SPEC 2007

SPEC REPORT, July 28

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Friday,

Well it has come and gone – the last day of 2007 SPECTACULAR. It has been an awesome week. Like all good things it’s with mixed emotions I write this last column. It’s such a Xanadu kind of place that I hate to see it end – and yet I am ready to go home.

Friday started out with pancakes, link sausage, scrambled eggs, and of course fruit and juice. We also had pull-bread or I’ve heard monkey-bread. It’s like small globs of cinnamon roll stuck together and you just pull off whatever size hunk you want.

Morning Celebration. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

After morning celebration in the very hot, very humid gym, we listened to a young man from the “One” campaign, a part of “Bread for the World.” It’s a political action/advocacy group pressuring the government to get on the bandwagon in the fight against poverty, hunger and preventable disease. After what seemed like forever the camp was divided into smaller groups and the kids were invited to write letters to, or call, or send e-mails to their government representatives saying basically, that “I’m not OK with the level of hunger in the world; I’m not OK with children starving to death, or dying from preventable diseases. Do something to get funds in the budget to be spent on prevention and healing. Some of the kids are activists and some are not. Some kids wrote letter, others did not.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

After lunch of chicken patties, and sandwich fixin’s (along with the usual side bars) we started a full afternoon of sports. Rocky players were on two separate soccer teams, one placed second and one third. Our mixed volleyball team took third. Our boys’ volleyball team took home the gold medal. Softball took second. We won several gold medals in table tennis, and tennis. I don’t think we had any wrestlers this year. Our kids seemed to really enjoy the play and were good sports, win or lose.

Taking Care of the Injured. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Every year we, as staff, get high marks for the Rockies kids. We hear from teachers, coaches, refs, and other staff that the Rockies kids are polite, engaged, respectful, on time, willing and other good words. As parents you all deserve a round of applause for all you do with and for your kids. We love bringing them, coaching them, sharing with them, and loving them. This reporter would be proud to claim any of them as my own children. Thanks.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Supper was pot-roast with carrots and celery swimming in a rich gravy and mashed potatoes swimming in butter. Probably artery clogging but certainly wonderful.

"High School Musical." Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

After supper was the Extravaganza; the musical variety show put on by the campers. This year it was an adaptation of “High School Musical.” The Rockies gave it mixed reviews.

"1964 The Tribute." Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

And the finale was the tour group that has been doing Beatles music for about twenty three years now. “1964 The Tribute” is the name of the tour and you can go to 1964theTribute.com to see when they are coming to your area. They play and look a lot like the Beatles. As with every thing all week the reviews were mixed. Some kids liked it and danced and sang all nite. Others were bored pretty quickly.

"1964 The Tribute." Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Well the kids are in, devotions are done, and they are no where near settling down to sleep. Tomorrow we will have our last delegation worship, and closing ceremonies. Then we begin the long drive home. Please keep us in your prayers and concerns as we travel.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Saturday’s theme, kind of a sending forth, is, “What if……it is more than a dream?” Can this generation of young people be the generation that sees God’s Kingdom become a reality? Have we given them the tools and vision to impact the world for good, bring peaceful resolution to conflict, and make justice a reality? Will children worldwide grow up healthy and free? Will loving response replace guns and soldiers? Can this group who gathered here for a week and lived and sensed the potential of Zion make it an everyday thing? This reporter would love to report on that! May God bless us all as we try to make the dream a reality.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Until SPEC 2008 this is your roving reporter saying thanks for reading, thanks for the kind words, and thanks for all you do to promote communities of Joy, Hope, Love and Peace.

Good night and God Bless.

Seventy Bob

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SPEC photo albums are being posted both here and here.

SPEC PHOTO ALBUMS AND PRINTS

Hip-Hop Extravaganza. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Seven SPEC photo albums are online at ImageEvent.com/JimDoty.

Due to travel commitments immediately after SPEC, the final SPEC albums will not appear until the week of August 6. Come back then and check out the rest of the photos.

Due to several requests, prints of SPEC photos will be available for SPEC participants and their families. The cost is $10 per 8x10 plus shipping. For more information, send an e-mail. Be sure and put "SPEC photos" in the subject line of your e-mail.

SPEC REPORT, July 27

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Thursday,

Good morning readers. The week just seems to be racing by. I can't believe the adventure is about to end. Thursday was the second sleep-in day, and most folks took advantage of the extra hour sleep. The days are getting hotter and the nights aren't cooling down like at the beginning of the week. Your reporter misses Colorado .

