YMO Missions

Missions Speak

2014-06-27T09:06:00.000-05:00

A few words from Alden Pritchard

Missions Speak

Good morning. My name is Alden Pritchard, and I was a part of the 2014 missions team that went to Navajo Nation in Bluff, Utah. The 2014 missions team’s goal was to put up the walls and begin the roof of a Hogan, which is a traditional Navajo house. The Hogan we built was in the shape of a combination of a rectangle and an octagon.

It was a combination of God’s help and better team arrangements than we had last year that the 2014 missions team was accomplish this goal. Last year, there were at least five different teams doing work on different construction sites. This year, we had four teams all concentrated on one work site. The teams we had this year consisted of about 9 people per team, 2-3 adults, and the rest were kids.

One of the largest reasons our teams were so successful was that this year everyone was more familiar with each other, and this made the teams more effective because communication was more open, which was a big improvement from last year.

Last year there was no familiarity between us and the kids from Tulsa, Oklahoma because last year we didn’t know any of the kids from Tulsa at all before the trip, whereas this year the vast majority of people knew each other beforehand, partly due to the 22 hour bus ride.

The small teams we had this year were constantly busy, as there was always work to be done. Some teams had more specific jobs: My team, team 4, went by the name of Rolling Stones, and we were tasked with building the east facing walls, which consisted of two walls with windows, and one with a door.

Other teams may have either had other walls to build, or they might have had tasks like cutting, measuring, or marking wood that would be used to construct the walls. Other jobs for those who had none were helping other teams that had a lot of work to do and needed more help than they already had.

Sometimes a few people would be recruited for a special task like assembling a header to go above a window to support the wall, and that would take them away from their team for a little while. I remember Paul Schwartz, who was on our team, was helping with cutting wood and getting the power tools working so he was unable to help us for most of the time.

Some of the work was not easy. I remember how our team had to tear apart a wall we started putting together because assembled outside in not inside out

Roofing crew had to work on the roof, had to work very meticulously, more so than other groups

All in all: Six sided Hogan (traditional Navajo house), almost all walls up with almost all plywood on those walls

Incredible considering:

Time element

o Monday bus got stuck, 1-2 hours on site total

o Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, full day

o Friday 45-60 mph winds, limited activity on roof and with plywood, cleanup was done before 2:00

o Temperatures at about 100 degrees every day with almost constant wind

-Alden Pritchard

From the Me, to the We, to the One

2014-06-26T08:54:00.003-05:00

A few words from Libby Morris

From the Me, to the We, to the One

As I stand up here today, I am an unfamiliar face to most. Unlike many of my peers in YMO, I am not an official “member” of Grace Church. So, you must be wondering, how did I get involved in YMO?

About one year ago, after the YMO kids came back from missions in New Mexico, I met with one of my best friends, Laila Drury, youth rep extraordinaire, for dinner at a Thai restaurant to hear about the trip. As soon as she started talking about the trip, I was immediately jealous. At the time, I was in another youth group based out of a different church. I had been on two mission trips with that group before, but these trips seemed like nothing compared to what Laila and the YMO kids had just experienced. I wanted in.

So, when it came time for the first YMO meeting of this year, Laila was really excited to take me. I can’t say the same for myself. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was excited to be in the youth group, but I was really nervous about meeting new people and whether or not I would be accepted.

And boy, was that stupid. As soon as I walked into Father Chris’s house that night, I was accepted into the group. No question about it. Of course, it took time to really get to know everyone in the group, but from day one, I was always an integral part of YMO, just like every one of my peers.

The whole year, Father Chris had been teaching us that we need to go from the “me” to the “we” to the “one.” This means instead of focusing on ourselves and instead of focusing on everyone in the group, we need to focus on coming together as one, harmonious body. And I think that to truly be able to make it to “the one,” acceptance is key. On our mission trip this past month exemplified YMO’s sense of “the one” and acceptance greatly. To just give you one example is an extremely hard task. It’s hard because the amount of love I saw within this group during missions is unbelievable. Completely unbelievable.

First, I could tell you about the time when our coach bus got stuck in the sand in the middle of the desert. I personally wasn’t there, but everyone who was there did everything in their power to help. And I mean everything. People were using their hardhats to scoop sand out from under the wheels and others were just trying to stay calm. Finally, a couple of huge trucks serendipitously showed up and were able to help pull the bus out of the sand.

A true act of God. But really, helping the bus out of trouble was a huge act of “the one,” which wouldn’t have been possible without accepting each other for our individual strengths.

Or, I could tell you about the life-changing experience we all had on Wednesday night. Father Chris took us into the canyon right behind St. Christopher’s mission to show us an “energy vortex:” a place where God’s energy on earth is overwhelmingly palpable. As soon as we entered the canyon, we were silent. There was no need to talk to each other. We sat on a formation of rocks deep inside the canyon to meditate, to become one with God and each other.

This experience is completely indescribable. I know this may sound contrived, but I really figured myself out during this time; we were so in tune with nature we didn’t even realize we were in tune with each other. When the meditation period was over and we were back at the mission, we all looked at the bright moon and subconsciously held hands with each other. No directions were given to do this. We, as one, felt so connected, so in-sync with each other. Without even thinking twice, we silently accepted each other right then and there.

I wish I could go back to that night, I wish I could experience that feeling again. But, I know I will. With this group, anything of that caliber is possible again. This year has been a year that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I was a junior in high school this year, aka the hardest year of high school, and I really do believe that YMO was the reason I was able to stay sane. I know I’m not alone in saying that missions this year was one of the best weeks of my life, although I was very excited to take a long shower to get the sand off my body as soon as I got home.

Looking back to the beginning of the year, I can’t believe that I was ever without this group; I can’t believe that I was once a “new” member. Father Chris has always made a big deal about the fact that there are never “new” people in the group. We have always been a part of this group, whether we were aware of it or not. It was always God’s plan for me and my peers to join this group, and it’s in His plan for more people to become part of the “one” that we all so greatly cherish.

Libby Moris

I'm Staff

2014-06-24T09:25:00.002-05:00

A recap of our journey from Kelley Summers

I'm Staff

I’m Staff. With a capital “S”-taff. Yes, I thought to myself, I can actually sleep and not have to do anything because I’m no longer the Staff in Training-the “parent” in charge of this sometimes rowdy bunch of kids! But that was just a story I thought would become the truth in my head, and that was a bit far-fetched to say the least.

