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September 30, 2004
It's the small encouragments
I took one of the lads from the mentoring project to McDonalds (his choice) last night. He's a great lad, but not without a few challenges. The Youth Offending Team thought it would be a good idea for him to have a mentor, yours truly.
I've been working with him for a few months and progress has been slow. He won't do anything that involves excercise and various other venues are off limits because he's banned from them, so McDonalds AGAIN!
Always fun working out what behaviour to challenge on our trips.
Decided not to worry too much about Eminem at full volume with the windows down! Even though passers by glared at me!
Decided that throwing stuff out of the car window and any gestures at pedestrians needed challenging!
We had a reasonable chat in McDonalds finding we had something in common, we both couldn't believe what the other was eating, "How can you eat that stuff?" was levelled at my Salad and I felt pretty much the same about his Burger and large fries! Discovered that he was in a whole heap of trouble again (I'll spare you the details) and I was very concerned about him.
Anyway, here's the encouragment. When I dropped him off and said, "Watch that anger Mate, I don't want to see you in even more trouble" .... He didn't look dismissive. Actually feel quite encouraged and wonder if this small step may lead somewhere? as well as to McDonalds again.
Posted by ian at 10:44 PM | Comments (0)
Risk Assesment
For everyone who works with young people and sometimes feels bogged down by the restrictions, beauracracy and fear of litigation, I hope this makes you smile!
Posted by ian at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
September 29, 2004
The Storms of Adolescence
The transition from Childhood to Adulthood is always messy, the "adolescent storm" as one writer called it. A chunk of time where you are finding out who you are, learning/unlearning a whole bunch of stuff while simultaneously having to deal with hormones, sexuality, tension with bewildered parent(s), relationships, growing like crazy and often feeling tired/moody. That is going to be messy!
One of my favourite quotes is this one, alegedly, from Socrates (but certainly of a similar age):
"Youth today love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, no respect for older people, and talk nonsense when they should work. Young people do not stand up any longer when adults enter the room. They contradict their parents, talk too much in company, guzzle their food, lay their legs on the table and tyrannize their elders"
There's also this bizzarre verse from the Bible:
"From there Elishah went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road some youths came out of the town and jeered at him, "Go on up you baldhead!" they said, "Go on up you baldhead!"
Adolescence is nothing new then. The funny thing is I've spoken to quite a few people about their teenage years and I have discovered lots of them have forgotten what it was like. They remember the music, where they lived, friends etc but not, it seems, being on top of the world one moment and feeling utterly crushed shortly after, the sense of uncertainty,struggling with self-worth, moments of embarrasment and all that jazz.
I still remember, painfully, what it was like to be a teenager and up until I was 30 I was still having flash backs to any of a numbers of monumentially embarrassing moments. Still, the advantage of spending my adolescense as "Bozo the Wonder Nerd" does give me quite a level of sympathy with all people teenage.
I'm often surprised at the lack of tolerance there is for teenagers, but if people have forgotten/blanked out their adolescent storm, maybe that's why!
All the more need for Youth work/ministry.
Posted by ian at 02:05 PM | Comments (2)
September 28, 2004
I don't know ..... Young People today!
I was rather amused by an article in the Times yesterday about a 9 year old and 13 year old, a brother and sister, who by all accounts are a bit of a whizz at Ball-room dancing. They've been going along to Tea-Dances, near where they live, in Bournemouth, to get some practice amongst the more elderly dancers.
All well and good you may think! However the speed and agility has not impressed the other dancers and they have been banned from four venues! Dancing too enthusiastically is one of the charges levelled at this dancing-duo.
Bloggable bit: I wondered if this could be bad news for the future of tea-dancing! If they fail to engage with a new generation of dancers because young people do things a little bit differently, a bit faster and may not realise that enthusiasm has no place at the Tea-Dance, then it might lead to Tea-Dance halls closing down, losing their place in the community!
I also wondered if there was a moral to apply ........ but coudn't think of one!?
