funky doo

Some info on the new Vetting and Barring system to 'complement' CRB's ...direct from the Church of England!

http://www.youthblog.org/CofE%20VB%20Leaflet%202010.pdf

Thanks to Ian for this link

The typical church ignores two populations, year after year: the people who aren’t ‘refined’ enough to feel comfortable with us, and the people who are too ‘out of control’ for us to feel comfortable with them”
(George Hunter) via Alan Hirsch.

A Pentecost sermon I liked...

http://goodinparts.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-i-said-this-morningpentecost.html

preparation for Pilgrimage...

I'm about to embark on the last full week of work in the Area before a week of holiday and then a week away on Pilgrimage in Sheffield. I went to this event last year and took part in Stream 1 as a relative newbie to the world of LifeShapes and The Order of Mission which springs from it. Since then, we've recognised Andy's call to explore ordination and embarked on a new church and expression of churchmanship. We're also now part of a regular small group and wondering what God is calling us to and saying to us as all those changes take place and bed in. I'm very fortunate to be able to go on this conference as part of my professional development with work and to be able to apply it to my work context and my personal development in where God seems to be taking things with us as a family! I'm looking forward to the next 3 weeks immensely!

As part of some of my preparation for that week away, I've been doing some reading around the whole LifeShapes and Missional Community emphasis that originally came out of St Thomas' Sheffield and now is expressed through 3DM in the States and ECPN in Europe as well as the Order of Mission.

Mike Breen's blog has recently linked to a series of posts from another blog about their experience as a transitioning Missional Community and what that means and the process they have been through. It's fascinating and very exciting and although a million miles from where we're at in our church position right now, it's where we would see ourselves and believe God would see us being, once this next season works itself out.

So, the 3 posts are here (Post 1) here (post 2) and here (post 3)

If you have some spare time to travel with this team through their time on a Learning Community, applying the principles of LifeShapes and Missional Communities and not being bound by rules and religiosity, then I would recommend it!

I didn't really blog too much about Pilgrimage last year but I hope to be more in the zone this time round and will be taking the laptop with me!

Hope you've had a happy Sunday and be blessed as this new week unfolds!

Pentecost...

Have had some time to reflect on the 'Church's birthday' over this weekend.We spent yesterday with our Team for Falcon Afloat 2010 (a holiday for 10-13 year olds in July) and talked through our vision and purpose and many practicalities. It was a great day with brilliant people. 

Today we went to church - twice. The usual Sunday morning 10am service with a guest preacher and a special extra liturgy at the end of the Pentecost Eucharist. This was followed by the Churches Together in the Park service in the open air at the Prom...a meeting of our church lives as the CGC band (our 'old' church) led worship and Stephen (our 'new' Vicar) did the address. 

Somewhere in the midst of all that, I feel like I lost track of what we're celebrating...we talk about the Church's birthday and the beginning of the church going out into the world....but we seem to think that because 'it' (the tongues of fire, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the passion and enthusiasm of the believers) happened that day in Jerusalem, it has also happened every day since and we're still working within that Pentecost spirit and buzz and clarity. But it hasn't really continued has it? - how much are we regularly going OUT into the world rather than just relying on the world to be there for us to connect with when we feel like it? Events and outreach and evangelism projects are all very well, but we need it to be part of our bloodstream rather than just a switch we can turn on and off when we're in the mood.

The preacher this morning talked about the gift of standing by - accompanying people on the journey and drawing a 'large circle' in terms of the people we share life and involve ourselves with. It was a shame then that this morning, no-one greeted the visitors we brought with us to church and neither was there much mixing of the different church groups at the picnic following the open air service. 

It's a big challenge - when we're not even very good at talking to those in our small church circles - to begin to connect with those outside of the circle. A circle of our own making and today, in the prom, comprised more of onlookers than of partakers in the worship and celebration. 

This little film was helpful - h/t Rachel Marszalek

Your Illustrious Diocesan Youth Team!

Have just had the day with Andy P and Rachel, my colleagues on the Youth Team for the Diocese. We were running a training day as part of the CME programme for Year 3 Curates across the Diocese on Engaging Creatively with Young People.

It was a great day and lots of fun, with a small but perfectly formed group!

So in honour of my lovely colleagues I thought I'd just post a pic taken of the three of us on our recent 'jolly' up to Blackpool for the National DYO Conference. Just so you know, we came 2nd in the Sandcastle Competition with our interpretation of the Trinitarian Cow of Wonder...you kinda had to be there...

 The 'three-uddered' cow...we were very proud!

