September: Growing Edge

Dear Harrisburg First Church,

I am a firm believer that “Church” is not a word, or an idea that can be held captive behind four walls and a Sunday sermon. My Father’s Church lives in each and every one of your hearts. Everywhere you go, to the store, the shower, school, or a friend’s house, Church travels with you. With out you, this beautiful building would be just that. A building. In your heart and fellowship, I was introduced to Jesus all over again. It never ceases to amaze me where He seems to pop up. He’s in the smiles and stories of the Kids at the Youth Group, He’s sitting in Kim’s kitchen as she cooks, in Pastor Belita’s office as she counsels, He’s cheering at the Baseball games, He’s eating pizza with Pastor Gerald at Agape-Satyagraha, He’s everywhere!!!!!!!!!
Through my encounters with the members of this community and Church this summer, God has taught me a few lessons I’m sure never to forget and I wanted to share a few of them with you before I leave.

1. Love the individual, not the action. In a world such as the one we live in, there are a lot of people making a lot of unwise decisions. Every day there’s another teen pregnant, there’s another drug addict dying, there’s another bully at school, there’s another tax collector cheating us out of hard earned money. Fortunately for us, God called us to love the person, NOT what they do. I can reach out to that pregnant teen in the love of Jesus, throw her a baby shower, and remind her how much she is loved with out ever judging the actions that got her there. That’s the challenge isn’t it? To look at these people, to look at ourselves, and try to see past the rotten actions to the Piece of God’s Heart that is living, breathing, and trying to shine in each one of us.

2. It’s not about who I am, but whose I am. Since I was in high school, I’ve always been worried about what job I’m going to have, how I’m going to support a family, who I’m going to marry, what my kids will be like, what will people say about me when I’m gone. Slowly but surely, I’ve come to learn it’s not about that. It’s not about me. This life, this world, these sometimes heartbreaking circumstances were NOT meant for me. Or for you. We were meant to walk in a beautiful garden holding the Lord’s hand. This summer, for me, was about forgetting that I’m a suburban, white, college girl with some pretty cool friends and family waiting for me back home. That’s all a part of who I am. Whose I am…is what really matters. I belong, heart and soul, to Jesus. If I live like I’m His, by His word, and His love, there will not be a need to worry. Who I am won’t matter, because Jesus becomes my definition.

3. Don’t be Afraid to proclaim the Faith. Don’t be afraid. In my life I’ve been called many different things, but coward has never been one of them. However, until recently when it came to talking about God I was rather skittish. God isn’t exactly a beloved being in the theatre where I’m from. His name is more often used as a curse word, than anything else. But I’ve also discovered that as my friends find out I’m in love with Jesus they start asking questions. “Do you think God has a gender?”, “Why does God let horrible things happen?”, “Who is God to you?” etc. And the coolest part is, all these questions came to me with out the title of ‘Pastor.’ I’ve always loved these questions, and answering them always opens up the door for further awesome conversations. Never-the-less, I’ve always had trouble volunteering prayer and God’s word in such an environment. God’s used this summer to give me the courage to be more vocal about my relationship with Jesus. This love is so awesome, why in the world would I want to keep it secret?

Having said all this, I want to let you know that when I return to California I am going to be a Jr. High Leader at a church near my school. I’ve been talking to the Jr. High Pastor there, and he’s really excited to be bringing me aboard and getting me plugged into these kids’ lives. It gives me such joy when I think about it, and I know it’s exactly where God wants me to go right now.
I want to thank you for all the encouragement, the fantastic food, fellowship, and love you’ve given me this summer. I’ll never forget it. And God willing, I’ll be back in the future to visit. I’m not a huge fan of good-byes, because I know I’ll see each and every one of you again when we party it up together in Heaven. So I’ll leave you with the verse that has spoken most into my life, Romans 8:18,

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us.”


With Love,
Jen Scarr
MSS Intern 2009

Almost Home

Dear family and friends,

(picture is of Me and Eliana, one of the awesome sunday school girls...she's 7....maybe 8.)

Here i am! Nine weeks in, and one week away from home! Though this summer has been amazing,and something I am sure never to forget...I am ready to come home. I miss my friends. my family, and mostly my boyfriend. hhahahha. This time next week, I'll be in his arms and happy as a clam. Nay, happier than a clam...

So this weekend was fantastic! Josiah and Christine took me to Philly on Saturday, and oh man that was SO much fun. It felt like we walked all over the city by the end of the day. We saw Independence Hall, the line for the liberty bell, and at Steaks! PhillyCheeseSteaks. It was pretty awesome. We found a map of a walking tour around the city where there are still many of the original houses and stuff. The needle in a haystack ended up being Betsy Ross's House. We accidentally walked right past it...all the way around our elbow... and when I finally saw the sign Josiah was like, "You're kidding me!!!" It was awesome. I laughed alot... I don't think my friends thought it was as funny. teehee. While we were standing outside the allusive house, there was a tour guide talking about Betsy. He said that she was buried in the courtyard of the house.....maybe..... lol. He said that when they wanted to move Betsy Ross's body they discovered that Quakers don't mark graves. Betsy was a Quaker. lol. So they took an educated guess...bottom line - who ever is buried in that courtyard is Betsy Ross. :0) awesome story.

For lunch it was Philly Steaks for us! There are two steak stands near South st. called King Pat's Steaks and Geno's. Pats is for the locals, and has very specific way of ordering...and Genos is more lenient and meant for tourists. You can tell just from the decor. lol. I had a half from each place...and decided that Pat's was better. If you don't order right at Pat's they may send you to the back of the line, or across the street to Geno's. BAHAHAHA. Lucky for me, I was a quick study. :0D

Sunday was my last youth group. Next week Josiah is doing a wedding, so they aren't going to be back in time. Josiah asked me to try storying for my last night.....so I did. I think it may have gone over okay. lol. As well as Squirmy urban kids could take it. :0) There were a lot of new girls...who didn't like me at all. I've found that I do much better with the guys than the girls. I have no idea why! The guys in the youth group were WAY easier to befriend and play games with. Most of the girls looked me up and down, sneered, and gave me attitude. No bueno.

Well anyway, here I am through with youth group. I'm gonna miss some of those kids. They were really cool...as much as they drove me crazy....I kinda love 'em.

I'm back at the Kelly house after a four day "escape" to the Reardons. They were really fun people to live with, but I missed my basement. lol. It's good to be back. :0)

SO this week, is full of people wanting to take me out to eat before I leave. What's cracked me up is that while these people only eat out once a week....i've been eating out three or four times a week ALL summer.... hahahha. I'm also spending time finishing up all the final details before I leave. I've almost got everything marked off my list!! Whoohoooo!

For those of you who are facebookers, I've got some pictures from Philly up and VBS and such things. Also, I've had to write a letter for the Growing Edge which is the Newsletter for the church, so I'm going to make a blog of that and post it here as well. If you so wish to read it, you may. :0)

I'll probably blog one more time before I get home. So keep those eyes pealed!

Love you all and see you soon!
Love

~ME