Why did I come back for this mission trip after the craziness of last year? I thought I did because I wanted to have something to share with others when I returned about the group, the construction work, and the drama that would make people excited to hear my stories. But the truth is that I came back so I could build something that someone would inhabit with my own two hands. Truth is, I came back so I could figure out my own spiritual journey, since these trips seem to help me focus on what my faith means to me. Truth is, I came back for the YMO group, especially these amazing kids.

It’s no secret that I love the work that we do on these mission trips. Not only did I learn a lot about construction, but I also got to do A LOT. It’s an excuse to take sledge hammers straight to awry pieces of wood or look cool using pneumatic nail guns, and I took every opportunity I could to get involved in the construction of this hogan.

It was my enthusiasm that kept me “thirsty” for more work, and with that came more responsibility. Jack the Contractor became my “drill sergeant” I MEAN mentor for the 5 days we were on site, and when he said to put on a nail apron to “look like a leader”, I put on the first one I could find. But the thing about leading is that you are nothing without your team, and my team overachieved in every task that was thrown at them. My team, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, put up the first wall, and the third and the fourth and so on.

Everyone on that site was there for a reason, and all of us working as one allowed us to get as far as we did in the construction of the hogan.

Whether you know this about me or not, the truth is that, before these trips, I was not as involved with the church as I should have been. I liked the people that went to Grace and enjoyed the many social gatherings I attended, but there were years where the closest I got to church was the GEMs golf outing. I never took the opportunity to examine my faith and try to understand my spirituality.

Not like I’m saying I know even half about what it means to be a completely spiritual person (since Father P tells us that if you think you know it, you don’t!), but what I’m saying is that this trip is the closest I’ve ever gotten to knowing what it means to have and believe in myself and my spiritual life. In spite of all the energy I have, the energy vortex made me stop, and feel, and sense, and hear. And I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt more at peace than on that Wednesday night.

But the biggest reason I came back was for this group of bright, inspirational YMOers I see before me. You guys are the reason why these trips are so special to me, because you inspire me with everything that you do. You’re the ones that make the work worthwhile, and the people I would always pick first to be on my team because of the heart and determination you all showed on and off the site, day in and day out. You’re the ones that made me really want to explore my spirituality and that honestly brought me back to church.

And you’re the ones that make me laugh, act like a complete goon, scream I MEAN sing songs at the top of my lungs, get absolutely no sleep for days, listen to your stories and jokes into the wee hours of the night, and feel so happy to have met and gotten to know each and every one of you. It’s no question that Father P has played a significant role in your emotional and spiritual development. Each of you are a piece of a great puzzle, with your own edges and curves that make you who you are as an individual. But when you come together as a group, each piece falls miraculously into its unique place. The completed puzzle: an image formed by, but unlike its individual parts. Connected. Cohesive. Clear.

Today marks the first time I've spoken about my time in Utah except with my fellow missioners. I've been trying to focus on sticking to the truth of what I experienced there instead of having it spiral off into 1,000 stories that don’t actually mean anything individually. I’m not able to, nor do I want to do that, since what truly happened there is something way too meaningful and important to me to be shared in some story. There is no place I’d rather be than with you all, working hard on the site with all our power tools (Bosch-made or not *flex guns*), continuing my spiritual journey that truly started just a year ago, and knowing what it finally means to be a part of a group that loves each other like family. I am honored to be a piece in the puzzle that is YMO.

- Kelley Summers - June 2014

The Land

2014-06-23T15:13:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday, we were blessed to have 4 people from the Mission speak to us about their journey in Navajo Nation. These will be presented here as they become available.

This first one is by Cindy Jackson King,,

The Land

The story is that Grace YMO went to Utah to build a Hogan for the widow of the first native Episcopal bishop at St. Christopher’s Mission. Fr. Chris has said that the truth is that we went to Utah to understand and respect Navajo spirituality, (that he was called to bring us to the Place by the very winds>) I recognize now that the process of building the Hogan was to be the very means by which we could learn about and experience Navajo spirituality. For myself, lessons of spirituality were learned most clearly in our daily confrontations with the physical environment in which we lived and worked – the heat, the sun, the winds, the rocks, the sand – with what I wall call “the Land”. I will tell you that in the daily bouts between our intentions and the immoveable realities of the Land, it was the Land that won every time.

I could tick off the list: We came prepared with our hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, tents, bottles and canisters of water and Gatorade, thinking that we could protect ourselves and keep up our strength and ability to work in the heat and sun at our site every day. Despite all our preparations, the Land had other plans. We found every day that we still needed to adapt to the realities of the heat and sun. And even in trying to focus the bulk of our work time in the hours before noon, many of us still had to return early from the site. And some of us were visited with the wonderful experience of heat exhaustion.

We planned that we could complete most of the outer work on the Hogan within our 5 day work frame. Our schedule was delayed not only for safety training with our power tools – which we could never forego – but also by the very remoteness and expanse of the Land. Although we had paid in full for the steel for our roof, the vendor declined to deliver the materials to the site. “You’re in Bluff!? That’s the middle of nowhere! We’re not going to deliver there!”

Connected to that story – we had expected that we could efficiently and easily transport work teams to the work site daily from the Mission using the very bus that brought us safely from Hinsdale. The Land had other plans.

On the first day of work, arriving about a mile from the work site, our bus was captured by the sand of an unpaved road.

Try as we might – and we tried everything we knew for about an hour – we were faced with the reality that the bus was stuck. It was only by the appearance “as if out of nowhere” of a certain Ford 450 muscle truck, equipped with a tow hook, that the bus was freed. Yes, the bus was pulled out of the sand by a truck. That same truck, and driver, would become the means by which our steel was finally delivered to our site. (That is another story.)

And yet we kept on giving our best efforts, still hoping to achieve our goal of getting the outer and supportive structure of the Hogan finished by the end of the week. That Friday, our last day at the site, I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that we had worked up some confidence – perhaps cockiness? – in our progress so far, our abilities to use our power tools safely and effectively, and in our ability to follow the directions of our managing contractor, Jack. Once again, the Land had other plans. We were working at a good and effective clip until about noon – when we were visited by a sand storm. Some 60 mile/hour winds and swirling sands made climbing and working on scaffolds and maneuvering sheets of plywood impossible, and Fr. Chris made the executive decision to shut down the site for safety reasons.

So, with goggles and kerchiefs trying to protect our mouths and noses, (securing the remaining materials at the site as best we could, packing our tents, generator compressor and supplies) we broke camp for the last time, and high tailed it off the site with the wind and sand licking at our heels. That was a reality check.

And yet – for all our being chastened and humbled by the stark realities of the Land, it was, ultimately, those same processes by which I would receive marvelous gifts.

