Naturally Supernatural

St Hugh's 16+ headed off to join a conference at Soul Survivor Watford last Thursday. Naturally Supernatural was all about the Holy Spirit. Ken Costa was speaking on the comfort side of the Holy Spirit.

Once I understood the real meaning of comfort, I have really latched on to it as something that gets me through all days. For the rare moments when I feel as though no one is on my side. And for the moments when it's all going swimmingly well. God is there cheering me on. 2 Corinthians 1 mentions the God of All Comfort.

It's good to be in a different place hearing these things, even if Ken was using words I didn't understand, I got the general idea behind what he was saying. I love the way that God takes the words of others and uses them to talk to every one individually.

The Saturday before last was a perfect example of this, the Spirit of the Lord was upon me and He has anointed me! I used my gift well last weekend and got a bit of money from the community for my trouble. It was enjoyable. God using my words and his convincing to get us some money! Yeay!

May the God of all comfort be comforting you!

Loyalty and Priorities

Sticking with the Revelation theme... we'll be talking about the book on our weekend away in March. And whilst I'm thinking on it and have literally a moment to spare in a chilled Sunday (I realise the paradox in that) I was thinking about the positives and negatives of realising a truth, or gaining clarity on an issue.

I have had a few revelations this past week, so I'm starting to not only see the other side of the argument on somethings, but also seeing that I have to make some changes if I want certain things to improve.

We were talking about the 12 year old Jesus in the temple this morning, the boy who knew his priorities (Luke 2v41-end). I had one 12 year old in my group this morning, who's priorities were very different from the others.

I really wanted to encourage them to know that God can be our top priority, we read one of my favourite Psalm, no.84. "Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere". We'd also spoken about the gospel over lunch, we should be in awe of it, not think we know it all. God as my top priority makes my life look so different to what it could have been, and here's today's revelation for me. God's slipped down my list a bit, my own fault. I'm not perfect, I find myself prioritising meaningless things.

Working on putting God at the top of the list.

CUF

My salary is largely funded by a great bunch of guys at Church Urban Fund. They visited us a few months ago for Big Breakfast, took some information and some pictures.

We're currently "project of the month" on their website. Love it. There's Lauren and me under the rainbow in the hall (on the CUF home page), and then Trina and Dele at the top of the page and Alex at the bottom. Yes we have a wide mix of people at BB.

I cannot tell you how proud I am of all the hard work the volunteers do to put on Big Breakfast every week! It's a massive relief to see some of the work I do getting recognised.

Along with that and something God said to me last night, I'm feeling pretty chuffed right now.

Later this week I'm off to Youthwork the Conference. I'm massively looking forward to a) hanging out with the boys and my sister and b) being away for a bit with a purpose.

Plunged into Darkness

We are back to 'normal time' here in the UK, so the nights are dark and the dawn is earlier for a short amount of time. The first week always feels the most depressing. Everyone suddenly realises that winter is much closer than you thought and the chances of having a nice day disappear.

It's great for firework displays though and for all those who will be out on Saturday for Hallowe'en. Not a joyfilled time of year really, but I like it. The trees are changing colour and there is a better excuse to be snuggled up with hot chocolate. And most importantly apple filled donuts covered in cinnamon sugar. Yum!

And for something completely different, Liz and I will be hanging out in St Albans Cathedral from 8pm on Friday to 8am on Saturday, with hundreds of young people and some lovely people from my diocese. I am looking forward to the twilight hours, something I enjoy and don't find creepy, where every one is quiet and you feel like you are the only one awake. The fun thing is I'll have to teach. Have you ever led a session gone midnight? It struck me how unusual this might be the other day as I was preparing my session. I could have so much sugar/caffeine in my system that I'll be non-sensical. Start praying!

Anyway, it should be lots of fun and I hope to make many new friends during the night. If all else fails at least I can say I attempted to teach between the hours of 9pm and 2am. A unique opportunity!

Of course it's not all about darkness, this weekend also includes a 'Light Party' alternative to Hallowe'en for the children at church, and our new bishop is coming on Sunday to confirm (a CofE rite of passage?/ritual?) some adults and young people. then I finally get to see my family for an evening meal. Very happy to end the weekend like that!

Holidays and Broadband

Not really been blogging, mostly because I've been busy doing admin, making cakes and attempting to get broadband in my house after a massive 4 weeks without (I think Broadband is quickly becoming a home essential).

I'll add pictures to this when I get home, as I've also now put my birthday pictures on FB, so will add those shortly.