The hearty ones at breakfast yesterday had a repeat of an earlier day. Waffles along with the two types of scrambled eggs, peasant potatoes, fruit and wickedly warm donuts. I told someone yesterday that when I come to SPEC I eat like there's no tomorrow. Then when tomorrow comes I have to repent and get back into my normal routine.

Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Thursday's daily theme was, "What if - it's all about me?" At first glance that may seem a little self focused. I guess it is, but in a healthy way. What happens to our planet and environment, what happens with brothers and sisters worldwide, the building of God's Kingdom; it is all about me. I can't control you, I can't make choices for you. But my choices, my decisions, my beliefs, my passions, my causes can and will have an impact on everything. If each one of us recognized that the simple choices we make every day have a potential impact worldwide, we might make different or better choices.

Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

In Leadership Class the kids were introduced to Outreach International. Another organization affiliated with the Community of Christ that is making a difference in the world and in the lives of the world's people. Outreach International uses terms like "release, not relief", "a hand up, not a hand out", and "sustainable good" as they work in the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, and preventable death. Outreach helps people in significant sustainable ways to a better future.

Bead Work. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Yesterday was the last day for the two elective classes. And the art and projects are turning out very nicely. Painting, glazing, polishing, coloring, sanding, soldering, finishing is nearly complete and projects will be ready for the trip home. Any further work on artwork and projects will need to be done in free time.

Stone Carving. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Lunch yesterday was grilled cheese sandwiches, and veggie roll-ups, along with the usual taco/burrito bar and salad bar. What was missing was the tomato soup. You always have tomato soup with grilled cheese. Dipping the sandwich in the soup and - oops sorry, a little trip down memory lane.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Tournament play started Thursday. And with shallow brackets at each level Thursday is the last stop for some of the teams. Any teams that won their match or game yesterday will advance into the final round Friday and will win either a gold or silver medal in their sport. The teams who lost yesterday already have their third place ribbon.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

The Rockies have some of each. Softball will be decided Friday. Our mixed volleyball team has their third place ribbons. We have two Rockies out on two different gold level soccer teams and yesterday they played each other. In an ironic twist the game was decided after the tie breaker in a "shoot-out." The final was decided when the one Rockies player kicked the winning goal past the other Rockies goalie. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat at the same moment for two friends. Some of the teams will have their whole competition today. If they win their first game early in the day they will play the final later in the day. Friday can be a long hard day for some.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

After supper last night was the campfire worship. Bonfire is more appropriate if you want a visual. It was big. We sang lots of silly campfire songs, "dum-dum-dada", "sarasponda", "little tommy tinker", "Izica Zumba" and more classics from campfires long ago. We sang some in rounds, (even four part rounds). Stand-up, sit-down - well you remember the drill. The youth and staff sing with gusto and enthusiasm. The staff just move from sitting to standing a little slower than they used to, at least this staff person does.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

It is getting harder to get the youth into bed at night. I think they don't want this to end, and so if they stay up all night maybe tomorrow won't come. But we all know tomorrow will come. The question is when it comes will it be different? Will it be a better day than today? Will we be different? Will we be changed? Will the experiences of yesterday, and the knowledge we gained change us for the better. Because it is after all, "about me."

Hip Hop Extravanganza. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

God bless you as you go through your day today, and I'll meet you back here tomorrow for one last column - unless we stay up all night and hold tomorrow off just a little longer.

Seventy Bob

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SPEC photo albums are posted both here and here.

SPEC REPORT, July 26

Morning Celebration. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Wednesday (really),

No this isn’t a repeat, this one really does talk about Wednesday. Sorry about the glitch yesterday. Hope you all finally received your copy. Today, along with the usual regular and Spanish scrambles eggs and potatoes, we also had French Toast. Big thick Texas type bread dipped and fried. Boy was it good. And of course one of my favorites – pineapple on the fruit bar. And the strawberries are wonderful also. There’s cantaloupe, honey dew, and grapes too.

Morning Celebration. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Morning Celebration was going along just fine, skits, singing, sharing, testimony, etc. And then it changed from fine to fantastic! Good to great! A girl from one of the delegations shared in singing ministry. She was absolutely wonderful. Powerful voice, and excellent presence. And the words to the song she sang were as powerful as her delivery. She was amazing!! It was a high moment in worship.

World Service Corps presentation in Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

The daily theme was “What if…….You are Jesus?” In Leadership Class, we had a presentation by “World Service Corps” It’s one of the church organizations that works primarily in third world countries being Jesus for the people there. Young adults and older can go for a summer (six to eight weeks) into a country to teach, help, heal, care, love, and just be Jesus’ hands and feet in that community. The slides and testimony were powerful reminders of the needs in the world, and also the power of potential and possibility we can provide just by bringing the presence of Jesus into lives of people.

