So I went to Des Moines this past weekend to speak at a Presbyterian retreat along with the band Jonah's Wale (Troy, Dawn, and Mark). It was held in the Westminster Presbyterian church near the Drake neighborhood.
It was what I'd consider the first real 39/27 Ministry gig since, to my knowledge, it's the first job we've had together that was pitched as a package deal. For those of you who don't know, 39/27 is the name that we (Jonah's Wale, Son's of Thunder, and I) have picked to represent ourselves in the Christian world as we promote ourselves together for events. If I'm not too lazy here when I'm done with this post, I'll put a link up for our site on the side of the page next to all the other links I've got.
The event was great. Man, do I love Presbyterians. It was pretty clear in the opening worship that Troy's worship leading, cow milking, movie butterfly, river dancing, ways of music were new to this crowd. At one point during worship, Troy said, "You know, this is my first experience with Presbyterians." And a pastor from the crowd answered back, "And this is the first time Presbyterians have experienced someone like you!" Which got a large laugh from the crowd. Troy asked if that was good, to which they all responded that it was.
We ate pizza, camped out in the church lounge, ate at Fazzoli's, watched Mark dissapoint us all by not finishing a hamburger that was as big as his head, and had some fantastic worship. It was seriously the most fun I've had speaking in quite a while, and I really hope that the 39/27 possibilities keep flowing in.
Last night I headed over to Lynnville, IA to speak for the youth group at the Lynnville Friends Church. We had Lasagna (which I choose to prounounce as LUH-ZAG-NAH), and it was fantatstic. I had a chicken/broccoli lasagna that rocked my face off. And the group I spoke to was a lot of fun. Wow, two great crowds in a row! I'm kind of scared to go to the next job . . . but that's back to Gunn Lake, Michigan on December 1st for a Christmas party. And those folks are always great to me!
On a sad note, I've once again given up soda of all forms. I quit about a week ago after a lengthy conversation with good friend Luke Vander Leest about the dangers of addictions. For those long time blog readers (yes, both of you), I gave up once a long while back for about two weeks and then started up again. I was sadly up to about ten cans a day for a while, but I've been clean for a week now.
Well, that was until last night. At last night's Lynnville dinner, all I found to drink was soda, so I had a Diet Pepsi. It was just one! And I'm officially back on the wagon again this morning. Or off the wagon, maybe, because I don't remember which part of the wagon it is you need to worry about when it comes to addictions.
I'm in Michigan for poetry on Dec. 1, Omaha for improv on Dec. 2, and Omaha again for improv on Dec. 9. I'm getting to team up with my good friends in 88 Improv again for a couple weeks of Christmas parties, and I'm really looking forward to it!
Till next time,
Jason
Monday, November 20, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Still a Lazy Blogger. . .
Yeah, I've been lots of places and done lots of things since the last blog. And yes, I still get the occasional emails and folks I bump into that say, "Hey, why no blog? Have you given up on the blog?"
No.
In October I went up to Milwaukee to speak for a large group of ninjas (people with panty hose on their heads that each held a tennis ball.) I found them quite entertaining, and while in Milwaukee, I accomplished my ultimate purpose - to pick up jars and jars of Milwaukee's own pickles for my wife who is 6 months pregnant.
And, as always, after stating that I had to pick up pickles for my pregnant wife, I am to offer the disclaimer that my wife has ALWAYS liked pickles and eaten them in large quantities - even before she was pregnant. (If you ask me, that actually sounds worse than just telling people they're a pregnancy craving.)
Also in October, I went and spoke for the Pella High School football team at their weekly team supper. It was one of those odd little God things where I spoke about some soldiers from the old testament sticking together, and afterwards the coach showed me the dog tags that every player and coach were given for many of the same reasons I spoke about. And I also found out that speaking to a large group of football players can be intimidating.
This past week I was up in Sioux Falls, SD, Edgerton, MN, and a little town I can't remember just north of Sioux Falls where the Tri-Valley High School is located. It was a little three day midwest tour, as I like to imagine it.
