SPEC 2008

Good Morning SPEC Fans,

This will be our last morning together for this SPEC. Can you believe it’s over today? Where has the week gone? Later we have our delegation worship; it’s always a special time of fellowship and sharing. Usually the kids have lots to say about SPEC, school, family, and life. Our time together usually ends in crying and hugging. After our worship all the delegations gather one last time in the gym for a recap of all the medals and awards, and a prelude and announcement of the dates and themes for SPEC 2009. After that we say final good-by’s load up and head west.



Yesterday started out rainy, but fairly quickly turned warm and humid. The air was thick and ha rd to breath; sort of like being used to 2% milk and then having a big gulp of whole milk.

Breakfast was some sort of waffley thing (I didn’t try one). I stuck with tried and true; scrambled eggs. It was sausage day again for breakfast!! Picture tigger bouncing around for joy. Oh! And we also had warm, fresh from the fryer, glazed donuts. I’m sure there’s some kind of sin in eating warm donuts – God forgive me.



Yesterday was the last full day of class and competition. After morning celebration, we broke the entire camp into three groups for three presentations. The first was a young adult who talked about experiences in Africa and China . She shared about watching a group of poor African school children all sharing the same large sucker; each one savoring their lick. Then she talked about visiting somewhere else, also very poor, where she saw for the first time ever pineapple growing. Never pictured them on a bush – she imagined them on a tree like bananas. After visiting and talking of her surprise with the grower he cut and gave her a pineapple. She wanted to refuse because of his lack of wealth, but she was impressed with her need to accept his generosity and desire to share. The two experiences made her realize her own call to share her sucker and pineapple with others.

Next we visited with a lawyer who warned the kids about the very real danger of doing stupid (and often illegal) stuff, and having or letting it get posted on the internet for all the world to see. Those things can affect your life, your employment, and even your possible guilt and innocence in legal matters. Bosses and HR folks often Google you, or check My Space or My Face to see if you show up. Is that the way you want a potential employer to see you? And of course there’s always predators of all kinds to worry about.



Lastly we spent time with a young man, a hip-hop/rap singer who has a ministry to young adults, who shared his story, and taught us some new songs and dance. This reporter can really bust-a-move. Luckily not a hip or something.

Lunch was chicken patties, or something that tasked sort of like chicken, which made a nice sandwich; combined with a salad and a cookie bar with ice cream it was an ok lunch.




The afternoon was the culmination of the sporting events for those teams still in competition. Our volleyball team took fourth, our two girls won gold and silver with their respective teams. Our boy won a gold medal in gold level basketball with his team. And the joy of it all was that our softball team (all thirteen campers) won a gold medal in our division. It was so cool to see. Imagine though bad news bears. After two days of record rainfall every small indent, rut and pothole was a puddle, pond, or lake. So the kids slipped, slid, bounced, splashed and rolled in the mud and water. It was pretty hilarious. But the laughter was infectious and even in the midst of it all there was a few pretty amazing plays.

The evening activities were the SPEC Presents (the talent show) and a dance/concert by the hip-hop/rapper that lead our morning class. The quad and the MSC were filled with kids.

Our final devotion was low key and we headed the kids off to bed. I am so impressed with the quality of young people in our delegation again this year. The parents of the Rockies kids are just doing a wonderful job. This reporter is excited for the future of the Community of Christ with young people like these leading the way. They are gifted, talented, passionate, caring, and committed.
Don’t forget to check out the SPEC link on the church website cofchrist.org, and also World Famous Photographer, Jim Doty’s SPEC photo albums here. So far there are four albums, but continue to check – there will be more.

So in this reporters mind it was a very successful SPEC and one for the record books. I hope these reports have helped you feel a part of the experience and the joy. It has been fun to visit with you each morning.

Today is the long, hard drive home. 20Please attend us with your prayer and good wishes as we travel. We need to stay alert, awake, and safe. And until next year, this is your SPEC reporter putting this issue to bed.

Have a Glorious day, because “Someday is Now!”
Bob

SPEC photo albums are appearing at ImageEvent.com/JimDoty.