Stained Glass. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

As I wandered the campus during the other two class periods the paintings, stone projects, card making, pottery, woodburning, bead projects, stained glass, are all nearing completion. And the personality of the creator is so evident in the creation. Disk golf, dance, music, poetry and creative writing classes are also demonstrating the touch of the master’s hands.

Wood Burning. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

One of the favorite and well attended classes every year is the “sex and love” class taught by Matt Naylor. Matt helps the kids probe and discuss responsible relationships, healthy sexuality and being a Christian.

Matt Naylor. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Lunch was sub sandwiches and a chicken shell pasta dish. I headed for the salad bar again. I don’t know how you feel about lettuce, but this reporter loves salads that look more like weeds than boring old iceberg lettuce. They provide both kinds here in the salad bar, along with carrots, cucumbers, olives, hard boiled eggs, garbanzo beans (knee caps according to my daughter) tomatoes, cheese, and stuff I’m not sure is supposed to be eaten, but some people seem to. Chop up a little ham or turkey from the sandwich bar and you’ve got a pretty good chef’s salad. Add some cottage cheese or macaroni salad and you’ve got a meal.

Wednesday was the last day of “pool play.” The wins/losses are recorded in the computers and by Thursday morning early (all night for the sports people) the brackets will be set for the tournaments. What does your bracket look like? Have you filled out your cards yet and turned them in. I know this letter gets re-broadcast to other jurisdictions in the church so you may not all be huge Rockies fans. We played softball again, and lost again (we are a low level green team and accidentally got put in a high level red/gold bracket for pool play). So we’ve been a little outmatched so far. A couple of the teams we played pulled back a little so as not to hurt or humiliate us. Not yesterday. The team we played did both.

Soccer. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

But I have to tell you about the amazing generosity and grace of our mixed gender volleyball team. They are low level green also and we played a team yesterday that really didn’t know how to play at all. We didn’t mean to, but we also beat them pretty badly. You could see the discouragement and frustration in their faces. After the official match our kids said lets mix up the teams a little and play just for fun. So part of our team and part of theirs was on each side of the net. As we played their faces began to show the joy of playing. It was an awesome moment. What if…. You are Jesus?

Evening Speaker Bart Campolo (son of Tony Campolo). Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Another long tradition for the Rockies is the annual pizza party. We usually go get several pizzas and some soda and find a place to all eat together. With the sports schedules it’s often hard to get them all. Last night it was after the volleyball game at seven-forty-five. And as an added treat we loaded them up in the vans and took them into town to the Pizza Shack. We sat and ate and talked and laughed and drank and just relaxed and had a good time for a little while. I think the kids enjoyed the break.

Communion Service. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Last night the worship at ten o’clock was a delegation communion service. In the past SPEC has tried many ways to have us all together and serve communion to a thousand of us in an intimate meaningful way. See the dilemma here? So last night they had us do our own communion service by delegation. They provided places and the elements. The smaller size and custom designed worship by our delegation helped the communion really be an intimate, quality sharing worship service. Many of our youth shared and cared for one another. As we took the communion, this reporter really sensed we were being Jesus for one another, and doing this in His remembrance. It was a quality worship experience.

Comunion Service. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

That took us to bedtime, or at least to the dorms. Getting youth into beds and asleep is a job in itself. And then there’s the laundry and the……..

And another SPECTACULAR day was finally put to bed. As you go through your day, ask yourself, “What if……..Jesus is you?” Are you Jesus in your work place, in the neighborhood, at the store, on the highway, to your family? If you are, does it make a difference? If you can be, will it make a difference? Jesus said, “Go and do as I have done to you.”

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Go and be Jesus!!

Seventy Bob

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SPEC photo albums are posted both here and here.

SPEC REPORT, July 25

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Tuesday,

This reporter is very grateful for the words of encouragement. Thanks. Today is one of two days each year lovingly called “sleep-in days.” There is no morning celebration and so the campers get an extra hour of sleep. Breakfast is also later so the ones of us who don’t or can’t sleep in have to wait for breakfast. Today we had eggs, sausage patties, special potatoes, fruit, juice milk and cinnamon rolls hot and sticky. Sin on a plate.

Erica Blevins, Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Today’s theme is, “What if……we took Jesus seriously?” The first activity was the Leadership class. We are still focusing on Jesus and today we started out by asking people in small groups to come up with innovative names for Jesus. Names that might describe who Jesus is. Most were the traditional Messiah, Redeemer, Son of God kind of names. There were a couple new and unique ones, none that really worked for me.

