Well, my first three days of work are done. And I am pooped. I haven't run around like this in awhile. And the biggest thing going against me is the weather out here. It is super hot. Temperatures are well into the upper 90s and 100s. Not that that would be a problem, if I am indoors, but the humidity pushes it to 115 and at one point 118 yesterday with the heat index. And there is no way to combat that. Even if you are indoors, the energy required to keep a restaurant cool is impossible to generate. The front door opening every few minutes sees to that. Not to mention the grill in the back.
But my boss, Tyson, was great. He bought us Otterpops and Powerades. I have a great team that I am working with, which is a relief. I wasn't sure it woud be easy to go from a company like Chick-fil-A to anything equal in care, respect, and service. But Applebees seems to do just that. I am blessed to have this new job.
I'm picking up serving very well, too. I still get stuck on the menu from time to time, but that is to be expected, seeing how vast it is. But I'm noticing trends with some products, where others are virtually never ordered.
Well, I have a couple of days off, which is great. I will give my body a chance to hydrate some more. I'm working on another paper: "Church Branding 101: An Intro to Building Identity in your Church's Community." I'm going to shorten the title. I think its too long. I've read scholarly journals with titles twice as long, but for something like this . . . we'll see. So this is paper #3. I might as well write a book . . . Perhaps that is what I am building up to.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Ministry and Art
Well, I'm really getting settled in here. I got a job at Applebee's yesterday and I am reviewing the menu. Its raining here and is has been dark all day. I was trying to pass the time by doing some stuff on the computer and then I felt like it was getting close to dinner and possibly bed time. Its so dark and at noon today it lookes like it was 7 or 8. But then I looked at my computer clock and saw it was only 3 in the afternoon. Wow. I seriously could probably sleep right now, but then I'd be up at like 10.
So, I'm writing another blog.
I'm really starting to get into this Ministry and Art stuff. The more I work on it, the more I realize that we have a need for it in the Church today. Just to fill you in, I made a portfolio website that you can see here. Its nothing special yet, but I decided, when I was naming it, that I wanted to use two words that meant alot to me: "Ministry" and "artistry." And as the months went on since I launched it, those two concepts began to merge in my mind and I think I've come across some valuable theories in terms of Ministry, specifically Outreach.
I've written two papers that I plan to make available on my website. I may even post some excerpts here, if you are good. One of them is called: Get "plugged-In" to the 21st Century Church. The other is called: Six Myths to Personal Outreach.
In these papers I have worked out some ideas that I have had in my mind for years, but was never able to find time to write them down. And in writing them I figured out quite a bit about my own personal style of ministry work that I hope to implement into my future.
But Ministry and Art go hand in hand when it comes to reaching out to the generations of today and the so-called "Generation Alpha" of tomorrow. Generation Alpha are those born from 2010 to ~2025. If cycles are really followed from one generation to the next then they are likely to be highly artistic and materialistic. They will be very smart thinkers and possibly revolutionists similar to those seen during the Renaissance. The future of the church will need to adapt to this new ideology. The best way is to make the church technologically advanced and highly artistic in the use of motion graphics and video.
To me, this makes perfect sense. Generation Z (1986-1999) grew up completely with wireless communications and computers. Most of us had a personal computer in the house and our own cell phone at some point of our minor years. We understand how they work and how to use them to communicate with the world. The church of tomorrow will need to be able to do this as well. My website's goal is to help ease that transition and inform how to make these changes to those otherwise inexperienced in this new time of Computer-Age Christianity.
It is interesting how much room we have to grow. We need to keep up with the changes of the world if we are to remain relevent to the souls of today. Personally, I cannot wait to get started. That's why I'm starting here. With a website.
So, I'm writing another blog.
I'm really starting to get into this Ministry and Art stuff. The more I work on it, the more I realize that we have a need for it in the Church today. Just to fill you in, I made a portfolio website that you can see here. Its nothing special yet, but I decided, when I was naming it, that I wanted to use two words that meant alot to me: "Ministry" and "artistry." And as the months went on since I launched it, those two concepts began to merge in my mind and I think I've come across some valuable theories in terms of Ministry, specifically Outreach.
I've written two papers that I plan to make available on my website. I may even post some excerpts here, if you are good. One of them is called: Get "plugged-In" to the 21st Century Church. The other is called: Six Myths to Personal Outreach.
In these papers I have worked out some ideas that I have had in my mind for years, but was never able to find time to write them down. And in writing them I figured out quite a bit about my own personal style of ministry work that I hope to implement into my future.