On a personal level, I was forced to face limits within myself. But as I let go of some of my delusions of competence and control, this was compensated for by the gift of loving care of others. So many people took care of me! From giving me eyedrops and Ibuprofen, to recognizing that I was in stages of heat exhaustion.

As we progressed through the week, the Message Board was a huge source of joy. As I processed each day, it allowed me to reflect on and become aware of the prowess and the variety of gifts of my team, my fellow staff, and all of my YMO family. And in acknowledging, I became grateful. And being grateful – haven’t you found? – is a blessing in itself. The Message Board became a means for me to count blessings.

But probably the single most powerful experience – and most effective teaching tool – came in our group experiences on the site where the mission was located – on the site that originally called Fr. Chris to bring us there. As the evening was falling, we climbed in silence the rock and shifting sands of a canyon wall, finding perches on a rocky lege. It was there that we sat as a group in a guided meditation.

It is difficult for me to convey my experience of the Land – in that Place – in words. There are some things of which we cannot speak. I will say this: that canyon – those rocks, the sands, the scrub – forgive me, but it all felt ALIVE to me. I daresay – I felt in that Place something like a kinship with the Land. With that, my sense of relationship with and embeddedness in, the YMO family surrounding me was altered, became more fluid. And my perspective on myself, my relations with others, and my place in the universe (as Fr. Chris says “When I say universe I mean God.”) has changed.

- Cindy Jackson King

Presented June 22, 2014

Photos from our Journey

2014-06-17T09:18:00.004-05:00

Hi all -

We have a lot of photos! But if you wish to see them you can click here...

Photos from our Journey to Bluff Utah 2014

Let it Be

2014-06-13T23:29:00.001-05:00

(Sorry, no video today...my computer died right after these were finished! Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers! We head home tomorrow! )

While this week has been exhausting both mentally and physically, I'm pretty bummed that it's over. This week I have come to know and love all my fellow missioners in ways I never previously imagined possible. Early wake-up calls followed by hours upon hours of back-breaking work combined with the sun's unyielding strength does wonders to bond people.
Today started out just like our past few days; up at 5:45AM, breakfast at 6:15, load the bus, etc. Our main task today that we set out to do was finishing putting the plywood on the half of the roof with rafters, and starting the skeleton of the other half of the roof. Right off the bat today's weather was different that any other day. The winds had already started to pick up by the time we got to the site at 7:45, which is great for keeping everyone cool but not so great for roof work.
We split up into our teams to tackle the looming day ahead, and all ran smoothly for a few hours. But by lunch, the winds were gaining strength, and by 1PM we had collectively decided that it was time to go. We all tried to help in order to organize the site in the hopes that the materials can be used at a later time to finish the hogan. Pretty soon, the gusts were up to around 35 mph, and we could barely see our hands in front of our faces due to all the dust.
In our nightly spiritual discussions, one point brought up has been to just let it be. I personally have been working extra hard to relax and learn to trust God's process. Today was a perfect example of this concept. Although not finishing the house as much as we wanted to wasn't the outcome any of us wanted, we have to recognize that this is all part of the process. There is no use worrying about something you can't change, such as the weather. What matters is finding the joy in every moment God grants us with. Therefore, as the trip comes to a close, I am going to try to relish in every second I am blessed with, surrounded by a wonderful group of people.
Laila Drury

Dear Friends, Family, and Followers of YMO Hinsdale:

As I am typing this, I am in my final hours of being the youth representative of this chapter. Although bittersweet, I try not to dwell on what I will be missing but rather what I have left behind. I am forever grateful of the opportunity that Father Pierce, as well as the Grace Community, granted me two summers ago when asking me to lead this group. The initial questions were simply whether I would be hanging out with the Pierce family every Sunday night, or a larger group. The answer wasn't clear until we traveled to Virginia for our fall retreat. The answer was a committed nucleus dedicated to building our community stronger and stronger. We were content with the numbers we had, but it was exciting to see the amount of people grow and grow at each meeting, as new faces would pop up from time to time. Although they wouldn't always stay, we knew that YMO was spreading. In anticipation of the mission trip, a sense of pioneering came over the group, as Father Pierce continuously reminded us of what history we were making within our own church. Needless to say, it did not go as planned. The first mission trip was far short of a disaster, but the variability and uncertainty regarding each day took its toll on everyone's psyche. This trip, the community has grown stronger than ever. Great work has been done, skills have been realized, many connections have been made, many friendships have been strengthened, and I hope everyone is in agreement when I say that our spirituality has been taken to new heights. I have been challenged, fatigued, angered, disappointed, encouraged, enlightened, and overjoyed at different times throughout my journey with these people. Above all, I have been humbled. Humbled that I have been allowed to lead such a great group of individuals and such a wonderful community. Humbled by the Lord, as his power was on display with multiple full moons this week. Humbled by everyone around me, who knew that I would be a failure when trying to do this alone, but instead of letting me fall on my face, pushing me forward and inspiring me to be the leader that I wanted to be. I love each and every one of you, and I pray that I have left this group better than I found it, and hope that the torch that I am passing down will be passed down for many years to come. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for letting me be a part of something much bigger than myself.

Love Always,
Henry Hostettler

Thirsty Thursday!

2014-06-13T07:16:00.003-05:00

Thirsty Thursday!

Hello friends and Happy Thirsty Thursday (creds to Kelley Summers, SO COLLEGE!)

Today at the work site, we put up a lot of ply wood and got the roof game going strong. However, due to the weather conditions (around 100 degrees!), lots of sun exposure and heat exhaustion, almost half of the group left the site after lunch. Many of us were very tired today at the work site, not only because of the 5:45 am wake-up times, but because we went on an incredible hike last night.

As many of you have probably seen in the pictures, we are surrounded by huge rocky cliffs out here in Utah. Last night, we hiked into what Father Chris calls an "External Vortex." We started our hike trudging through the sand and bushes until we came to the edge of one of the strongest vortexes he's ever experienced. Right before the vortex, we passed a small graveyard where some Navajo people laid their family members to rest. Past that, Father had us stop, then we proceeded into the vortex. As we slowly walked into it, I could feel the energy rushing through me. I nervously followed my peers, while looking up at the extraordinary rocks. Standing in this energy-filled vortex, I felt connected with the universe, and the energy levels even made me feel a little queasy! We walked out, then hiked back and into the canyon, then climbed up the side, meditation pillows in hand, and found our own comfy spots to sit on our pillows. Charles led us in song, Father Chris led us in meditation, and Anaya led us in prayer in his native tongue. After meditating and calibrating ourselves with the universe, we helped each other down and out of the canyon, in the dark, led by just the light of our flashlights.

