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November 30, 2006
Youth Forums and Youth Councils
I've been thinking about youth councils and youth forums recently and while I could write reams on the subject it'd probably be quite boring. So I'm going to condense the issues into the 'Good and the Bad' as I see them, hopefully you'll then contribute your wisdom and the lists can be distilled into something useful.
GOOD STUFF
Can engage young people in discussion in a way that is appropriate/accessible to them
Means that young people have the possibility of a voice into decisions and organisations
Puts young people into the agenda
Can be an empowering and confidence building experience
Might lead to changes
May attract more representative young people than if they were forced into 'old school committee'
BAD STUFF
Are a tacit declaration that the main church/organisation/charity is not prepared to change the way it meets, discusses and organises in order to genuinely involve young people.
Can be tokenistic
Can alienate young people by encouraging contribution but then ignoring it
Does not allow meaningful debate between the Adults and Young People
Even as a dedicated Forum it doesn't neccessarily attract a representative range of young people
Posted by ian at 09:47 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 29, 2006
The Respect Agenda
Respect chief, Louise Casey took part in this webchat, it's worth a read as the RESPECT agenda and Parenting help (super Nanny) projects are expanded on and explained.
Posted by ian at 01:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Issues in Youth Ministry
I have now e-mailled Tim my answers to the three questions he is asking Youth Ministers around the world. The questions being:
What do you see as some of the main issues youth ministry is struggling with today?
What do you see as some of the main issues youth ministry is responding to effectively?
In what ways does youth ministry need to change?
It's really interesting to read the range of responses on Tims site, It's a very useful series that he's put together.
I'll publish what I've written once Tim has put them on his site but what I've written is along the lines of the Sherlock Holmes piece I wrote a couple of years back. I didn't get any comments when I originally flagged up the questions BUT would still love some thoughts as I'm aware that my answer a subjective response.
Posted by ian at 09:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
West Cornwall Pasty Company
This post has nothing whatsoever to do with youth work, the only connection I can make is that a vexed question arose for one youth worker (me) while eating a Pasty! The question being, how many tasty Pasties a day can a professional Pasty maker make?
Some context: A fast food phenomena that is sweeping the UK is The West Cornwall Pasty Company, they have branches springing up overnight (it seems) everywhere. We have one in Newbury and one in Oxford, it's fair to say they are purveyors of VERY fine Pasties indeed. Anyway, munching on my Pasty yesterday I noted that the bag bore the proud tag line, "Traditional Pasty's, Handmade in Cornwall!" Hence the question?
(I think I've worked out an answer. They sell over 6 million Pasties a year with a workforce of 400. I reckon that three quarters or these must be employed at branch level, management and distribution leaving about 100 people to produce 60, 000 Pasties a year each!)
Why does my mind get pre-occupied with obscure questions? (or is this an obscure question?)
Posted by ian at 08:45 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
November 28, 2006
Blathering about mp3 but wanting help with Camcorders
mp3 is a fantastic invention (I mean the players as well) and as inventions go, ranks right up there with Pizza, bicycles, gravity and instant coffee as far as I'm concerned. Despite me having a terrible horrible no good very bad journey this morning, I did at least have the mp3 widget playing throughy the car stereo. I love the 'shuffle' setting, just enjoying the random uncertainty of "What's next?" This morning I ended up with:
'Baby I don’t Care' Transvision vamp
'Rock me Gently' Andy Kim
'All revved up' Meatloaf
'Don’t have to tell you why' Bruce Cockburn
'All star' Smash Mouth
'Ride of the Valkyries' Wagner
'American Pie' Don Mclean
'Angel of Harlem' U2
'Angel Eyes (Techno remix)' Abba
'Back of my Hand' The Jags
And now by virtue of the genius that is the internet you can be sitting at your computer saying, "COOL!" or "NOOOOOO!" to this snapshot of my musical taste or lack thereof :-)
Now onto the reason that started my blathering about inventions, "Camcorders?" I know NOTHING! I have been given the go ahead to get one for work and really want to use it for Vox Pops type stuff so that young people's voices can be more easily included into training and the like. If you are a black belt in the art of the video then could you help me thusly ....