I've been the temporary administrator for church whilst the actual secretary is on holiday, it's not vital for me to be doing this job, as the office runs intermittently during holiday times. It's more for my own stability. Last year I hardly did anything over the holiday period, but this time I've got 3 groups sorted from September to Christmas, and have even started to consider Christmas time. We're getting there with packing for Uganda and I think next summer I'll do a drop in during the summer as some of my yp are already bored (they've only been on holiday for 2 weeks).

So when the secretary returns on Wednesday I will probably retreat for a few days to prepare for a busy three weeks. I also am helpfully putting my thoughts on to paper about the coming year.

Look out for pictures they'll be up later when I get home. Have to also write a sermon centred around Uganda, 1 Corinthians 13 and Micha 6:8. So if any one has any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated!

Her's the finished article, 3 Chocolate and 3 Maderia Cakes all 6"x6" - a total of 6 hours baking. It's sparkly and purple... if any one would like to make me a cake those are good things to go with!

A Long List

Things have been happening since I last wrote...

My faith took another bashing at a Youth BBQ. I can understand the school children doing it, they don't know me, they are permitted to ask questions (however mockingly). But at a BBQ with young people I know quite well, sadly I had to walk away and not be part of the conversation any more, cause I'd run out of answers and patience.

Then we had Lewsey Churches BBQ inside because of the torrential rain and thunderstorms outside. I can't remember having such extreme weather in the UK, it's been such a long time since we had regular decent thunder and lightening. I really enjoyed it, mainly because I wasn't getting wet!

The week wore on; it's that time of year for trips. We have an unusal thing in our youth group where two people were born hours apart, so have the same birthday. They are completely unrelated. I love the way God brings people together. We headed to Laser Quest for their birthdays. During 'dinner' I sat back and realised what a wonderful youth group had been formed over the last year. They, as a group, are testament to how much I have learnt. I love them all dearly and pray that their group gets stronger.

We had breakfast on the car park and a mighty miracle from God to do it. He moved the clouds at 8am and the sun shone through till 9.30am. Everything is possible when you let God work! It was great to see the young people and teachers that day, though sadly no dustbin men or old grumpies. Our community doesn't feel complete without them really. It was a great way to end the term.

During that week I also completed the practice and essay for my PGDip and JNC. So I can now say that "I am a fully Qualified Youth Worker, subject to Exam Board passing my essay and practice file". Not quite as fun as saying I'm a JNC Youth Worker, but close enough for me! It's been 2 years of hard work, but it's all done (subject to Exam Board - it's like a sting in the tail).

Then it was time for me and my sister to turn 25. We went our separate ways for our actual birthday. She hung out with our family and went drinking and dancing, whilst I spent the morning at Luton Hoo, and the evening at Silverstone.

For those who don't know Luton Hoo is a stately home turned Hotel, newly refurbished and reopened to the public. They do a great breakfast. So I and 12 girls (and 1 boy who is so tiny he didn't know any different) had breakfast together. It was delightful!
Me and Christine

Me in my new role as Stately Home owner!

Silverstone is a whole other world. Its one of the main race tracks in the UK and where Formula 1 raced only a few weekends ago. I went up there to spend the evening with a friend who was racing with Formula Student. All the Mechanical Engineer departments in Europe racing cars they have built. Was very fun I stood on the track and in the pit lane. My Dad really lovely Formula 1 so was very jealous. I loved it.

The Home Straight

Me standing with a vacant expression on my face... hoping not to get run over, not really know what to do. I look proper tiny under the Santander Bridge!

The pit lane... apparently still had markings on it from F1 (I don't really know though, I'm a girl!)

Sunday was spent at church with a[n embarrassing] rendition of Happy Birthday, which left me very red and quite embarrassed. Then to the parents for BBQ with family, extended family, our church friends and the boys school/work friends. Was lovely to see everyone and hang out. (will post pics soon)

Monday night I held another Youth BBQ and the new Curate helped out. He's a man and loves building fire, so the job was perfect for him. The YP had brought me a card and cake! They surprised me massively. And again I realised how blessed I am to have all 13 of them in my life. Lovely young people! Brilliant end to a great weekend!

Hopefully life will calm down now. Just Uganda and September term to prepare for! Ha ha... working hard as ever!

Lessons Learnt Pt 2

Yesterday afternoon was by far the hardest lesson I have ever had to teach. For all the lessons I have taught, this was the loudest and most questioned I have ever been in. Unfortunately the young people were not doing a very good job at listening to the answers I had. After a few incidents of "Jebus" I had to stop and tell them exactly what was bothering me.

