In this Issue:

Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

Archbishop Tutu and Bishop Sauls call Berea graduates to action

From the Bishop

News and ideas form across the diocese

People, Parishes and Passions across the Diocese

Part of the Heart of our Mission

Faith Matters: St. George's Day

Love First, Knowledge Second: Baccalaureate Address to Berea College Class of 2005

Commentaries

Reflection: As others see us

X-ercizing: What causes revelry?

Editoral: The 'use and abuse of the Bible'

Who's in charge here? One bishop's perspective

Diocesan Calendar

Past Issues

X-ercizing: What cause revelry?

By Steve Walton

Jessica and I took a walk a few nights ago. We were walking down the sidewalk of a beautiful tree-lined street, and a gentleman and his dog were walking towards us on the same sidewalk. As we got closer to him we started walking single file so we could pass him comfortably. But he continued walking down the middle of the narrow walkway. Eventually we stepped over into the grass to get out of his way. As he got next to us he stopped, somewhat startled to see us.
“Sorry. I didn’t see you.” He said slightly distracted. “I was lost in
revelry.”

And on he walked.

We just stood, in the grass, watching him leisurely stroll on with his dog.
“What was he reveling in?” I asked Jessica.

She pointed out how beautiful the evening was. The air was scented with tree blossoms and kids could be heard playing in the distance.

I felt there was something more profound than a gorgeous nightfall to bring on a bout of silent internal festivity.

A few weeks ago I helped facilitate a Sunday school class at Christ Church Cathedral. The class was part of a six-week series offered to potential youth leaders and parents of pre-teens and teenagers.
My section was “Theological Challenge: Explores religious questions which typically generate a searching response in youth.” The title had me intimidated.

“What are those questions?” I asked myself, as I prepared for the class.
I asked the group this question: What questions typically generate a searching response in you?
Some of those questions may be:

WHY?

Where do I belong?

Who am I?

Who does God want me to be?

Am I the best person I can be?

Is God out there?

Is there more to life than this?

What am I supposed to be doing?

What is God asking of me?

Where do I fit in?

Where is God?

How does the Bible play into my life?

These seem to be questions we all ask ourselves. It doesn’t seem to matter if we are a teenager, a 20-something or in our 30s, middle-aged, senior citizen, parent, kid, student, teacher, working, retired, poor or rich or somewhere in between, struggling, comfortable, seeking, searching, defining, questioning, strong in our faith, or weak in our faith. The questions are all pretty similar.
We are all asking the same questions. They may be framed differently depending on our situation, category, or grouping -- but the heart of the questions are the same.

What is God asking of me?

Where do I fit in?

Where is God?

How does the Bible play into my life?

Advocate Online Staff

© 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington

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