Oddwalk Ministries

Category: travel

NCCYM and Wishin’ Wonderland

Oddwalk had a great time at the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry over the weekend in Orlando, FL. We saw a lot of old friends and met a few new ones as well. We also had the opportunity to share our ministry in a variety of settings, including the Center for Ministry Development booth, the Resource Expo Stage, a breakout session, and the Youth Ministry Extravaganza. All of these went extremely well. Congratulations goes out to the NFCYM staff and the Orlando volunteers for a great conference.

Since a few of you have asked us for the lyrics to the song we performed at the Youth Ministry Extravaganza, we’ve decided to list them here. Enjoy!

 

Wishin’ Wonderland
(parody of Winter Wonderland)

Adapted by Shannon Cerneka and Orin Johnson (Oddwalk Ministries)

Orin: It’s staff meeting Monday, I’m falling asleep, The principal’s fighting with the DRE,
Someone keeps moving the school desks at CCD.

No one really knows what it is that I do,
My office is tiny and my budget is too,
Meanwhile, down at the [superlong mega-seeker-church name] they have more money than they know what to do with,
I can’t imagine what I’d do with a budget like that…

Shannon: Well, let’s go walkin’ and wishin’ together. Orin: Together?
Shannon: Together!

Both:
We’d have a pool and a sauna
and the guys at Benihanas,
At youth group they’d make us lobster and steak, just Walkin’ in our wishin’ wonderland.

Orin: You mean, I’d never ever ever ever ever ever have to eat pizza ever again? Shannon: No Orin, never.
Orin: Wow!

Both:
And we’d pay off all the coaches
At the high school which encroaches on ev’ry event we plan ev’ry lent, Walkin’ in our wishin’ wonderland.

Orin: Wait, could we pay them off all year long, and like the band director and everyone else too?
Shannon: Sure!

Both:
Then in our fifteen-thousand seat arena we’d have praise and worship ev’ry night! Monday-Wednesday-Friday it’s Matt Maher. Shannon: Chris Tomlin at the others?

Orin: Oh, alright!

Both:
We’ll hire people who seem cooler
just to talk to middle-schoolers
And someone else who will play: hunter, bear, karate walkin in our wishin’ wonderland

During Holy Week we’ll play a movie,
Probably “The Passion of the Christ.”
Orin: What if all the teens have lots of questions? Shannon: Jim Caveizel will be there should they arise.

With such success, our pastor’s beamin’
We just might get one whole free weekend
And all alone we will stay, with Downton Abbey all day,

Orin: Hang on, I’m getting a text… it’s my pastor, it says, “Nice prayer at staff meeting, next youth group the pizza’s . . . on him!” Both: Walkin’… in our wishin’… wonderland!

You Can Make A Difference!

The map below highlights (in blue) all of the places Oddwalk has been over the years. Some of those states look sooo lonely dressed all in white. They’re bummed because we’ve never been there. Some of the highlighted states are “blue” because we haven’t been back there in a while.

If you’re looking to cheer up a few sad and lonely states, just follow this link: http://oddwalkministries.com/oddblog/contact-us/ 

Shannon’s Top Ten of 2011

Well, here ends another great year for Oddwalk Ministries. We had the opportunity to bring what we do to a lot of great places: Granite City, IL – Toledo, Ohio – Mascoutah, IL – Breese, IL – Belleville, IL – Davenport, IA – Washington DC – Buffalo, NY – Fairview Heights, IL – Hazelwood, MO…

Yet Another Caption Contest

This past Sunday saw Oddwalk at the Diocese of Davenport, IA Jr. High Youth Rally, in Iowa City. Thanks again to Pat Finan and the DYMC folks who organized and ran a great event. Iowa City is home to, among other wonderful things, the ACT campus – yes, that ACT, the cram a bunch of…