Deepen - Youthwork The Conference

Youthwork the Conference is always a good thing to go to, it is great if you go with friends or have people to meet up with when you are there.

I'd have to say I felt incredibly well connected with the network this year. It does help that I'm now very established and quite comfortable in large crowds.

We started this year with a retreat day, no main speaker as in previous years, but some how that's much better. People who are on the retreat day are very much geared to valuing retreats and making the most of the time given. We had 2 and 1/4 hours to 'be' with God. I managed 10 mins alone time, my God speaks to me through interesting and deep conversation. Retreat day was definitely not a waste of time. My only problem was that if it takes us 15 minutes to get into a proper attitude of prayer (Richard Bromley said it at the start of the weekend) then why only spend 15 minutes in worship?

Anyway, trees are very good for reflection. Roots, trunk, branches and fruit. I'll look at trees very differently from now on. I made some new friends on the retreat day too.

On to the main event. Opening with Mike P talking about David. He was very good. I've heard a lot about David this summer, I'm understanding more and more about him as I grow up.
The following morning was opened with an hour of worship, led by the Soul Survivor band (thank God they didn't sing the woooooah song). Great way to start the day, and the weather wasn't bad at all.

The rest of the morning was split into 3 streams (first time ever) Soul, Society and Service. I went to Society. Gerard Kelly and Russ Rook discuss the importance of engaging in culture, looking at Acts and how others can teach us to be better Christians.

The afternoon was taken up with just one seminar on Healthy Living. Good illustrations, definitely some thinking points from that one.

Saturday evening Chris Curtis spoke on David's dark side and allowing God to go deeper with us.
And the after hours Soul Party, dancing the night away! (also going to the beach at midnight)
Sunday morning more seminars, one about 15-18's work, and I didn't go to the second one because it was raining, and I'd left my waterproof shoes at home.
Final session was Nancy Goudie. She, unfortunately, ended on a bum note. I know following God isn't all easy, but in the Christian bubble we like to be assured that it is. I left Nancy's talk feeling depressed and disappointed.

Journey home was very fun, Gill and I discussing the sky and how it's really beautiful this time of year.

So to summarise: Good things: retreat day, food, friends, smiles and sky. Things to improve: Final session, weather, and memory (for shoes).

In other news, Christmas approaches, you can have the whole world in your hands with a PSP and I'm going to Germany in a week! Hopefully the joy will be everlasting.

Questions without answers

Lots of 'what ifs' and 'whys'... I can't answer them, or if I do I say, I haven't been there, or I don't know.

This last weekend I've been away with my old church (or sending church, or parents church, or family church)... any way I grew up in this church. I got to hang out with the 'next' generation. My parent's friends children were the young people and they had a great idea of what we were talking about.

Two of my passions worked on this weekend, young people and eradicating the word 'stuff' from my vocabulary. So we eventually got to the tangible about Christianity with two different groups.

The funny thing about youth work is the way that as soon as you introduce someone new to a group, leaders-wise, suddenly the young people wake up and start to answer the questions you've been trying to get them to answer for months! Liz said "you are so much better than me" I responded "I'm so much different from you". As we both grow in ministry, we'll find the things we are good at, and things we need to work on. Sometimes I love growing up other times i dislike it intensely.

In other news, I pedloed for the first time ever this weekend, and am watching The Day After Tomorrow, which is making me feel freezing!!

La la la

I feel a little bit like I'm twiddling my thumbs until camp comes 'round.

Next week is a week off, so hopefully I will feel very recharged by the time I reach camp.

We walked along the Thames at Richmond at the weekend, at high tide, I nearly waded in the Thames, but no one else wanted to join me. It's been beautifully sunny here, and the rain has only come to clear the air.

Also watched/sang along to/drooled at John Mayer's new music DVD called "Where the light is". Mayer overload the last few weeks, but that's not a bad thing. He especially does a very good acoustic version of "Free Fallin' " by Tom Petty, and some old classics. There are some good distractions.

Pictures of the week off will be up once we've had some fun.

What's happenin'?

This is a question I get asked regularly, normally I have no clue myself. Today I feel as if I'm on the inside, fully aware of what's going on, not only in church, but in my own head.

Clearly this makes a change from everyday life!

Some of the more exciting things happening are:
* the young people/young adults of St Hugh's are heading to Uganda in summer '08. Logistically this could be a headache, prayers/emotional support much needed.
* Christingle is in the hands of the young people again, pray for God inspired moments and the 'coming together at the last moment'-ness that church is famous for!
* I've got two conferences this week (wohoo!), I need to be well (haven't been since last week) to maximise effect of networking.

In other news -we will not be interviewing for a second youth worker this time round. Oh well, God's got other plans...

Vacant

Youth Alpha weekend away was excellent! Great to hang out with a good bunch of people, see Liz and meet Ant again.

It was good to be away, but being active... I've got a lovely throat infection which meant I felt abit rough and got tired very quickly.

I've been sno-tubing (only the second time in my life that I've been on a dry ski slope, there is still time for me to learn to ski though), swimming, and talking. The Holy Spirit is great! I was a bit hyper on Sunday and every one else was tired, so interaction was a bit hard, but we got there in the end.

I think I'm gonna talk more about the Holy Spirit in Luton, we had some interesting chats about dreams and thoughts last night.

So life is pretty much back to normal, and routine. I intend to give my brain a full relax tonight and hopefully my throat will benefit too!

Eurgh

This word sums up how I currently feel. My head weighs 10 times the amount it should and I really want to go back to sleep, but I know if I do I won't sleep tonight.

Weekend away this weekend, and I'm ill.

Bonus! I shall be snoring so loudly I intend to keep everyone awake.

The most exciting thing I've done this week is go all the way to the top of St Alban's Abbey tower. I've walked right next the the Rose Window, it's amazing up close. Make sure you say yes if someone invites you up the tower!