628 Project: The beginning

For the past couple of years I’ve served as a volunteer in the junior high ministry (called Project 628) of my home church. I love hanging out with my boys in small group and have had a lot of fun leading worship for the group on Sundays. This fall I was challenged at YMEC (a yearly gathering of youth ministry executives) to think beyond what I was doing for my own ministry (Stuck in the Middle) and instead focus on what I could do to build up another ministry. Specifically we were challenged to use our gifts in a way that would not provide a direct immediate benefit to our own ministry organization.

I went home and talked to our junior high pastor, and the end result is that I’m serving this summer as an unofficial “intern” for the ministry. Specifically I’m working with our JH pastor to help plan weekly services, lay out a plan for a yearly calendar of teaching and events, and help strengthen and build our team of volunteer leaders. It’s a great chance for me to encourage and pour into our JH pastor and other adult leaders, and it’s an awesome opportunity for me to get my hands dirty again in the planning and execution of day to day junior high ministry.

Where we’re at:

Weekly: Right now 628 meets once a week during the weekend. Students have the option to attend a 628 service on Saturday night (during Sat. adult service) or on Sunday morning. For context, we’re a church of about 4,000 and our Sat. night 628 service has anywhere from 10-20 students and Sunday morning is typically around 70-90 (these are my estimations on the numbers, so they may be off a bit).

Events: Our yearly events include: summer camp, the Stuck in the Middle conference, “Hello/Goodbye” (a trip with incoming 6th graders through outgoing 9th graders) and an occasional “628 Late” (a “fun night” at the church held about once a quarter).

Volunteers: For the past couple of years we’ve typically gathered once a year for the purpose of planning/dreaming/relationship building/etc. We also typically get together before major events like camp or Stuck for a planning meeting. Aside from that, most of our communication is done via email.

Over the next couple of months I’ll continue to update the blog with our successes and failures. My hope is that the things that we’re doing at 628 will serve as an encouragement for others who are considering making changes in their own junior high groups. Also, I want to point out that I’m not trying to “fix” a broken or failing program. 628 is going strong and is a great and vibrant program with a strong legacy and excellent leadership. My goal is to come alongside our JH pastor and help him by giving him a sounding board and an “idea guy” to bounce things off of. If I can encourage him and the other adults, then this will be time well spent! I’m excited for the opportunity to serve, and am excited to see what God might have in store for the future of this great ministry!

Aiden Theology

Lately Aiden has been talking a lot more about spiritual things, which is pretty cool for a four year old. We’ve had a few cool talks about Jesus and His disciples. Personally, it’s just cool to hear my boy say a big word like disciples correctly!

Still, there are moments where I’m a little concerned about Aiden’s theology. This weekend he walked up to Jill and had the following conversation:

“Mommy, I’ve been thinking about the way that God made us, and I think he screwed us.”

Jill (a little shocked at Aiden’s word choice…HOW did he even learn that word!) replied “No sweetheart, God made us perfectly.”

Aiden thought about it and asked “Well, how did He make us?”

Jill responded, “I don’t know…maybe like play-doh.”

At that, Aiden zoned out and walked off.

…what I wouldn’t give to know what was going through that four year old brain of his!

My summer, my blog, and Jill’s amazing new job!

It’s been a crazy summer.

I’m sure I overuse that phrase a ton, but I’m not sure how else to categorize it. The summer hasn’t been easy, but it hasn’t been bad either…it’s just, crazy.

This fall Stuck in the Middle will kick off its first multi-city event tour, and the work involved in making that a reality is really eating my lunch right now. In the past I’ve relied heavily on Jill to help me pick up the slack with Stuck, but she’s got a new job that is limiting her ability to help somewhat. That being said, her new job is AMAZING and I wouldn’t trade that opportunity for her for anything in the world. She is working for Faraday Studios helping produce the Young Scientist Challenge for the Discovery Channel. As I type this, she is in Washington DC meeting with people from the Discovery Channel and NASA. They’re also working with a super cool west coast production company (that I’m not allowed to talk about yet) in order to make the whole thing into a killer TV show. Like I said, AWESOME job!

Obviously things have been super busy around here, and I’m wondering if I really have time to do the whole “blog” thing right now. Still, I love the community that comes from being able to share with my friends about what is happening in my life…but it is a tiny bit creepy to post that on an open forum for anyone to read.

So, for now at least, expect scattered and shallow posting. We’ll see where things land over the next few months as to whether or not I keep this thing going.

Help!!!

Hey Everyone, this will only take a second, and could make a huge difference in the lives of some good friends of mine.

