March 27, 2025 – Youth Trip Edition
Last weekend, we stayed at First Presbyterian in Raleigh with another group of volunteers from a United Methodist church in Goldsboro. After a full Saturday, I watched groups of youth playing basketball in the gym or various board games. They all had a blast.
Earlier that morning, our friend Bill, the executive director of Raleigh Youth Mission, had asked us to wear “humility jackets,” and ever since I’ve mused about that trait. The word is derived from the same word for soil; like humus, humility is also a source of rich growth. This weekend sowed plenty of seeds.
Our group of 20 youth and 7 adults volunteered for three hours at a shelter. Everyone pitched in and worked hard, sharing their gifts and plenty of laughter. When we had finished, we heard a testimony from one of the employees, who said that he doesn’t use the word “homeless” to refer to the guests but instead refers to this shelter as his “community of friends.”
After lunch, we walked to the Capitol and saw the state motto carved into the stone walkway—Esse Quam Videri. Bill translated the Latin as “Don’t be a poser.” Literally, to be rather than to seem emphasizes authenticity and integrity over superficiality and dishonesty. It takes humility to be yourself and not what you think other people want you to be.
Pastor Vance, whose church operates the shelter, impressed me with his humility—quiet, calm, and smart, he does the right thing to help others without seeking attention or fanfare. Under Pastor Vance’s leadership, the church is welcoming all people at the shelter and going out into the community to practice the gospel of love. His church leases space in a gay bar to worship on Sunday morning, and they consecrate the space by singing, “We are on holy ground.”
When we left the service, a congregation member passed out plastic baggies that each contained a single mustard seed—a reminder of what even a little bit of faith can do (Luke 13:18–19).
Read Andrew’s latest “Go Ask Dad” column: “(Un)Common Prayers” HERE