When we got back to HQ, we stood in a circle and discussed our " Me to the We to the One" theory, that many of you have heard about in Father Chris's sermons, and how we are one with the universe. After this experience I feel truly centered and at peace, and I feel like I have found myself as who I really am. I'm not just an incoming senior at Lyons Township who eats Chipotle daily, but I am more than that. I realized, (with help from Father Chris,) that suffering is optional. We don't have to stoop down to moping around and bringing people down when we're upset about things. I've learned that you are a breath away from death, and that when life seems awful, all you need to do is keep breathing, and time will heal. God has a plan, and now matter how much pain you think He's putting you through, just keep breathing, there's a reason for everything.

Thank you all for supporting us on our wonderful journey! We can't wait to tell you all about it!

Always Keep Breathing,

Ellie Sprague

The Worrywart

2014-06-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

The Worrywart

It's no secret, at least to most of YMO, that I was nervous before coming on this trip. And it wasn't because of the 100 degree heat. Or the power tools. Or even the scorpions. I was nervous because of the food. Yes. I said it. Out of all the life-threatening conditions in the desert, the thing that scared me the most about this trip was the food. I know you're probably sitting there thinking, "Wait, this girl is crazy! She's afraid of food? Everyone loves food!" But, for me, food is different.

The summer going into my freshman year, so about three years ago, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called celiac disease. This means that I had to go on an entirely gluten free diet for the rest of my life. You read that right: for the rest of my life. This meant no more cookies, no more bread, no more pasta, no more regular food.

So naturally, when Father Chris made plans for us to come to Utah this summer, I got anxious. I mean, we're quite a few miles from the nearest grocery store, and even then, cooking gluten free food is a whole other animal. You have to use different cooking utensils and cutting boards and ingredients, obviously, to ensure that the food doesn't contain a trace of gluten. It's a lot to handle, I know. That's why I was so worried about my food. I had millions of questions swirling through my brain. Who will cook for me? Will they understand the concepts of gluten free cooking? Will they know to check labels before cooking things? Will I be okay?

I think my parents were equally, if not more, nervous than I was. They basically bought a whole kitchen-- pots, pans, serving spoons, cutting boards, colanders, measuring cups, measuring spoons-- for me to bring. We packed a plastic bin to the brim with Libby-friendly food-- everything from gluten free pasta and oreos to Kind bars and GoGo Squeez applesauce. We were honestly equipped for the worst.

Look back to last week, it seems ridiculous how apprehensive I was. The two chefs we have, Chef Al and Chef Brad, are amazing. For every single meal we've had here-- breakfast, lunch, and dinner-- they've cooked me completely gluten free meals. Before every single meal, they ask me about whether or not certain ingredients are gluten free, and they always keep the labels of packaged goods for me to check over. They cook all of my food on a separate side of the stove, away from the bubbling pots of gluten, just for extra precaution. The care that these two men have put into cooking for me is unbelievable. No matter how many times I thank them, they'll truly never know how much I appreciate their efforts.

This is what YMO is all about. We accept people for who they are. We are one family, no matter the differences we have. We do not judge people about their lifestyle necessities and choices. We love each other, we love God, and He loves us. This group is a group full of compassion, spirituality, and grace, so much so that worry and apprehension are completely unnecessary.

My time in Bluff, Utah has made me realize what I have right in front of me. I have a group of some of my best friends, a group of people who care so much about our mission here and each other. There was no need for me to be worried about my food. No reason for me to be afraid. Because in YMO we are taught to "be here now," which doesn't include worrying. We are taught to live in the moment, to forget about what happened in the past or what's going to happen in the future. This trip has taught me to live my life-- whether it be about food or friends or school-- sans apprehension.

Wishing you a worry-free day,
Libby Morris

-Goal Oriented-

There is no question that I set goals for myself. Simply stated, goals are motivational. When I complete a goal, I feel a strong sense of achievement. If you know me personally, you know that I am a list oriented person. I have lists for everything be it going grocery shopping or remembering to bring something home from school. Whenever I complete a goal, it is something for me to check off one of my infinite to-do lists.

Even if you aren't a "list person" you probably still have goals: get good grades, get enough sleep, keep a positive attitude, hold a good job, get married. Sound familiar? If these goals weren't labeled as such, would they still hold such significance upon completion? Father Chris challenged the group with these questions last night, and I'm not sure I even have a sound opinion, let alone the correct answer. So much of my life is focused on goals I've set for myself; I have no idea how my life would be without them. Our entire mission trip is working towards a goal. We are trying to build a Hogon in a week. Without goals would we make any progress? If I figure it out, I'll let you know.

For now, I have a good number of small, relatively practical goals: get good grades, get enough sleep, keep a positive attitude. I also have a list of long-term, life goals: graduate from college, hold a "successful" job, get married, have children. One of my big goals is to travel the world (which is completely cliche, I know). I've always wanted to go to Greece and Italy and Africa and Thailand. Bluff, Utah has never been at the top of my list, or even on my list for that matter. After spending only a few days here, it is clear that it is a worthy destination. To give you a little visual (in case you haven't seen the amazing pictures up on the blog), I imagine the planet Mars looking very similar to this place, only with aliens and less shrubbery. The land is undisturbed, and I have never been in a place so vast and open. This morning was the first time I've seen a cloud since arriving in Bluff, and it's already Wednesday! At night, it is so quiet I can hear myself breathing, which gives me the opportunity to remind myself of the things that are really important to me, not to focus so much on my goals.

I have never been on a mission trip before. I anticipated hot weather and hard work, but beyond that I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The facilities are much nicer than I expected. Our lodging is fully equipped with air conditioning and the showers are hot with decent water pressure, which leaves me with no complaints. The space we've been provided is exactly what we need. There is nothing excessive, but it serves its purpose to provide us with shelter so we can do the work of the Lord with minimal snafus.

Of course, a trip wouldn't be complete without a few hitches. The bus did get stuck on the road the first day and the drains in the kitchen sinks no longer drain correctly, but it is these little things that bring us closer as a group, which is one of YMO's main goals this week. It helps that we adhere to a strict "no drama policy," which keeps these issues in perspective and helps turn these events into funny stories quickly. That's all they are though. Stories. We will come home from this trip (hopefully) better people than we were when we set off Saturday morning. We will come home with stories about how fulfilling our experience was and how wonderful the food was and how nice the people were. Even though it makes wonderful dinnertime conversation, we experienced these things we can't wait to share with you in the past. It is how we use the things from these stories to make our lives more meaningful going forward to live the truth. To live in the moment.

