It's a Wonderful Life

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor..." Luke 4:18

At Christmas, one of the most popular traditions today is watching favorite holiday films - and for many, one movie in particular still stands out above the rest: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

This charming tale tells the life story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), a simple man from Bedford Falls, New York, who dreams of traveling the globe - but due to one circumstance after another, remains in his hometown to tend the family business: the Bailey Building & Loan. After years of hardship, on Christmas Eve night 1945, George reaches the end of his rope and contemplates suicide - until the angel Clarence (Henry Travers) is sent from heaven to save him from certain death.

Very little of the film is actually about the holiday, except that the movie's most critical encounter (George and Clarence) takes place on Christmas Eve. But in another sense, that date may be the least important connection to the feast and what it stands for.

George Bailey's life is, in fact, a wonderful reflection on what the coming of Christ is really all about. This understanding is captured in two passages from Luke:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior...He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.

(Lk. 1:46-47,52-53) and

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.

(Lk. 4:18)

This canticle of Jesus' mother Mary (Lk. 1), praising what God can and will do through her son, lays the foundation upon which she raises Jesus to become the man we call Lord. And in one of his first public addresses (Lk. 4), Jesus echoes his mother's song by laying the cornerstone of his own ministry in Galilee and Judea.

It is by these Gospel standards that our hero, George Bailey, lives out his life - and that we can do as well, at Christmastime and throughout the whole year.

As we see in Wonderful Life, George has grand dreams for himself. A natural explorer, he has saved up money for a trip around the world - and is just about to embark on this journey when tragedy strikes. His father dies, leaving his Building & Loan to an uncertain fate - and must choose between his long-hoped-for adventure and saving the family business from collapse. He chooses the latter.

Again, four years later, when his brother Harry (Todd Karns) returns from college, George resurrects his travel plans and hopes to leave the Building & Loan to Harry's supervision. But when his brother gets married and gets a job offer from his new father-in-law, George again defers, putting the dreams of his family before his own.

And on his wedding day, with a fantastic honeymoon planned out with his new bride Mary (Donna Reed), a Depression-era bank run occurs - and to rescue his customers from poverty, George uses his honeymoon savings and, in so doing, helps the low and middle class citizens of Bedford Falls through the crisis.

George always had a chance to escape, to make a wonderful life for himself, but he choose to help those in need - his family, his friends, and his community - sacrificing his dreams on their behalf. He followed Jesus' commands to the utmost: "Go and sell all your possessions and give them to the poor" (Mt. 19:21) and "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what he has left behind is fit from the kingdom of God." (Lk. 9:62)

In a season that is so preoccupied with receiving gifts from others, the lessons of George Bailey and the Gospels can be hard to swallow. So instead, we might minimize the impact of this film to sentimentality and the love the friends.

But Wonderful Life is a movie that should really challenge us. This is a prophetic tale of social justice just as much as a misty-eyed holiday classic.

George Bailey teaches us to look beyond ourselves and our wants - and to even look beyond our family and friends - and see instead how we can address the needs of the greater community. At Christmas, we are challenged not just to love our parents, children, and closest friends, but to take action for the poor, the disenfranchised, the sick, the marginalized, the helpless, and the dying.

It's not easy to do it. George Bailey could only take so much sacrifice - and on Christmas Eve, contemplated suicide. But the angel Clarence reminded him - and our God reminds us in prayer: "Whoever loses his life for the sake of the Gospel will surely find it again." (Mt. 16:25)

It's not easy to do it. But there are small steps we can take to move closer to that prophetic call. We can more intentionally work for social justice causes. We can find out who the poor and disenfranchised are in our local community, and work to help them. We can give freely to those who go without.

It's not easy to do it. Especially at Christmas, it can be hard to think beyond our gifts and our family and friends. And when the Salvation Army bell-ringer is gone and the holiday food drives are over, the poor and hungry will still be there. It's not easy because the problems are often so big.

So as we celebrate Emmanuel at Christmas, it falls to us to carry on the mantle of Christ when we leave our churches and finish our holiday meals. Like George Bailey, we need to be reminded how wonderful our lives will be when we step up and serve the world, sacrificing our blessings for the sake of others.