Getting the old and the "young" to co-exist can be complicated. I spotted this half timbered historic building in Oxford this morning sporting the Nokia logo and not looking Quite as bad as you'd have thought it would! 16th Century Mobile Phone anyone?
Posted by ian at 01:57 PM | Comments (2)
September 27, 2004
JNC and the Kingdom of God
I've got a pretty good handle on what we mean by youth work and some good definitions. However when we get into talking about Christian youth work and where that fits into what we then mean by youth ministry,
it gets a little more confusing. Churches are increasingly looking for JNC qualified youthworkers (which is great) but we need to be clear on the role that they are being asked to do. Quite a few of them are trained in youthwork and with some theology but not neccessarily ministry. In what way is ministry the focus and it what way is it youth work? How much of an overlap is there?
Youthpastor.com has a list of definitions of youth ministry, some of which I agree with, many of which are good starting points for reflection. Interstingly Infed have also put a page up with the question.
Sudders threw this into the mix this morning as "a work in progress"
1) You can study theology and not be a christian
2) You can be a christian and study theology
3) Or you can study theology and be called to ministry
i.e
1) I am a youthworker, i do youth work, the focus of my work is youth
2) I am a christian youth worker I do youth work in both a christian
and secular setting and the focus of my work is young people and their
needs, this will include an aspect of spirituality
3) I am a youth minister, the focus of my work is God who calls me into ministry with young people
I guess we could look at it from a number of areas: Basis, calling, practice or focus. Over to you, your thoughts please ....
Posted by ian at 12:46 PM | Comments (8)
September 26, 2004
Passing the Baton
O my people, listen to my teaching.
Open your ears to what I am saying,
for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past--
stories we have heard and know,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children
but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds
of the LORD. We will tell of his power and the mighty
miracles he did. Psalm 78
I remember watching the Commonwealth Games a few years back and specifically one of the Relay races. One of the runners had got distracted by the big screen in the stadium showing the triple Jump that was taking place at the same time as his race. Instead of being ready for the rapidly approaching (and leading) runner, he was engrossed in a different event. He suddenly became aware but too late and the change over just didn't happen properly at all.
Speaking tonight on young people and the Church, how we messed up passing the baton of faith to a new generation. It's a big challenge but we're not running completely from behind. The stats for 2002 have actually shown an increase in the number of young people engaged with Church. Youth ministry is making a difference! I just hope and pray that the young people who are living their faith are given the chance to lead ..... even though that may mean Church being a very different shape/size/expression/colour!
(That reminds me, anyone else going to "The Shaping of things to come" in London on October 4th?)
Posted by ian at 10:30 PM | Comments (2)
September 25, 2004
Check-in Check it out
I Spent some time "virtually" yesterday at the Habbo hotel. It doesn't actually exist in a bricks and mortar sense but only on-line. Its a whole hotel in perfect details with areas to socialise in and the ability to have your own room for conferences or just for chilling out for a while.
You create a WeeMe of yourself (I managed to add some grey hair but I still look way too young!) and have a wander around chatting to people. You'll have to see it to believe it! I went to a meeting "there" yesterday with some of my Youth Adviser colleagues (Raising the hand of Irony in Salute to you all!) and had a few chats in the hotel corridor and at the Pizza cafe with folk. I've set up a room and equpped it with much nicer furniture than I can ever get from a Church budget.
Anyway now for tri-bloggable nature of this post:
1. If you're working with young people you need to check out Habbo!
2. I'm quite excited about the possibility of virtual detached work, how cool is that? I might have a chat with Habbo and see what they reckon! It would be easy to run a youth drop-in at the hotel!
3. The room I have set up is called Youthblog forum (see the picture) and the plan is to host some on-line discussions. If you're up for it e-mail me and I'll set a date/pasword via this blog. I'm also very interested in using the room for a youth-forum, it would be great if young people had more of a say into youth thinking and strategy in the diocese, if you've got any young people who would be interested in virtually being at an on-line discussion .... again, let me know.
