The new site/blog is up and running at: http://jonhuckins.net. Please help me pass the word!
I will no longer be adding content to this blog, but will continue to offer family/ministry updates at: http://thehuckins.blogspot.com
Cheers!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Off With the Old and In With the New
Boy oh boy...so this writing vacation extended a bit more than a month:) But there is a reason! A few things have happened in the past couple months (which we have posted @ http://thehuckins.blogspot.com/):- We had our baby Ruby!
- Moved into our new place in Golden Hill
- Started class back at Fuller Seminary
- Taught at the National Youth Workers Convention
- Diving deep into our new role within NieuCommunities
- Had lots of time with family after Ruby's arrival
And...thanks to the good folks at Creative Fuel Studio's have been working on launching a new blog/website. The crew @ Creative Fuel did amazing work and I am stoked to launch this baby in the next week or so. Check out their website as they are top notch in the areas of social media, branding, web-design and marketing (and much more).
Keep an eye peeled for the new site!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Writing Vacation
I love to write. I find it a great medium for introspection and processing. Further, I believe it is helpful for me to do some of that writing in community (i.e. blogging, etc...) as it often stimulates a dialog that draws attention to mutual experiences/insights.
With that said, writing isn't beneficial to me when I write out of obligation or if it keeps me from putting my full attention towards something more important. As you probably know, Janny and I are in the middle of a move, raising funds as missionaries, nearing the end of a long pregnancy, I am continuing my Master's work, REALLY close to publishing a book that has taken ALOT of attention, meeting/getting to know our new co-workers/community and prepping for a few speaking engagements. All great stuff and I am loving it, but it doesn't leave much time for thoughtful writing!
Because my life is currently so far from a vacation, over the next month I will take a writing vacation. I will probably not post on my personal blog, youth specialties blog or write any articles for the monthly youth specialties publication. I'm looking forward getting back into a rhythm of life that will allow me to write a bit more, but for now, please follow along with the latest in our growing family's life on our website/blog: North of the Border
We really want/need you walking along with us in this new endeavor!!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Some REALLY BIG News for Jon, Jan, Harry and Baby H
After a year of conversations and mutual "interviewing," Janny and I have made the life changing decision to go on staff (as Pastors/Missionaries) with NieuCommunities, a collective within Church Resource Ministries. NieuCommunities mission: 1. develop Church leaders by offering an intensive 1-year apprenticeship (accredited by many Seminaries...including mine!) and 2. community development (what they would call "Mission") by embodying Jesus in the often forgotten parts of society (
half way homes, refugee popluation, homeless, etc...) After 6 years in youth ministry and 2 years teaching public school, we are extremely hopeful and enlivened by this new page in our story. We hope to be apart of this organization and group of people for a long time as we are inspired by their heart to live out the Church, serve the community and invite all towards God's Kingdom.
While NieuCommunities has faith communities around the world, there is currently only one in the United States. It is centered in the neighborhood of Golden Hill, between the city of San Diego and the Mexican border. After 20+ years on the Central Coast, we will be packing our bags and moving our family (our baby girl is due September 17th!) from Santa Cruz on August 15th. There is lots to share, but I will expand on that as things more forward.
For now, we are working hard at inviting others into participation in our story and its role within God's mission. Please check out our new blog/website that explains much more: North of the Border
We are extremely thankful for all that have chosen to support and advance our story over the years and are greatly looking forward to each relationship continuing and growing.
half way homes, refugee popluation, homeless, etc...) After 6 years in youth ministry and 2 years teaching public school, we are extremely hopeful and enlivened by this new page in our story. We hope to be apart of this organization and group of people for a long time as we are inspired by their heart to live out the Church, serve the community and invite all towards God's Kingdom.While NieuCommunities has faith communities around the world, there is currently only one in the United States. It is centered in the neighborhood of Golden Hill, between the city of San Diego and the Mexican border. After 20+ years on the Central Coast, we will be packing our bags and moving our family (our baby girl is due September 17th!) from Santa Cruz on August 15th. There is lots to share, but I will expand on that as things more forward.
For now, we are working hard at inviting others into participation in our story and its role within God's mission. Please check out our new blog/website that explains much more: North of the Border
We are extremely thankful for all that have chosen to support and advance our story over the years and are greatly looking forward to each relationship continuing and growing.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Luche Libre and Nose Hair
Here is a silly piece I wrote for Youth Specialties as I reflect on my good old days as an intern for Chip Johnson and the experiences I was able to share with the interns that were on staff with us at Harbor Chapel. Honoring Interns
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Israel Diaries # 7: Samaria and West Bank
Just because we are back in Santa Cruz doesn't mean we have stopped processing our time in Israel and Palestine. In fact, our time shattered and expanded our worldview is such a way that will force us to continue processing and wrestling through the experiences and stories for along time to come. Our time in Israel concluded with two especially insightful experiences in Samaria and in the West Bank cities of Bethany and Bethlehem.
