chocolate windmills
Here it is, the post you've been waiting for, my cynical commentary on SC retreat!! Hooray! You get to hear John Mark's negative, derrogatory opinions on our experience! Woot!
Just kidding, I actually don't really have any negatives about our trip. I'll try to cover everything.
Playing viola was much fun; it was a very different experience for me. I cringed sometimes when listening to myself on the video recordings, sometimes getting a little to high or fast or not quite hitting the note...string instruments are no piece of cake. I think everyone on the worship team did an excellent job.
Our speaker was pretty good, I was definitely entertained, and I liked a lot of what he had to say. You guys already know my opinion on altar calls, so you know my opinion of his closing on the first night; however, I wasn't too bothered by it. His way of doing it was slightly better, I think, because it encourages true conviciton...there is a greater chance that someone who truly felt that way would have stood when everyone was watching. I still think it is best to let people process the information and come to a conclusion independently, perhaps to ask questions or think it over.
I also enjoyed our meeting we had on Thursday night, and I think we should have a meeting like that periodically throughout the year, in order to check up on our progress. Here are some things that I thought were most important and were mentioned that night:
Strengths:
As a student body and as a student council, we are united. There aren't any divisions or rebellions or anything of the sort. The smallness of the school plays a role in that, and the smallness also allows more intimacy between upper and lower classmen. Another way the smallness contributes to the good of our school is the relationships between the faculty and the students; the teachers are very involved and can get to know their students personally so that they can teach them better and care for them. Alma Heights has great teachers to begin with, so this makes it even better:)
Weaknesses:
Lack of spirit/motivation - Lets face it: it's hard to get people motivated for things. We need to work on how to get their attention.
Lack of communication - We need colorful, noticeable signs everywhere for things, instead of black-and-white Xerox copies. I mean, they don't even have to be in color, but the papers can be colored to draw attention. Laura mentioned that she went to Lowell and saw fliers and colorful papers everywhere, as a model of what we should strive for.
Opportunities:
"Reaching out" to new students and the lower classes - We can make a huge impact on the Jr. Highers and middleschoolers. I mean, they think we're gods or something. Just by saying "hi" to them, you can make their day..."OMG!!! John Mark said "Hi" to me when we were passing in the hallway!! I'm so cool now!" Of course, that phrase is said by almost everyone, not just the little kids.
Threats:
Lazines/Delegation of Authority - I don't know how else to put this...people need to do their jobs, and pronto!! This includes me, of course. It probably applies to me more than anyone else.
Hypocracy - We, as student leaders, are called to set an example for everyone else. We need to strive to do God's will and share his love with everyone.
Gospel Communication - This was that comment I made, using the Latter-Day Saints as an example, perhaps you remember. I'll recap. A threat to any Christian body, whether it be church, school, youth group, etc., is a lack or misunderstanding of the gospel. The Latter-Day Saints have many disfunctionalities which I will not discuss, but the main problem is that they don't understand the gospel. During Joseph Smith's days, a great "spiritual revival" was occuring. Unfortunately, during this time period, though many were led to Christ, a solid theological foundation was not commonly set into place, which gave rise to many cults such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Shakers, etc. As a Christian body, we must be careful to make the proper distinction between Christianity and the other religions, which is that Salvation comes by Grace through faith, and not by works. The problem with cults and even some denominations that are considered to be Christian (but aren't, in my opinion) is their understanding that works are an obligation. Works are rather a response to God's unfathomable love and grace which arise naturally out of true faith. Therefore, when discussing things like James 2 ("Faith without deeds is dead"), rather than say "Ha! See! You have to do good things, otherwise you don't have faith," we must rather say "Those who really have true faith naturally possess the Holy Spirit, who enables us to fulfill the good works God has planned for us." So, I am NOT comparing Alma Heights to the Latter-Day Saints, but we must be careful not to put ourselves in such a position.
