Leadership

Hola! I'll keep this short because I have Spanish homework calling.

Aside from new spanish courses (among others) this semester is particularly exciting for me because I am finally an upperclassman and am beginning to take on leadership roles on campus. Specifically, I have begun to co-lead a weekly freshmen women's "small group." I'm hesitant to call it a Bible study, because it's not, though many aspects of the group are similar to a conventional Bible study.

Here's a brief rundown of what small group is at Pres House:

Each week we begin small group by "checking in" with each other (as we drink copious amounts of tea and coffee and fill up on freshly baked cookies): we hear about the highs and lows of everyone's weeks and receive updates on notable events shared from the week before. Then we re-read the scripture passage from the past Sunday's worship service and spend the bulk of the meeting discussing ideas from our ministers' sermons. Finally we close in prayer.

I was a part of small group last year for sophomore women and this year I agreed to lead a freshmen group with a friend. Our first meeting was on Tuesday night and I can happily report it went pretty smoothly. Three freshmen showed up and all of them had questions about small group, Pres House in general and basic, "freshmany"things like making friends and joining clubs.

It was wonderful to learn about each of the women's lives--I even discovered one girl is from the same hometown, Shoreview, MN, as my freshman roommate and that this girl's sister attends St. Olaf College (where I went to school my freshman year) and is a junior like me. However, though the process of leading a group, I'm learning a valuable lesson about my faith.

I'm discovering that it's a genuine challenge to lead a Christian group. What kinds of questions can I ask the group so as not to offend someone or assume too much? Can I flat out ask a person if they are a Christian? How does the group begin to dig deeper into each other's lives, beliefs and insecurities? I know all of these questions will answer themselves with time and practice. In fact, it's exciting to know we are at the beginning of what will hopefully become strong, enduring relationships with each other. I just pray that I can moderate an environment that can foster relationship building smoothly.

Small group is a unique place where students can gather with one another and with Christ to grow as a group toward God. It's hard to find an similar environment elsewhere on campus. I feel fortunate to be a part of this group and seek God's guidance as I do my best to lead others.

Also, if you have any leadership tips, I'd love to hear them. :)

Adios, es la hora para espanol.

Fundraiser: Dinner with Tony

Friends, this advertisement has gone out in several places including area newspapers and all-church e-mails, but I thought I'd post it here as well. 

It has been so exciting to see the way that the community is rallying around the Raddatz-Rodriguez family in this time.  Just today, we got notice that we will be receiving a flag that has been flying over the State Capital to sell in the auction.  The auction itself has evolved from being just a silent auction to both silent and live, since several of the items are worthy of SuperFast and Exciting words, like a hot air balloon ride and this flag.  

I have loved getting to know Tony as his pastor this year.  He has an absolutely beautiful family-- real and full of ups and downs like any other human family.  I have to say that one of the things I truly love about this community is that here in Ripon people care about each other.  And when you witness and experience that care, you can see just how genuine it is.  I hope you'll come on Saturday night, if for nothing else than to see how much truth is in that statement.  

Here is the write-up that has been sent out in several forms already:

"Tony Rodriguez is a community member that has been battling with an on-going and persistent diagnosis of liver cancer that has spread to his lungs. In this time, Tony has undergone extensive radiation and chemotherapy treatments. We are saddened with heavy hearts for Tony and his family to learn that his prognosis has been recently given as poor. Even with ongoing chemotherapy treatments, Tony has been given four to ten months to live. 

Our hearts goes out to Tony, Cindy, and their family in this difficult time. As they cope with the emotional burden of this news, they also have a complicated schedule of cancer treatments, doctors’ visits, and appointments which results in unpredictable gas expenses and reduced work hours for Cindy and no work for Tony.

Though we cannot change the outcome of this situation, we can rally around the Rodriguez family as a community to ease the financial burden of this diagnosis. Please join us for a pizza buffet and silent auction fundraiser on Saturday, September 7th from 5-8 PM at Roadhouse Pizza. Tickets are $12 for the pizza buffet and available at the door or at First Congregational Church of Ripon.

If you can’t make the event, you can still show your support! Please give generously and make donations payable to First Congregational Church of Ripon with “Dinner with Tony” in the memo line. Contact Stephanie Prellwitz at s.prellwitz@gmail.com for more information."

Celebrating One Year!

Friends, 

Today is the one year anniversary of my service at the First Congregational Church of Ripon, and, in an official way, of my service to God's church in general (though I hope I can say I've been serving God's church for much longer than that).  The anniversary of my ordination was also a week ago, August 26th.  In all the hubbub of my life right now-- full-term pregnancy and purchasing a house-- I haven't really taken time to celebrate either of them.  But when I take a moment to stop and think about how important both of these dates are to me, it's clear that they're dates I should celebrate!  

For now, I will simply say in prayer: 

Thank you God for a beautiful year of service to you and your people, for the way this congregation has blessed my family, for partnership, for Grace, for learning and growth, and for potential.  May this year be one of many.  Amen.  

And share a passage of scripture that has been speaking to me as I look back on the year:
1 Corinthians 3:5-10
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.  According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it.

Thank you friends for working with me, for listening to my ideas, for challenging me, and for encouraging me.