What Exactly Are You Doing?

I checked into my dorm at Canyon Village here in Yellowstone. I have the room to myself at the moment (I don’t see this luxury lasting forever), and it’s nice to get unpacked and settled in before work, ministry, and time become consumed. I want to make this post about what I’m doing this summer. Some questions have been raised, so I hope to make it clearer in this blog.

I’ll make a list to help visualize and compartmentalize the different summer activities.

1) A Christian Ministry in the National Park—My primary focus in coming out here is to work with this ministry. Yellowstone is actually the founding site. Basically, we lead public worship services within the national parks. (And, although we receive the finest cooperation from the national park services, we take no funds or in no way are associated with the national park—I always have to say this). The primary activity is Sunday worship services. In Canyon, we have 3 to lead every Sunday (9, 10:30, and 7pm) and in Norris at 9am. These are for employees, visitors, and anyone else who is curious to come and worship. The organization is distinctly interdenominational, so the various liturgical backgrounds are impressive. In Yellowstone this summer, of 20 people there are 13 different denominations. They do a great job of accommodating for all the traditions. We have a great team in Canyon, and we’re hoping to start services on Sunday. Please pray, check out the link (www.acmnp.com), and get a feel for what we do out here.
2) Working for Xanterra—What’s great about this ministry is the intentional bi-vocational format for the summer. It’s nice because I don’t have to ask you for money, and can actually work (my dad would be proud of this fact). I work a 40-hour a week job through the concessions program. While the details are sketchy at the moment, it looks like I’m working as a server assistant or server in the Canyon Lodge. While the pay won’t be astronomical, part of the ministry is working hard and working well as an employee. I live in the employee dorms here, and have an opportunity to meet the different seasonal employees in this area. Today alone, I’ve met all sorts of people from all over the country working here for all sorts of reasons. Some of the stories are broken, others hopeful, others—unsure. I suppose I even fall in that last category because it’s hard to decipher the proper response. And yet, Scripture commands love—however that may look.
3) MLP Credit—I am getting internship credit out here, so there is an academic focus for this as field education. I’ve already written one paper on field education and have my goals approaching shortly. I’ll try to post my goals once they’re officially set for the summer so you can keep me accountable!
4) Christian Community in Montana—Meeting the people out here helps gives a real sense of local support from amazing Christians. So many stories begin as, ‘I moved out here 20 years ago and never left’. Bill and Debbie Young are the primary leaders in this Christian community, working here for over 20 years. The people really love their ministry here and they work hard to make it available to all. We’ve also learned some of the history here. I might post a blog about it, but one Episcopalian Minister named ‘Whiskey Isle (sp?)’ claimed he wasn’t a good preacher unless he was ‘full of the spirits’ (hilarious and probably true). Yet, every weekend he took a 30 mile train, rode horseback for a few more miles into Yellowstone, and baptized, preached, and ministered to workers up here—amazing life. The rich history towers above me as I hope to work within the park.
5) Living in Yellowstone—I won’t lie, the prospect of living out West and in one of the most scenic parts of the country lured me into making the leap. While other places would be great, I’m young, single, and fortunate enough to have support and the means to make this a reality. So far, it’s been incredible and have loved the life out here.

I hope this helps clarify my work out here and to give you specific prayer requests. I do miss those far away, but I ask for your support during my brief tenure out West. On some occasions, it seems clear this is where I need to be at the moment. Please pray.

With Love,

Trey

Bad, Bad, Lands--Picture Blog

Writing Letters

Hey Guys,

I'm about to hit the road to Yellowstone for the last leg (finally) in our tour out west. Some of the land out here is absolutely beautiful. Most of the rolling green hills look like Hobbiton, and the rocky spires of the Black Hills look like Mordor. There are no words to describe it, so I'll refrain for now. Anyway, I'll post some pictures later.

Some have asked information about writing or sending letters. The address for me will be two part. First, for U.S. mail (letters, etc) and another for packages or UPS

Mail: Trey Gardenhire
General Delivery-Canyon
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

UPS Packages:
Trey Gardenhire
YNP Lodges-Canyon Personnel Office
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

I hope you all employ this so I can get letters and packages :).

Please pray for the last leg of our journey.