Posted by ian at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2004
Death before Decaf
Here's a funny thing. Youthworkers generally think that addiction is a bad thing! Yes? Second question, can you imagine doing a residential without coffee? I can't. Actually I drink too much coffee most days but can't quite kick the habbit .... partly because I like it too much.
Not in the mood for a serious blog today so I'll just say
Thank you Lord for giving us coffee! and dedicate all things bloggable today to coffee and its vital role in youth work!
Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures:
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz:
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I will fear nothing
For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks:
Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.
Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of Mocha forever.
Posted by ian at 12:33 PM | Comments (1)
September 23, 2004
Funny or too near the truth?
Have a look at Lark news and click on September 2004 in the archive but be warned: Take nothing you read there (or on the whole site) seriously!
Posted by ian at 04:13 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2004
Oh do Grow up!
The National Occupational standards for youth work say:
"The Key purpose of youth work is to work with young people to facilitate their personal, social and educational development, and enable them to gain a voice, influence and place in society in a period of their transition from dependence to independence"
Now I broadly agree with this, altough I'd want to throw in spiritual development too. But what do we mean by independent? Are we talking about growing into adulthood and responsibility?
If you drive past a Renault garage at the moment you'll see a large slogan proclaiming,
Grow up, why bother?
and I think this quote from Robert Elms has a lot of truth:
"Nobody is a teenager anymore, because everyone is"
I once heard it said that there are only three ways to teach, example, example and example! Young people get a hard time for being the teenagers they are, while society isn't really modelling an alternative! Discuss
Posted by ian at 03:45 PM | Comments (1)
September 21, 2004
What would Buffy do?
Now there's a question!
"What would Buffy Do?" is a recently published book written by Jana Reiss (Ph.D in religion no less) and subtitled, "The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide."
Yep I know, it sounds soooooo cheesy and when I picked it up in Waterstones it was with a kind of derisive amusement but actually its fantastic. (Stay with me on this one).
Reiss maintains “Buffy is a classic medieval morality play -- only with skimpier clothes, wittier dialogue, and cutting-edge alternative music,” and goes on to look at Spirituality, Community, Humour and Life's journey as experienced in and through the seven series of Buffy. Obviously in the course of that it's a valuable insight into the resonance it has with so many fans and their own spiritual search and struggles. One of the things thats great about Buffy (and hence the way the book unpacks it) is that Spirituality is explored in the context of a friendship group and also in the midst of real struggles, not the vampires as such but very real struggles of doubt, self worth and depression. The mixture of community and real issues is profound. Spirituality that a post-christian culture can relate to and embrace.
"What would Buffy do?" is therefore a great book to read and an interesting question to ask if you want to look at Spirituality in our post modern culture!
Worth putting up with the contemptuous look from the Cashier in Waterstones who assumed (wrongly) that this was a deeply sad self-help book!
After writing this particular "post" I stumbled on this superb summary from Todd Hertz, associate editor for Campus Life magazine
" In the fourth season, Xander explains why Buffy is a hero to him. "When it's dark and I'm all alone and I'm scared or freaked out or whatever, I always think, 'What would Buffy do?' "
Like much in the show, this works at multiple levels. It's a satiric jab at those tragically unhip kids who wear WWJD bracelets. It's another litmus test (are you among the chosen who are cool enough to watch this show?). And yet it's not simply a joke—far from it. It's an acknowledgment that in a world of ambiguity, a world where good is in mortal combat with evil, we desperately need a reliable guide.
Is it possible to cry for help ironically—and really mean it? If so, maybe this is what it sounds like. "What would Buffy do?"
Posted by ian at 08:59 PM | Comments (1)
September 20, 2004
Caught in posession of a hoody!
Residentials are never without incident(s) .... a youthwork truism!
