Friday, July 18, 2003
Friday, July 18, 2003 |
| Our
younger generation is doing a better job than some might think
By DAVID EPPS Every so often I will hear someone ask, "What's wrong with this generation?" I admit that, at times, some of these young folk appear a bit strange to those of "the last generation." Some kids both males and females are garbed totally in black and adorned with black lipstick and black nail polish. Others sport not one small tattoo in a hidden and discrete place, but a plethora of elaborate "skin art" for all the world to see. During the summertime, a number of the young ladies wear outfits in public that would make a Las Vegas stripper blush, and both males and females display piercings in places that would delight a Nazi torture specialist. But that is not the whole story. We do not have a large congregation by metro Atlanta standards; our high attendance being 253 in church last Easter Sunday. But let me introduce you to a few of our young people from "this generation." Annie Dalton of Newnan is a United States Navy Corpsman (medic) stationed in Japan. Lukas Jones of Newnan is also a Corpsman in the United States Navy is stationed in South Carolina on Parris Island. Dustin Ruth of Fayetteville is a United States Marine currently on duty in Okinawa. Donnie Tubbs of Tyrone, also a U. S. Marine, is serving his country in the Pacific region. James Epps of Sharpsburg, my youngest son, is an intelligence specialist and linguist, stationed in San Antonio with the United States Air Force. Kyle Bond of Tyrone is sweating the summer out at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, S.C., where he is expected to graduate from boot camp in mid-August. Cabot Gatlin of Fayetteville, a husband and father of a lovely little girl, is a U.S. Army Green Beret, currently on assignment in Kuwait. Anthony Thompson of Morrow a National Guard reservist, left a good job and a wife and two young children at home and is experiencing the aftermath of war somewhere in Southern Iraq. They are all a part of "this generation" that serves the nation and defends our freedom. A few weeks ago, about a dozen teenagers from our congregation worked and slaved for days before loading up and traveling down the road to Hogansville in Troup County, where they spent the better part of a week of their summer vacation conducting an evangelistic "backyard Bible study" for a mission church. Another two of our teens get up early every Sunday morning in order to arrive at church by 7:15 a.m. where they help set up and prepare to take their place in the worship ministry at the 8 a.m. service. Last year, one of our twelve-year-old girls traveled to Kenya with our medical mission team where she worked and I mean "worked" to help the professionals on the team bring medical relief to desperately ill people in six small villages. Whenever we need volunteers, our teens and young adults are among the first to step up to the plate. They are a part of "this generation" that will make spiritual history in the 21st century. Five of our young adults are involved in law enforcement agencies, choosing to put their lives on the line each day in he service of their communities. Others in our church have entered the teaching profession or have heard the call to ministry. They are a part of "this generation" that believes in making the world a better, safer, more productive place. And, yes, some of these folks of "this generation" have tattoos, have or have had something pierced, and listen to music that sounds to me like "caterwauling," as my Mom used to say. "What's wrong with this generation?" Not nearly as much as some people seem to think. I remember my father saying one night, as he looked at his 17-year-old son, "I tremble with fear when I think that your generation will be in charge someday." We did okay, Dad. America is still free, communism was defeated, and we won every war that the politicians let the military fight. And even in Vietnam, the war that your generation's elected officials wouldn't let our generation fight, we were sacrificial, courageous, honorable, and brave. We had tie-dyed clothes, exceedingly long hair, listened to such music as "Inna-goda-da-vita" (or however that song is spelled) by a group called Iron Butterfly, made peace signs, sang "We Shall Overcome," and made our share of mistakes and stupid decisions. We also went to college, served in the military, got jobs, and married and raised families. "This generation" will make their share of mistakes, too, and they will suffer for their bad decisions. But they, too, are full of hope, idealism, courage, and integrity. I, for one, believe in "this generation." Our church, like the others churches and neighborhoods in the community, is full of the representatives of "this generation." We are honored and blessed to have them. We need to cherish them, encourage them, pray for them, train and equip them, live good examples before them, and trust them. They will not fail us. [David Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church, which meets at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sundays on Ga. Highway 34 between Peachtree City and Newnan. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.CTKCEC.org] |