Catalyst Part 1

Hello, friends!

Today's post is the first part of a two part post on Catalyst, our end of the year Spring Conference.  I figure that since Catalyst is two weeks long, and I was there for 2 weeks, 2 posts makes sense, right?  =0).  I can't promise that Part 2 will come tomorrow but it will come.

I thought it would be good to start with things from the staff perspective, particularly form this staff's perspective.  I was wearing a number of different hats for Catalyst.  I was on the worship team, led a bible study for 1 week, led 3 seminars, organized a Catalyst party as well as a relay race, and did chapter time for Mizzou during Week 2.  Oh yeah, I also worte and performed the Catalyst Welcome Song.  =0).  If I could describe the 2 weeks that were in one word, that word would have to be "exhausting."

Being staff for Catalyst means this:
- Some staff are up @ 7am for morning prayer
- Everyone else is up by 8am for breakfast
- At 9 is the morning session followed by the bible study you are leading
- If you are leading a seminar, you are on from 11:30-12:30
- Lunch is spent hanging out with students (that's why we're here, right?)
- Freetime goes form 1:30-dinner (5:30), which could be a break unless you are catching up with students from your chapter, meeting new students so they feel welcome, rehearsing with the worship team or in charge of a rec activity
- Dinner is @ 5:30 (see lunch)
- The session starts @ 7
- Chapter time goes form 9 until everyone is done processing
- Chapter curfew is 11, so after that the role is playing noise police
- Eventually you get to sleep so you can do it all again the next day

Doesn't that seem tiring?  Honestly, it was.  Normally it takes me some time to fall asleep because I need to quiet my brain.  That was NOT a problem during Catalyst.  I slept like a baby and I slept hard.

You know what though?  I love being 2-week staff.  Not everyone is there for 2 weeks but since I was on the worship team I was.  I'm glad that I was.

I love being there for 2 weeks for a number of reasons.  I love being able to see my coworkers from other parts on the region.  I love being able to see the Spirit move in students lives.  I love being able to see what happens in Week 1 so I can make Week 2 better.  I love the sense of completion that comes from setting up in the beginning and tearing down at the end.  I am well aware that I am in the minority on this one but hey, that's me.  =0).

So, in my many days there, what did I see?  I saw a bunch of students make decisions to follow Jesus.  I saw how God can use students to reach other students.  I saw staff come together to listen for to Jesus and make adjustments mid-conference.  I saw a lot of people having fun.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam