Christmas Eve Thank Yous

Visual proof we had a trombone present

This past Saturday evening Living Stones Church had two Christmas Eve services.  I thought they were excellent.  It was a great way to enter into Christmas!  Because I get a view “behind the scenes” I know how much time, energy, effort, planning, and preparation goes into the service.  And ESPECIALLY when it comes at an already hectic and busy time, I’m especially appreciative of those who made Saturday night such a great experience.  So I want to say some thank yous to:

Greg Frohna (our Creative Arts Pastor)

Doug Harsch, Emily Bayer, and Don Martin (Our Worship Leaders and the ones who planned the entire service)

The most incredible band and vocalists:  Josh Hren (hello Acappella solo!), Jim Waltman (guitarist extraordinaire), Michael May (displaying the versatility by moving to the Bass), Mark Osterhout (triple duty on keys, vocals, and trumpet), Jeff Harness (I think “the lovely Jeff” whose posture is always ready to rock it out but also knows how to lead a section in foot stomping), Sarah Thompson – (who had is like an explosion of energy – “Go Tell it On the Mountain” mmm…good), Sky Medors (dude…I’m still singing that “Beautiful” song), Isaac Barrington (my Little Drummer Boy…don’t tell him I said that), Kelly Barrington (my Little Harmonizer…that doesn’t sound very affectionate does it?  Kelly can harmonize anything.  Anything.), Ed Holstein (playing on the trombone!).

Thank you to Sherri Vreugdenhil (amazing dramatic reader) and Clive Neal (who may or may not be a good dramatic reader but no one really knows because his English accent entrances everyone)

Thank you to Paco Bayer for bringing in a digital board and all of the technical equipment necessary to pull off all the elements of the evening and being and extraordinary sound technician.

Thank you to Jim Ruth, Chad Newport, and Michael Russell who kicked butt on the lighting and MediaShout presentations.

Thank you to Ann Lynn & Jennae Gee on the LSC staff for helping all the prep work for the service.

Thank your Amy Osterhout and the Children’s Ministry team (Meredith Waltman, Sarah Wilken, Dawn Lentych-Hack, Melissa Holstein, Buffy Gerndt, Sarah Boyce, and Karin Gilbert) for executing a “Happy Birthday Jesus Party” for our Kid’s Kanyon.

Thank you to Jeff Gritton and Diane Barrington for all of your help in regards to ushers and 1st impressions team.

And thank you to the Living Stones Church elders – Randy Templeton, Chuck Barrington, Jeff Gritton, Jim Ruth, and Jim Silk for the very moving interpretative dance to “Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer.”  It was so elegant and dramatic in movement that it left us stunned.  (OK…this last part might not have really happened)

Revolution in Public Education

“Our present system penalizes experimentation and failure and doesn’t expect mastery.  This paradigm expects experimentation and failure and expects mastery.”  - Salman Khan

I’ve never been a fan of the ISTEP test.  I hate that the entire educational agenda and process (for teachers and students) now revolves around this one standardized test.  It forces every kid into a paradigm with no regard to learning styles, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, etc.  It denies teachers who have a passion and skill in a particular area to forgo their talent in preference to a stupid standardized test.

I found this yesterday.  It is about the Khan Academy.  I wondered what it would look like if the South Bend Community School Corporation abandoned their present model and adopted this as a new paradigm of learning and education.

I also found in the resources practical help for any student struggling in a host of areas of school (especially math).  Maybe you have a kid who needs some help.

If you have time to watch it (and I do because I’m on vacation ), I highly recommend it.

Check out their website for over 2600 videos on various subjects:  www.khanacademy.org