Good Morning SPEC Fans,

It’s another rainy morning here at SPEC. The cool is really nice, but the rain really disrupts the schedule and activities here. Time will tell how we will be impacted today. We have lots to get done yet. This reporter misses the wonderful colors of the sunrise out the window as we talk on these early mornings.

Yesterday was sleep-in morning and just before it was time to start waking the troops the obnoxious sound of the fire alarm filled the dorm with noise. Maybe it’s the cynic in me, but when it started blaring I was more annoyed that worried. I figured it was a false alarm. But at the same time my concern for the safety of the campers in our care drives me to get the kids up and at least headed outside until we are sure. Of course yesterday was, according to several locals here in Lamoni, the hardest rainstorm they could remember. So being outside was not a fun prospect. We weathered the storm, as it were, and had the kids back in pretty quickly. Because the Rockies are on the third floor most of us didn’t make it out into the rain.

Breakfast has pretty much run the course, there’s not much new left except maybe biscuits and gravy, so we could choose between two different scrambled eggs, French toast, thin ham, fruit, cereal, juice and milk.

Thursday’s theme was “Someday is now……..so Love courageously.” SPEC Today class addressed that only briefly as a way of saying to answer the challenges of the themes we’ve wrestled with this week, we need to be courageous and willing to risk ridicule and scorn from our peers. Living out the challenges to walk humbly, live justly, create peace, and heal the planet, are all counterculture and will make us a target to be brushed off as “one of those.” But living that way is the only way the people of the world will ever see and fulfill their potential to become the Community of God on the earth. So in class we were directed to go to one of four areas by theme, the one each resonated with the most, and spend time discussing ways to flesh out each of those themes in our daily lives, and hopefully, encouraged by the presence of others, commit to love courageously enough to act out these themes in our communities. Time will tell.

The downpour affected the class schedule greatly. Some of the classes are in far flung corners of the campus so the close in classes were easier choices for some not really committed to their first choice. Walking or running in the rain had already made most of us look pretty silly anyway – a little more water would have little impact. None of the outside classes could be held; some were moved indoors but surely scaled down, others w ere cancelled.

Lunch was grilled cheese sandwiches. Coupled with a good salad it made an ok lunch. The “Commons” where meals are served was far more crowded than usual because of the rain.
Softball was canceled, soccer was cancelled, then rescheduled onto the turf of the football field, but not till three o’clock. So the schedule had to be compressed to pick up the scheduled games missed, and also to get in games normally played on two fields. So most of the soccer players were disappointed at the way it played out. All the indoor games were played on schedule. Most of the playoff tournaments will start today, so yesterday was the last of the positioning games and matches, If it rains all day again today it will drastically affect play. The Rockies had a fast paced and action packed game of “Buzzword” going most of the afternoon. It’s a great group word game.

Last night the Rockies delegation had their annual Pizza Party at the local pizza place called the “Pizza Shack.” We load up all the kids and head the three blocks into town for the pizza feast. It’s always fun and the kids enjoy some time away from campus.

After some more evening competition many attended the “Extravaganza”; a musical put on by the kids from SPEC who take the Extravaganza class. Your reporter missed the Extravaganza this year – the Rockies were in a volleyball match.



The last event for the night was the all camp campfire, usually held outside but the rain forced us into the MSC, a large indoor gym/multipurpose room. It was hot and loud, but it is fun and the kids really get into it. Reviews by the Rockies boys wer e all positive.

So we made it through the water logged day not too much the worse for wear. Hopefully today will be drier and more back to normal. So this reporter wishes you a glorious day and passes along the challenge to Love Courageously today in each and all the communities in which you interact. The Apostle Paul talks about love being patient and kind, not seeking its own way, not holding grudges. May we be all that today and more, because “Someday is Now.