Best model at about £400 - £450 ish that has GOOD sound quality and comes with great but usable editting software? What other issues do I need to be aware of? What things do I need to avoid? Wisdom pleeeez?
*btw, I'm trying to work out what the person on the screen in the picture is actually doing? It looks like the've dressed up in a purple sheet and are pretending to drive a car? weird
Posted by ian at 10:54 AM | Comments (11)
November 27, 2006
For the thousandth time
Well this is the one thousandth YOUTHBLOG post and I guess that calls for a bit of celebration, so pop a spoonful of real coffee in with the Decaf, open the Jammy Dodgers and then digest some of the typically pseudo-useful nonesense that is splurged here in support of youth ministry.
Here's the stuff that's blipped maggot like across the radar screen in the last few days:
Training and development
The Centre for Youth Ministry is holding two sessions at St John's College on Wednesday 6 December. Both run from 10.30 am - 3.30 pm. 'Funding - is it a lottery?' will be a practical session led by Nigel Pimlott. 'Passion, Professionalism and Priorities: 'Youth Ministry in the 21st Century...?' will be a consultation with Iain Hoskins. E-mail for details.
The Spectrum conference for Youth work trainers is on the 15th-17th Jan. Oh and a special message to everyone who is telling me they WILL be going to Matrix ........ YOU WON'T BE UNLESS YOU GET ON AND ACTUALLY BOOK IT :-)
Also, were you aware that the National Occupational Standards for Youthwork were being re-written AND the draft copy sees the competencies increased (they now go up to 'M' eek).
Fund raising:
Here's one of those search engine jobbies that raises money everytime it's used. It's called Everyclick, link it up to your charity and get all your supporters using it and it could be quite lucrative.
Youth work Issues:
The University of Sheffield are conducting some research into SELF HARM, if you have any 14-19's with experience of SH and would like to help then there is an online questionairre here. Unusually for me I'd like to flag up an article from the Daily Mail, I thought this was a good piece on concerns about underage sex.
Camps and Residentials:
The legendary Matt Stevens runs a New Year Houseparty for teens, it's called COUNTDOWN and they still have some places left, have a look!
Anyway this being my thousandth post, I'd like to thank my Mum and dad, my agent (yeah right), everyone who has ever met me and my hair stylist. Thanks also to YOU, yes you ... for calling in whether you are a commenter or a lurker. I checked with this site this morning and Youthblog is worth $38,000 (LOL) and I'm open to offers (as long as I can stay on as writer!). Let's keep discussing, thinking, agreeing, disagreeing and debating eh ...
Shalom and trans blogospere hugs :-)
Posted by ian at 11:14 AM | Comments (4)
Bike gone Tween con
I am currently trying to write my half of a Grove book on Tweens, Ironically though the research I bumped into this weekend was an experience of Tweens I'd have preferred not to have had.
On Saturday two 10 or 11 year olds called at the door and asked (by name) for my youngest to come out and play, he thought this was great and headed out the door, he was also more than happy when they said to bring his bike out. I chatted with them and reminded them my boy was only 6 and was not allowed out of the Close. A few minutes later my son came back in tears and said they'd taken his bike. We went for a wander (I thought they were just messing about) but they had gone and so had the bike. It turns out that my son did not know the boys but I'd wrongly assumed that he did because they asked for him by name (he plays with so many kids from the Estate that me not immediately recognizing them was not a suprise). They'd called for another boy too (again by name) so they must have got the names from somebody? It also looks like they were not from our estate at all.
My son is pretty upset about the whole thing but being remarkly balanced about it, we've been praying for the boys involved and he wants to forgive them, but would like his bike back. It's given me plenty to reflect on and I wonder what their life experience has been that cynically stealing a bike from a six year old doesn't trouble them. On the plus side though I am profoundly thankful as things could have been a lot worse.
My eldest boy was a lot angrier though and without us knowing had phoned 999, which got us told off, hey ho!