It's providential that It's a Wonderful Life is still with us decades later. But the next time we see it, let's make it more than a cliche, more than a seasonal favorite - and make it our rally cry to be more like George Bailey in our world the other 364 days of the year. If we each did that, then all humankind may be able to say "it's a wonderful life" and for that, "glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and good will to all."

Welcoming Model Blueprint Assignment

For this week, there is NO READING ASSIGNMENT. However, this week, you will spend your time developing a Welcoming/Invitation Model Blueprint, due (before class) by 7:00 p.m. CST, November 29, 2011. During the class, you will have an opportunity to give the rest of us a brief synopsis of your blueprint.

PLEASE NOTE: after being reviewed by the instructor (and with any edits suggested by him), your blueprint will be made public to the rest of the class. please keep this in mind as you create your model.

Assignment Instructions:

Dream big. Think "outside the box." Move in a new direction (and have fun too). Design your own welcoming/invitation model and describe the following points:

1. What is the objective (goal) of this outreach model?


2. Who is your target audience (within the young adult demographic)?


3. Where, when, how, and by whom will it all happen? Provide a working "users manual blueprint" that any church could easily follow and implement without additional explanation/detail.


4. How do you imagine that this model will be supported, funded, and integrated into the structure of the church and/or community that you have in mind for this assignment? (please describe the church, organization, etc. that this model will fit within, with enough detail to understand how you imagine the integration and support from such an organization).


5. How does this model relate to the young adult and postmodern realities that we have discussed in class so far this semester? In addition, are there any moments of return or opportunities that this model responds to?

The blueprint should be no less than 1000 words (although there is no upper limit; of course keep it within reason). There is also no need to worry about format, style, and so forth. However, if you are referencing another work, please include footnotes or endnotes so that this work can be easily found.

Evangelical Outreach Blueprint Assignment

For this week, there is NO READING ASSIGNMENT. However, this week, you will spend your time developing an Evangelical Outreach Model Blueprint, due (before class) by 7:00 p.m. CST, November 8, 2011. During the class, you will have an opportunity to give the rest of us a brief synopsis of your blueprint.

PLEASE NOTE: after being reviewed by the instructor (and with any edits suggested by him), your blueprint will be made public to the rest of the class. please keep this in mind as you create your model.

Assignment Instructions:

Dream big. Think "outside the box." Move in a new direction (and have fun too). Design your own evangelical outreach model and describe the following points:

1. What is the objective (goal) of this outreach model?


2. Who is your target audience (within the young adult demographic)?


3. Where, when, how, and by whom will it all happen? Provide a working "users manual blueprint" that any church could easily follow and implement without additional explanation/detail.


4. How do you imagine that this model will be supported, funded, and integrated into the structure of the church and/or community that you have in mind for this assignment? (please describe the church, organization, etc. that this model will fit within, with enough detail to understand how you imagine the integration and support from such an organization).


5. How does this model relate to the young adult and postmodern realities that we have discussed in class so far this semester?

The blueprint should be no less than 1000 words (although there is no upper limit; of course keep it within reason). There is also no need to worry about format, style, and so forth. However, if you are referencing another work, please include footnotes or endnotes so that this work can be easily found.

Assignments for Week #9

READING & DISCUSSION

Prior to this week's class, please read chapter 4 (Meeting Those Who Like Jesus) from "They Like Jesus But Not The Church" by Dan Kimball, which can be found in the Comprehensive Supplement.

In the discussion area below, share your thoughts on how these interviews intersect with the points of view offered in the secularity symposia - through Rolheiser's commentary and the keynote/authors' perspectives on the notion of secularity and the Gospel. What might those authors say about the men and women interviewed here and how might they respond?

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

Research and locate one evangelical outreach initiative done by a Christian church (this can include Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, etc.). You will present your findings to the class in our next session. Some things that would be good to include in your research and presentation:

* the details of the initiative (if necessary, email the instructor any pictures, links, resources, etc. that you would like to share with the rest of the class); in this, be sure to include the basics (what church, where is it, who runs it, when does it happen, etc.).

* who is involved in the process: the planners, the implementation team, the recipients of the evangelization (i.e. who are they targeting in their evangelization work?), the funders/supporters, etc.

* what happens: provide the details on how this evangelical outreach model is carried out; provide any timeline, as necessary.