But Ministry and Art go hand in hand when it comes to reaching out to the generations of today and the so-called "Generation Alpha" of tomorrow. Generation Alpha are those born from 2010 to ~2025. If cycles are really followed from one generation to the next then they are likely to be highly artistic and materialistic. They will be very smart thinkers and possibly revolutionists similar to those seen during the Renaissance. The future of the church will need to adapt to this new ideology. The best way is to make the church technologically advanced and highly artistic in the use of motion graphics and video.
To me, this makes perfect sense. Generation Z (1986-1999) grew up completely with wireless communications and computers. Most of us had a personal computer in the house and our own cell phone at some point of our minor years. We understand how they work and how to use them to communicate with the world. The church of tomorrow will need to be able to do this as well. My website's goal is to help ease that transition and inform how to make these changes to those otherwise inexperienced in this new time of Computer-Age Christianity.
It is interesting how much room we have to grow. We need to keep up with the changes of the world if we are to remain relevent to the souls of today. Personally, I cannot wait to get started. That's why I'm starting here. With a website.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
New Horizons
I love coming up with titles for my blog that sound like titles to Star Trek episodes.
Anyway, I was asked to return for a follow-up interview tomorrow night for Applebee's. I am very optomistic, but not to the point where I want to risk looking like an ass in future blogs. But I was already offered a job elsewhere, but for now, I think that Applebee's is the better choice, but I'm open for both during the next two months and maybe longer if I can balance the school work load.
I am very pleased with how things are turning out so far. I am excited about the next few months and following years. Some things are a little different than I imagined they would be out here, but certainly not worse. God is good. He will not abandon his people.
Now, off to dinner at Perkins.
Anyway, I was asked to return for a follow-up interview tomorrow night for Applebee's. I am very optomistic, but not to the point where I want to risk looking like an ass in future blogs. But I was already offered a job elsewhere, but for now, I think that Applebee's is the better choice, but I'm open for both during the next two months and maybe longer if I can balance the school work load.
I am very pleased with how things are turning out so far. I am excited about the next few months and following years. Some things are a little different than I imagined they would be out here, but certainly not worse. God is good. He will not abandon his people.
Now, off to dinner at Perkins.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
In New Ulm
Well all, I'm in MN. My apologies for not updating you along the journey nor the first day I got here. I have been very busy doing nothing.
I've actually had a nice little vacation, but I'm itching to find a job tomorrow and get back into a routine. For now, though, this is the first time in 7 years that I have been unemployed.
I actually arrived here last week Wednesday in the evening. I unpacked everything, but it was our plan to leave the next afternoon for my Grandmother's cottage-home in central Wisconsin. We pushed that off til the next morning as I wanted a little extra time to get settled in and pick up some job applications.
The job market seems very different out here that in California. There are actually signs on the streets and banners that say "Now Hiring." One place I picked up an application at said that they had an add in the paper looking to fill positions. Back in CA, even the entry-level jobs are being filled by out of work adults. I hope that God is with me tomorrow when I turn them in. I will let you know tomorrow night if I get a job :)
At my Grandmother's house there is no Internet or cell phone coverage, which is both terrible and amazingly wonderful. So unfortunately before I can go to bed, there are still alot of things I need to check online and I have a little bit of a mess of clothes on my new bed that I am unpacking.
I love my new room though. I am very grateful to Kurt and Sue for letting me stay here! talk to you more later!
http://www.danielthenning.com/
I've actually had a nice little vacation, but I'm itching to find a job tomorrow and get back into a routine. For now, though, this is the first time in 7 years that I have been unemployed.
I actually arrived here last week Wednesday in the evening. I unpacked everything, but it was our plan to leave the next afternoon for my Grandmother's cottage-home in central Wisconsin. We pushed that off til the next morning as I wanted a little extra time to get settled in and pick up some job applications.
The job market seems very different out here that in California. There are actually signs on the streets and banners that say "Now Hiring." One place I picked up an application at said that they had an add in the paper looking to fill positions. Back in CA, even the entry-level jobs are being filled by out of work adults. I hope that God is with me tomorrow when I turn them in. I will let you know tomorrow night if I get a job :)
At my Grandmother's house there is no Internet or cell phone coverage, which is both terrible and amazingly wonderful. So unfortunately before I can go to bed, there are still alot of things I need to check online and I have a little bit of a mess of clothes on my new bed that I am unpacking.
I love my new room though. I am very grateful to Kurt and Sue for letting me stay here! talk to you more later!
http://www.danielthenning.com/
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