Youth lock-ins have been a staple in youth ministry. Students gather at the church late in the evening and participate in activities all through the night and into the early morning until the sun rises the next day. A simple Google search of Youth Lock-In will bring up an overwhelming amount of information. Some of the article headlines include, Putting an End to Youth Lock-ins and Why I don’t hold lock-ins and you shouldn’t either. Lock-ins do take a lot of work and time. Volunteer teams need to be assembled, activities need to be planned and organized, gathering spaces need to be prepared, medical forms need to be on file, supplies need to be purchased, the sprinklers need to be turned off, equipment needs to be tested, the food needs to be ordered, and the list goes on. Before every lock-in, I read this poem. It makes me chuckle and smile. I still think there is value in the youth lock-in and I get the joy of seeing it firsthand. 

‘TWAS THE NIGHT OF THE LOCK-IN’
By Jacob Eckeberger 

Twas the night of the lock-in, and all through the church
Teenagers were hiding, making leaders all search;
One was in the elevator, going up and down,
Two in the baptismal, pretending to drown,

There were sophomores in the kitchen, looking for food,
And a junior in the youth room, clearly in a mood.
Two freshmen were in the pastor’s office, reorganizing his library.
Two seniors were locked in the sanctuary, lip-syncing Katy Perry.

No children were nestled all snug in their beds.
All the sugar they drank had gone to their heads.
Three volunteers had thought bed would happen by one,
But the youth pastor declared, “No sleep ‘til we’re done!”

Just then from the church kitchen there arose such a clatter,
All Type A leaders sprang up to see what was the matter.
Away to the kitchen they flew in a flash,
To find who had discovered the late-night food stash.

There amid a pile of M&M’s and Dum Dums,
Surrounded by donuts now reduced to donut crumbs,
In a puddle of fruit punch, from a cooler now spilt,
Sat three sophomore guys, faces covered in guilt.

“We were hungry,” one insisted, “and we just wanted a taste!”
“We got a little excited,” said another, “and got sloppy in our haste.”
“That was our 2 a.m. snack,” one leader woodenly intoned.
From behind them, “We’ll all starve!” a 15-year-old bemoaned.

Quickly the news spread throughout every room;
The joy of the night was overcast with doom.
“No 2 a.m. snacks? This night is a disaster!”
All thought it was true, except the youth pastor.

Surveying the messy kitchen, food swept into a pile,
He calmly pulled out his phone and clicked on speed dial.
Cell phone in one hand, church credit card in the other,
Calmly he said, “Twelve right away, and load them up, brother.”

“Add sausage! Add Pepperoni! And add Bacon, please!
Plus beef! Plus ham! Plus lots of extra cheese!
Stack up those ingredients! Stack them up tall.
And throw in some two-liters to wash down it all.”

“Could we add breadsticks?” one senior pled.
“Or better yet,” said another, “how about cheesy bread?”
So complete was the agreement of this small request,
It seemed that fulfilling it would probably be best.

So although no 2 a.m. snack was served up that night,
A 3 a.m. feast was delivered just right.
And without much fanfare and without a search,
Teenagers appeared from every corner of the church.

They packed around the food, squeezed in where they were able
To pick pizza from the boxes and sit around a table.
And for just a few moments, they paused from their zest,
To say, “Thank God for pizza! May this food all be blessed.”

Then leaders and students, they dug in together,
A late-night feast that seemed it could go on forever.
Their eyes—how they twinkled! Their dimples, how merry!
Their cheeks full of pizza, and some coke with a cherry!

Two girls snuck pepperoni into a boy’s hair;
One leader guzzled Mountain Dew, just for a dare.
They laughed, then talked, then laughed some more
And didn’t even waste a piece, when it fell on the floor.

Shortly students and leaders would get up and disperse.
The sleepiest would lose interest, and drift away first.
And in the morning leaders would wander around with cracked voices,
Questioning their own logic and debating life choices.

Of course, there was method in the madness and logic to the night
A reason why this lock-in was clearly all right.
No one spoke it out loud, yet it didn’t go unsaid—
A feeling in each heart and a truth for each head.

But at 3 a.m. around that table it felt surprisingly clear
Why students and leaders had chosen to be here.
Although never verbalized, the message was strong:
“These are people who care and a place I belong.”

If you are interested in volunteering for our youth lock-in Friday, October 7-Saturday, October 8th, please let me know :)

In a recent sermon I walked the congregation through Paul’s Letter to Philemon. It’s a book of the Bible that perhaps many folks really don’t know is in there. It appears toward the end of the New Testament, and if you ever sat down to read it, it would take you just about two minutes. You might not think much of this letter at first glance, but one commentator has said, “Even though this letter is Paul’s shortest work, it is one of the most explosive things Paul ever wrote!”[i]

So, what’s the big deal? Well, to understand what’s so impactful about this letter we need to know a bit about names.  I lined much of this out in my sermon, but seeing these Greek words in print could be helpful. I started the sermon with, “Let me tell you the story of Mr. Bound, Mr. Kind, and Mr. Useful.” And that’s what we’ll do here. The letter starts with the word ‘Paul.’ The Greek name Paulos is a transliteration of the Roman name Paullus (meaning, “humble, modest,” from the Latin parvus, “small”). Paul’s Hebrew name was Saul (“asked for, prayed for”), but because of his growing up among Gentile peoples, he probably chose a name with a similar sound to Saul as his new name in Christ. It is fitting. The one who was once arrogant (zealous for the Law, persecuting Christians) became “humble” Paul in Christ.