Have a Blessed day and check in tomorrow for more news and views from SPEC,
Your reporter,
Bob

Good Morning SPEC Fans,

I’d like to say “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” but it’s not. It rained all night long – sheets of rain - and it hasn’t let up. I was awakened at three by cold rain on my feet. The wind was blowing the rain into the open window and got my sheets all wet at the bottom. Oh yeah, and the thunder just rolls across the sky like a bowling ball on a wooden lane. So while not a beautiful day, it’s a great day because I get to spend a few minutes with you. Oh yeah, today is the second sleep in day.

Yesterday we had pancakes as well as scrambled eggs, little smokey’s, fruit juice milk etc. Every morning there are also several varieties of cold cereals, as well as bread for toast, and bagels.

Morning celebration, which is the start of most mornings, is for information and worship. We sing, watch a video maybe, hear testimonies and stories, sometimes listen to a special music by individual or group, and just start the day together with each other and God.

After a short meeting of our delegation we headed to SPEC Today Class. Yesterday we focused on “Someday is now………so heal the planet.” As Christians, and more so as Community of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of the earth. Our scripture reminds us the we are to care for creation. Our class focused on the tension between being a consumer society, and yet stewards of the earth’s resources. We are challenged to recycle, to shop wisely, watch our waste, control lust purchases, and be content at times. When we buy something is it a “just want0 or do we “just want it?” How can we, in each of the communities in which we interact, be an agent for stewardship and care? Stewardship is hard work with sometimes cloudy answers. But doing the hard work can make a difference in our world – all of it.



Some of the other elective classes this year are stained glass; advanced stained glass; “What’s going on in your brain”; “You believe what??”; classic gourmet cooking, (I saw some Rockies in there yesterday); turbo kick, acrylic painting just to name a few.

The hot lunch (chicken and pasta) just didn’t call to your reporter so I went cold lunch and had a couple chili dogs again and a good salad. As usual the quesadilla maker was hot (as it were).

The Rockies split volleyball again, lost another softball game, and some individuals drafted to other teams played soccer, basketball and table tennis. We also have a couple boys signed up for wrestling.

Supper was lasagna with bread stix, and veggies. And of course this reporter had a good salad. Fudge brownies alamode capped an elegant dining experience.

Last evening was the swim meet. There were a couple events for real swimmers, but mostly silly swimming events like inner tube races, swim-dive for the ring-swim, push the balloon with your nose while swimming, and other fun races.

The camp entertainment last night was a spiritual comedy team called “Ted and Ingrid”. Some of you long time readers may remember “Ted and Lee”. A couple years ago Lee took his own l ife. Ingrid had been working some with them for years sort of in a background role and also on her own, so she has joined Ted and they have some new material. To watch their show is an interesting roller coaster ride of emotion from joy to pain to laughter, to tears, and everything in between. They really give us interesting human insight into some of the bible stories that are often hard to wrap your head around. Adam and Eve naming the fruits and animals, Sampson and Delilah, Jacob and Leah and Rachal, David and
Bathsheba, Sarah and Abraham, and many others are on their list of stories.

The last activity of the day was a delegation communion service. We had ours on the third floor of the Ad. Bldg. In the chapel up there; if you’ve ever been on the Graceland Campus. If not it’s the big red building in the pix with the turrets and the flag. It’s a wonderful setting for worship. This reporter was very moved by the depth and=2 0honesty of sharing at the service. There was a sense of connection, confession, renewal and freedom in the worship. Then off to the dorms for devotions and bedtime.

Oh by the way; sorry about the delay in getting out the news this morning. As I was sitting here clacking away on the keys someone pulled the fire alarm in the boy’s dorm. So waking and herding the cats outside in the rain, really messed up my time with you this morning.

So have a glorious day, Live Courageously. If we are going to be all that God hopes for us we will need courage. May God grant you as you have need,

Your reporter,
Bob

SPEC photos are here.

Good Morning SPEC Fans,



It’s starting out another cool and refreshing morning here in Lamoni and it’s just you and I right now, the whole place is sound asleep. It is a regular morning here so this place will be humming very shortly. The washers and dryers at the end of the hall are busy churning and tumbling out fresh shirts and stuff for the camp today.



Yesterday, Tuesday, was the first of two sleep in mornings here at SPEC, morning celebration is cancelled, so the campus woke up and began to move an hour later than usual.