Sometimes the things we say offend other people with out realising it. The only place I really pull young people up on their language is Big Breakfast, some of the yp swear unnecessarily and I have a sharp ear for it... but in this lesson there weren't any swear words, but poor Jesus got a nickname. I know he's been called worse things. I stopped, took stock for a moment and when I carried on things weren't much better.

I stood at the front of the class being pelted by some really good questions, "Who created God?" "How can you believe all this stuff?" "Is Jesus really alive?" "Does God talk to you?" Waaah, but I know that there is nothing before God and there will be nothing after God, I know Jesus is alive and God does talk to me (but not in a audible voice). Our children know myths about God, I find this very sad. They believe in very little and are sceptical. One of the teachers said "you can't question other people's beliefs" don't think that's so true, I think you can, but I think you do have to be sensitive to others too and listen to what they believe, even if you don't believe it yourself.

These discussions HAVE to continue... I was dreaming big dreams on Monday and one of them is to always be in discussion about faith and beliefs.

Taken Over

The young people and myself helped church along it's way on Sunday. I spoke, they led games, sorted craft type things and did music stuff.

It's funny how we really are our parent's children on occasions like this. The service was longer than I'd planned... can't really work out where the time went. The things I've learnt in the past 3 years have been good, I've definitely stepped fully into St Hugh's way of life.

I'm at that point in life where people are turning 25 all around, my turn soon. So was in Essex to begin celebrations at the weekend. Really enjoy my Essex friends.

I also hunted down my Uganda memorabilia from 2001! Can't believe it was so long ago now, we all look so young in the photos. What I didn't find was a Health Passport saying I'd had a Yellow Fever jab more recently. Quite annoying, but then there appeared a raging debate on facebook as to whether I actually need a jab at all. To be honest I'd rather have a £40 jab than be really sick! But then I suppose I'm a westerner and money is no object. Selfish? Maybe. Sensible? Yes. Any way seeing my GP in two weeks to sort it all out. Don't particularly fear jabs, more worried about feeling sick in the wake of the jabs. Dr Michael, any suggestions?

Oh, then Andy Murray won at Queens, how exciting!?! Wimbledon is going to be stunning this year. I am, by no means an enthusiast, but tennis is very easy to watch and I mostly understand it. So looking forward to sport this summer.

Tigger moments

No internet at home means plain blogging for a few weeks. I promise many photo's upon the return of BT broadband to the house (Sky lost out because they were massively unhelpful...)

I'm at work, making massive use of the internet before working on a sermon this afternoon with no facebook distraction! There might be something go out of this lack of internet!

No thoughts worth sharing have occurred in the last seven days. But Good News prevails! Since we joined Mission Direct, had a project to go to and confirmed who was going to be part of the team we have raised the £11,160 we need to pay for our tickets.

This was massively helped along by my parents church, my own church and the local community. Everybody has put so so so much in. I got a bit emotional in church on Sunday. Not a bad thing, I was totally and suddenly overcome by how much people had given! It's amazing. God has been gracious to us, He's given more than I could ever imagine.

There are many minds at peace about this trip now, mine is one of them, but I've felt like this since February, so I turned into Tigger. My security and joy definitely come from God and I'm massively happy at the moment.

Now all I have to remember is to pay the money to MD oh, and get the booster injections and health passort I need to gain entry to Uganda.

Where are we at?

Half term ended with a bit of a flourish...

Two nights in London, one to see a friend play a gig and the second to be majorly disappointed by the Emerging Culture Salsa event. It seems that the emerging church still mostly caters for women and feels very disorganised.

I would have loved to have salsa danced to a live band with a man who could dance. Is that too much to ask? I would have done it very differently and I was not filled with hope when the organiser of the event introduced herself and said she'd never Salsed (sp?) before. Does this count as righteous moaning?

Then we had a town wide Pentecost Praise on Sunday night at the Calvary Church of God In Christ (COGIC). This was totally awesome, not only was it well attended, it was loud and so relaxed. I really loved it that there was no preach slot, but that leaders from across the town got up and prayed over the town. Hoping for more things like this and for more twenty-somethings to join in.

I was taking it all in and had a job to do, so felt more at home than previously.

Upon reflection of the whole weekend:

Thought 4: I really don't expect my peers (who aren't my friends) to know who I am, even if I know who they are/have worked with them before. I'm not sure where this thought is headed, I've not verbalised it enough. I think I expect young people to know me (I got on the train to London and said hello to two young people) but I never expect acquaintances to know my name, I'm just not important.

