Kudos

Today has been such a godawful day that I need to redeem some of it by remembering that it's only been two days since a really awesome experience.

I received this by email on Sunday afternoon:

[Cat], [Beast] & [Redneck Guy],

WOW!!!!

What a wonderful job the kids did today leading worship.

Thanks—to a great group of young people, and to you three for providing the leadership that assists in creating such meaningful experiences.

Please pass on to the kids my appreciation and thanks.

[Vel.] [D.]

It was immediately followed by this:

Dear [Youth Group] Leaders and Members:

Your service today was incredibly moving. Thank you for the beautiful, disturbing, shocking, in our face messages. After 35 years of working to try to improve the lives of children and families, I have been despairing of late because the State and other government agencies that fund my agency and agencies like ours have been decreasing support for children's services --- to the point where I wonder sometimes if we can keep [the agency] open for business without some miracle. I pray every night and throughout every day that God will send us the resources we need to continue operating and that He will give me the strength and wisdom to know what to do to see that we can be there for children and young people like yourselves.

Your skit and your service made me hopeful – hopeful because you in [the group] appear to be on the safe track to adulthood and hopeful that your message to "Get involved/Stay involved" was heard by the members of our congregation loud and clear. It truly does take a village to raise a child and all of us need to do whatever we can to make the path to adulthood safe for our children. As you know from your research, FAR too many children in our own country lose their way and ALTOGETHER too many children in the world are in the same trouble PLUS there are children who are starving, disease ridden, threatened by war and violence, slavery and abuse all over the world. It seems like a big challenge to make a difference, but how can any of us not try?

Thank you again for this powerful message. I think you could and should take this show on the road!

With Love in Christ,
[S.] [K.]

Today, this arrived from the pastor as a tag on an email about something completely unrelated and which also went to our Presbytery's Clerk:

P.S. [Cat], the youth service Sunday was outstanding! I have heard more buzz about it than any youth service I have experienced. WELL DONE!!! [Pastor P.]

Finally, from another individual:

Dear [Youth Group]

I am writing to congratulate you and to thank you for such an awesome Youth Sunday! The skit you presented was very meaningful and, in fact, moved me to tears.

Your acting was VERY professional—you remained in character at all times and obviously put your hearts into it.

The information you presented at the end was very effective in reinforcing the message of the skit and I know it hit home with a lot of people.

Thank you so much for your hard work; this was definitely a Five Star presentation.

Sincerely,

[B.] [E.]

Mind you, all of these people have sat through decades of Youth Sundays that were moving in different ways. I will probably--at least temporarily--post a link to the video once we get it online. I just couldn't wait to post the kudos though. I couldn't be prouder of these kids, and I'm so grateful that the whole congregation got a chance to see how blessed we are to have them in our midst.