to know these kids and provide help without judgment. Over time, a few of the kids started warming up to me and I began finding things out about their lives. You find out that their parents are divorced and they are living with their mom and grandma. That they get picked on at school. And that they don't have very much money. 

That's about as far as it's got for me, the new guy. I've only gotten to know a couple of kids and at this point, they're only talking to me. My real test will be when one of the kids comes to me with a real problem looking for help - how will I handle it? 

I'm excited to be a part of First Glance. I'm excited to see how their efforts are going to change Kenmore. I'm excited because one day, because of First Glance, Kenmore will be a place that people will be proud to be loyal to.

Goss Memorial Church

As you regular readers know, I have been volunteering at First Glance for about the last 6 months (click here to make a donation!). I hold the group of people that work and volunteer there in high regards. So when I heard that most of them attend Goss Memorial Church in Kenmore, I figured it'd be a good church to check out (not to mention, it's only 5 minutes away, and when you're up until 1am playing Call of Duty, you need that kind of closeness).

I have to be honest, Goss was a pretty run-of-the-mill Sunday service. Worship was pretty good and the preaching was pretty normal. Nothing really exciting or anything that would jump out at you. The only real beef I have is that at one point, they asked any visitors to raise their hands so that they could give them some information. Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb and feeling awkward. 

Really it was just your average church service that would blend in with any other church on the tour.  

After that, you might not think I like Goss, and you'd be wrong (of the dead variety). 

For almost a year, I've been wandering to different churches, seeing different worship styles, preaching styles, and service set ups. I've seen worship bands that could probably tour and some that probably should have never left their moms basement. I've heard preachers that have great eloquence and style, and some that couldn't convert their own choir. Good, bad, and indifferent, I've seen 'em all. 

And at the end of the day, none of that matters not one bit. Or as Saint Paul might say, it's skubala (click that link, non-theologians, for a definition). 

Goss shines not in its Sunday service but in its service throughout the week. Not only is Goss a supporter of First Glance and their efforts, but they also support multiple missions groups, both here and abroad. They have a vibrant youth program that attracts over 50 teens (not too shabby for a church thats attendance is about 130). I was able to talk some friends of mine (what's up, TK!) and they shared even more about outreach programs that Goss is involved in, from service with teen moms and young men to services in the school. 

Churches throw quite a bit of money into their Sunday morning worship, but what would be the result if they took that time and money and focused hard core on outreach, small groups, and other programs that focus on people and not a weekly event? 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Sunday worship is bad or that churches that have cool rock bands and speakers are doing something wrong. What I'm saying is that if your focus is slanted towards Sunday, then don't be surprised that you're raising up Sunday-only Christians. 

Goss is awesome. It seems to me, with their focus on outreach and the community, that they have put their faith where their mouth is. You can keep your big rock bands and lightning, give me a church whose heart is with the people any day. As the good book says, As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. 

One side note before we end, Kevin, the guy I know from First Glance, seemed like he was running the whole show! Not only is he the youth pastor, he lead worship as well, playing the guitar, piano and organ! What the heck?! I think at one point I saw him out in the parking lot, changing a flat tire and delivering a baby. 

Double kudos to Goss, 

Rev. 

Marvin

Yes, I know, not a church review. Sorry from the bottom of my heart. It's been a crazy couple of weeks with too many trips to the hospital. I promise I'll be back in the swing of things soon. In the mean time, how about some good music? 

I have a confession to make - I don't listen to Christian music. I know, I'm terrible. The one and only Wandering Reverend (TM) listens to secular music. For some reason in my life, it just never caught on with me.

Growing up, my family never really listened to Christan music. My mom went from classic rock and disco to country. My step-dad didn't really listen to any music (he was a sports talk radio guy. . . very boring for a kid). So between the two of them, no Christian music really made its way to my ears. My musical tastes were mostly influenced by my friends. Back then we mostly listened to hip hop (that's "rap" for you old folks), Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and others. There was some rock in there but that was never really my thing.

The Christian music that my Christian friends told me about always, well, sucked. First of all, it was usually rock (not really my cup of tea) and in my opinion, back then, it wasn't that good. There was DC Talk, the only Christian rappers, but their skillz were dismally pale compared to the rap giants of A Tribe Called Quest and the Beastie Boys.

Fast forward a few years after I fell out of the church and then found religion again. I still had my same finicky musical tastes and there was still no Christian music that really stood out to me. What made it worse is that I was leading a teen youth group and was in charge of trying to get these kids away from the secular and into the religious. I had no alternative to the secular radio stuff they were listening to and my CD collection probably would have made even them blush!

Honestly this weighed on my mind quite a bit. The songs I liked were really awesome musically but the message was far from sacred. I even went as far as to "clense" my collection to get some of the really bad stuff (Goodbye Wu Tang! I will miss you!). As if God was saying something to me, I used the money I got from the CD's to buy a DVD player. . . which promptly broke. Ugh. . .

I had always had an ear for old Mo Town (most hip hop being comprised of samples mostly from this era) but had never purchased any of it. Just whatever was on radio was all I ever heard. I was at Best Buy with my cousin, perusing the music, and noticed they had a Marvin Gaye CD on sale. So I picked up What's Going On and put it in the CD for the ride home (he lives about 40 minutes north of me).

That was the most musically spectacular ride home I have ever taken.

His voice, perfectly soulful. The music was both classic and way ahead of its time. The themes were love, war, and his relationship with God. I had found the most perfect CD. I listened to it the entire trip home and as if God was smiling on me, the CD ended as soon as I pulled onto my street.



I was blown away. But the best part of this music is that it was very spiritual and to me, very Christian. With songs like Wholly Holy and God is Love, there was finally some Christian music that I could listen to! I can't really put into words how happy this made me.



If you haven't listened to this album from front to back, you are missing out on life (even better, it's one of those albums where the songs flow into each other, making for a great album experience).

I'm still struggling to find some good Christian artists that I can really get behind (Chasing Chariots is doing a great job!). There are other bands and even some hip hop (gasp!) that I have found that is actually quite good. . . and Christian. But I can always take relief knowing that when I need it, I can always throw some Marvin on, enjoy some good music, and think about my creator.

Right on, Marvin. Right on.
Rev.