One of the more bizarre incidents on this trip was a school who were also staying on the Osmington Bay site who took exception to the young people we had brought. Now I know we had some challenging young people but there wasn't really any substance to the complaint at all. When the school were allowed opportunity to voice their concerns quite a bit of it seemed to be around what "our" young people were wearing!!!!! I'm not sure that being in posession of a hoody, or wearing one with intent (to stay warm) is a crime. Unfortunately, in the eyes of some, it seems that young people are automatically a threat if they are not expensively kitted out in smart designer gear. Found myself quite annoyed about this whole incident! It seems that discrimination is something that is wrong in the areas of race and disability but not in the areas of wealth or background.
I'm sure that the school involved consciously teaches "citizenship," I wonder what, through this complaint, their pupils learnt about citizenship?
"Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart!" The Bible
Am writing this wearing a hoody ..... are you a sure you should be reading such a subversive and yobbish Blog!
Posted by ian at 07:39 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2004
That was the weekend that was!
Just got in from the OYMS residential at Osmington Bay in Weymouth. Its been a crazy weekend with some wonderful and sometimes, challenging young people and with a great bunch of Mentors.
Can't believe we've done so much:
In 48 hours or so we've eaten together, talked, laughed, got annoyed, played, negotiated and even got some sleep. We have done a scavenger hunt, paddled the rafts we built on the sea, stood on top of telegraph poles 30 feet in the air in a rainy windy gale (it's called a high ropes scare , I mean high ropes course!), we've mountain biked, night hiked (mud, mud, mud) and quad biked in some welcome sunshine.
It's been awesome to see the teens face some big challenges and meet them, it's been great to see a little bit of what makes them tick.
Bloggable bit: Part of my role was to talk to the teens about how they saw the mentoring scheme. One of the things I was interested in was what they thought a mentor should be like. I was well impresed that the answers that came back weren't about being young, trendy or cool! A mentor, in their opinion, needed to be kind, considerate, to be able to listen and treat them with respect ... oh and be reasonably chilled!
Not sure I was quite so chilled on the high ropes, I got "Elvis legs" (technical climbing term) BIG TIME on the balance wire.
Posted by ian at 08:55 PM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2004
"You must be mad!"
"You must be mad" is the normal response when people here that I'm heading off on a residential event with a bunch of teenagers! They're probably partially right but residentials are enormous fun albeit lacking in sleep.
It terms of youth work, going away as a group is absolute dynamite. Time, shared experience, great learning opportunity and making lifelong memories ... either planned, or very often .... utterly spontaneous.
If you've taken a group away before you can probably think of so many great stories that, like mine, just wouldn't translate. You can probably think too of young people for whom the event was a pivotal moment in their lives! If you've not taken your group away .... I highly recommend it.
It's interesting that in the Bible in the book of John when he is talking about Jesus he says: "The word became human and lived among us" ... the idea of living amongst us (in the Greek) is expressed with the notion of "He pitched his tent" among us. How cool is that? When Jesus wanted people to learn, understand and grow that's what he did!
You can't get a better mandate for a residential than that.
I've just been scribbling on a piece of paper and worked out that I have clocked up the equivelent of 6 months on residentials as either a young person (a while back!) or as a leader. I'm heading out the door now for a weekend away with a team and bunch of young people from the "Oxford Youth Mentoring Scheme" ..... I'll blog when I get back but may be a little bit sleepy.
Posted by ian at 11:41 AM | Comments (1)
September 16, 2004
McYouthwork
I wonder if you can do youth work without ending up at McDonalds?
Was out with one of the teens from the Mentoring scheme yesterday and, fairly inevitably, ended up in McDonalds.
I'm not sure I like McDonalds but it's got a lot going for it as a youth work venue! Teenagers are welcome (very unusual), It's cheap (good for the budget), no one gets annoyed if you're noisy (everybody is) and the food has the requisite massive fat, sugar and Salt contents! Problem is the order-eat-leave process seems to be so rapid that you don''t get much of a conversation. Mind you I did win some Kudos for being able to eat a McFlurry the fastest!
