Twenty-two girls from all sorts of churches took part. They were the smartest, most challenging bunch of youth I've seen on a Chrysalis flight. During the Q&A following my talk on the sacraments (that traditional moment we call "stump the clergy" when they can write any question they can think of not covered elsewhere on a card -- and get an answer), we did NOT get "the baptism question." What we got were serious and probing questions about the resurrection and cremation, homosexuality, whether animals go to heaven, eucharistic theology, purgatory, prayer to saints, contemporary music . . . I had earlier been cornered by an entire Table (whose table name was -- I am not making this up -- The Mesa of Congeries) who wanted to ask me about Christianity and other religions, why we thought ours was true and theirs wasn't (if that's what we thought), etc. Good stuff.
The chapel services were powerful, and team came together and worked very hard. It was great. And I'm glad it's over. I've been wrung out, sung out, and flung out. We done, we bad, we gone. Yay!
Regarding Table Names: Youth on a Chrysalis flight spend most of their three days in a small group format. Each group, or Table, makes up a name for itself. On Walks to Emmaus, these Table Names are a given -- they're all Bible characters (I sat at the Table of James). But the youth do it themselves, with the result that they create some odd monikers. Our Table Names this weekend were the aforementioned Mesa of Congeries, the Olympic Angels, the Tiger Lilies (not a clue, don't ask), and All God's Chillin'.
As each Table was deciding on its name-to-be, one group called me over. They wanted to know what the Latin was for different. I couldn't recall. That's okay, any language would do. I suggested some German words. They didn't like those. I asked why they wanted to know. "Because we're all different," they replied. I suggested congeries. "What's that mean?" they asked. It's a jumbled mass of different things, I said. That was very cool to them. And since mesa means "table," that's how they became the Mesa of Congeries. One girl asked what language congeries was. "English," I replied. (Much laughter) Then I said, "I realize that's not a strong point of South Dearborn High School, but . . ." (Even more laughter)
Jean and Nikki and Kiki from our church worked this flight, and
that_guy_zach helped serve the Special Dinner Saturday night. Phred and LaJo also worked this flight. collinsmom came to Candlelight, which was enormously appreciated by me, even though I couldn't step out of the procession to greet her. The Sisters of St. Francis at Oldenburg were gracious hosts, and they really dug our agape items. They even came to our Closing (and took communion with us! in a service led by a woman minister! gadzooks). The Prayer Vigils got filled (finally!). The Boys Flight ends this afternoon. Thank you to all who prayed. Thanks be to God most of all.