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... That All May Be One

I'm a big fan of food Web sites.

Every product at the grocery store now has a Web site, usually printed just below the list of ingredients. Some Web sites leave a lot to be desired (Newman's Salad Dressing), and some are just plain fun (Cap'n Crunch). I see what products are coming and look for the history of cereal box covers.

One of the coolest food Web sites to visit is Ben & Jerry's. They have lots of information, and things jump and blip and float. They have a flavor graveyard where you can vote to resurrect your favorite flavor. (Insert your own Rocky Road Jesus reference here.)

They also have an icon labeled "Fun Stuff." Click on that icon and you find an entire community of downloadable paper crafts that look like New England buildings. There's a barn, a church, an apartment building, a house, and an authentic recreation of a Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor. Print these out on card stock. Cut them out. With a little glue and an advanced degree in engineering (Tab A glues to Tab B), you can create your own Ben & Jerry's community.

Community of Ben & Jerry's

The really fun part is when you then download and cut out the authentic paper craft Ben & Jerry's cow. The cow (when fully assembled) is about the same height as the gas station. I set the whole village up on my desk and then created a herd of giant cows to come in and destroy the town (except the church, of course; the church is protected by Superman and the Justice League—Easter presents).

The cows' reign was put to an end by Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker (twice the size of the Justice Leaguers when including light sabers). Of course eventually the cows retreat, and Obi- Wan (with the help of the Justice League) rebuilds the Ben & Jerry's community, and they all have ice cream.

In the Ben & Jerry's community it's okay to be as tall as the church steeple and still be welcomed. In the Ben & Jerry's community you can have a cape and heat vision and a spring-loaded gizmo that shoots a plastic dart and still be welcomed. In the Ben and Jerry's community there's not one, but three Jesuses (Jesi?—one with wheels and "blessing action") who show up and make sure everyone is loved, including the remaining cows who didn't run off the edge of the desk and into the garbage can.

'Strive To Be One'

Jesus told us (the real one, not the rolling plastic guy) that all may be one—that we as a community of believers must strive to be one—one in him as he is one in God. Yet we, as Christians, seem to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to come up with an ever-shortening list of who can and who can't "go" when it's time to "go."

We're a community of one. If one of us is hurting, then we all are hurting. If one of us is pregnant and alone, then we all are pregnant and alone. If one of us has a drug problem, then all of us have drug problems. We are a community of one.

It's easy on cardstock. You don't have to worry about how big your light saber is. You don't get judged by whether or not you can turn invisible. In the Ben and Jerry's church you can worship from outside if you're too large to fit through the door with your jet pack on. It's a lot harder to "get in" in our community. We don't want the wrong kind of people sitting in our pews. We don't want the people who ask too many questions, don't sign up for the fund raisers, or refuse to participate in the new member orientation program.

'A Place of Safety'

Our job as youth ministers is to create a community where everyone is welcome. No matter what else is going on in your life, you are safe…here…now. Our job is to create a place of safety where teens can be who they are (heat vision or no) and not worry about judgment. If we can create a place where, for even two hours a week, kids can be themselves, we have fulfilled Christ's commandment to us…that all may be one.

STEVE CASE has been active in youth ministry for 13 years. He's also a popular speaker and the author of several books, including Everything Counts, The Book of Uncommon Prayer, and The Big Book of Case Studies. (YS)