Josh Weaver Band is the group that led worship at Stuck in March and is going to be leading on our “Story” tour this coming year. They’re an awesome group with a ton of talent and an even bigger passion to reach students with the message of Christ. They’re in this national radio “battle of the bands” type competition and are currently battling it out for first place. With only 2 more days of voting left, you have a chance to help them win the competition, get national recognition for their band and send them on a trip to GMA of the Rockies to meet with record labels and industry professionals with the chance of a record deal!

It only takes a second to help…Just click here at http://totalaxxess.com and then on the Rock What You Got link to the right of the page and vote for the Josh Weaver Band song Never Ever Ending. It is important that you try and vote 3 times each night and then again during the next day – with the voting so close, it could really make the difference.

If you have a blog and would be willing, ask your readers to show some love for them. The competition has been really tight the past two days. So, throw it out there on your facebook, myspace and email and show some love!

Thanks!

-Sean

Blackberry vs. Moto Q… I need phone help!!!

Ok…so here’s the deal. I have a Motorola Q phone right now, and I like it OK. I use google to manage my stuckinthemiddle.com email accounts, so everything that I do email wise is through gmail. I am accessing my email currently through the web browser on my Q, but would like to switch it over and figure out how to get “push” email through my phone. I also use google calendar right now to manage my appointments, but would be willing to switch over to any program that can sync with my laptop and my phone.

So here’s my question…does anyone out there have a solid recommendation for a phone that can do push email (with gmail) and has a calendar that I can sync with my laptop and phone? I’ve looked into Blackberry phones, but I’m just not sold yet.

Or better yet, does anyone know how to set this up on the Q? I’ve tried to recruit help from the Sprint store with no luck, and I haven’t been able to get it working right on my own either.

A Year Later…Pastor Berlin is still in prison

I received this email from Pastor Berlin’s wife earlier this week. Please read through to the bottom of the email, which tells you how you can support him through a letter writing campaign that is designed to put pressure on the government for his safe release. I strongly encourage you to do so for the sake of this brother who has been unjustly imprisoned and tortured for his faith.

-Sean

Dear Brother and Sister in Christ,

Please include in your prayers my husband and our family’s appeal to the Supreme Court for the issuance of resolution. Its been one year since he abducted in front of us last May 27,2008.

Below you will find Pastor Berlin’s statement and our letter campaign for the the court to give attention on Pastor Berlin’s case. Thank you so much and may the Lord continue to bless you and your family.

In Christ,
Mylene Guerrero
wife of Pastor Berlin

One Year of Deprivation, One Year of Service

It has been said that no one truly knows
a nation until one has been inside its jails.
A nation should not be judged by how it treats
Its highest citizens, but its lowest ones
Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

It has been exactly one year since I was thrown in prison- a year stolen from me and my family and friends by a heartless callous regime who claims to have protected the basic human rights of its citizens and blatantly lies to the face of the international community that its human rights record is clean and satisfactory.

One year ago, operatives of the Naval Intelligence Security Force (NISF) snatched me away from my family. Terror and shock was written on their faces and of those who witnessed the late afternoon abduction. No warrants were presented by the men in plainclothes. I was handcuffed, blindfolded and subjected to physical and mental torture for more than twelve hours. Finding nothing to convict me of any crime, they turned me over to the Cavite Philippine National Police (PNP) at its headquarters in Imus, Cavite. The Police tried to cover up the abduction by saying the arrest was legal and presented two old warrants of arrest – one was for inciting to sedition and the other for murder. The first one was served to me in 1991 and have posted bail for my freedom. The case did not prosper and there was no court litigation. The arrest warrant for murder issued in 1992 arose from the killing of a union leader in 1990 where I had nothing to do about. It was the PC-INP Investigator who linked me to the case by showing a marked photograph to the alleged lone witness. The RTC Judge who issued the warrant did not personally investigate the witness nor conduct a preliminary investigation. Since I did not receive any sub-poena, I was not given a chance to answer the charges.

I stand pat on the belief that the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration is responsible for my abduction, torture and incarceration through its so-called anti-terrorism program now implemented under the Human Security Act of 2007. My case is clearly a counter-insurgency operation which, like any other operation conducted by military elements, have grossly violated my rights as a citizen. And now I ask what has the GMA government done to those who have unlawfully arrested me, tortured me, and caused my family and friends to suffer?

The recent abduction, torture and four-day involuntary detention of my co-worker UCCP Pastor Rodel Canja, which I vehemently denounce, only proves how stone-hearted the Arroyo Government until now. It has never abandoned its unjust annihilative war against its own people. Its rhetoric of peace and peace talks serve only to mask its beastly character.

A year of prison life has taught me valuable lessons.

I experienced the dismal subhuman condition and of government neglect of jails and detention centers and the deliberately sluggish, almost lazy litigation of court cases.

I listened to numerous inmate testimonies of police brutality
and the use of torture to force arrested persons to admit
crimes they may or may not have committed.