One of my youthworks greatest McDonalds moments was on the way back from a residential. We discovered that the Walkie Talkies we were using to keep the convoy of minibuses and cars in touch with each other were also being used by the Drive-thru to speed up ordering/cooking. One of the teens took great delight in impersonating the dive-thru operator and placing an urgent order for 120 cheeseburgers. (Belated apologies to the drive-thru just off the Gloucester ring-road)
Posted by ian at 05:28 PM | Comments (1)
September 15, 2004
Life moves pretty Fast!
"Life Moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while ..... you could miss it!"
"Ferris Buellers day off" has to be my all time favourite "teen" movie, alongside "Gregory's Girl" and dare I admit it? "10 things I hate about you" It's hard to believe that its 18 years since Ferris Bueller was released ..... Life, does indeed, move pretty fast!
Back to Ferris:
"I don't care if you're fifty five
or seven, everybody needs a day off
now and then. It's a beautiful day.
How can I be expected to handle
high school?"
And tomorrow, I have a day off! YES!
Posted by ian at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2004
Dangerous Wonder
Still much taken with the art of being
"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" Jesus
One of the things that really winds me up is when people say to me (or anyone else with a playful zest for life) "You're just a big Kid!"
Is the idea that adults don't play? Bizarre. Our society seems to have a really bizarre view of maturation, that is, becoming mature equals becoming boring! Maturing is about handling responsibility, growing in wisdom and developing empathy NOT losing a sense of wonder and play. (People often fail to make the distinction between Childish and Childlike). Maybe its the striving to "do" that squeezes out fun. Maybe the fun of being a youth worker is time spent with young people ... just being.
Mike Yaconelli (one of my youth work heroes) wrote a fab book called Dangerous Wonder. In it he explore the attributes of a Childlike faith:
Dangerous Wonder
Risky Curiosity
Wild Abandon
Daring Playfulness
Wide-eyed listening
Irresponsible Passion
Happy Terror
Naive Grace
Childlike Faith
and a final thought:
"Mistaking the active life of faith for an institutionally backed and culturally bound belief system is similar to reducing the Mona Lisa to paint-by-numbers" Dan Taylor
Posted by ian at 08:43 AM | Comments (2)
September 13, 2004
Human Be-ings not Human Do-ings
I think it was reading some Pip Wilson where I first came across a challenge to be a Human Be-ing not a Human Do-ing. For us to be be more fully the people we are, the people God made us to be!
Soul Shaper has some great stuff to say on this in it's entry on Silence and Solitude (p53):
"For we find our true selves when we're swallowed up in God. We discover our true identity, not as do-ers but as be-ers. Our tasks in this life boil down to "Be still and know that I am God." indeed this is why many of us avoid silence and solitude, because our self-identities are bound up in our busy-ness" ....... the section goes on to quote Richard Foster,
"the fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is a new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts"
Could silence make us better Youth Workers?
Posted by ian at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2004
What do you see?
"Little Round Planet in a big universe
Sometimes it looks blessed
Sometimes it looks cursed
Depends on what you look at, obviously
But even more it depends on the way that you see"
Bruce Cockburn
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else"
CS Lewis
Posted by ian at 11:29 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2004
The School of Rock
Just watched "School of Rock" and I have to say, I loved it!
The premise of the film is this:
Hell-raising guitarist with delusions of grandeur Dewey Finn (Jack Black) has been kicked out of his band. Desperate for work, he impersonates a teacher and turns a class of 10 year olds into high-voltage rock and rollers.
Its kind of "Dead Poets Society" but with Rock Music as the inspiration and a zany, crazy humour in delivery and wry observation. It, quite Literally, Rocks"
Bloggable bit is this! Its a great piece of Youth work (yes, I know the kids are only ten so it'll definitely turn up in the Tweenagers training evening) but we are talking, youth work!
Dewey Finn is bored by the idea of teaching, the kids are not excited about being taught. It's only when they find something they are passionate about and use, develop their gifts and talents that some great learning starts to take place ... for the group and for individuals. The Kids are dominated by a strict school and pushy parents (I liked the way the car park on parents evening is full of safe but dull Volvos) but once they are given opportunity to do, they discover lots about who they are and grow through that process.