* how it is supported and/or funded: what mechanism from the church supports and/or funds this initiative?

* where it takes place: specifically, where in the community does this happen? at local secular establishments? in the neighborhoods? door to door? in the workplace? at the school? (or a combination of these).

* if known, what are the results? how successful has this outreach been? how many years has it taken place - and have they noticed any trends in the process, year after year? what is the gauge of success (i.e. attendance at services, registrations, small groups, etc.)? what are the plans for the future?

You may be able to find this out through websites, books, or articles - or you may need to contact the church for more information. You may need to conduct an interview with a staff member - and if this is the case, please share the fruits of those conversations.

In all of this, keep an eye on how we can learn from these models. If your particular community/experience decided to do this very same model of evangelization, what would need to be adjusted, if anything? How might the various factors (who, what, where, support, etc.) be different in your particular context? How do these models intersect our discussions regarding: young adult statistics (Pew, CARA, etc.); the various types of young adults and various young adult experiences (Sons & Daughters, Smith, Wuthnow, Hayes, etc.); the mission field and the missionary call (Rivers, USCCB, etc.); and the field of secularity (Rolheiser et al.)?

Keep all these factors in mind as you research and present this information. Good luck!

Readings and Assignment for Week #8

Prior to this week's class, read chapter 4 ("Fragments of our Conversations") from Secularity and the Gospel by Ronald Rolheiser, which can be found on pages 88-100.

In comment section below, share your top three (3) "proverbs" or "fragments" that you like, are compelled by, or that resonate with your experience - and explain WHY you chose those three.

Also, read the following chapter in the latter half of the book (see list below); read the chapter and be prepared to present on this topic in class.

You will offer a short (five or six minutes) review of that chapter, the major points that it brings up, how it relates (agrees, disagrees, challenges, or pushes further) the general points that Rolheiser introduced in the first three chapters, and then... what aspects of the chapter you yourself agree with or disagree with (and why).

Ch. 5 "Pathways to New Evangelization in the First World" = Mike M.
Ch. 6 "Consenting to Kenosis: Mission to Secularity" = Ovester
Ch. 7 "Naming the Context in North America" = Kat
Ch. 8 "From a Project of Adaptation to Refounding" = Angelica
Ch. 9 "Evangelizing the American Culture" = Christie / Mike S.
Ch. 10 "Beyond Resilience to Renaissance" = Fr. Anthony
Ch. 11 "Fishing for People in the Oceans of Culture" = Karla / Frank

From Maintenance to Mission Continued Discussion

Discussing Chapter 7 of "From Maintenance to Mission"

First Question: In Chapter 7 of Robert Rivers' book "From Maintenance to Mission," the author speaks about the various beneficiaries of evangelization as defined by the US Catholic Bishops in "Go and Make Disciples." What do you think of Rivers' categories and how he describes them? Are there other categories? Should there be less categories? This book was written a few years ago - so would you say that our review of young adults today corresponds, contradicts, or adds to Rivers' categories?

Second Question: Robert Rivers describes two routes to connecting the gospel with inactive churchgoers: INVITATION and WELCOMING. Of these two, which do you feel more comfortable with doing as a missionary - and which do you feel less comfortable with? (and briefly describe why you feel that way right now)

History and Trends (Week 6)

Discussing Evangelization History and Trends

During our class last week, we discussed the various phases of Christian history - and how evangelization was defined and carried out in each of those ages.

With our reading of Robert Rivers' analysis of the new trends and perspectives that emerged from the Second Vatican Council, we see how evangelization is being defined in our own era.

What is your reaction to that history - and how evangelization is defined by Vatican II (as seen by Rivers)? Are you comfortable with the direction our interpretation of "evangelization" has been seen by the Church through history and/or right now? What other thoughts have gone through your head with this overview of history and the new approach to evangelization in the modern/postmodern age?

Assignments for Week #6

PART ONE

Prior to the fifth week of class, please read chapter 7 of "From Maintenance to Mission" by Robert Rivers, CSP. (found in the Comprehensive Supplement, pages 139-162).