For the second word in the letter Paul uses the word desmios to describe himself. We often translate this in English as “prisoner,” but it is more helpful to use the phrase, “one who is bound.” This has broader implications than merely referring to Paul as “one who is currently incarcerated.” Paul’s being in jail doesn’t say much about his identity in Christ. To say rather, “Paul, bound in/for/of Christ Jesus” speaks to Paul’s ongoing new identity as one who is so knit together with Christ, so “bound” to the gospel, that he is compelled to do none other than serve God’s purposes in the world. Elsewhere Paul refers to himself as a doulos (“slave, servant”) of Christ. He who once thought of himself as a free, Roman citizen, came to know in Jesus Christ himself to have been enslaved to the power of SIN in the world. Through Christ, God freed Paul, and all humanity, to be liberated to be slaves to one another in love (Gal. 5:13).

Paul addresses his letter to Philemon, whose name means “kind, loving.” It is related to the Greek word for “kiss”: philema. Throughout the letter Paul reminds Philemon, “Be who you are; be kind and loving. It’s in your name, for God’s sake!” Why does Paul need to remind him to be loving? Well, this is where the letter gets explosive: Paul is sending back a runaway slave to Philemon, and Paul asks Philemon to receive this slave back with love, no longer as a slave, but a brother in Christ. This slave is Onesimus, and his name means “useful.” It was the third most common slave name in the Empire. Slaves barely had any identity, but were given utilitarian names such as “useful, helpful, profitable, productive, etc.”

The key to the letter comes when Paul says, “I am sending Onesimus (Useful) back to you.” Now Paul uses a different but similar word for ‘useful’ to describe Onesimus, “He used to be a-chrestos (not-useful) to you, now he is eu-chrestos (more than useful) to you and to me in the service of the gospel.” Now this word Chrestos was another of the most common slave names in the Empire! And some people got confused when the early Christians went around proclaiming Jesus as Christos. They heard Chrestos instead and thought, “Why should we follow a disgraced slave?” They looked down on Christians because of this.

In a sense, Paul is saying to Philemon, “I am sending Useful back to you, but no longer a helpful slave. He is to be to you a brother and a partner in ministry.” In Christ Jesus is a new identity: we are siblings to one another, the old social order is gone, “For in Christ Jesus there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female, for all are one.” We are now all “fellow workers,” “fellow soldiers,” and “partners.” I would like to think that Philemon lived up to his name and lovingly and kindly received back Onesimus, and that perhaps Onesimus received a new name that reflected his identity in the family of God: Agapetos (Beloved), Adelphos (Brother), Koinonos (Partner) or Hagios (Saint).

It is this last “name” that the Church remembers Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus: saint, holy one. It is a name given to each and every one of us. To you. To me. Saint, one who is made holy in Jesus Christ, sisters and brothers of one family where all are welcome. More than Useful, we are known as St. Welcome.

[i] The Bible Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW9Q3Jt6Yvk

Dearest members, guests, and children of all ages:

What a wonderful experience it has been serving God alongside you.  You have each shown such compassion and energy for and alongside me. Even though our time apart will be short, as we will meet for eternity in heaven, saying goodbye is simply not easy.

I will never forget the amazing moments.  Our Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool has 25 of the most amazing teachers, administrators, & Christian leaders.  Each of our 125 preschool families allows their children to learn about God during our weekly extended day Acts of Random Kindness class, our monthly Little Lambs Chapel time, and see and feel the Christ-centered love during our daily staff prayer circle.  Christ is evident each and every day.

Our Vacation Bible School, Easter Eggstravaganza, Trunk-or-Treat, and Wild About God community events have been an incredible outreach to our neighbors.  Thank you for serving as volunteers, and prayer providers, and for the many, many, many hours of stuffing Easter Eggs! Dedicating our time to work directly with UMOM by hosting their families to attend an Advent Workshop and Eggstravaganza are events I hold incredibly close to my heart.  Inviting UMOM  student residents to the 2021 Camp 456 transformed our student leaders in ways we will never fully know. 

La Familia has a wonderful culture each Sunday.  Providing Breakfast Bar between our two worship services prior to Confirmation and Lunch@Pinnacle provides fellowship time to include a focus on health and nutrition.  Advent and Lenten Wednesday Meals have also been a connection moment for busy families to enjoy a meal outdoors, and worship and programming for faith development.  Intergenerational support is evident at each of these events!

