That One Time When Your Kid Met Your Friends

Six days ago, our 14 year old son, Samuel, climbed aboard a 12-passenger van with other members of the youth group from our congregation, Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna, Minnesota and the group began its journey to Detroit, Michigan.  The groups is spending the week working with Living Waters Ministries, one of the ELCA‘s amazing outdoor ministries.

Trinity had partnered with Living Waters in Chicago a couple of years ago and had a great experience.  This year, I didn’t expect a text that I received.

The day after our group arrived, my phone beeped and a photo appeared in my inbox.  It was a photo of Sam, sent to me by Lisa Jeffreys.  Lisa works in the Southeast Michigan Synod.  We’d worked together, and become friends, working on the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit.  I had no idea that Lisa was working with the Living Waters program this summer.

I saw the text, and I smiled.

And a couple of days later, Lisa sent me another photo, this time it was Sam, standing arm in arm with a good friend and mentor, Pastor Kelly Chatman, from Redeemer Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, who was also in Detroit with Living Waters this week. 

I found myself  moved emotionally, by seeing these photos.  I mean of course, it’s always

good to see the smiling face of your son.  But beyond that, I loved the fact that Sam was there with his friends from Trinity…with our adult volunteer leaders…and now with my friends from ministry; from the Network.

It is powerful because when Sam ran into Lisa…into Kelly…when Sam was present with the youth group, and its amazing adult leaders, he is experiencing the promises that God made to him in the waters of his baptism.  This week, Sam is experiencing what it is to live among God’s faithful people.

When Sam met Lisa…when Sam met Kelly, he was experiencing the family of God.  My friends became his friends.  The son whom I love met the friends whom I love.

Thank you Lisa, for being a friend.  Even though we only chat occasionally, and I really only get to see you at the Extravaganza, I am so glad that Sam gets to experience you this week.  Thank you Kelly, as much as you’ve been a fantastic powerful influence on my life, I’m so glad that Sam has had the opportunity to spend some time with you as well.

I’m reminded this week of what it is to be church.  We are all interconnected.  We all share a mission.  We are all, whether we’ve met or not, connected in a relationship that is centered in Christ.  I’m reminded of what it is to be Network.

I’m reminded what it is to be the people of God.

Thank you for being who God called you to be.  Thank you for being people who I want my kids to get to know, and spend time with.

And thanks be to God, for creating the church, this place where we are all connected, in the name of Christ.

God’s peace,
Todd