Wow, I put a lot under that last comment, but all of the things SC came up with that night are very important. I'm sad it's over, but I had a truly amazing time with everyone.
Just kidding, I actually don't really have any negatives about our trip. I'll try to cover everything.
Playing viola was much fun; it was a very different experience for me. I cringed sometimes when listening to myself on the video recordings, sometimes getting a little to high or fast or not quite hitting the note...string instruments are no piece of cake. I think everyone on the worship team did an excellent job.
Our speaker was pretty good, I was definitely entertained, and I liked a lot of what he had to say. You guys already know my opinion on altar calls, so you know my opinion of his closing on the first night; however, I wasn't too bothered by it. His way of doing it was slightly better, I think, because it encourages true conviciton...there is a greater chance that someone who truly felt that way would have stood when everyone was watching. I still think it is best to let people process the information and come to a conclusion independently, perhaps to ask questions or think it over.
I also enjoyed our meeting we had on Thursday night, and I think we should have a meeting like that periodically throughout the year, in order to check up on our progress. Here are some things that I thought were most important and were mentioned that night:
Strengths:
As a student body and as a student council, we are united. There aren't any divisions or rebellions or anything of the sort. The smallness of the school plays a role in that, and the smallness also allows more intimacy between upper and lower classmen. Another way the smallness contributes to the good of our school is the relationships between the faculty and the students; the teachers are very involved and can get to know their students personally so that they can teach them better and care for them. Alma Heights has great teachers to begin with, so this makes it even better:)
Weaknesses:
Lack of spirit/motivation - Lets face it: it's hard to get people motivated for things. We need to work on how to get their attention.
Lack of communication - We need colorful, noticeable signs everywhere for things, instead of black-and-white Xerox copies. I mean, they don't even have to be in color, but the papers can be colored to draw attention. Laura mentioned that she went to Lowell and saw fliers and colorful papers everywhere, as a model of what we should strive for.
Opportunities:
"Reaching out" to new students and the lower classes - We can make a huge impact on the Jr. Highers and middleschoolers. I mean, they think we're gods or something. Just by saying "hi" to them, you can make their day..."OMG!!! John Mark said "Hi" to me when we were passing in the hallway!! I'm so cool now!" Of course, that phrase is said by almost everyone, not just the little kids.
Threats:
Lazines/Delegation of Authority - I don't know how else to put this...people need to do their jobs, and pronto!! This includes me, of course. It probably applies to me more than anyone else.
Hypocracy - We, as student leaders, are called to set an example for everyone else. We need to strive to do God's will and share his love with everyone.
Gospel Communication - This was that comment I made, using the Latter-Day Saints as an example, perhaps you remember. I'll recap. A threat to any Christian body, whether it be church, school, youth group, etc., is a lack or misunderstanding of the gospel. The Latter-Day Saints have many disfunctionalities which I will not discuss, but the main problem is that they don't understand the gospel. During Joseph Smith's days, a great "spiritual revival" was occuring. Unfortunately, during this time period, though many were led to Christ, a solid theological foundation was not commonly set into place, which gave rise to many cults such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Shakers, etc. As a Christian body, we must be careful to make the proper distinction between Christianity and the other religions, which is that Salvation comes by Grace through faith, and not by works. The problem with cults and even some denominations that are considered to be Christian (but aren't, in my opinion) is their understanding that works are an obligation. Works are rather a response to God's unfathomable love and grace which arise naturally out of true faith. Therefore, when discussing things like James 2 ("Faith without deeds is dead"), rather than say "Ha! See! You have to do good things, otherwise you don't have faith," we must rather say "Those who really have true faith naturally possess the Holy Spirit, who enables us to fulfill the good works God has planned for us." So, I am NOT comparing Alma Heights to the Latter-Day Saints, but we must be careful not to put ourselves in such a position.
Wow, I put a lot under that last comment, but all of the things SC came up with that night are very important. I'm sad it's over, but I had a truly amazing time with everyone.
posted by John Mark at 5:21 PM
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