Ready to use Training Evening:
Watch "School of Rock"
Question? In what ways is our programme, the school? In what ways is our programme, Dewey Finn? How does this challenge our programme?
Posted by ian at 09:27 PM | Comments (2)
September 10, 2004
The Lords Prayer
Following on from yesterday, I was at a service recently where we were encouraged to use the "modern" form of the Lords prayer! Not sure that "sin" and "trials" is anymore understandable culturally!
It's been around for a while now but I love the txt version of the Lords Prayer and really enjoyed being at a Youth Led service once where the whole congregation were led together in saying:
dad@hvn,ur spshl.
we want wot u want
&urth2b like hvn
giv us food
&4giv us
lyk we 4giv uvaz.
don't test us!
save us!
bcos we kno ur boss,
ur tuf&ur cool
4 eva!ok
And lets not debate how it fits into a liturgical framework!
Supplemental: Over at Coyote Mercury you can see the Lords Prayer's English translation in both Old and Middle English.
Posted by ian at 11:10 PM | Comments (5)
September 09, 2004
Mission and understanding
Fantastic training session this week led by Nigel Pimlott of Frontier Youth Trust. We were looking at mission and how we understand the culture we are working in. We all know that we are in a post-Christian country but need to be recognising what that means for the way we communicate.
Nigel gave a great example: The question to a teen was,
"do you think the Christmas story is true?"
"No" .... was the reply
"Why not?"
"Well, Reindeers can't fly can they!"
I was doing some work in a School a few years ago and the Vicar came in to do an assembly. He led the whole school in a rendition of the Lords Prayer, which they recited, word perfect.
I was surprised/impressed but wanted to see what it had meant to them so in one of the lessons I asked,
"You all prayed the Lords Prayer this morning ..... what does trespass mean?"
There was a sea of thirty blank expressions but one lad was determined to have a stab at it and attempted to give the word, as he understood it, some sort of religious context. "Is it," he asked, "Walking on Jesus's grave?" (Good try I thought)
Huge assumption from the vicar that anyone would understand what they'd been taught to pray, I wonder what assumptions we make?
We're missionairies in a culture where all the reference points have gone!
Posted by ian at 10:29 PM | Comments (0)
September 08, 2004
Short termismitus
Short termism is the Kryptonite to the heroic work that goes on with young people!
At the network (of youth workers) meeting yesterday we were encouraged to "Fly Kites" and work out where we'd like our ministry to be in 10 years! It was an exciting way to be thinking but with funding struggles, two or three year contracts and visions that tend to be short term ..... not practically useful.
It's not by any means limited to the faith based sector and is apparent across the board. Neighbourhood Regeneration projects suffer greatly ...... just when trust and ownership is beginning to emerge, funding runs out breeding more cycnicism and frustration.
West Berkshire Nightstop (emergency accommodation for homeless young people) have been running succesfully for two years but are now looking for continuation funding. Amazingly many trusts will only fund new (unproven) projects but will not offer any continuation funding to projects that have proven to make a difference.
All very frustrating but some good news! My friend Yvonne has been the youth and community worker at a church for 9 years and is on a permanent contract! May this catch on!
Posted by ian at 08:10 AM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2004
Flannelgraph .... the powerpoint of the 1960's
Respect to Dave for being the number one google search if you are looking for flannelgraph. Anyone who's looking to re-create lost Church traditions by reinstating flannelgraph (kinda like fuzzy-felt but bigger and with Bible type scenes) may be amused by these anarchic and theologically interesting offerings on the wib site.
Posted by ian at 05:59 PM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2004
Onion moments and vinyl paint
On Camp this summer, for the sort of reasons that don't make sense outside of camp, each night at the roadshow I would have to answer a surprise question while sitting in a leather armchair in the glare of a spotlight. Favourite question was,
"Ian can you describe your favourite onion moment?"
I love the level of profound absurdity that teenagers come up with, fantastic creativity. I've also noticed that if you can cope with the absurd, then the serious may follow.