 From left: Andy Poultney (Barking Area), Me, Rachel Brett (Colchester Area)

Have a great weekend with promised sunshine!
 
 

3-0-0

 

 Yesterday's post was number 300 on this wee blog. I began this blog when I started as Youth Adviser in April 2006 as a way to think out loud about what I was learning and to have a place to connect with people from all over. This was all before joining Facebook (shock!) and blogging is now a weirdly important part of my life - sometimes a burden and sometimes a joy but often a creative and useful outlet. 

So now I blog in 2 places (www.funkydoofamily.blogspot.com) just to try and keep some order to the stuff I post!

Just for fun, I put 300 into Wikipedia and came up with a few random things:

• The year 300 was a leap year starting on a Monday.
• A film called 300, about the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC. The film follows the 300 Spartan warriors who formed part of King Leonidas army and were all killed in an unexpected move of the Persian army towards Hellas.                                                                                                  

Not sure it sounds quite like my sort of film, but I might just watch it on this occasion.

Actually, that was about all there was on 300 that I found interesting...anyone got any other suggestions?

So another note, what would I like 300 of, other than blog posts? 

£Pounds certainly, or maybe 300lbs less...hmmm. 

300 meals prepared and in my freezer would make a huge difference to my life....as would 300 cups of tea made and served to me. 

300 nights of free babysitting or 300 new tracks to download from Itunes would all be nice....300 more memories with my family and the gratefulness and presence of mind to remember each of them...

But generally, I think I've exhausted the 300 thing for this post so I'll move on and publish post 301 and see how long it takes me to do another 300?? On current form, probably about 2.5 years I reckon...Thanks for stopping by - normal, slightly less random service resumes tomorrow - probably!

why do you do what you do?? and a question for you...

I'm busy preparing for a CME (Continuing Ministerial Education) day tomorrow with Year 3 Curates in our Diocese. I'm doing some stuff on relationships between clergy and young people and why that is important in their faith development. Also inputting on various other things around youth culture and the church's attitude to young people and how we tackle confirmation etc. etc.

Anyway, all this preparation and thinking and wondering and writing always gets me excited - I love doing this sort of thing and as I logged onto the computer again this morning, St Aidan to Abbey Manor blog post struck me as speaking into these exact feelings.

DMK lists some of the things which motivate him to do what he does, in response to a post on Nick Page's blog. He lists competitiveness, making a difference, fun and frustration as some of the reasons why he does what he does...it made me wonder what makes me get excited and passionate about some things and not others. I've come up with this list so far:

1. Perfectionism - this has it's down sides but generally I feel as though I want things done right and properly - especially in relation to young people. I don't like them being sold short and not being given the fullness of opportunity. It makes me want to make things work well in the church and in it's outreach.

2. People - are what get me excited. I am an extrovert and thrive on being around others, talking, interacting and relating. As I get older, I do find I need more alone time, but then I find interaction in the form of Facebook and blogs helps me to be on my own but not removed from people completely.

3. Gratefulness - not sure whether this is a real word or not, but it underpins all of what I am. I am grateful that God found me out and brought me home when he did - I could have been on a very different path. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I do and to be excited about going to work each day (most days!) I am grateful for the blessings of my family, friends, path of life that God has given me and I never want to get complacent about that. I think that transfers into my passion for youth work - I want the church to e grateful for young people in their midst and to never get complacent about what they can offer or how much they need us to love them. 

That's my first 3 - sure I'll think of some more...what makes and motivates you to do what you do?? Leave your comments or link to you blog!

Duffy Robbins...

was our keynote speaker last week at the National Diocesan Youth Officer's Conference. Andy P, Rachel and I travelled to Blackpool on Tuesday with great expectations and they were generally met!

Duffy was excellent although American - I don't mean that in a negative sense but there are always things that are lost in the translation and application. His overall theme was encouraging longevity and integrity in youth ministry and I appreciated his insights into some of the parallels between our life stages and how we in turn minister to young people. 

It was a shame that he wasn't around more in the social times and over meals for our small (40 ish) group to get to chat with him more, but the North West region who hosted the conference more than made up for that with some brilliant fun activities, excellent entertainment and a general feel of loveliness. 

I'm back into a busy week with some important meetings about big events and preparation for a training day this Saturday for our Falcon Afloat team. 

So I hope this week finds you well and looking forward to all it holds...and I think this is a great perspective on Mondays:

 

'Contemporavent' Church??

ht to Banksy for this - this manages to make the point about much of our church consumer culture without being condemning...and great tool for discussion and reflection...

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.