Ever mindful,

Claire Hultquist (17)

The Story of the Day

2014-06-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

if you can't see the video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWOUICYPygU

(sorry about the video music...reused The Rolling Stones! I promise not to do it again...Louise)

To every reader,

I don't know how to describe this trip. Words fail to do it justice and hardly scratch the surface of what this adventure truly means. When Mama Louise asked for volunteer writers for this blog, I immediately shot my hand in the air simply because I loved writing. I assumed at the time that I would eventually figure out what I wanted to say and piece it all together the moment my dusty finger tips hit this keyboard. But in all honesty, I still don't know where this piece is going to go even as I sit here writing it. Maybe that's why I'm here. Maybe I was called here to figure out where I'm going not only in this writing, but in this insanely confusing existence we call life.

Going on this trip took courage. 97 degree heat in the middle of the desert, 29 hour long bus ride, short showers, long work hours, and no cell phone service basically spell out disaster to most teenagers. Even with having experience from last year's trip, I still didn't really know what I was walking into. But I can tell you with firmness and a smile that would send the sun's infinite brightness to shame, that this trip, this place, this adventure, is one that has forced me to search for the soul that God has destined me to become, something that I could never discover in any suburb. If you asked me who I was before last Saturday at 3 am, I would say a dancer, a member of Italian club, a writer, someone who wants to go to college, and hoping to live in New York one day as a journalist. There's nothing wrong with this person, but it's not truly who I am-it's just what fills my time and what I hope for in the future. Coming to Bluff Utah has helped me answer my question of who God desires for me to be beyond what my family expects me to be, or who my grades say I am. Life is deeper than those things; there is more to living than just earning enough money to drive a Ferrari, or earning that A so you can get into Harvard. Life is about enjoying the wild ride that God has planned for you and being in the moment.

Father Chris told us that we are all one breath away from our last breath. Now don't worry, we're all alive and well here, but if you think about it, that's true. You never know when God will call you to heaven and even though humans enjoy planning their lives out onto an intangible timeline, this call cannot be prevented or put on a timeline. This lesson has reminded me to live in the moment. Why plan out tomorrow when there are so many more hours of today to be enjoyed? You never know when you might take your final breath, so why not live in the now? Worrying about tomorrow or yesterday only brings suffering, and that's suffering that you're putting on yourself. We are all given this incredible opportunity to live on this Earth and thrive in it, that not living in the now is practically a crime.

You probably think this is incredibly cliche, and that I'm just some crazy teenager who thinks they have life all figured out. Well let me assure you that I'm aware that I don't have life all figured out. Trust me, there are plenty of times that I'm not living in the now and are stressing about grades and school, but going on this trip has helped me not worry so much about these minuscule things. I'm learning to live vibrantly, full with color and motion, being one with nature and all of God's gifts. But most of all, it has allowed me to find the path that God has destined for me, committed to being here now while experiencing and enjoying every breath in a in a rainbow of colors, not just operating and existing in shades of black and white.

Wishing you a day full of color,

Viv Drury

Tuesday's Activity

Hi All!

Today was our second day at the site, and although we had a slow start on Monday, we really picked up the pace today. We woke up this morning at 5 a.m. energized and ready to go! We grabbed our coffee and our hard hats and were on the site by 8 a.m. Jack, our contractor, gave us great instructions and lead us into the construction of our first wall. We have four teams with us, and we are each working on a separate project. I am proud to say that the Red Hot Chili Peppers (my team) put the first wall up this morning. Led Zeppelin followed shortly after with the second wall. We had trouble with the walls with windows, but I don't doubt those will be up by noon tomorrow. It is scorching hot outside, but our motivation to get things done is only growing. We cannot wait to come home and show you all the great and hard work we have done here in Bluff.

Wishing you all the best,

Sofia Howson

The Shower - Phase 1

Starring John Robinson

Hammering Away at My Ego.

2014-06-10T10:28:00.000-05:00

Monday, June 9, 2014
Pick axes swinging, seven foot tall drills spinning, missioners fiercely sweating, lizards crawling. Life is a little bit hectic in Utah right now, yet I couldn't be happier. My name is Claire Meyer, a recent graduate from Lyons Township high school and very content missioner. First day on the job and we are up and running. Work wise, there are two sites on which the group is working. While one site is at the Plummer residence, setting up the skeleton of the hogan, another is on the base site. I am working on the base site and we have accomplished quite a bit! We are currently building a shower hut as well as a trench to expand their minimal internet connection with a long Ethernet cable; the trench project consisted of drilling and picking at the red sand and rock ground.
With all of the manual labor, I have come to realize that with each nail I hammer in, my personal problems seem less and less important; I consciously noticed my mind changing focus from me to the task at hand. For example, yesterday, I discovered a hole in my air-mattress and it seemed like the end of the world to me. Just my luck! The rest of the night, I moped around even when someone offered to me their mattress that they weren't using. Yet today, as I sweat more and more, I realized that there are tasks at hand much more important then my bum mattress. Father Chris calls this moving from the me, to the we, to the one. When we move our thoughts from our personal lives, to the lives around us, and finally to God, the life that unites us all.
Although we were building structures, we were more so building a community. One that assembles to accomplish the task at hand, one that supports eachother, one that rejoices in working in the name of God.
Thank you for reading, supporting and praying for us.
~Claire Meyer, 18

Journey on the Wind

2014-06-09T12:15:00.003-05:00

(if you can't see the video, go here http://youtu.be/ICdcwQZzUeQ )

“Yá'át'ééh abiní....a Navajo Good Morning!

After our final 8 hour journey through the Rockies, we arrived! The St. Christopher's Mission sits in between the beautiful red rock of Utah. Soaring over our heads are bluffs and birds, clouds and, at night, stars! Oh, my, but you can't imagine the stars. Beautiful.

Upon arrival we had a bit of time to explore. A few climbed the mountain, peering down to us below. Chores were done and camp was set up.

After great debate on how to name the teams (Disney Films was soundly defeated), the teams were set up to names of Rock Bands. You will hear the names in the songs of the videos. But in the meantime, they are:

Journey
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones

We are all quite comfortable as the Mission embraces us with warmth. Most are in the Community Center which has plenty of room and two showers. When lights went out last night, it was many a wearied head that hit the pillow.

But before that we had a wonderful dinner prepared by Chef Brad and Chef Al. We were treated to beautiful guitar music from Father Cary, a self proclaimed Parrot Head. He was amazing. We sat outside under the vesper skies, the pentecostal winds drawing us near, listening to the sweet guitar sounds and voices of all. Father Chris reminded us that the winds brought us here. And, here we are, right where we are supposed to be.

