Entries this day: swuusi_1998_Worship swuusi_1998_completion

swuusi 1998 Worship

3am Friday 31 July 1998

I got super hugs when I went back to the main cabin after "my first shower since Sunday morning!" "Yay Rob!" and hugs all around.

Played koosh with Clark, Jessica, Nathan Sexton, and Bryn and others before dinner. Gave advisors Mary Angel and Dorian back massages and then it was time for worship.

I had been asked to lead a senior circle through some type of guided mediation. I wrote down the words to the 1996 OKC Rally song and started my part of the worship by singing it.

to the tune of A few of my favorite things

Boogers on buttcracks and dead charred wet monkeys
Gabe with Guy Parkhurst make talent shows funky
Cannibal inbreds with crack pipes and beer
These are what made OKC Rally dear

Sardines for hours and football for longer
Talkin' and chillin' make friendships all stronger
Walking to Rest and the bombed building here
These are what made OKC Rally dear

chorus:
When the coffee's gone
When the rally ends
When you're feelin' sad
Just you remember your OKC friends
And then you'll start feelin' rad!

Bonding with old friends and learning some new names
Bluejean adornment and cheap corny mind games
Special Ed tunes that we all love to hear
These are what made OKC Rally dear

(chorus)

Then I was all, "each rally has its song, but the songs just weren't written.." I reminded them of various memorable events that have happened at rallies in the past few years, bringing laughter and good memories to the group.

I described how life will be different after YRUU but there are young adult groups "throughout the continent... Canada" I added that on for Anna and they knew.

I had them call into the circle the names of some youth who have graduated before them.. any youth that has touched them in some way.. and they did.

I encouraged them to feel the tightness and safety of the container, and to know it is always available- just a phone call or email or snail mail away.

Then Bix had the rest of the group give a giant big group hug and all was good and all were chillin' and then they yelled Bish Bish.

Bish Bish is the name of a chant of profanities often saved for highly emotional moments such as this. I personally find nothing wrong with it, but I know some people have different ideas about what language is appropriate... especially screamed outside after 1 am.

We walked back without incident and most everyone assembled for the talent show. Kris and Aaron were up on stage and Steve hopped up there and stopped the show. "Okay, we need to have a meeting. Get everyone in here and let's meet."

Basically he said the youth broke the rule previously set about maintaining quiet hours after 11pm and he wanted to know how to keep that rule from being broken again.

For 1.5 or 2 hours the group deliberated on the appropriate course of action. Down down down the sleepy tubes went the conversation, but in the end the youth made clear decisions about what they would do to rectify the current situation and keep it from happening again, and to stop any problems that result later from this particular instance.

At the end, Drake complimented our process and suggested only that we send about 3 youth to be trained as facilitators so this kind of discussion can go more smoothly in the future.

I was too sleepy to stay up for the talent show after that, and in retrospect, I wish I had. On the way back, Jeremy said the senior circle that I led was fabulous and he and Nathan wanted to be sure I knew the fault was in no way mine. I appreciated his words.

swuusi 1998 completion

12:13pm Friday 31 July 1998

Welp, we're on the way back home from SWUUSI. I was kinda in a grouchy mood when I woke up this morning after missing the talent show last night. Fricke et.al. had written a song for SWUUSI and fuck I missed it and they are graduating.

But I felt way better with all the love and hugs and happy happy joy joy throughout the camp, and signing mugbooks and taking pictures and all the fun.

We had closing circle and the seniors, instead of screaming Bish Bish again, busted out with

ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT!
GENTLY DOWN THE STREAM!
MERRILY MERRILY MERRILY MERRILY!
LIFE IS BUT A DREAM!!!

and it was so funny after the conversation last night! I sense a new tradition happening soon.

I also got great kudos from Nathan about my ad lib worship last night for the seniors. They really liked my work and I feel great!

On the way home the funniest thing was Wende asking Nick, a vegan, "okay, do you want to go to Pit Bar-B-Q or Jake's Steaks for lunch??"

She drove most of the way home and then I drove from just past Centerville the rest of the way in.