Oh and on the Uganda front, we had an afternoon tea this weekend and raised £180 from it! My young people have worked so so so hard towards the fundraising. I'm increasingly proud.

{ONEL!FE}.

"What else will distinguish us?"

{ONEL!FE} is an organisation designed to support and encourage young leaders. They do this by holding conferences and taking some of those leaders to Uganda in the summer. Many of the young leaders from St Andrew's Chorleywood are on the team, and they did a brilliant job at looking after us while we were at conference A.

This years theme was "what else will distinguish us?" based on Exodus 33 and the transformational leadership of Moses. Not only were there some great speakers (Mark Waterfield, Pete Wynter, Greg Downes, Emily Vesey and David Pytches) there were also some great people to hang out with.

Of course we are distinguished by God, by what he has called us to do and be part of (and did you know that calling is irrevocable? Rm11v29) but it's about letting that call distinguish us in the way we live, lead and work. We know we are different, but we don't live it out much.

Pete Wynter talked about going deeper into the presence of God and taking it with us wherever we go. Hark back 3 months and Youth Work the conference is talking about the exact same thing. Maybe there is something in this deeper thing!

Small conferences are great, big conferences are great (if you know a small group of people). I'll be taking some young people to YLC next year, wherever I might be.

I really love church! I love going to different places across the world and knowing that I can find home there.

Auf Deutsch

oder auf englisch?

I've just returned from Germany or more specifically Paderborn, which is north west Germany. Just an hour on the plane from Stanstead.

We landed on Tuesday morning and had German breakfast, meat, bread, cheese and coffee (fleisch, brot, käse und kaffee). Before heading to our accommodation in Borchen about 7km from Paderborn. Stephanus-Haus is a youth centre, much like any youth centre in the UK. Lots of room. We headed to Schloss Neuhaus to visit a school and chat to the teachers about exchanges. We went to met Uwe (oo-ver) and all the paid and volunteer youth workers in the region of Paderborn (but Paderborn is a town as well, following me?) in the evening.

Our hosts, Volker and Konni head up the team and were leading the meeting. A long day and the meeting was long too, but everywhere we went we received a warm welcome and food.

On Wednesday we had breakfast in Wewelsburg, a village with a castle which was taken over by Himmler in WWII. There was also a Concentration Camp just outside the village. It was a very tough day, to face the past and to know that I have learnt nothing much from the history books. When it is in your face, it's hard. If you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. It's very educational.

In the evening we went to a youth service and visited a Youth House, an actual house with lots of space for young people to hang out. More coffee and stollen, so much cake. On to Uwe's for dinner and more chatting. Pictures are on the website. He lives miles away in the east of the region, up in the hills. Oh and it snowed!

On Thursday we spent the day in Paderborn, meeting the Superintendant of the KirchenKreis for breakfast. To the Town Hall (Rathaus) for a meeting with the head of the Youth Service in Paderborn. Two very important ladies in leadership. Then back to Wewelsburg for observing an afterschool project, where some very brave 6-8year olds spoke English to us.

We had 2.5 hours in Paderborn for the Weihnachtsmarkt. I really enjoyed the feel of the Market. We ended our trip back in Wewelsburg with dinner in Ottens Hof. Lovely dinner, great company and it's so lovely to be family across the world.

My love for Germany, for the language and the people has got stronger throughout this trip and I was sad to say goodbye this morning at 5am british time.

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!!

Going the extra mile

Being in Leicester is always really interesting... As a class we are very small, so our discussions tend to be deep and meaningful (ususally over food).

This last day or so has been intense discussion-wise. It's the last proper time we see everyone who has started at the same time as us, some crazy people will graduate in a year or so. Others will take their time and maybe never graduate... I think I fall some where inbetween.

I'm dissatisfied with my performance so far, I could do better. I'm starting to realise that (unsurprisingly) I really need help on this one. I really need guidance and most of all I really need someone to spell check my work before I hand it in.

It's great to see people who are really passionate about their own young people while they are here. Stories of lads who've drastically changed whilst in a youth workers care, youth workers who go the extra mile to make sure that the young person they are dealing with achieves as best they can.

I just wish I could write well, even if it was only for a day a week. Then at least I'd pass essays the first time round!!

Passion

I talked last time about trying to get more passion for something.

Since then I've had some interesting conversations about different things I could get passionate about.

