Truly Appreciative 13/25

Dear Annette, Erin, Katherine, Katie, Jennie, Madeline, and Trey,

Youth group has been one of my favorite things since I was in fourth grade. I got to attend youth group that young because Jeff was in sixth grade and my parents led the events. I never felt out of place because I had always been the young one in the group with Jeff, Michael Shaw, Cathy McLaren, and Chris Moulton. Then, after high school, I didn’t stop attending youth group. I was now the old one in the group with Sarah, Douglas Shaw, Amanda Green, and Ryan Giltner.

But then, I took a few years off. I didn’t have any of my good friends around in youth group and I had to focus more on college. In 2005, I decided that I was going to join you on the mission trip to Michigan. From that moment, I haven’t stopped working with the youth group at Central or at Second, here in Nashville.

From our trip to Michigan to our trip to Triennium in 2007, perfect bookends around my two years leading the Central Presbyterian youth group, I was able to grow as a Christian, a friend, and a leader. The seven of you were at the core of that experience and I am very grateful to each one of you.

Thank you for being willing to listen to someone only a handful of years older than you. Thank you for trusting me. And thank you for calling me out when I needed it (a strong point of the Cen. Pres. youth group). I would not be half the leader I am for my group at Second without the seven of you. And most of all, as we’ve all grown older, thank you for being my friends.

I often find myself comparing my current youth group members to you guys. You set the bar very high and I’m proud of that.

I hope this finds all of you well. I love Nashville and all it has to offer me at this stage in my life. If any of you ever need anything, and I mean anything, you know how to reach me. Thank you, many times over for your friendship; it is greatly appreciated.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

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This letter says it all. These seven young men and women helped find my passion for youth work. They helped me grow as a person and in my faith. Their friendship means the world to me and I would literally do anything for any one of them.

Truly Appreciative 12/25

Dear Second Staff, Members, and Friends,

I spent the first 24 years of my life attending the same church. My mom was our Christian Education Director and my dad taught Sunday School and led our youth group. Church was my second home.

And then I moved to Nashville.

After moving to town, I initially considered finding a different church. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle a church that was so open with their love. I wasn’t sure if the God I knew approved of some of the things Second stood for.

And then I found my Second home in Nashville.

I can not imagine where my life would be today if it weren’t for the open hearts and minds of the people at Second Presbyterian. You have helped expand my world view, open my heart to love the way Jesus loved, and explore my budding passion for social justice. I am all the better because of the kind words and works of everyone at Second. Thank you.

The future may take me to another place in this world (I have no plans to go anywhere, don’t worry), but I am truly glad that I know I will always have a home in Nashville at Second Presbyterian. Thank you, all, for all you have done for me, my family, and my faith; I am forever grateful.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

“When we stop loving the people that Jesus will never stop loving,
we have lost the essence of our faith.”
-Tony Campolo

_____________________________

Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee is my current home church. I have attended regularly since I left my job at HH Gregg in November of 2008. I am a volunteer youth advisor and a member of the Youth Committee. Second has more passion for social justice than any group of people I have ever met or even heard about. Their ability to show love is truly extraordinary.

Truly Appreciative 11/25

Dear Central Staff, Members, and Friends,

Aside from my parents and grandparents homes, Central Presbyterian is probably the place where I have spent the most time. I was almost literally raised in and by the church. Central helped form my faith, has provided me countless opportunities, and been the source for many of my best friends. Thank you.

From John Chironna to David Perkins to Lant Davis, and from Francis Failing to Judy Lowder to Buck Brown, Jr., Central has had leaders within the church who have shown me what being a Christian means. These influences, along with hundreds of others, have certainly had an impact on the man I am today. Without my church family, I would not have the career I have, the relationships I have, and my passion for youth work.

My favorite worship service every year is the Christmas Eve service at Central. Coming home and seeing all of the people I grew up with makes me feel like a child again. I’m sure as life continues there will be many Christmas Eve’s spent elsewhere, but I will always look forward to returning home.

I hope this letter finds my church family well. It’s been three and a half years since I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, but that time has flown by. I am working as the Business Manager for Worship Resources at The United Methodist Publishing House. I am a volunteer youth advisor at my church, attend Vanderbilt basketball games, enjoy playing softball and ultimate frisbee, and root as hard as ever for my Cubbies.

Thank you, all, many, many times over for helping me grow as my life progressed. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

“When we stop loving the people that Jesus will never stop loving,
we have lost the essence of our faith.”
-Tony Campolo

____________________________

Central Presbyterian Church in Terre Haute, Indiana is my home church. I attended and was a member from my birth until I moved to Nashville in August of 2007. Other than my parents, my grandparents, and my brother and sister, no one group has had a larger impact on my life than my church family at Central.

Truly Appreciative 10/25

Dear My Stupid Mouth,

This letter is part of a series of letters I’m writing to individuals, groups, and organizations that have had a positive effect on the person I am today. I’m writing one letter each day for 25 days and each note will be posted to my blog at http://bmoles.blogspot.com.