I heard how commonplace the stories about some judges
and government prosecutors being bought and bribed to
favor moneyed and powerful parties.

All these point out to the unfair justice system and the oppressive prison institutions which are all anti-poor and repressive of the people’s dissent and disgust of the prevailing social order.

While I wait for the Supreme Court decision on my petition for freedom, I continue to know what languishing in jail means. And as I suffer the consequences of professing my Christian faith I will continue to serve the people especially those who suffer with me in jail because of the “evil” in power.

Pastor Berlin Guerrero
Cavite Provincial Jail
Trece Martirez City
Cavite, Philippines

P..s

Below is our letter writting campaign… please help us!

Free Berlin Movement
Letter Writing Campaign

As is has already been one-year that Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero has been in prison, we enjoin you to add your voice to the many who are praying for his release. After careful consideration, we are appealing for you to write letters to two places—the Supreme Court where a motion for Pastor Berlin’s release has been pending since August, 2007 and to the Solicitor General who is opposing Pastor Berlin’s release. We are also asking that you send a copy of your appeal letters to the family of Pastor Berlin Guerrero both to boost their moral and so that we are able to update you any future actions of news on the case of Pastor Berlin. We have highlighted in the sample letter form the number of weeks Pastor of Berlin is detained. Our target is to organize our local churches, ecumenical and international partners and solidarity links to send at least one letter per week as a sustained reminder of the broad support for Pastor Berlin and his family.

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Please send the following letter to the Supreme Court Justices individually at the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Padre Faura Street corner Taft Avenue, Ermita 1000, Manila. Send a copy of the letter to Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno to Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero Family c/o UCCP North-East Southern Tagalog Conference, 9 Kanluran Road, Los Banos, Los Banos, Laguna.

Hon Reynato S. Puno, Chief of Justice
Hon. Arturo Brion, Associate Justice
Hon. Ruben T. Reyes, Associate Justice
Hon. Antonio Nachura, Associate Justice
Hon. Leonardo A. Quisumbing, Associate Justice
Hon. Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Associate Justice
Hon. Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Associate Justice
Hon. Antonio T. Carpio, Associate Justice
Hon. Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez, Associate Justice

Hon. Renato C. Corona, Associate Justice
Hon. Conchita Carpio-Morales, Associate Justice
Hon. Romeo J. Callejo, Sr. Associate Justice
Hon. Adolfo S. Azcuna, Associate Justice
Hon. Dante O. Tinga, Associate Justice
Hon. Minita Chico-Nazario, Associate Justice
Hon. Cancio C. Garcia, Associate Justice
Hon. Teresita De Castro, Associate Justice

To the Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines:

On May 27, 2007 Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero was abducted in front of his wife and children as they traveled home from the local church where he was pastor in Malaban, Binan, Laguna. After heavy torture and interrogation completely unrelated to the charge against him, Pastor Berlin has now spent 48 weeks in prison on a trumped-up charge of murder.

We appeal for a speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin Guerrero. We know that Pastor Berlin continues his pastoral ministry within the Cavite Provincial Jail, and we are certain that he is detained for political rather than criminal reasons. We urge you to prioritize this case as testament to the pursuit of justice and democracy in the Philippines.

Pastor Berlin V.. Guerrero is one amongst many Filipinos who have been abducted, tortured, disappeared and killed under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Administration. We enjoin your efforts to bring justice to the many victims of Human Rights Violations. Our prayers are with you as you are challenged to address these injustices. We join this appeal for a speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin as we also join in the efforts to bring peace based on justice to the Filipino people.

Sincerely yours,
(Your name)
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And the following Letter to the Solicitor General:

Hon. Agnes VST Devanadera
Solicitor General, Republic of the Philippines
134 Amorsolo St. Legaspi Village, Makati City

Dear Hon. Agnes VST Devanadera:

We appeal for your support for the speedy resolution of the case of Pastor Berlin V. Guerrero, now pending with the Supreme Court. We are certain that Pastor Berlin has had nothing to do with the murder of which he has been accused. As a servant of the people of the Philippines, we appeal to your better wisdom toward justice for you to allow the release Pastor Berlin Guerrero who has already been detained for more than 48 weeks. The release of Pastor Berlin will be step toward peace and democracy in the Philippines.

Sincerely yours,
(Your name)

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Thank you for your support and participation.

AWOL blogger and 24 kids in a bug

I’ve been away for a few weeks but am finally working on a couple of new posts. In the meantime, here’s a couple of great videos from my buddy Andy Jack. These videos remind me of why I love working with middle school students!

As a side note, listen to the voice doing the countdown in the second video. I’m pretty sure that’s Andy’s voice I hear saying “5…3…3…2…1″.

I know the ordination work took up a good chunk of your brain buddy…but I’m pretty sure there should be a “4″ in there!