Posted by ian at 06:10 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 24, 2006
It's the oven, honest
Had a blast on my visit to St Luke's youth group last night even if "Christ and the art of cycle maintenance" didn't go entirely to plan (but hey things not going to plan does 'ocassionally' happen in youth work eh!). The youth group meet in the church which is really funky inside, I've never seen a Church where there is such evidence of young people's ownership, very cool. Church on the outside, madcap youth and community hall on the inside (I'm going to have to get along to a Sunday service to see what it looks like then).
Did some bike stuff last night BUT the biggest hits in this department were riding my Brompton around, oh and seeing who could hold their thumb over the Track pump connector the longest and thus register the highest pressure (110psi).
I also got to play Pool. I got to sample some shortbread that was being made which was black on top and soft in the middle (but it was " the oven that caused that"). I saw some First aid training going on, craft stuff and had quite a laugh with the young people. Class!
Posted by ian at 04:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 23, 2006
The Kevine Epistles
In one sense I've been blogging since 1992. Now I know that this pre-dates blogs (in fact in pre dates me even having a computer) but since then I've been exchanging letters with my good friend Kevin the Canadian (now known as Kevin the Patriach) and they are so similar to my blog stylee that they seem to be a series of "posts" that were ahead of the neccessary technology. I've just had a letter from him that took him eight months to write (due to Patriarchal responsibilities) and tonight I added it to the HUGE file I have that's labelled the 'Kevine Epistles!' Flicking through the file on a whim I came across the novel that we were co-authoring and thought I'd put it on the blog in case a Publisher wants to give us huge amounts of money to finish it. (I think it's much more original and bankable than the OJ SImpson, "How I would have done it" book, thats featured in the news recently). Anyway, can I stress that it's copyright (just like proper Authors ;-) BUT here's the Ironically cliched opening:
"He was a dark and stormy knight.
He was the best at times, he was the worst at times.
Never without his faithful horse, "Thyme" his path was strewn with adventure and danger.
Once upon Thyme he came across a deserted castle. It had been deserted for a long time; sand was blowing in great drifts through the hallway, and a camel wandered disconsolately through the throne room.
The knight wondered who had lived there as he tried to dismount Thyme. But it was the end of the day, he was tired and the knight fell"
Lunacy or genius? (second thoughts, don't answer that!)
Anyway, this has nothing to do with youthwork but the previous post is a jolly useful prompt about Fire Risk Assements so you could read that. (Oh ..... and Kevin, only you could spend eight months crafting a letter to me in which your new home featured so prominently but fail to actually give me the address so I could reply!)
Posted by ian at 12:09 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
November 22, 2006
Fire Safety
When I was a Church based youth worker I had a youth building that was 'Grade 2 Star' listed and even a cursory glance revealed it to be a Fire safety challenge. I put as much safety into place as I could and then rang the Fire service to arrange for them to come and check out our precautions. However, at this point they told me that they no longer did site visits!
To which I replied, "That's a bit awkward because I'm going to struggle to get the building to you!"
I've just remembered why I started that waffly preamble. Amaze have flagged up that the 'Regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order" is now in force. This order encompasses all buildings and includes marquees, place of worship and even outdoor events. The responsibility now rests entirely with the "responsible person" ..... this is not as tautological as it sounds. If you have a responsibility for a building or event then it is down to you to have carried out and acted on a 'Fire risk Assesment"
More info here
Posted by ian at 03:43 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 21, 2006
FUSION Expo day November 25th
I have written quite a lot about FUSION and continue to believe that their apporach to mission and community is some of the most succesful youth and community work I see. They are holding an Expo day on November 25th and if you want to find out ways you can engage with community and young people then you should be there, OK!
(These guys have scared a few of our vicars with their Antipodean Enthusiasm! so be ye warned!)
ht to the dread pirate Zac for the reminder
Posted by ian at 11:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Christ and the art of Bicycle maintenance
On Thursday night I am at a church based youth group and running a session on how to fix bicycles, cool huh! Hopefully I'll get to talk a bit about my faith too.
