My Eras Tour: Serving Eagle
Eagle Church is where I came to Christ.
This is where I participated and served in youth group for 25+ years. This is where I made my best friends. This is where I met my wife. This is where my daughter was dedicated to Jesus. This is where my faith grew and my life was challenged.
After 20+ years serving the Eagle Church middle school / high school youth group (Eagle Students) - which includes 20 years of Summer Camp, my services were no longer needed.
I began at Eagle through an invite from a family friend in 1997. I was 14 going on 15. As that Sunday morning participation grew, I naturally got invited and involved in youth group (Eagle Students) - something that forever changed my life.
From there, I graduated high school in 2001 and took on a youth leader role. Over the years, that role solidified itself as the youth group “Tech Guy”, Mr. “Visually Stunning”, the “Video Guy”, and more roles than I can remember.
In my years at Eagle I’ve participated in mission trips, lock-ins, out reaches, capital campaigns, countless planning meetings, moves, summer camps, staff transitions and more. I kept serving in these capacities and roles faithfully for years.
In 2020, a lot came to a head and shifted. This included dynamic shifts and changes in priorities. Watching church from home. Life with a toddler. Being pushed through all the things the world was going through. My wife and I took the opportunity to step back and try to get replenished, this led to a change in scenery where we decided to try a new church.
My usefulness in youth group felt like it had been dwindling for a few years, but also, time with family on Sunday nights was more and more important. So I phased out of Sunday youth service with no pomp and circumstance, reserving my service for youth camp (Ignite Camp) only.
That lasted through 2024, when something I had actually been debating for a few years was decided for me, I was no longer needed in my role at Ignite Camp going forward. It was a simple, unceremonious meeting, amicable for both parties. But I’ve discovered it’s just the icing on the cake for my specific type of “church hurt”. I don’t say all this to drag anyone through the mud, but simply to share about how all of this has shaped and affected me, so that maybe you reading this can better understand.
I owe so much to Eagle Church. I wish it had been easier to go through these changes.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
Thank you Eagle and the slew of youth pastors, staff members, church members and youth I have worked with along the way. Each and every one of them helped shape me.
I especially want to thank Jennifer A, Ian S, Liz L and Ian B for their encouragement and willingness to trust me over the years.
I’m excited for what the future holds.
In true Media Buff fashion, I wanted to curate a folder of some images of me involved with Eagle throughout the years (above). I also included some of my favorite videos I filmed and edited (below).
- The Media Buff