It was breakfast sausage morning!! This reporter’s favorite. The scrambled eggs were either plain or had ham chunks in them and we had breakfast sausage (far too many). Oatmeal was out yesterday and as usual, fruit, juice and milk. Of course some of the “weak in the faith” folks still have to have a cup of sin with breakfast.



The SPEC Today theme class was Someday is now……..so create peace. We divided up into birth month groups again, and had some discussion and defining of attributes of personal peace that can hopefully then translate into a more community and global peace. Then we began a cool exercise. We each were given a wrist size piece of plastic string and a allowed to select colored beads to represent each of these seven facets of peace: Jesus’ modeling peace, peace for the planet, personal peace, peace for our school/workplace, peace for friends, peace for family, and peace for community. Each group was then assigned one of the seven facets to discuss, and write a prayer to God for that facet. My group had Jesus’ modeling peace. After some discussion each group selected a camper to refine the discussion into a prayer and pray it aloud to the group. It was a powerful experience with wonderful rich communication with God. Hopefully your camper will come home with the peace bracelet still on. This reporter is still wearing his.




Yesterday, card making seemed to be a popular class for the Rockies boys and many headed off to make and decorate various kinds of cards. Another popular class for the first elective is a yoga class with a good representation of boys and girls. Pyrography, creating art with electric wood burning pens, is also a popular class and the projects run the gamete from simple to very ornate and complex.



For lunch you could pick hot turkey with dressing, gravy, and veggies, or a nice salad from the salad bar, or each day a popular selection is to make a simple or multi ingredient quesadilla and even toast it in one of those heated press things. This reporter didn’t peak in the cold lunch line yesterday.



The Rockies started the afternoon with softball again, and were not sure which professional team came disguised as campers, but needless to say we were not in their league. We had some players on soccer teams, one on a basketball team, and our own coed volleyball team. Sadly both of my quizbowl teams were eliminated yesterday in, well not so close matches.



Supper was fish patties (that I made into a fish sandwich with tarter sauce and cheese), French fries, corn, mac-n-cheese, and salad and dessert.



Last night was the all camp worship at the sports field and after some singing and music, President of the Community of Christ, Steve Veazy spoke with us about a new exciting use of the www to promote peace. Go to www.peacesupportnetwork.org and check out the new website. Sign in and browse around to check it out.



After worship was track and field as well as soccer under the lights. Various running events and lengths and relays, long jump, shot put, and discus were a few of the events. Two teams also played a soccer match.



It makes it a little later night by the time we get the kids in the dorms and have devotions so they tend to start out a little slow the next morning. So it’s time to go make some noise and wake them up.



We’ll meet again in the morning for more news and views from SPEC; until then have a glorious day and remember to create peace in your various communities today,



Your faithful SPEC reporter,

Bob

Good Morning SPEC Fans,



It’s good to visit with you again. Do you notice how quiet it is right now? Actually it’s just you and me this morning. Today is the first of two sleep in days here at SPEC. So the whole place is asleep except us. No morning celebration today and breakfast has been moved back an hour. The parking lot glistens in the predawn light; it rained last night. But the huge orange ball of fire is rising just above the horizon and the area is bathed in soft orange light. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us Rejoice! And be glad in it.



After another good breakfast yesterday of French Toast, shaved ham and fruit, and warm homemade donuts, we headed off into the day. After morning celebration we went to our SPEC Today class and wrestled with the theme of “Someday is now……..so be just.” What is justice? Can we help achieve it? How? What does it look like? We had a fun exercise that showed how easy it is to be unjust and arbitrary. And how much harder it is to work for justice. And we were challenged to seek justice in the communities in which we interact.



Then the campers headed off for the elective classes. Several of the Rockies yesterday took advantage of the golf class. They were driven over to the Graceland Golf course, adjacent to campus, and given a two hour golf lesson. There is an ongoing golf tournament that campers and staff can participate in at their leisure. Honor system, score your own.