Once after doing some fairly serious input with a group I don't know and opening it up to questions, I was asked, "Do you find vinyl paint too reflective?"
"on the whole, no" I replied .... "but are you reflecting on what I've said?"
We then had a wonderful session which would throw up deep questions punctuated with more of the absurd.
Maybe all Youth work jobs should take a leaf out of the dating ad's, "Must have a Good sense of humour!"
Posted by ian at 05:11 PM | Comments (0)
September 05, 2004
Aim it at the teens
Just got back from preaching at the gig which I turned up at last night, finally got there with me and a congregation tonight!
It was a Eucharist specifically aimed at young people and I prepared accordingly. As it happened there were a vast range of ages there but I spoke specifically in a way that would engage the teens. Really good evening and the teens were involved in the service including all the music, readings and the like.
The Bloggable bit is this: Great reaction from the adults, they were really really enthusiastic about the preach. It seems to me that adult-format sermons impact some of the adults and none of the teens. A teen-format sermon engages the teens and a lot of the adults.
I know that this is a huge generalisation but look at how many adults turn up to youth-led services! Why?
Posted by ian at 10:38 PM | Comments (2)
September 04, 2004
Unusual Youth Work tools no.1
Was early for a gig I was supposed to be speaking at, so I went for a ride on the Brompton (a folding bike), dropped down a hill into a village and through a load of teenagers. Inevitable (and slightly sarcastic) shout of "Nice Bike Mr!" so I stopped to say Hi, once I'd shown them that the bike would fold into a package in 15 seconds they were really impressed and we had a good chat. They all had a turn at riding it and they taught me a better way of controlling speed on a Skateboard (not convinced I can do it though!) Anyone want to pay me to run a course on "Detached work using folding bicycles"
Anyway, very glad I had a fun time as it turns out they'd given me the wrong date for the gig and it is, in fact, tomorrow!!!!!
Posted by ian at 08:23 PM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2004
TV or not TV? that is still a question
Good Post from Sarah. I agree TV is useful, I'm not anti TV as such and yes, Danger Mouse is of course, awesome. I think I have a problem with the way everything is packaged and sound-bited (new word!) for TV. The Lyrics of 1991's "TV the drug of the nation" I reckon are still profound .... for example,
"Where straight teeth in your mouth
are more important than the words
that come out of it"
I want to understand and appreciate the culture around me but I guess my prefered mediums are listening/talking, radio and Films. I'm very grateful to everyone who keeps me up to date with TV though (and lets me watch theirs!)and every year I buy the DVD compilation of the best adverts of the year as I'm very intersted in the way that advertisers target culture(s)! Interestingly TV viewing figures overall have been going down. Let the debate continue ............
Posted by ian at 10:20 AM | Comments (3)
September 02, 2004
TV or not TV
I don't have a TV! Had some good discussions with teenagers at Camp when they discovered this serious omission from the Macdonald household. Sometimes wonder whether we should get one but actually from a youthwork point of view it's great 'cos I have to get my TV info from the teenagers. Surprisingly too most of them were more open to not having a TV than I thought they would be.
Just been reading some John Stott, he's got a much snappier argument against TV than me, he reckons TV makes people: physically lazy, intellectually uncritical, emotionally insensitive, psychologically confused and morally disordered. He's got a point but I don't think it'd make for an open dialogue!
Posted by ian at 10:04 PM | Comments (1)
September 01, 2004
Soul Shaper
I'm reading a fantastic book called "Soul Shaper" by Tony Jones all about "exploring spirituality and contemplative practices in youth ministry." I bought the book because I'm interested in how spiritual disciplines and practices from across Church history can impact youth work. However it's proving first and foremost a challenge to me! Tony Jones quotes Eugene Peterson to make the point, "I think the most important thing a pastor does is who he or she is" There's a challenge when we tend to justify ourselves/our ministry by our doing, at the expense of our being!
Posted by ian at 06:39 PM | Comments (2)