Trey

Just A Mirror For The Sun/Vespers in the Midwest

Info: Kyle and I arrived in Platte City around 10:10 CDT. We made it to the hotel safe and soundly and will begin continue our excursion at 7am. We'll drive approx. 12 hours again tomorrow to Rapid City, SD.

Reflection

Everyday in Missouri, the sun sets over the western horizon. The colors jump from the sky full of indigo, pink, blue, with soft clouds to give a glorious scene. Somewhere in between listening to The Avett Brothers and Gorillaz, Kyle asked me to switch to his 'Hymns' playlist. After a few hymns, I noticed another playlist called 'Greek Chants'. Curiosity made me click, and so began a series of soft, Greek chants. While the sun lowered over the horizon, I sat listening to the soft chanting--Worship.

During that moment, I believe I entered into worship. I mistake worship for an elated state I conjure with music, noise, and meditative practices, yet this isn't true. Worship is awe and wonder towards God. While I can't paint the picture, my soul required no conjuring because I only became aware of the chorus singing around me. If I listened close enough, I could hear the rocks chant softly in their own language. Perhaps the tall trees would shout louder than all the rest. Maybe the clouds would whisper or hum softly--it made no difference--we were worshiping God together. Worship did not come from within but from without. I did not set my mind on worship, I simply couldn't resist worship. I could not pretend I wondered at God, because I did. I awed at the beauty of the sunset, seeing it sweat of color and beauty. Wonder and awe can't be manufactured or manipulated, but evoked from entering into the worship around us. While all of creation groans for the revealing of the Sons of God (Romans 8:22-23, and while you're at it, read the chapter and the book if you have time).

Perhaps I miss this because I'm too busy trying to make worship work instead of allowing the God to wonder. Worship is happening around us whether or not we admit its work around us. Simply, we must allow its work within us as well. I do not mean that we manufacture more 'environments' for worship, but pause-- enter into the worship already taking place.

Just some thoughts, please pray and comment on any other experiences here.

With Love,

Trey

On Chaos

Sun squeezed through the blinds. I peered back, squinting my eyes--was it really morning? My room turned into a collage of blue, khaki, red, and green. Golden striped Towels soaked the damp carpet. My desk supported the minds of sages, and I hardly remember visiting any of them, laughing with them, or saying goodbye. I arose, looked around and gathered my thoughts. Last night felt like a drunken stupor. Staring at the sheets I ask, “How did I get here?” This is the portrait of chaos, and we all experience it.
This week I wrote prayers thanking God for chaos because it reminds me of the limitation my own psyche and the dependence I inherit as a created being. Chaos--the maddening sensation when the world shatters before your eyes and you’re helpless. The big kid kicks your sandcastle over, a good friend betrays you, you’re evicted, you total your car, your heart gets broken, you have no idea what your plans are for life, you have no direction--you’re lost. Chaos doesn’t come from the objective state. Truth be told, we live chaotic lives ignorant of the fact. Playing behind the tapestry, while a veil guards our hearts to reality of a horrific reality on the other side. Sometimes we get a peek and it dilates our eyes, draws the blood from our faces, and paralyzes us to the bone--scares us to death. That’s the eternal moment.
I believe in God’s sovereignty because of chaos. Not because of the existence of chaos, but because of my inability to comprehend where it comes from and where it leads me. The uncomfortable truth that outside factors directly influence my circumstances and leave me hopeless is a humbling reality. When I fly, I always grab the window seat because I can look down over the land. I love to see the sun set over the horizon while the land below looks drawn out and meticulous--it’s a heightened perspective. This perspective, however, doesn’t exist on the ground. On the ground I’m fighting through trees, making trails through land, navigating what I can only see. If only I had a plane.
This isn’t sharply articulated, just a rambling on the human experience...

your thoughts?


-Trey-

The Experiment

In order to process life and everything in it, I've constructed a simple blog where friends can go to read (and contribute) to what is written.

Topics will range from cover all aspects of life, but looking at them through the lens of a Christian perspective.

Please join, contribute, disagree, argue (without being cruel or cutting) with respect and dignity.

I hope to post my weekly thoughts to process what is learned. Who knows, you may get some creative writing every now and then.

Hello blogworld,

-Trey-