Lunch was an oriental wrap, chicken, a sort of rice thing, and veggies. This reporter took some chicken and added it to my salad for a delicious chicken salad. Cherry crunch cobbler alamode toped off the culinary experience.




Softball was right after lunch and we won this one 4 to 3. This team was definitely a more even match for us. It is fun the see the enthusiasm the kids have and the energy.



Soccer, table tennis, and volleyball rounded out the afternoon. Our volleyball team lost both games of their first match. Right after the game the coach, Mike Martens, was busy with finalizing things and when he turned around the coach and some players from the other team were giving pointers and trying to teach our kids some basics. Competition here is of a more gentle nature, especially in the less skilled levels.



Supper was beef stroganoff, (there’s usually two choices and I can’t remember the other one – sorry) and another good salad. A rich frosted brownie alamode (or white cake) finished the meal.



Games went into the night last night and we played our second volleyball match at nine o’clock. We split one and one. The kids looked much better – I think the pointers from the afternoon helped some.

The all camp activity last night was a man billed as a “mentalist”. He did some amazing mind reading activities. I won’t go into all the details, but he was able to pick out names, dates, answer questions written on papers he could not see, and stuff like that. He did an exercise with four big stapleguns and five participants that demonstrated he could control the choices of one camper in selecting the empty stapler in a sort of Russian Roulette. Three of the staplers were full as demonstrated by shooting staples through a piece of cardboard and the one pressed against his hand was empty. He had campers twist spoons that no one was able to untwist (not a trick spoon). And he had two girls hold small fluorescent light tubes and with mind energy, light the tubes (no wires, no batteries, etc) No tricks? I don’t know.



It was interesting that as we came out of the show last night the sky to the west was ablaze with a powerful and colorful lightning show of God’s own making. Then in the boys dorm during devotions this reporter compared the amazing feats of the mentalist to the amazing miracles of God – Peter walking on water, feeding thousands with little food, raising the dead, and transforming ungodly people into Godly people.



The mentalist’s exhibit, and the God of wonders, beyond our galaxy: both mysteries, and only one worth staking your life on.



As you go through your day today, watch for the amazing power of God, and thank God for the miraculous in your own life’s experiences. And may God bless you as you seek.



Don’t forget to go to cofchrist.org click on the spectacular button and then on daily photos. Most of the Saturday shots are from this reporter, who enjoys a little photog work himself as well as keeping you up with the news and views.



Until tomorrow, walk justly and seek peace,

Your SPEC reporter,

Bob

Good Morning SPEC fans,



There is a strange coolness wafting in the windows this morning early, in fact at one point the coolness slammed the door shut startling this reporter awake. It is a refreshing feeling, albeit short lived I’m afraid. But hey! celebrate the victories however small and fleeting.



Yesterday was the first full day at SPEC. After a good breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, tater tots and a cinnamon roll, we began to navigate the hectic schedule that is SPEC. (One could have also chosen a toaster waffle)



Our first daily SPEC TODAY class looked at someday is now……..so walk humbly. We break up, by delegation, into several smaller groups at different places on campus so there is more chance for discussion. Then each group instructor will find clever ways to divide again – ours was by birth month. Only three May’s yesterday. Lots of Decembers and Julys. We began to focus on a definition and characteristics of humility. We narrowed it down to the willingness to use your gifts and talents in service to God’s people without fanfare or the need for recognition. We said humble people are real, honest, meek (as opposed to weak). We were challenged to walk humbly during the day and watch for the same in others.



The next two hours the campers went to classes they selected with activities like wood burning, stone carving, frisbee (disc) golf, art, writing, creative cooking, and many others.





After a fine lunch of spaghetti w/ meat sauce (or without), or sloppy Joes, we headed to the softball field for a sound trouncing by a team that this reporter thinks will end up in a higher division after what’s called pool play. Each team places themselves in a pool of competition by perceived skill level by the delegation sports person. Of course this is always a guess. Play then commences and the first three days our win/loss record in our pool will determine who we actually play in competition for the last three days. Hopefully tournament play will then be with teams similar in skill level and more fair.