Samaria has been off limits for most tourist in recent years due to extended unrest. Much of the unrest stems from a region that is isolated politically, religiously and socially from Israel and much of the surrounding region. The Samaritans history of being the "black sheep" goes back all the way to the 8th century B.C. when Assyria captured Israel's Northern Kingdom and intermarried with some of the existing Samaritan population.
Israel then viewed Samaritans as "half breeds," which makes Jesus special attention towards them that much more revolutionary. After standing on Mt. Gerizim (where Samaritans believe God tested Abraham) we were welcomed with a huge smile by one of their current priests. He proceeded to share with us the story of the Samaritans and their role within the Biblical Story. It was fascinating as he spoke with conviction and respect of the varying religious beliefs represented. There are currently around 750 practicing Samaritans worldwide, which is a huge increase after numerous violent attempts to drive them to extinction. While they only hold the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) as authoritative, he assured us that they are on Facebook...brilliant!
Finally, Jan and I(and a few of our friends from Jerusalem Univ.) were invited to spend the day with our friends Milad and Minar in their home towns of Bethany and Bethlehem in the West Bank.
They are Arab Palestinian Christians who have chosen to offer the hope of Jesus to their community under the weight of political, social and religious oppression. With the course being focused on the historical and geographical settings of the Bible, I came in expecting to be awed by sites that were/are central to the Biblical Story that I have studied for so long. While there were certainly times when that was the case, the times I was most in awe was in seeing the Biblical Story alive in the people today...It was in the hearts and lives of Milad and Minar that we most clearly experienced the Kingdom of God on earth. 
Whether in singing with 80+ Palestinian kids in the couple's non-profit(focused on Peace and Reconciliation in Palestine), eating a huge home cooked meal at their parents home in Bethlehem, using their last portion of clean water after 12 days of Israeli withheld rations or watching Milad harassed at "the Wall" (which is twice as tall and exponentially longer than the Berlin Wall) while we waltzed on by, it was an experience that cut to the very fabric of our souls. It was living in the tension of hope and internal(at times external) tears that we stepped into a story that we can't help but tell over and over and over. 
It is a story I will explore(and be sure to share) more thoroughly in an article that will be published next month on youthspecialties.com.
For now, we are so grateful to all of our new friends who remain in the Middle East and chose to adopted a posture of invitation so that we may be made more whole in our quest to be fully enlivened by the living Mission of God that stretches to all corners of Creation.
Shalom Haverim (companions)
Samaria has been off limits for most tourist in recent years due to extended unrest. Much of the unrest stems from a region that is isolated politically, religiously and socially from Israel and much of the surrounding region. The Samaritans history of being the "black sheep" goes back all the way to the 8th century B.C. when Assyria captured Israel's Northern Kingdom and intermarried with some of the existing Samaritan population.
Israel then viewed Samaritans as "half breeds," which makes Jesus special attention towards them that much more revolutionary. After standing on Mt. Gerizim (where Samaritans believe God tested Abraham) we were welcomed with a huge smile by one of their current priests. He proceeded to share with us the story of the Samaritans and their role within the Biblical Story. It was fascinating as he spoke with conviction and respect of the varying religious beliefs represented. There are currently around 750 practicing Samaritans worldwide, which is a huge increase after numerous violent attempts to drive them to extinction. While they only hold the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) as authoritative, he assured us that they are on Facebook...brilliant! Finally, Jan and I(and a few of our friends from Jerusalem Univ.) were invited to spend the day with our friends Milad and Minar in their home towns of Bethany and Bethlehem in the West Bank.
They are Arab Palestinian Christians who have chosen to offer the hope of Jesus to their community under the weight of political, social and religious oppression. With the course being focused on the historical and geographical settings of the Bible, I came in expecting to be awed by sites that were/are central to the Biblical Story that I have studied for so long. While there were certainly times when that was the case, the times I was most in awe was in seeing the Biblical Story alive in the people today...It was in the hearts and lives of Milad and Minar that we most clearly experienced the Kingdom of God on earth. 
Whether in singing with 80+ Palestinian kids in the couple's non-profit(focused on Peace and Reconciliation in Palestine), eating a huge home cooked meal at their parents home in Bethlehem, using their last portion of clean water after 12 days of Israeli withheld rations or watching Milad harassed at "the Wall" (which is twice as tall and exponentially longer than the Berlin Wall) while we waltzed on by, it was an experience that cut to the very fabric of our souls. It was living in the tension of hope and internal(at times external) tears that we stepped into a story that we can't help but tell over and over and over. 
It is a story I will explore(and be sure to share) more thoroughly in an article that will be published next month on youthspecialties.com. For now, we are so grateful to all of our new friends who remain in the Middle East and chose to adopted a posture of invitation so that we may be made more whole in our quest to be fully enlivened by the living Mission of God that stretches to all corners of Creation.
Shalom Haverim (companions)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Youth Ministry in Israel and Palestine
Here is a link to a blog I wrote today for Youth Specialties:
Snapshot of Youth Ministry in Israel and Palestine
Snapshot of Youth Ministry in Israel and Palestine
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