2014-06-08T08:09:00.004-05:00

June 7, 2014...Day 1 on the Road

(if you can't see the video, the link is below)

We survived Day One on the road and, as I type, it is Sunday morning, just passed through Vail. The mountains are beautiful even though I thought we had left snow behind.

More later upon our arrival in Bluff!

http://hinsdale60521magazine.ning.com/page/grace-episcopal-students-bow-low-in-navajo-nation-by-theresa-stei

2014-06-08T05:55:00.001-05:00

We made it but had internet troubles last night so no post. It was a long ride, we could have flown to Australia, but all were awesome travelers. We cheered to see our bus driver, Sam, again in Omaha. Chipotle took our lunch orders. La Quinta greeted us at the end of a weary drive.

Will work on the pics on the 8 hour bus drive today!

In the meantime, check out the article in the Hinsdale Magazine!

Grace Episcopal students bow low in Navajo Nation

By Theresa Steinmeyer

Twenty-five students from the Grace Episcopal Church Youth Missions Organization will travel to Bluff, Utah, on a journey of good works and spiritual transformation this month.

They’ve come together from Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, La Grange and Burr Ridge, and led by Grace Episcopal’s Rev. Chris Pierce, they’re excited to build a “hogan” (a sacred Navajo dwelling) for Catherine Plummer, wife of the first Navajo bishop at St. Christopher’s Mission at Navajo Nation’s Episcopal Church. Plummer currently lives in a condemned trailer, and the hogan will serve as her new home.

Traditionally, a hogan is an eight-sided structure built around a central fireplace with dirt floors and mud walls. To create more livable space for Plummer, Hinsdale-area architect Bruce George has drawn up a modernized design, which includes two additional rooms built onto one side of the building, raised floors and a steel roof.

But to Rev. Pierce, the trip is not so much about philanthropy as it is about fostering cultural acceptance and respect for the Navajo faith among students.

He brought the students on a similar trip last year to build a hogan in Crown Point, N.M. But on that trip, Rev. Pierce outsourced much of the planning. He worked with an organization through which he encountered what he referred to as a “radical, fundamentalist theology”—a theology that tried to impose a Eurocentric understanding of faith on the Navajo people in the process of helping them.

“Although we did great work last year, and I began to get an exposure to the Navajo people, I was very uncomfortable, because I was able to recognize that the relationship was predicated on saying ‘yes’ to what the white man had to say,” Rev. Pierce said. “This isn’t just a church taking a mission trip to go help poverty because Jesus said so.

“To take care of those that are in need is a mandate; it’s not a mission.

“Our very human existence calls us to take care of those who suffer.”
Building the hogan is only the beginning of the students’ purpose: they are traveling to Utah as empty-handed guests who want to understand and respect the Navajo spirituality without trying to impose their own religious biases upon it.

Rev. Pierce said that it’s not necessary for the Navajo people to speak about Jesus—the Navajo faith, grounded in the sacredness of the earth, is every bit as beautiful and true.

“Our respect for the earth has not anywhere reached the level and depth that they have,” he said. “They understand the winds and the spirit in the winds.

“They understand the gifts of the earth; they honor it.”

To ensure that this year’s trip would be rooted in open-mindedness, Rev. Pierce traveled to Navajo Nation himself last fall to build stronger relationships with the Navajo people and their faith. He explored the nation’s Episcopal diocese to learn about the people’s needs, but when he arrived at St. Christopher’s, he felt that the universe was speaking to him.

“The wind said, ‘This is where we’re to be,’” he said.

This year, instead of outsourcing the trip’s intensive logistical preparations, Rev. Pierce has taken them upon himself. He has organized meal plans, construction materials and the necessary trip leadership, which includes adults from Grace Episcopal Church, contractors, an electrician, plumber, medical assistance, two chefs and a cultural liaison.

The students have also been preparing. At the Grace Episcopal “Rock-a-thon” in April, they rocked in their chairs for 24 hours to fundraise for the trip. Since all but three went on the New Mexico trip last summer, most of the group has been meeting weekly for nearly two years to share meals and meditate.

Their journey will begin before dawn on June 7, when they’ll load their bus for the 21-hour trip. Contractors will set the foundation in advance to give it time to cure, and when the students arrive, they will assign and teach the students the necessary building skills. The students will work in four teams, and may be assigned daily tasks like framing, roofing, or kitchen and cleaning duties.

“Most of the time, a team gets into their project, they won’t give it up,” Rev. Pierce said.

Assuming poor weather conditions or inspections don’t slow them down, they’ll have put a roof on the hogan by the end of their five-day construction period.

Still, Rev. Pierce estimated that two to three days of work will remain when it is time for the students to return home—work that includes dry-walling, mudding, painting and possibly adding windows and doors. The Grace Episcopal group will be leaving the hogan unfinished, and although Rev. Pierce said that the help of an outside group will be necessary to complete it, he has no idea who will come. Nevertheless, he has “complete faith” that someone will hear the call to finish the job.

“The winds don’t just speak to me,” he said.

Rev. Pierce said he looks forward to taking the students for silent meditation in the mountains, to the place where the winds first “spoke” to him.

He’ll bring along a flautist, an Apache shaman and a medicine man, and the students will take part in a “smudging,” an American Indian blessing with smoke. Together, they’ll try to center themselves, and to be open to what Rev. Pierce believes will be a greater understanding of the universe than the students have ever known.

“The universe has spoken that this is where we’re to be,” Rev. Pierce said, “and to be not because they need us, but because we need them; because they’re going to show us how to bow, and we’re going to bow low.”

2014-06-07T07:36:00.001-05:00

Hinsdale church members building traditional Navajo hogan

By Annemarie Mannion, Tribune reporter

8:15 p.m. CDT, June 6, 2014

A rusted, leaky 37-year-old trailer with no running water is hardly a place to call home.

At the age of 65, Catherine Plummer, is looking forward to leaving the decrepit trailer where she's lived since 1977 on a Navajo reservation in Utah. She will move into a new home designed by a Hinsdale resident in the traditional style of a Navajo hogan and built by volunteers from a suburban church.

Grace Episcopal Church of Hinsdale is behind the effort to provide a new home for Plummer, who is Navajo and an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. Her husband, Steven, who passed away in 2005, was the first Navajo bishop in the Episcopal church.

Plummer's new home will have eight sides, doors facing the east so inhabitants can greet the rising sun and a fireplace in the center. The three-bedroom home will be made of stone and stucco and have a galvanized metal roof to reflect the sun.

