Searchlights (Indoor Soccer)

I like Toronto, I'm not going to lie. I do, I like it here. I like some other places a little more, like New York, or a lot of places that are tropical, but I like Toronto. Over the years I've been in and around the city I've figured out how to get around, and I've found some rather cool places, there are more I'm sure, but I've found some good ones.
I also really like the people here. A lot of people are plastic, fresh out of the mold. However for every hundred or so of them, there's someone who just sticks out in such a refreshing way. I saw someone like that yesterday, and then met another.
The first was a street musician at Finch Station. I didn't get to experience his personality, but he was unique in so many different ways. First of all he appeared to be playing something that I can only guess was a lute. It wasn't a guitar, but I can't say for certain what it was. The fact that he was a small person is more of an afterthought. I would have taken a picture if it wouldn't have been so outrageously rude.
Then I hung out with Steph Kreick for a while, and after I said goodbye I went to the subway and, though my reasoning for it escapes me now, I lay down on a bench while I waited for a train. That's when I made a new friend. I don't know his name, but we talked about music from the platform of Bayview station until I got off at Bloor. He told me about his style, and artists like Hector Fonseca. We talked about ballad's and gospel, and becoming tired with the same old sound. I told him about the Swell Season, and how over the years Relient K has grown as a band over the years. He asked me about where to find good unique music and I don't remember what I told him, all in all it was a fun conversation. You don't worry about offending someones taste when you don't know them. You speak your mind. It's great.

Looking Alive

Do you ever see someone who just makes you smile? You don't even know them but you look at them and smile. Not the kind of smile you get when you see someone who looks like Jude Law or Kate Winslet, but one that comes out of an appreciation for that persons actions. I saw such a person today. She clapped on one and three, and danced to the music, and has likely been asleep for a couple hours already. I think that one sign of a good church is a cross section of ages, and appreciation of, what might be considered, more youthful worship, by people long since considered youthful. This woman was late 80's at her youngest and she was in to it. She didn't always clap on 1 and 3 though, just for a few songs. I would say this lady is one of a kind, but I know this to be false.
There is a woman in North Carolina who goes to a church that made me consider moving to the tiny mountain town of Bryson City. She was on the worship team of the grove church... and wow, she played a mean piano. She kept pace with the rest of the significantly more youthful worship team who played songs by Chris Tomlin, and Hillsongs, and other lively modern worship artists. We met this woman shortly before her 93rd birthday. As I said earlier, to me this is a sign of quality churches. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but these are the only times I've encountered such people, and the only churches I could consider to be my home. I hope that I can be that cool when I'm that old.

I Mostly Copy Other People

So here I am, posting for the second time in a week. I know, it's shocking, I know you don't believe it, but it's true. Why am I posting? Because I wanted to share something I guess, and it might just turn in to a rant, but we'll see. I'm just writing at this point. Last night I was coming home from dinner with the other intern and some interns from years past and I was silently complaining about the irregularity of street cars on Dundas. As I neared Spadina I was shocked not only by the sight of restaurants I discovered the excessively late hours of, but by a man on a bicycle. I've thought about him a few times today. Another guy on a bicycle in Toronto, one in a million, one more person on my walk home, one person I'll remember for a while, because he rode a bicycle even though he only had one leg. I didn't watch too closely, because I didn't want to be rude, and stare. I watched enough though. He would push off, and start to pedal, and then he would catch the pedal with his foot and try to pull it back up, and it didn't look like it was working out too well for him. Would he have been better off with crutches? Was it pride that lead him to choose a more common, yet personally ineffective mode of transportation?
I feel like this man deserves my pity, and at the same time I feel like he wouldn't accept it even if it was offered. I wonder if he's the type of person I could sit down and have a conversation with, or if he's just another face without a name. Another character that makes this city so unique.

The Unwinding Cable Car

My personal goal for this blog entry... I don't know. It's been a while since I've written anything here and I'm feeling reflective. Hence the picture. I took this picture during a fantastic thunderstorm that I was a part of from the beginning to about the middle as I stood outside my place with an umbrella. I guess my news goes like this. I'm working, oh am I ever working. The best part is that it's some of the best "work" I've ever done. To give you an idea of what I'm talking about I'll quickly run over my schedule.

Monday - Malvern
Every other week is either a Bible Study or a time of fellowship
Every week from 2:00 - 7:30 I help out with a choir (that might be going on tour in Barbados more
information to follow) Tuesday - Bridletown Every other week or so is a staff meeting in the morning
Every week I meet with my internship director to discuss life, and work and all that good stuff
Every week from 2:00 - 5:30ish I help set up for and run a kids club

Wednesday - Willowtree
Every week I either study urban missions or different aspects of spiritual disciplines
Every week from 4:00 - 6:00 I tutor
7:00 -10:00 I help out with a junior high youth group

Thursday - St.Jamestown
Every week I have built in time to reflect, or meet with people and talk about what I'm doing
Every week from 2:30 - 5:30 I help run a kids club
6:00 - 8:00 I help run a junior high program

And that's what I do with my internship. As you might have noticed, beside the day I have written a name. Those are the communities I work in on those particular days. If you were to look at those sites on a map of Toronto you would see that I make a loop downtown from Scarborough over the course of the week. You'll also notice that I only covered up to Thursday.