The afternoon proceeded through some basketball, soccer and volleyball, though the Rockies drew a bye in volleyball yesterday. We did however win our first quiz bowl (similar to the old College Bowl TV show for those of you old enough to remember) game with one of our two quiz bowl teams. It is always fun to see what the questions are and how much each group knows.



Supper didn’t look that good to your reporter (baked chicken or ravioli that looked like Chef Boyardee) so I went to the “cold lunch line” and had a couple chili dogs and a good salad with lots of “weeds”. That’s what I lovingly call the exotic lettuce and greens, which makes a great salad in this reporter’s definition.



After supper the all camp activity/entertainment was a comedy improv group that was pretty funny with lots of skits and audience participation. We settled into the dorms by eleven and had a short devotion here in our room before the campers went off to play themselves to sleep and the staff laundered and dried all the sweaty smelly shirts and tank tops so the kids will be clean and fresh smelling in class and on the fields and courts today.



Today we will look at the idea that Someday is Now………so be just.



So have a glorious day all, walk humbly and find ways to incorporate justice into your interactions in the communities in which you have impact today. As always see you in the am,



Your SPEC reporter,

Bob

Good Morning Readers,



This reporter always appreciates spending the early mornings with you each day, it is a special time. The dorm is still all asleep; the sun is barely beginning to warm the grey sky with rich hues of orange pink and red, the outside temperature is already beginning its relentless climb to roasting, and you and I review the highlights of yesterday and prepare for today together. If I drank coffee this would be a perfect commercial: “Good friends! Good coffee! Good Morning!”



After a leisurely morning and a good breakfast at Bob Evans Restaurant (we really missed the very gracious hospitality and wonderful food at the Ash’s home and we hope all goes well with your family situation) we drove the couple hours north from KC to Lamoni. It was a quiet trip and the “corn is nearly as high as an elephants eye” – but that’s a different musical.



Graceland Campus was ready to greet the nearly thousand visitors for the week. The whole process of registration is a well oiled machine honed by years of experience and refinement. Rooms are assigned, keys and combinations are passed out, and sports teams are assigned and registered. Even in the age of computers and I-pods is still takes a good couple hours for all that to happen for every delegation – there are nineteen this year with attendance of eight to ten all the way to delegation of just over a hundred. The Rockies have 13 campers and 5 full time staff and about four or five part time staff helpers.



After everyone was registered, we all gathered in an open area between the girl’s dorm, the library and Cheville Chapel. There we took the “beloved “All SPEC” picture. Imagine herding cats into a small roped off area and a photographer in a basket hung up by a crane barking orders – “ sit down, stay inside the ropes, don’t squint, everyone look up here” – you get the picture, as it were. By the way you can see photos at cofchrist.org. Click on events in the upper right area and then click on spectacular. Later in the week world famous photographer, Jim Doty will have his blog spot filled with photos also.



Next was an hour of sweltering sweating activity in the gym. Imagine a thousand people in a confined area grouping, greeting, regrouping, regreeting, shaking hands, high fiving, horse riding, slow dancing and light saber fencing. Yea, you got it. Coming outside into the Iowa heat and humidity seemed cool. It’s all in perspective.




Finally we had the SPEC Opening Ceremony. We officially met the SPEC staff, and each delegation (all nineteen). We were welcomed by the President of Graceland College, as well as Ron Harmon, the official SPEC Apostle, and President of the Community of Christ, Steve Veazy and his wife, Cathy. You can tell the church gives great importance to this activity, when they assign SPEC as a ministry assignment of one of the Apostles, as well as attendance by the President and leader of the church.



The musical group “Recycled Percussion” wrapped up the night’s activities with a cacophony of sounds from trash cans, plastic buckets, plastic waste bins, and of course cymbals and guitars. Loud and proud!



As the sun peeks in the window I am reminded it’s time for breakfast. Today we focus on the theme, “Someday is now….So walk humbly.” How do we balance being humble and still realize our great worth in God’s eyes, just as we are? It will be an interesting day. Sports start today also.



So for now, friends, do something great today, for God’s people, in God’s name.

See you in the morning with all the news and views,

Bob