The 1,200-square-foot building and an adjacent guest house were designed by Bruce George, a church member and president of Charles Vincent George Architects in Naperville. It will used as living space and for worship.

A group of 25 young people from the Hinsdale church plan to be in Utah from June 7 to June 15 to build the hogan.

Chris Pierce, rector at Grace Episcopal, said Plummer's current living conditions "are deplorable. It's a broken-down trailer. It's been condemned."

Plummer raised her two children in the trailer. Her adult son is suffering from lymphoma, the same disease that killed his father, and will live with her.

Describing the trailer, Plummer, too, said it has become unsafe.

"The floor is giving out in the master bedroom and in the dining room, the roof is caving in," she said.

Pierce said rundown housing is not an unusual sight in the Navajo Nation that covers 27,000 square miles, is larger than 10 states, and extends into Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. The nation, which is known as the Navajo Land Area Mission Jurisdiction by the Episcopalian church, has a population of about 180,000.

Pierce started visiting the reservation two years ago to do service at St. Christopher's Mission, which was established by the Episcopal church in 1943 in Bluff, Utah. The church also has missions in Arizona and New Mexico.

Pierce said the reservation has unemployment of over 50 percent, rampant poverty and many dwellings that are ramshackle and do not have running water or electricity.

"To see it is remarkable," he said. "You say to yourself 'How can this be? Why haven't we done a better job of helping them?'"

George said the opportunity to design the structure prompted him to become acquainted with what the Navajo hold as sacred.

"I had a lot of help from the people in Navajo Land that were letting me know what was important to the building -- its overall shape, the direction it faces and what was in the interior," he said.

He also wanted the buildings to be rugged and easy to build by the youth group.

"One of the biggest challenges was to design something that could be built by unskilled labor," he said.

George created the design and then handed it over to a company that makes kits for hogans. The company made the framing for the custom structures "that can be put together like Tinker Toys," he said.

The hogans may be replicated at other sites on the Navajo Nation. One might, for instance, be used as a health clinic.

Pierce said the church is not looking to convert the Navajos to the Episcopal church. He said the goal is for the church and Navajo people to work together to address practical needs and improve living conditions.

"There are hundreds and hundreds of projects that need to be done to restore the spirit of the Navajo people," he said.

David Bailey, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Navajo Land, said building a hogan, rather than a buying another trailer, is a sign of respect for the Navajo people.

"Having that hogan says to them this is who we are. It expresses their culture," he said.

Plummer said one of her first goals when she moves into her new home will be to reach out to elders in the community to learn what their needs are. She said many Navajo have moved back on to the reservation in recent years, and her new home will be closer to them than is her current trailer on the church mission site.

The hogan also will be special for her because it will stand on land by the San Juan River that has been in her family for generations.

"I will have my own home and it will be on my grandfather's land," she said.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/hinsdale_clarendon_hills_oak_brook/ct-hinsdale-navajo-hogan-tl-0605-20140606,0,5622595.story

2014-06-06T12:30:00.001-05:00

Are you ready?

Ready to Change the World!

The stars will be out

when we leave at four

guiding us on our journey and more.

Wheels will roll by cities and fields

miles covered before the sun finally yields

and brightens our day with yawns and smiles.

But our dreams won't fade with the rising sun

because we are ready, the change has begun.

Do you have your hard hat? Umh? An accessory I never thought I might need. But it is tucked away along with the hammer and work gloves, air mattress and bug spray. Ready for our journey. We roll out at 4am, Saturday morning, westward bound through Des Moines, Omaha and Lincoln, through North Platte and finally our day one stop in Denver. Be with us! Follow us! You will be in our hearts!

2014-06-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

4 DAYS TILL MISSION!

3AM ARRIVAL AT GRACE HINSDALE TO PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF

The time is getting close! We will begin our journey westward on Saturday morning, June 7, 3am!

First stop along the way will be in Denver at La Quinta Inn...thank you to our friends at La Quinta for their generosity in helping with accommodations.

See you all then!

-Louise

2014-05-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

Even the YMO Team doesn't know what will lurk behind the bus when the 2014 YMO Mission concludes but they have been busy preparing.

The architects have been drawing, the tool guys have been organizing all of the stuff we have to take, the cooks have been planning, and all have been mentally preparing to, by the Grace of God, transform the home of Rev. Catherine Plummer who has dedicated her life to the church and her Navajo people yet, today, lives in a condemned trailer.

The money raised will go to the building of a new hogan, a traditional home for the Navajo. Following tradition, the door will face east to welcome the rising sun for good wealth and fortune. Building this hogan allows an ancient tradition to brought to life while assuring the survival of the Navajo cultural heritage.

Wheels up is at 0400 on Saturday, 7 June, as the team begins the journey to Bluff, Utah. The team is primarily made up of 25 teens from Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, La Grange, and Burr Ridge. Each of them sets forth to help but also to learn what kind of adult they are becoming and what they want to become in the future, a person they can present to the world without hesitancy, open to the full experiences of life. Their doors face east and they are on their way!

2014-05-09T10:09:00.003-05:00

This Sunday, May 11, at 1000am, YMO will be commissioned for their trip to NavajoLand!

The Rt. Rev. David E. Bailey

We welcome today the Rt. Rev. David E. Bailey, Bishop
of Navajoland, to Grace Church. In 1978, the Episcopal
Church founded the Navajoland Area Mission, covering
26,000 square miles of some of the most spectacular
scenery in the Southwest. Today it encompasses growing
missions in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
The Grace Church YMO will shortly be undertaking
mission work in this part of the country. During the 10:00 am Service, Bishop Bailey
will commission all those who will be participating in this
mission trip.

2014-05-01T10:28:00.001-05:00

For Immediate Release…………..Thursday, April 30, 2014

FROM: Louise R. Meyer – Y.M.O. Communications

847.518.4344

Louise.meyer@leonardo.com

The 2013 Missions Team...and it has grown this year!

Grace Episcopal Youth Missions Organization Rocks All Night Long

This past weekend, the Grace Episcopal Church-based Youth Missions Organization (YMO) held its second annual Rock-a-thon with 17 teens rocking in their chairs for 24 hours straight in order to raise money for the group’s up and coming mission trip to Bluff, Utah. These teens came from Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, LaGrange and Burr Ridge (and attend Hinsdale Central, Lyons Township, Fenwick and St. Ignatius to name a few).

The group raised $17,000, which is just a part of what it will need for its week-long trip. The mission group—which will ultimately comprise about 25 teens and 25 adult Grace Church parishioners—will leave from Grace Church on June 7, 2014 early in the morning and travel two days by bus to Bluff, Utah, which is about 10 miles northwest from the “Four Corners” where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet.