Starting on November the 2nd I am going to be running a youth ministry as the Youth Director for Rock and River Congregation in Mississauga. Every other Friday will be youth group, as either a Bible study, or a fun event, as well as a drop in time in the afternoons. The drop in space is primarily for youth in the community to have a place where they can hang out, play some foosball, maybe some video games, listen to music, talk to someone, and just experience a safe atmosphere. The goal is to also open up on Saturday's once we get a team set up to be available to hang out with and talk to.

This is an extremely exciting opportunity for me, and it's also going to be a huge challenge.

Other things I look forward to in November include the release of Southland Tales, and August Rush, and Anberlin and Mae's tour date at the Kool Haus. I also look forward to being a better blogger... but there's no guarantee on that front.

Here It Goes Again

So here I go, trying to get back in the swing of things. I think this time it will stick. I hope it will. I guess I could call this my intern blog, but I'm going to talk about more than the internship. I'm going to talk about things I see. I'm going to talk about culture. I'm going to talk about people. I'm going to talk about photographs. I'm going to talk about life.

To some of you when I say internship you say, "Wha?" So I guess I'll explain what I'm talking about. This year I am interning with the Toronto City Mission. I love the organization, I love the people in the organization, and I love what they do and what they stand for. This organization is about making a difference, a tangible difference in peoples lives. TCM work in 4 communities around Toronto, and they all have one thing in common. People who are hurting. People who are in need. All the communities are comprised of people with low incomes, on welfare, or newly moved to Canada. We get to know these people, we talk with these people, we share life with these people, and we give them options. We run programs to suit our skills and the communities needs. A slogan that I've seen that I really like and believe in is, "Helping to end the cycle of poverty," I start tomorrow.

Today I have something else to talk about. Freedomize. I went today, to this church that I've heard about a few times, it's called Freedomize and usually they meet in St.Andrew's Church beside Roy Thompson Hall, today they met in the chapel at Knox College on the U of T campus. They kicked things off today with a hip hop artist by the name of The Runaway, then there was some really cool worship that was a mix of new and original stuff, and hymns, that was followed by a gospel choir from the First Baptist Church.

There was such an interesting blend of culture there, 20-30 somethings, meeting for church, in a very traditional space, in a less than traditional way... It was cool, and it was real. The message today was about guarding your heart (Proverbs 4:23) and the pastor talked about at least two specific areas we need to guard our hearts against; Self idolatry, and keeping score. There could easily have been more points, but something happened in my mind and i started thinking about other things, important things linked to what he was talking about... but other things all the same. I started thinking about this thing called Pass a Penny, a kind of initiative that a friend of mine and I started up. I started thinking about why, and what, and all those other important things. That's not what this post is about though. If you're interested in Pass a Penny you can check us out on Facebook. Thanks for reading the first post in what will hopefully become The Daily Joel once again.

A Week In The Life

It is June 1st. It is 24-28 degrees outside, and there's a severe thunderstorm warning in effect. It is a beautiful day. I just finished working with a group from a catholic school near Newmarket, and it's fun to have a break. It was a great group though, they enjoyed practically every activity and were a lot of fun to interact with. We went on a canoeing adventure and even had a blast kayaking. The participation level is probably one of the best I've had with a group, especially of grade 7's. Aside from the ridiculous amount of bug bites that I am covered in, the week went really well. I haven't taken any pictures this week, which has me feeling a little lazy. I really miss a lot of people out there. There are 19 days left in LDP and then I have summer camp, so it looks like it's going to be a while before I get to spend some quality time with some people. My plans for next year are coming along nicely, but I refuse to announce anything until it's been finalized. Needless to say, I'm excited about the possibilities. The word for this week is anticipation. The picture for this week, is about anticipation. I'm looking forward to the summer, I'm looking forward to the fall, I'm looking forward to catching up with people, I'm looking forward to life. Right now I'm especially looking forward to a thunderstorm.

This Is Your Life... Are You Who You're Born To Be?

Called by Kary Oberbrunner just might be the kick in the pants that complacent Christians need. A strong statement, I know, but as rebellious as it sounds, it's what I've been waiting for, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Oberbrunner gets things started on an intimate level sharing a coffee shop conversation that resulted in a shift in thinking, and could change you life. As he explores what it means to really live the lives that Christ called us to he speaks with honesty, admitting his own imperfection and humanity, and discussing common misconceptions held not only by people looking in on the church, but by those sitting in the pews as well. Most refreshingly, it's all backed up by the one book that doesn't need a review. Oberbrunner not only references his points with the scripture they're drawn from, but he makes sure that his audience isn't limited by lack of knowledge, a much appreciated gesture. This book challenges it's audience to reevaluate what their life is, what their faith is, and how they've combined the two.