One is glory – of course I want to see the glory of GOD. But I've never understood it, nor have desperately wanted it. I want to see the kingdom of GOD, though hadn't fully grasped how this might change me. That was until I had a long discussion about GOD's glory this week. I want to see GOD's glory in Lewsey, and I want to seek GOD's face first.

Secondly is youth – getting passionate, not angry. People talk about an 18 month barrier in youth work, but I think it's more like two years.

Lastly is 'stuff' – I'm fed up of the word 'stuff' being used to describe things which we are uncomfortable with, or using 'stuff' to make assumptions. My 'stuff' is different from your 'stuff'. Speak in actual words.


I'm hoping that the first one will lead to the other two.

When life works out

I have, by no means got it all sorted, I cry at silly things, I often open my mouth without prior thought, I gossip and sometimes I'm not a very good friend. However I know God, and I know he definitely has it all sorted. How long did He ponder about making the Earth and all the intrinsic things that we don't see, and won't because we take them for granted. I still take time to marvel at rainbows, and their fleeting beauty.

This makes a massive difference in how I approach some tasks... I know that God will sort out things I can't and will bless the things I try to do.

Anyway the point is, I asked the young people to share how their summer had been, what it sounded like for them. For some it sounded like new music, melodies and words which touch hearts and get stuck there. For others summer made Jesus sound a whole lot bigger than they originally understood. For others there was a loud, clear call to be something more, to become the person they are.

For me the summer was a repetitive sound, in a good way. Not the drip of a tap when you can't sleep, but better than that. I talked a bit on Sunday about Psalm 139, and Doug (who is 'granddad') repeated the verse we'd learnt at camp, with no prompting. Every week as we pray, I go back to the Psalms and search out the verse we learnt at camp, I don't know why but it's comforting.

I'm really proud of what the young people taught church this weekend, and mostly because it fitted right in with the theme of the summer for church - the story of David.

My summer started with John Mayer and two months later its over with an event this weekend which I will not be able to talk about until it's over. And i will post pictures, I promise. i feel I have been a little bit middle of the road about life. It's time to start getting passionate again!!

Changes

At the moment it feels like every thing around is changing, and here I am just plodding along with life.

Though I guess I should be grateful, with nothing huge happening at the moment I can focus on delivering a great preach this Sunday, and now that I've finished most of the uni work for this year, I'll tidy the house (ha ha).

It's actually quite lovely to be busy, but for things not to be changing. I have a slow summer too, but I have just been asked to do an evening talk for the camp I'm on. Pretty excited about that. Will be a first time and some of my young people will be there. I obviously have to be quite prepared before I go, so prayer is much needed for those of you still out there.

I will of course post both talks on the web.

But for now life plods on, and I get to run around in a dark room this evening, Laser Quest here I come!

Weekend Away

I'm about to go away for the weekend with St Mary's. Another family weekend and I'm very very excited about it. It's really lovely to be asked to go.

I'm leading the youthwork and getting to hang out with some good friends, what more could you want from a weekend away! The amazing thing is I'm all prepared and ready to go, I just have to go to School first.

This week has been an interesting one, quite busy. I went to Brownies for the first time ever on Wednesday - only to be asked if I had a husband (girls are so nosy!). Thursday night was chatting to some older girlies about boys. It's been a bit of a week for some home truths.

Hopefully there will be a new bed for me when I get back, but God only knows when I'll have the time to slightly rearrange my room so the bed fits.

I'll post pictures when I get back.

Trips and fixes

I was in Essex yesterday to celebrate Mum's birthday and to catch up with other family and a few friends. So we sang happy birthday, twice, and bowled until we hurt. My cousin showed himself up to be a bit of a star. I think there will be much more bowling now, at least as Dad and brothers try to beat the cousin!

While I was in Essex I put my car into the Honda garage, and it got fixed before lunch time! Did I use the replaced mirror on my way back? I think about once or twice, turns out you probably don't need that mirror unless you live in a town where there are lots of cyclists.

Recently St Hugh's has been taking its time with God and being family on a Sunday morning, something different happened today, the young people were the ones taking their time. We were sitting and chatting about God's faithfulness and had far too much to talk about it would seem. When we got back to church everybody had left apart from the parents of the young people!

God is with us, His faithfulness extends to a thousand generations. His love endures forever, my help comes from the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

I learnt a lot today about the small group of young people, and it confirms to me why Jesus had a smaller group around him. It's so much easier to manage and to hear what every one is saying. It was a bit intense, but we learnt.