It might not seem like a message board could have an effect on someone’s life, but this message board has had a significant impact on mine.

I don’t remember exactly how I first found My Stupid Mouth, but it was shortly before my first John Mayer concert. For some reason, I wanted to know more about the man whose music I had become very in to. From learning about the very early years of his music to the new songs, there are very few things that I have missed in my 9 years of being a fan. Thank you for that.

Aside from the music, this board has helped change the way I think. I came to the board a young, conservative, and closed-minded teenager. Through countless discussions about politics, religion, music, and probably any other topic one can imagine, I learned to expand the way I see the world. I learned that my viewpoint isn’t right for everyone, even if it is right for me. And most importantly I learned how to respect those different viewpoints. Thank you for that.

I’m sure I’ll receive at least a small amount of flack for writing and posting this, but that’s part of posting on a message board. All of the teasing is worth it when I think about the friends I have made through this board. Even though I have never met any of you, I feel like I know several of you. I communicate with many people who I “met” through this board on a daily basis. Thank you for that friendship.

I hope this message finds all who read it well. Thank you, again, for opening my eyes to new music and a world around me that I did not want to see.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

_____________________

My Stupid Mouth is a message board that was started more than ten years ago to discuss the music of John Mayer. My love for this music brought me to this message board and has now brought me many people that I consider friends. Without music and friends, life would be very sad.

Truly Appreciative 9/25

Dear President Obama,

A quote from one of my favorite television shows, The West Wing: “We don't know what the next President's going to face. If we choose someone to inspire us then we'll be able to face what comes our way.”

You inspire me, Mr. President. Through your words, your actions, your family, and your Presidency, you inspire me.

As recently as 2007, I was a self-proclaimed conservative Republican. I lived in my mid-sized hometown in Indiana, where I had lived my whole life and gone to college, and had seen very little of the world around me. But then, in the summer of 2007, I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, began attending a very liberal Presbyterian church, and had my eyes opened by a Illinois Senator named Barack Obama.

Through your many campaign speeches, I learned that politicians do care, that they can do more than raise and lower taxes. I learned that we can always have hope, even when we have nothing else. And most importantly, I was inspired to do more, to hope for change, and to hope for hope itself. I am forever grateful for the hope you instilled within me.

Thank you for all you have done for not only me, but this country. We are a country that has a large load on our shoulders, yet we too often let that burden fall on our neighbors when we could easily help them. Through your inspiration, I feel a spark was ignited to help one another carry that load, through service work, charitable giving, and kind words. Thank you for that.

I pray for you, your family, and your Presidency. I pray that I will continually do my best to serve this country and the men and women who occupy it. And most importantly, I pray that we always have hope.

Thank you, many, many times over for inspiring me.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

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This is not the letter I had in my head at all. In my mind, I had crafted the perfect letter, the letter that would get me an invite to The White House (yeah, those are the things I dream about), but this is the letter I wrote. I am not disappointed in the words I found to write at all. With time, I might have been able to find more profound words, but this project is making me realize that what matters most, both on my end and the recipients end, is the thought to send a letter and say thank you. Driving myself to say things I might not have ever said otherwise is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. I can only dream that President Obama reads my letter and is somehow grateful.

Truly Appreciative 8/25

Letter number eight is being kept private out of respect to the recipient. It is to a good friend who asked for my help and prayers in a time of great need.

Truly Appreciative 7/25

Dear Mr. McLaren,

You might not remember or know this story, but I certainly do. At some point in our high school or college years, the gang of me, Michael, Jeff, and Cathy were together doing whatever it was that we did. Cathy mentioned that you had been talking about me over dinner the night before. At first, this struck me as odd that someone was talking about me, but then I realized that is probably part of the normal routine for a family around the dinner table, especially since my own family did it as well. It wasn’t the fact that you were talking about me that stayed with me, it’s what you said.

You said how capable I was, how I could do anything because I’m so capable. I can’t thank you enough for how much those words have meant to me over the years, even though you probably never knew they reached my ears.

There is something truly amazing about someone you have known and respected your entire life speaking of you in such a high regard, especially considering how young I was at the time. Your words have helped me in everything I’ve done since I’ve heard them. They helped me get through my struggles as a salesman during my first year in Nashville and they have certainly helped me in my current position, especially when I’m swimming in never-ending spreadsheets.

The times they serve me best, though, are when I’m working with the youth at church. There are times when I don’t think I’ll be able to handle the situation, during a friend’s death or a parent’s sickness, but, somehow, I always find my way through. Thank you for giving me a true sense of confidence in my own abilities; I would be no where without that confidence.

I hope this letter finds you and everyone in your growing family well. Thank you again for all the help you have provided me throughout my entire life. I only hope I am able to show my church family a portion of the compassion, kindness, faith, and respect I have been shown by my church family. Thank you and God bless.

Truly appreciative,



Brian J. Moles

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I don't remember a time when I did not know Mr. McLaren. He attended my home church and I have known him and his family my whole life. He was also my professor in college, so our relationship has many dimensions. He has always supported me and my family, so I am forever thankful for his guidance and friendship.