And finally, the collaboration and relationships built within the amazing Pinnacle staff will be held in my heart for years to come. 

My prayer for you is that you continue all the fun!  Introduce yourself to the momma and daddy with the crying baby.  Encourage the students that volunteer to serve as worship leaders.  Consider helping with MOPS, Single and Parenting, Church School, Women’s Fellowship, Youth Group…the list goes on.  Pinnacle Presbyterian Church is YOURS!  Help direct, declare, and dedicate your time with the church family to be the
VERY best it can be.

All My Love ~Ms. Hillary

Has the prayer of confession ever thrown you off on Sunday morning? Or, maybe on occasion you’ve simply said the words and not really thought about it much? What does the silent prayer of confession mean to you? Is there too much time of silence for you? Or maybe not enough!? You’ll notice that we do not ever have worship without some sort of confession. In fact, our denomination’s Book of Order prescribes it: “A prayer of confession of the reality of sin in personal and common life follows. In a declaration of pardon, the gospel is proclaimed and forgiveness is declared in the name of Jesus Christ. God’s redemption and God’s claim upon human life are remembered.” (W-3.3301d)

I find it helpful to look toward the psalms when seeking guidance for prayer. Psalm 51 is a prayerful plea for God’s forgiveness. The Psalmist recognizes that God knows all that we are and all that has drawn us away from God. In fact, God knows this even better than we know it ourselves: “You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.” (Ps. 50:6)

So what is it then about our prayer of confession, if God already knows our heart and Christ is already redeeming our sins? The late theologian Frederick Buechner puts it this way: “To confess your sins to God is not to tell God anything God doesn't already know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you. When you confess them, they become the Golden Gate Bridge.” [Note: I wrote this post before Frederick Buechner died last week. Very few contemporary theologians have influenced me (along with a generation of others) as much as Buechner. I encourage you to read this tribute to Buechner written by New York Times columnist David Brooks.]

The Psalmist comes before God desiring to be made clean: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” (Ps. 50:10-12) Confessing our sins before God is a powerfully difficult thing to do. Create in me a clean heart. Cleanse me. Wash me. Before we can experience God’s healing power, we need to acknowledge our inequity. And then there’s so much joy in being made clean.

Today I did my laundry, so my sense of cleanliness is fresh in my mind. I can smell the clean laundry as it is still warm and I’ve spent the past hour or so folding it. Cleansing – being made clean – allows us to begin something new. Once cleansed by our God we are able to go out into the world alongside others who are in need of God’s deliverance. Once cleansed we are able to guide others to be cleansed. 

Unlike the inanimate articles of clothing that don’t have the ability to bring themselves to be washed, though, I am invited to play a role in my cleansing. When we internalize God’s wisdom in our hearts, the compulsion toward sin instead becomes a compulsion toward those things that glorify God. Our prayer, then, is that the God who knows us in our inmost being would cleanse us, and instill in us a heart that desires to do God’s will and glorify God in all that we do. 

Think about the time of confession during worship and prepare yourself by reviewing Psalm 51. As you attend one of the worship services at Pinnacle this weekend, or wherever/whenever you may be worshipping, mindfully consider the time of confession. How can you submit yourself before God to allow the time of confession to inspire and influence your week ahead? 

It has been my privilege to accompany you at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church these past 11 months. I have accompanied you in congregational song; I have accompanied the choir and soloists; I have accompanied a variety of instrumentalists, handbell ringers, and drummers. I have accompanied the beautiful ministry that is Sing for Life.

I mean more, however. I have accompanied you in the congregational journey out of Covid restrictions into a new, often insecure place. I have accompanied you as some of you grieved, others transitioned to a new phase in life, or cared for a loved one.

Accompanying one another is the joy and blessing of being church together. We come up alongside one another, offering our presence and prayers. If Covid has taught us anything, it certainly has taught us that we can’t always change outcomes, promise futures or know what’s ahead. Covid has taught us that we are vulnerable, all of us. So we accompany one another, assured that God’s care is within reach, in fact, within ourselves to extend to others.

Pinnacle folks love to be together. I noticed that on my first Sunday in October, and that has remained true today. Perhaps you loved being together even more because you couldn’t for such a long time; it felt even more precious when you could. 

Pinnacle is a place with an amazing array of talents, gifts and resources. Its people are diverse in so many ways. What binds you as a congregation is your love of God and its many expressions in this place. There really is a place at the table for everyone.

As the hymn sings it:

For everyone born, a place at the table,
A voice to be heard, a part in the song,
The hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled, 
For young and for old, the right to belong. (Glory to God 769)

Thank you for welcoming me to your table, into your lives, and for the privilege to lead you in song. I have been blessed by our work together, and wish you every blessing as you accompany one another into the future.

Lorraine Brugh
Artist in Residence