Blind for half a day. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Then we moved the discussion to some of the things Jesus did. Walk on water, bless the children, heal the sick or blind, listen, comfort, feed, etc. One interesting one was that he shamed some people.

Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

As we looked at the list we were asked what characteristics prompted these actions. Words like compassion, courage, caring, love, patience, were added to the board. The discussion then focused on who we know that exhibits these same characteristics?

Leadership Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Our instructor began to call people to the front using words like who believes they are compassionate? Who is a good listener? Who ministers to, or blesses children. The exercise hopefully helped the young people see that the ministry and miracles of Jesus are alive and happening today.

Stone Carving. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

The youth then wandered off to their two elective classes. The more hands on, fun sounding classes are a better draw this year than some of the deep spiritual ones.

Extravaganza Rehearsal. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Lunch was pizza, so I headed for the salad bar again. Certainly not a low calorie meal the way I pile it on, but fiber at least.

Volleyball. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Sports filled the afternoon and the Rockies were in it heavy. We had softball games back to back, then quizbowl, then two boys volleyball matches back to back. Quite a tiring day. We lost both softball games and won both matches in volleyball.

Tonight was the all campus worship. We met on the lawn outside the library for you Gracelanders. We shared in spirited music, Jim Valley , Lost and Found, and the SPEC singers shared. Becky Savage, member of the First Presidency, brought the spoken ministry, and we were also treated to sacred dance. All the elements of the worship focused on the theme of taking Jesus seriously. We were asked if we really took Jesus seriously, would there be war? Would there be homelessness? Would there be poor? Would children die of starvation? These questions really convict your reporter and cause me to consider my own response. Is there a difference between a Christian, and a follower of Jesus? How can I follow Jesus better? It was a good worship.

Evening Worship. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

The final activities tonight were the indoor track meet and a silly swim meet w/ paddle board relays, best canon ball, and other silly events. We won’t have devotions tonight since we just finished such a nice worship.

Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

So until tomorrow I pass along the questions to you. Are you taking Jesus seriously? What does that look like in the communities in which you interact?

May God bless as you follow.

Seventy Bob

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These daily SPEC reports are also posted here.

SPEC photo albums are posted both here and here.

SPEC REPORT, July 24

Evening. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Monday,

Sorry if I threw you off yesterday with the heading. I was hoping for a Dateline Sunday sort of feel and how I picked Wednesday instead of Sunday I don't know. Also I was waiting for my roommate to wake up so I could finish the sentence about the girls playing softball with us - and I forgot to add it before I went to press. They are from Oklahoma .

About two o'clock this morning I had to reach over and lower the window and shut off the fans. They were spraying the rain water all over the place. It rained pretty hard most of the early morning and yet on the distant horizon the sun was an orange fireball. Strange paradox. The rain didn't dampen this reporters quest for breakfast and so I floated over to the commons for eggs, sausage, fruit, milk and a fresh donut. Waffles were also available. Did you know that waffles are just pancakes with non-skid tread? Groan.

At Morning Celebration the campers in the worship class are taking a more active role in the morning worship and celebration. They did a good job. The SPEC Praise band and singers shared today as did Jim Valley again and also "Lost and Found." It's nice to start the day with worship.

Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

In the Leadership Class today we continued to look at the scripture of the rich, young ruler. We took off where we left off yesterday talking about famous people and what makes them famous, special? Then we talked about how God makes us special and gifts us with wonderful gifts to share with one another. The theme today was "What If - God has faith in you?" We looked at a short list and began to name our own gifts and how we can use them for God. Some of the young people are pretty tuned into their gifts, and others are unsure or clueless. Our hope for them, is that this week may be the start of a relationship with God, a connection, hearing God's voice and seeking God's will in their lives.

Art Class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

It stopped raining by then and so all the classes were open. As I wandered through the various classes, the paintings are beginning to make sense, blocks of stone are looking like real although still crude art objects, potteries and clay projects are forming, tie died shirts and socks are hanging on clothes lines, music is sounding like music, and woodburning is beginning to show design. I will be exited to see the progress later in the week at the art show.

Lunch was bar-b-que sandwiches. At every lunch there is a taco/burrito bar set up and also a fair salad bar. There's always some kind of baked dessert and of course the soft serve ice cream machine is always very popular. There is a second lunch line that usually has hot dogs, chili and stuff like that. This reporter thinks that for the most part they do a pretty good job of feeding us.

Softball. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

All afternoon and evening the gym and fields were abuzz with activity. We are still in what's called "pool play." Each team places themselves in a level of play from blue at the bottom thru green, red, to gold at the top. You compete at that level for the first three days, and depending on your win-loss record you either stay there or move up or down to a new bracket, then tournament play begins for all the marbles, as it were.

