ACTION NEWS
Issue 26 – Summer 2020
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
A few days before we figured out that COVID-19 was going to change our entire world, I was in Toronto for meetings. With an evening to put in before returning home I bought a last-minute ticket to Come from Away at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. It was my second time, but I’m positive I could see it multiple times and enjoy it more every time. Such an intriguing part of our collective history—especially in North America. September 11, 2001 war was declared on our own soil—the Corona Virus was a different kind of war, yet it felt very heavy/serious.
The characters on the stage depicted the story of displaced “plane people” during the 9/11 crisis landing in Gander, Newfoundland and being looked after by the local community. September 11, 2001 the USA airspace was closed for the first time since it opened.
Three weeks later to the day I would be sitting with my staff at the Christian School where I am principal and talking about how we might manage having the students/teachers move to an online format. It was announced school would be closed for two weeks; everyone knew it would be longer. I started our meeting by saying to the teachers it is hard to know how to calibrate our brains to this situation – we’ve never been told to go home and stay there. One thing every educator knows is that school is a secondary attachment for most kids. It was less about education and more about connection and something productive to move forward to do. One Canadian province after another was closing schools, closing businesses, and staying away from friends and family. It was like the ground beneath our feet had shifted and it reminded me of the night I went to bed on September 11, 2001—drifting off to sleep I knew the world had changed. The night of March 13th I had a similar feeling.
One of the most moving songs for me in the musical Come from Away, is called Prayer. Based on the anonymous prayer (often thought to be from Saint Francis) made into a hymn titled, Make me a Channel of Your Peace. Scholars debate if Saint. Francis (12th Century) actually wrote it since it is devoid of anything similar from his work. While the musical writer depicts the song as bringing several world religions together, the hymn has always been respected as the Christian prayer for peace. The lyrics made from the prayer read:
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love
Where there is injury, Your pardon Lord
And where there’s doubt, true faith in You
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness, ever joy
Oh Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of Your peace
It is pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life
Oh Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness, ever joy
The melody from the song arranged for the musical has played softly in my mind during this time of Covid-19. I am also reminded of the lyrics the Psalmist offers: In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. These last few months have had some uncertain days; in all of the uncertainty I pray as Christians we can be channels of peace. I trust we can bring hope, joy and light to world that wonders where to turn.
~ Marsha
Adolescent Anxiety
By Marleigh Genereaux, CAFNB Associate
As we stop and look at your world and the current climate of everything that is taking place, it is easy to see the rise in stress and anxiety. Whether it be fear surrounding Covd-19, stress of the economic fluctuations, the pain of not being able to see love ones or the emotional whiplash of trying to keep up with the ever-changing regulations, it is obvious that people are being strongly affected. It’s easy to feel like we, as adults, are the only ones who feel anxiety, but the reality is, anxiety is an ever-growing struggle for today’s children and youth. This can be a difficult obstacle to understand, but there are so many ways that we can help our youth face their anxiety.
One of the most important things you can do to help an adolescent who is dealing with anxiety is to listen. This seems like it is way too easy to actually be effective, but in fact this is the doorway into understanding, engaging with and working alongside your youth. The struggle with this is, we need to listen with the intent to actually hear what is being said, not just to spew advice and opinions in their direction. When we listen, we not only learn more about them and what they are facing, but we also begin to gain trust. If we can prove that we are a safe space for them to share their successes as well as their struggles, we will begin to be invited deeper into their lives.
“As Christians we walk alongside a God who is bigger, stronger and more powerful than any fear, anxiousness or panic.”
Along the same vein of the importance of listening, it is important to believe them and understand that their experience is different than yours. I have often heard the false idea thrown around that “kids these days are just weak” or “when I was a kid, we just rolled up our sleeves and dealt with it”. Not only are these not helpful comments, they also do not fully capture the reality. While it is true that teens today can learn important and valuable lessons from their parents and grandparents experiences, it is also true that they are growing up in a very different and unique climate. The rise of social media, technology, pressure to be constantly connected and ability to communicate with anyone at anytime, has aided in the creation of a very different childhood and teenage experience. This doesn’t mean that wisdom can not be passed down, but instead stresses the importance that we do so with compassion and willingness to learn.
While this has briefly outlined a few of the key components of supporting your teen through their anxiety, I believe the most important factor to remember is to invite God into your anxiety.
About Marleigh
Marsha’s Comings & Goings
by Marsha Boyd-Mitchell, CAFNB Executive Director
We were excited to receive a generous grant from the Baptist Foundation to aid in our campaign development of warning youth about the dangers of recreational cannabis. I continue to collect research and work on best formats to present this information in these unprecedented times. I plan to be at Hampton Bible Camp to present to their day campers a few days during the summer season.
Marleigh continues to work on content for youth regarding the topic of anxiety. Stay tuned for a series of videos that will tackle the topic one step at a time. We are thrilled to have Marleigh’s millennial voice to speak to the next generation. Her studies and experience are so valuable to the work of CAFNB. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Helping youth to make wise choices has never been more important and we trust the lord will guide us to engage with youth in new and exciting ways.