In Bluff, they will be serving St. Christopher’s Mission, which is part of the Episcopal Church in Navajo Nation. There the Grace church mission group will build a hogan—a traditional Navajo dwelling—for Catherine Plummer, wife of the late Rt. Rev. Steven Tsosie Plummer, the first native Navajo to server as an Episcopal bishop in Navajo Nation.

St. Christopher’s Mission was originally built in 1943 by Baxter Liebler, an Episcopal priest from Old Greenwich, Connecticut. It was named St. Christopher's Mission after the patron saint of travelers. It is now part of the Episcopal Church in Navajo Nation.

Catherine Plummer herself was ordained in 2013 and grew up with the aforementioned Baxter Liebler as her teacher and priest. She became the second Navajo woman to serve as a priest. Today, she lives about nine miles outside of Bluff in a trailer that has been condemned as it is unlivable.

All donations are gratefully received and welcomed! To donate, please simply send a note to one of the youth involved or, alternatively to the blog master, (louise.meyer@leonardo.com ). Please indicate the amount of your donation and that it is for Y.M.O. Mission trip.

For more information about YMO or Grace Episcopal Church, 120 E. First St., Hinsdale, visit www.gracehinsdale.org or call (630) 323-4900.

2014-04-28T11:47:00.000-05:00

Video above represents the Navajo Episcopal Tradition

This past weekend, the Youth Missions Organization held their second annual Rockathon! Rocking Chairs for 24 hours. Tired and groggy, but still exuding enthusiasm for their upcoming mission, the group proudly represented their cause at the 730am service.

On June 7, 2014, at 4am the bus will once again leave Grace Hinsdale Episcopal Church heading to Bluff, Utah, and the St. Christopher's Mission just about 2 miles outside of Bluff.

The Mission was originally built in 1943 by Baxter Liebler, an Episcopal priest from Old Greenwich, Connecticut. It was names St. Christopher's Mission after the patron said of travelers. St Christopher’s Mission is now part of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland.

This year, the YMO group's mission will be to build a traditional hogan for Catherine Plummer, the wife of the late Rt. Rev. Steven Tsosie Plummer, who was the first Navajo bishop in the Episcopal Church. Catherine was ordained in 2013 and grew up with the aforementioned Baxter Liebler as her teacher and priest. She became the second Navajo woman to serve as a priest. Today, she lives in a trailer about 9 miles outside of Bluff, a trailer that has been condemned as it is unlivable.

This past weekend, the YMO raised funds to build Catherine Plummer a traditional hogan home.

All donations are gratefully received and welcomed! To donate, please simply send a note to one of the youth involved or, alternatively to the blog master, Louise Meyer ( louise.meyer@leonardo.com ) and she will direct the pledge. Please indicate the amount of your donation and that it is for Y.M.O. Mission trip.

Thank you!

2014-03-12T15:26:00.003-05:00

2014 YMO Journey

The dates are set for early June! We are on our way to Bluff, Utah.
Check out the link to get a feel for the area ... Bluff Utah

What YMO means to me...from Sofia Howson

2013-09-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

This past summer during a college interview, I was asked, “If your atheist roommate asked you how your religion has affected you, how would you respond?” I told him that I would share that being a member of our church has spiritually connected me to something that is greater than myself and made me feel a part of a community—to think and act outwardly, to serve others, to be a part of instead of thinking about how I can stand out.

Had I been asked this a year earlier, I would have stared at him blankly in silence. I had been involved with the church as a lector and babysitter, but I didn’t really think about why I went to church except that it is a family activity. I wasn’t sure that the church had an effect on my life.

That’s where YMO comes in. I joined YMO last fall thinking, “Oh cool I can meet new people and finally go on a mission trip.” I had no idea how much YMO would affect my perception of the world and my beliefs in God.

In the fall, Fr. Chris and Julie took 9 teens on a retreat to Virginia, myself included, and though we often forget, that trip was a huge factor in the coming together of this group. I came out of that retreat with new best friends, and it’s funny because 48 hours before, I could barely remember some of their names.

After the retreat, the group dove right in to planning the mission trip. Fr. Chris told us with full confidence that we were headed to Navajo Nation, New Mexico. There was no doubt in his mind that it was our calling to serve there.

A big part of the planning process involved fundraising. This aspect of the mission trip did more for me than expected. It forced me into the parish to ask for money. By having to ask other parishioners face to face for money, we involved them in the mission trip as well. We were asking them for more than just money, we were also asking for their personal and emotional support. Making these connections with other parishioners made me treasure this mission even more than if my parents had just written a check for my portion.

When it was finally time for the day of the mission, we boarded the bus and it was during this ride where we all—teens and adults--got to know each other.

What I noticed right away when we got to New Mexico was how much space there is, the vast expanse of desert, and there was also space there for us to relax and put away our worries. When we were there it was easy to live in the moment and just focus on each other and our service. I wasn’t thinking about my summer commitments or my college applications. I was focused on re-shingling Ronald Cowboy’s roof and listening to his story.

I went to Navajo Nation hoping I could help people in any way, but I didn’t expect the Navajos to show me where I was poor, where I can be too focused on things in the future instead of being in the now. I gained from them a consciousness to live simply and be happy. We helped them, and they helped us.

I am not the same parishioner I was a year ago. I have awoken, become more aware, and I look forward to affirming my commitment to the community, the church and God.

I look forward to going to church every Sunday and seeing our community grow and strengthen.

I can’t wait to see all of you on the 2014 mission trip.

Sofia Howson

The Mad Men Grace Gala September 2013

2013-09-23T09:59:00.001-05:00

The Grace Gala was held on the 21st of September 2013. YMO was there in force and did a great job in contributing to the overall success of the event. The following video was presented to tell the story of Y.M.O.

(unfortunately this video does not display on IPAD or IPHONE)

Want to see more pictures?

2013-06-25T11:46:00.004-05:00

Want to see even more pictures! Most of these were taken on the 14th of June...just click here

Here are a few samples.....but a lot more on the link above. Also, if there are pictures you would like, you can download them easily!

Enjoy the Shared Stories...live from Grace Hinsdale, June 23, 2013

2013-06-24T08:10:00.002-05:00

The album above entitled, It Started With a Dream, contains the stories of Loretta, Brian, and Nathan

Listen - Be Here In this Moment Now - Don't anticipate, participate

Thank you.

If you are unable to see the videos above, please feel free to click on the name below to access these links:

Father Chris

Loretta Summers

Claire Meyer

Brian Suprock

Nathan Hill