Member of the band "Wavorly". Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Yesterday all afternoon several bands played continuously outside near the center of campus rotating in and out. The Rockies boys thought that was pretty cool and stopped to listen between activities. One of our boys caught a drumstick thrown into the crowd and had the drummer autograph it later. It will be more of a prize than the ribbon or medal for the sports competition.

The final activity last night was the chanced to perform karaoke to a live band. The band was good, many of the singers not so much, but it was a fun night and seemed pretty popular.

Live Band Karaoke. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

At devotions last night one of our boys shared that he had lost a very nice gold chain necklace with a jade pendant the day before and couldn't find it anywhere. Today it was turned in to the lost and found (not the singing group). Most agreed that at a normal sports camp it probably would have been gone. He called it a God sighting. Sometimes God is revealed in very simple ways.

May God be revealed to you today as you go through your days activities. And may you see that as confirmation that God has faith in you.

Seventy Bob

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These daily SPEC reports are also posted here.

SPEC photo albums are posted both here and here.

SPEC REPORT, JULY 23

David Brock. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

SPECline Wednesday

What if the question is more important than the answer? When is the process more important than the conclusion? What if the wrestle itself brings us more than the actual outcome? Is doubt every better than faith? Different ways of asking the same question.

That was our challenge today. Do we sometimes settle for the tried and true answers - the answers of those who have walked ahead of us - instead of asking the hard, thought provoking questions they may, or may not have asked, and then working very hard through the process of finding truth?

Well that kind of heavy thinking needs fuel for the discovery. Scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, fruit and pancakes were the cuisine for breakfast. The first day or two the kids are up early and ready for a hearty breakfast. Later in the week this reporter will be part of the elite few who get prefect attendance for breakfast.

SPEC leadership class. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

In our first Leadership class this morning we looked at and quantified what it is that makes one rich? We remembered what we'd all heard once, that rich folks have just a little more than we do. Rich is the next level up. But when you begin to prioritize the top five answers, family, friends, health, God, necessities (food and shelter), and scratch off the one(s) you can, or would be willing to do without, we came to agreement that God would be the last of the riches given away, or crossed off. Was it the just the expected answer for the time and place? Or did the kids really believe that? I hope that for them the truth of that answer becomes real.

The next couple hours the kids picked from amazing variety of classes, taught by some awesome people. Many of the Rockies kids took Disc Golf (or Frisbee Golf). This reporter had no idea that true disc golfers carry a golf bag with as many as six to ten discs, from long range flyers to short fly "putters." I did see a couple of our kids in the stone carving class taught by our own well know and award winning carver, Gail Sundell. I will keep you apprised of the progress. And for photos, check out the link to another award winning and well published photographer's site, our own Jim Doty. ImageEvent.com/JimDoty.

Lunch was Spaghetti with meat sauce. This reporter checked out the pretty well stocked salad bar instead. After lunch the sports started. The Rockies started out on the softball field where we played well and won our first game. Many of these kids who come here to SPEC have never played sports before, or may want to try one they've not tried before. We encourage them to all play one or two team sports and whatever individual interests they have. Softball is an easy sport to play here and we usually place ourselves in the less competitive level of play. We actually have a pretty good team this year including two recruits from (???).

Soccer. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

The afternoon went on through volleyball, basketball, tennis, quizbowl, soccer, and table tennis (ping pong). We actually did well in the win-loss department and won most of what we competed in. By the end of the day most were pretty sweaty and some were tired (ok maybe just this reporter was tired). It was a full afternoon and evening.

Supper (at seven o'clock) was baked chicken with cheddar potatoes and veggies. Apple, cherry and peach cobbler (alamode if one preferred) rounded out the meal. Some games and activities go on even after supper. We even had a volleyball game at nine.

"Lost and Found". Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

One of the favorites around here, the singing duo "Lost and Found" are here all week and last night performed a concert at nine also. We missed most of it. They are sort of fun, sort of silly, and yet bring powerful ministry with their music and banter.

In the dorms by eleven, we had devotions and talked with the guys about how God wants to be in relationship with them. And that a place like this, with less of the world's voices calling, it might be easier to discern God's voice over the roar of the competing voices. Lights out at midnight (or close), Gary and I washed the boys' sport shirts and a generous fellow staff person volunteered to put ours in the dryer after his came out. That's a God sighting for sure. So Gary and I are in bed by one (or close). So went Sunday.

Thinking. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.

Until tomorrow then, have a blessed day and listen for God's call.

May God speak.

Seventy Bob

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These daily SPEC reports are also posted here.

SPEC photo albums are posted both here and here.