The first part of the chapter, as you will notice, focuses on looking at the various groupings that comprise the objective of the second major goal of "Go and Make Disciples," the USCCB's 1992 document (rev. 2002) on evangelization (the document can be found here: http://nccbuscc.org/evangelization/goandmake/eng.shtml). The second part of the chapter focuses on two major ways to carry out the bishops' second goal: through invitation and welcoming. This will serve as the foundational basis for the remainder of the class this semester. After fall break, our time will be spent going in-depth with these two strategies: invitation and welcoming.

PART TWO

This week, I have emailed you all the Missionary Assessment Plan (both in pdf and word; use the word doc if you want to input your info within the document itself). Please take about 15 to 30 minutes to complete this for yourself. While it will not be collected (to maintain your own privacy), the answers you provide will be the basis for our in-class discussion next week - and will be the foundation upon which you will do your fall mid-term reflection paper.

This assessment will help you analyze where you stand in regards to all the aspects of our class thus far (the readings, the discussion boards, and the class sessions) - focusing on your story, your perspective, your hopes and your fears - as well as your reality on the ground in your local situation in regards to inactive young adults. It is critical that we do this self-reflection so that we can be best prepared to engage in the strategies for the remainder of the semester - and in general with all our evangelization work.

Biblical Discussions

Share your 300/400 word response to any of the biblical passages you chose. Your post should focus on how this passage intersects with the concept and work of evangelization (and if and how it connects to our work with inactive young adults).

Also, what is missing? Are there Scripture passages that inspire your evanglization work that aren't listed in the assignment - and what do those say about our focus with inactive young adults? And what about the Gospel of John? Where is the Great Commissioning there - if there is one - and what does this nuance in John's presentaiton of the main evangelistic charge say about the gospel writer's take on the call of the Christian community to spread the Good News?

From Maintenance to Mission Discussion

In chapters 2 and 4, Fr. Robert Rivers offers a variety of insights into the history, theology, and meaning of "evangelization" (i.e. inculturation, Lumen Gentium, renewal of Scripture, consumers not disciples, resistance to change, the Father is love, outreaching love as the source, and so forth). Name three insights that, in your opinion, impact the work that lies ahead of us connecting with young adults - and why those insights have such a significant connection to this area of ministry.

Fifth Week Readings & Assignments

PART ONE

Prior to the fifth week of class, please read chapters 2 and 4 of "From Maintenance to Mission" by Robert Rivers, CSP. (found in the Comprehensive Supplement, pages 109-138) and, in each chapter, look for how the author outlines the Church's call to evangelization and how it might tie in with our discussion about inactive young adults. Then be sure to answer the discussion questions on this topic.

PART TWO

I will email out a document/assignment on Biblical Evangelization. This gives us a chance to explore the biblical roots of our call to evangelize in the Scriptures. It might seem basic, but before we jump into the evangelization plans, it is good to return to our roots in the Bible, in Jesus' ministry, and in the work of the early Church. Think about how these readings connect to our discussions thus far this semester (using the questions in the document as a guidepost to how to read these passages).

As the document states, please provide a 300 to 400 word reflection on each of the three passages you chose from the lists.

Sacraments Today Observations

In your reading of Sacraments Today (http://cara.georgetown.edu/sacraments.html ), what are the major observations regarding the young adult participation in the sacramental life of the church? What sticks out to you? What surprises you? What confirms your suspicions or experiences?

Do you notice any trends? Do you notice any "rays of hope" among the more sobering statistics about young adult engagement?

Assignments for Week #4

PART ONE

Prior to the fourth week of class, please look at "Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice Among U.S. Catholics" by the Center for Applied Research for the Apostolate (CARA) and, in each section, look at the data related to the generations and charts broken down by age/generation. Do not worry about reading the entire study, but browse and get a feeling for the age-related questions in Catholic sacramental practice - and be prepared to discuss this in the discussion boards.

The "Sacraments Today" study can be found at: http://cara.georgetown.edu/sacraments.html (and link to the Full Report).


PART TWO

Attached to the email this week you will find the parameters of the "Immersion Experience" as I previewed in the previous session of class. This is a fun, creative way to immerse yourself into the life and experience of inactive and disaffected young adults today.

