Slow Club

Here is a selection of Mark Yaconelli’s book on Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus that I have recently enjoyed.  (Mark is the son of Mike Yaconelli who was a “grandfather” of youth ministry, co-founded Youth Specialties and died in an automobile accident in 2003.)  

 

"My son Joseph is a natural contemplative.  When he was four years old, he was no longer willing to be hustled to preschool and hurried along on errands.  One morning Joseph announced he was starting a new organization called ‘Slow Club’ in which he would serve as president.  The rules of the club were simple: No running or hurrying.  Unfortunately, neither of his parents nor his brother could commit to these regulations, so for the next year Joseph was the only member of his club.  Each morning, he’d stroll to school at his natural pace.  If I tried to pull him along or anxiously urge him to ‘hurry it up?’ he’d respond calmly, ‘I’m president of the Slow Club, Dad. I don’t hurry.’

 

“At night over dinner, Joseph would talk about his club.  He told us about the things he noticed during the day and shook his head at the other children who always seemed too busy to see the marvels and treasures so clearly visible to the patient eye: a piece of wire, a bottle cap, an especially smooth rock, a line of ants.  From time to time, he’d invite neighbors or other friends to join his organization, but no one could commit to his charter.

"One summer while I was teaching at a youth camp, Joseph granted me a one-day membership to his club.  After playing ultimate Frisbee with a group of teenagers, the bell rang for lunch.  The kids bolted toward the dining hall.  Joseph had been watching the game, so I ran over to him, put on my sweatshirt, grabbed his hand, and began pulling him hastily behind the group.  I was hungry and wanted to get a place in line.  Joseph reminded me, however, that I’d accepted his one-day membership and would need to reduce my speed drastically.  I took a deep breath and reluctantly slowed to my son’s pace.  Joseph looked at me satisfied, and then said, ‘You see, Dad, when you slow down, you notice things.  Just look around as we walk, and you’ll see things everyone else has missed.

 

“Quietly we strolled through the campground, looking carefully at our surroundings.  Suddenly, I saw something move off to the side of the path. ‘Joseph!’  I whispered excitedly.  ‘Look over there.’  He turned and we both saw two jackrabbits standing on their hind legs, watching us.  Joseph gave me a knowing smile and said, ‘I bet we’re the only ones who noticed those rabbits.’  We walked on, stopping to look at butterflies, strange purple wildflowers, enormous beetles, and a lizard with half a tail.  When we joined the rest of the family, we both talked excitedly about the treasures we’d seen. 

 

“Like Joseph, those of us who minister among young people seek to be members of Slow Club.  We invite you to attend to their lives, we encourage them not to overlook the signs of God’s presence.  Every time we’re among youth, we look and listen with slow eyes and ears.  We listen for the deep sounds of God.  We look patiently for the little signs of grace.  We cultivate wonder.  Like Joseph, we walk beside them saying, ‘What do you notice?  What do you see?  How is God present in this moment?’

 

“I want to be a member of Slow Club.  I want to be a still and knowing presence among young people.  I want to walk beside them, stopping from time to time to notice the God who waits to be received.”