I spoke for the chapel at the Southwest Christian High School in Edgerton on Wednesday afternoon. It was a great session not because of anything I said, but because it gave me a chance to worship with good friend / worship leader / piano player Dawn Ryswyk. Dawn helped make us all feel a little older by playing the worship song Carrier only to have most of the crowd admit they'd never heard it before.
Oh yeah, Mark was there too.
On Wednesday night we headed to Tri-Valley high school and I walked into the gymnasium and realized the event was much larger than I thought it was going to be. They had a large stage set up and seating for around 900 people. The place packed out, my good friends from Sons of Thunder played the worship leaders, and it was a great time. There were LOTS of people there.
Oh yeah, Mark and Troy were there too.
On Thursday I headed to the Sioux Falls Christian High School in the afternoon to speak to good friend Luke Vander Leest's old testament bible class on biblical archaeology. I've been reading up and taking notes on the subject for the last several months, and thought it would be fun to share it with some others.
To put it simply, I bored the buhjeebers out of the class. It reminded me a lot of my first speaking engagement. I talked way too long, and way too fast and no one seemed to like me. But when I was done, I thought, I think I could do that better next time! So only time will tell whether or not I get another chance to share my studies on archaeology.
This coming weekend I'm speaking for a Presbyterian retreat in Des Moines. Troy and Dawn will be leading worship. And, oh yeah, Mark will be there.
Till next time,
Jason
No.
In October I went up to Milwaukee to speak for a large group of ninjas (people with panty hose on their heads that each held a tennis ball.) I found them quite entertaining, and while in Milwaukee, I accomplished my ultimate purpose - to pick up jars and jars of Milwaukee's own pickles for my wife who is 6 months pregnant.
And, as always, after stating that I had to pick up pickles for my pregnant wife, I am to offer the disclaimer that my wife has ALWAYS liked pickles and eaten them in large quantities - even before she was pregnant. (If you ask me, that actually sounds worse than just telling people they're a pregnancy craving.)
Also in October, I went and spoke for the Pella High School football team at their weekly team supper. It was one of those odd little God things where I spoke about some soldiers from the old testament sticking together, and afterwards the coach showed me the dog tags that every player and coach were given for many of the same reasons I spoke about. And I also found out that speaking to a large group of football players can be intimidating.
This past week I was up in Sioux Falls, SD, Edgerton, MN, and a little town I can't remember just north of Sioux Falls where the Tri-Valley High School is located. It was a little three day midwest tour, as I like to imagine it.
I spoke for the chapel at the Southwest Christian High School in Edgerton on Wednesday afternoon. It was a great session not because of anything I said, but because it gave me a chance to worship with good friend / worship leader / piano player Dawn Ryswyk. Dawn helped make us all feel a little older by playing the worship song Carrier only to have most of the crowd admit they'd never heard it before.
Oh yeah, Mark was there too.
On Wednesday night we headed to Tri-Valley high school and I walked into the gymnasium and realized the event was much larger than I thought it was going to be. They had a large stage set up and seating for around 900 people. The place packed out, my good friends from Sons of Thunder played the worship leaders, and it was a great time. There were LOTS of people there.
Oh yeah, Mark and Troy were there too.
On Thursday I headed to the Sioux Falls Christian High School in the afternoon to speak to good friend Luke Vander Leest's old testament bible class on biblical archaeology. I've been reading up and taking notes on the subject for the last several months, and thought it would be fun to share it with some others.
To put it simply, I bored the buhjeebers out of the class. It reminded me a lot of my first speaking engagement. I talked way too long, and way too fast and no one seemed to like me. But when I was done, I thought, I think I could do that better next time! So only time will tell whether or not I get another chance to share my studies on archaeology.
This coming weekend I'm speaking for a Presbyterian retreat in Des Moines. Troy and Dawn will be leading worship. And, oh yeah, Mark will be there.
Till next time,
Jason
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