If we imagine ourselves as missionaries on a journey, this is the opportunity to take a moment to live in the mission community to get a feel for the cultural norms, see them in their natural habitat, and have a chance to dialogue directly with them. Up until now, we have read books and websites and looked at trends and studies regarding inactive young adults. But this gives us a better picture and a more in-depth understanding of the group we are trying to reach.

For the portion of this "Immersion Experience" that involves an interview, your choices are wide open - they can be a close friend or they can be a friendly acquaintence. You can interview them live or over email or Facebook, whatever is best for you and them. The sample questions are a starting point - but do not box yourself by them. Let the conversation flow naturally.

If you have any questions about this or anything, be in touch during the week. Contact me (Paul) at 815-834-4047 or email me at pjarzem@luc.edu (or if that bounces back, paul@ncyama.org). Be prepared to present your findings in class next week - but in the meantime, I am here to assist you as needed.

Discussion Board: Who Do You Know? (Week #3)

Who Do You Know?

Do you know someone who fits in one of Christian Smith's six religious types or Mike Hayes' classifications of young adults? If so, do they seem to fit the description that the authors provide in their books? How so? If not, what's different about these real life examples you know and the generic overview given by Smith and Hayes?

Discussion Board: Experienced Needs and Spiritual Realities (Week #3)

Experienced Needs and Spiritual Realities

Last week, we talked about young adult needs and issues... and how we should really look at these trends in our interpretation of the data we receive about young adults' inactivity and disconnection from the faith (CARA, Pew, Gallup).

This week, the three readings give us a sobering look at how young adults respond to the invitation of faith from church communities.

Where is the disconnect? If the Church has the tools to respond to the issues of young adult life (see "Sons & Daughters of the Light") and young adults are indeed struggling with a variety of issues (such as mental health, economic hardship, the information explosion, globalization, independence from family of origin, etc.)... why is there such a disconnect?

From your interpretation of the three authors' this week and your own insight and experience, share your thoughts on the possible reasons for such a huge gap between young adults' needs and the Church's ability to meet and help with those needs.

Discussion Board: Comparing Texts (Week #3)

Comparing Texts

Robert Wuthnow gives a few aspects to the role of faith in young adult lives including church shopping, social networks, conversions, seekers, and spirituality apart from religiosity. How does these experiences of faith connect with Christian Smith's six religious types (committed traditionalists, selective adherents, religiously indifferent, etc.) and Mike Hayes' classifications of young adults (eclipsed, private, communal, sacramental, etc.)?

Where is the overlap between the readings? Where do the authors differ from each other in their outlook of young adults and their relationship with faith/church?

Readings for Week #3

Reading Assignments:

Prior to the third week of class, please read "Spirituality and Spiritual Practices: The Role of Faith in Personal Life" (Chapter 6) of After the Baby Boomers by Robert Wuthnow

Also, in the Comprehensive Supplement book, please read the following chapters:
- "Six Major Religious Types" (Chapter 6, Souls in Transition by Christian Smith)
- "Identifying Young Adults" (Chapter 1, Googling God by Mike Hayes)

Welcome to NCYAMA Workshop #1 (Evangelization of Inactive & Disaffected Young Adults)

Workshop Description:

One of the most critical issues facing the Catholic Church today is the absence of young adults in their late teens, twenties, and thirties from active participation in the practice of the faith. Yet, one of the Church’s central missions is to evangelize and spread the Gospel to each and every generation. This course, then, will examine who young adults are today, explore why they are inactive or feel disaffected, and seek out and develop creative ways to effectively reach them through Catholic evangelical outreach and invitation.

Workshop Objectives:

Through the completion of this workshop course, participants will be able to:

• Identify, understand, and be aware of the young adult population today (especially those who are disconnected from the Catholic faith), the context and culture in which they live (especially in regards to technology and social media), and the Catholic Church’s ministry to them.


• Continually evaluate themselves as evangelists, missionaries, and ministers – being open to transformation, and the ability to use their gifts, passions, and experiences for this specific missionary calling.


• Be able to seek out and analyze tools and resources for evangelical outreach to young adults, adapting and applying these methods as needed.


• Be able to recognize, be prepared for, and respond to the needs of young adults for moments of return and evangelical invitation to the church.


• Develop, create, and implement new models of evangelical outreach and welcoming experiences for young adults within a workable framework and in relationship to a realistic, specific ecclesial setting.