Harvest Time Is Very Exciting in Youth Work
"That is so exciting!" gushed the young adult at the other end of the phone line. "May God bless you as you work in the harvest". I took a moment to gather my thoughts. The well-meaning telemarketing missionary sensing the silence, picked up the conversation. "You must be so excited to see God moving in such an awesome way! It is harvest time all around the world."
Youth Work
Working as a youth pastor isn't as exciting as some would like to imagine. Rarely do you get opportunities to "save" someone. (The really spiritual among us are quick to confess that it's God's work to save anyone.) The day-to-day work involves building relational foundations, establishing common connecting points, and positioning yourself to assist should crisis hit. This work often lacks adrenaline or super-human empathy. It involves weekly programs and personal visits. The weekly program creates a space of belonging for the youth. It places them in contact with peers, introduces them to adults who care about their holistic growth, and provides faith formation through teaching sessions.
Besides the weekly program, being a youth pastor includes showing up to witness an insecure teen get their first shift playing soccer for the varsity team. It includes birthday texts and hanging out at the local skate-park with camera in hand. The regular programming and personal visits build the trust needed to help them navigate the rough times. Sometimes these rough times stem from the heartbreak of a broken relationship, the disappointment of being cut from the team, or the upheaval of having parents going through a divorce.
Acquire the Fire
Youth events and retreats are another way of spending time with the group, helping them establish peer relationships and have a little fun. One year I made the mistake of enrolling our youth group in a youth event called "Acquire the Fire". Acquire the Fire functioned as a recruitment/hype event for the now defunct mission agency called Teen Mania Ministries. The events consisted of Christian rock music, inspirational talks, and of course the invitation (hear coercion) to join the ministry. Once you were on their radar, their teenage army of well-meaning telemarketers would relentlessly "encourage" you to sign up for the next event happening in your area. As a youth pastor I received frequent calls from them making me aware of new opportunities and ensuring that I would sign up our group to go the next Acquire the Fire.
Summers in Aylmer
When I started my associate pastor job in Aylmer, Ontario, it took me some time to get used to summers in Southern Ontario. As school would draw to a close in June, and our graduation and end-of-the-school-year parties would happen, the youth would shift their attention to the fields of cucumbers, peppers, and tobacco. For the vast majority of the students summertime was a time to make money, as much money as you can.
Cucumbers was one of the first crops of the summer. Starting in the first week or two of July you could expect to be picking cucumbers 6 days/week and often 12-14 hours/day. The more experienced youth might land a job at the cucumber grading station where work would start at noon and often go until 3 or 4 in the morning. Sundays were a time to go to church, relax, and maybe get together with friends. There was little time for programmed youth group activities other than the occasional Sunday afternoon beach party.
Visiting the Harvest Fields
Weekly programming went out the window during summer. So to connect with the youth and make sure the relationships stayed current I would pack a cooler of Freezies and some pop and head out to the fields and grading stations and provide coffee break treats for them. The odd time I would join them at the grading station, pulling out the nubs and crooks. But needless to say - summer was a slower time for me as a youth pastor.
Misunderstanding on the Phone
So enter my office on one of these summer days and I'm doing some reading and planning for the fall and generally taking it easy. The phone rings and the voice on the other end of the line is one of the young recruits calling from Teen Mania. To break the ice the telemarketer asks me how the youth ministry is going; to which I reply, "It's harvest time right now. So... things are pretty relax......" Before I was able to finish the sentence and offer my thanks for breaking the boredom of reading another strategy book, the caller jumped in with the statement made at the beginning of this story.
"That is so exciting!" gushed the young adult at the other end of the phone line. "May God bless you as you work in the harvest". I took a moment to gather my thoughts. The well-meaning telemarketing missionary sensing the silence, picked up the conversation. "You must be so excited to see God moving in such an awesome way! It is harvest time all around the world."
When the telemarketer paused for my reaction, I sheepishly confessed that this wasn't a spiritual harvest. Rather, this harvest was physical, comprised of vegetables, and tobacco. I proceeded to reassure the caller that I had received the latest mailing and that I would be sure to register on time if we decided to attend the next Acquire the Fire that fall.
Presence matters
There is a saying that goes, "Sometimes we're so heavenly minded we're of no earthly use". When our vision lifts off of the immediate, messy and difficult world that surrounds us, we run the risk of no longer relating to the present circumstances. While the present may by unpleasant, hidden within its borders exists the evidence of the Creator. Learning to be present in the immediate moment is a discipline that has helped me get out the imaginary world that I prefer to inhabit. What I have found is that beauty inhabits the ordinary of life. Hints of the divine dwell in the crevices and crags of daily life. Join me in being present for the people and circumstances you encounter today.
This story is part of the Steeple Stories - a collection of tales from my life as a pastor and college professor.