Great is the mystery of Christ, Great is the mystery of 'V' brakes!
Tonight I'm away on a residential retreat and planning meeting with my fellow Youth Advisers, tomorrow night I'm training on Discipline (anyone got any good material?). Do I have a varied life or what? (Oh and yesterday afternoon I escaped from the office and went to watch the Bond Movie, which I loved)
OK, I got a go and drive 105 miles (ug) but fell free to leave a comment with the best or most tennuous link between bicycles/cycling and faith eh?
Posted by ian at 09:21 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 20, 2006
Enabling a Team
If you want a team to perform, maintains Paul Williams, you need to think in terms of three buckets that need to be filled. The three buckets being TRUST, VISION and FUN. I think this is a brilliantly simple analysis of the key components of a 'performing' team. Paul however goes onto make one other crucial point .....
The Vision bucket leaks and musty be regularly re-filled!
As youth workers I would guess that we're pretty good at enabling fun and trust in our teams BUT being reminded that there needs to be Vision that is regularly communicated, discussed and owned is helpful I think. There's a real danger in a church situation that the vision stays internalised with us.
Posted by ian at 08:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 18, 2006
Youthwork the conference
I had a good day at Youthwork the conference although if I ever say I am going to drive there and back in a day again you need to hit me repeatedly with a rolled up copy of youthwork the magazine!
On the drive there I was listening to some MP3s, one of the tracks that played 'randomly' was "Is she really going out with him?" by Joe Jackon. As I listened to it I mused that if anyone ever asked me what I considered to be the best first line of a song I would probably cite this song, the opening line being, "Pretty women out walking with Gorillas down my street!"
Weirdly when I returned to my car this afternoon and the Stuart Maconie show came on, the first thing he said was, "I've a text here that says the best first line of a song has to be, "Pretty women out walking with Gorillas down my street!"
Absolutely true and everso slightly weird. In turns out that one of the debates on the show that afternoon was best first lines from songs!
Posted by ian at 06:35 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 17, 2006
My fellow Woolhopians
I'm afraid this post is a little esoteric and will only be of any interest to those who've experienced the funkiest youth residential centre in the Western Spiral. As you can see the new dining suite has arrived and looks the wasps' nipples! This completes the redevelopment of the far end of the building (note also presence of radiators)
Below is the appropriate liturgy
Me: The garage is dead!
ALL: Long live the dining room!
(Now, all I need is someone to lay the tables!)
W, as they say, is for Woolhope!
Posted by ian at 11:22 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
November 16, 2006
Voice of the Nova
I'm in the middle of rural Herefordshire at the residential centre that I'm one of the trustees of. Normally I'd be here with a group but tonight it's just me as I'm expecting a delivery of furniture in the morning to kit out the refurb'd Dining room. I'm really enjoying some space to pray, think and read. What is absolutely awesome though is that it's a crisp, cold, cloud free evening and the view of the stars out here is AWESOME. You can see so many individual stars and entire clusters, FAB!
Found myself singing the Cockburn song, 'Lord of the Starfields'
'Lord of the starfields
ancient of days
Universe maker
here's a song in your praise
Voice of the nova
smile of the dew
all of our yearning
only comes home to you'
(Of course the other great thing about being here on my own is that no-one gives me grief about my misunderstood singing style)
*You can listen to a clip of the song here
Posted by ian at 10:29 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 15, 2006
Youth Ministry questions
Tim of Life in Student Ministry has asked me to scribble something down in answer to these three questions:
-- What do you see as some of the main issues youth ministry is struggling with today?
-- What do you see as some of the main issues youth ministry is responding to effectively?
-- In what ways does youth ministry need to change?
He's asked a number of people but as far as I can tell Youthblog is the only site that will be answering from a UK perspective. I want the answer to be a collabrative snapshot from collective wisdom so would appreciate your reaction!
Doesn't need to be an essay, maybe just your one line responses!
Posted by ian at 02:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Extreme Risk Assesment
I'm a firm believer in Risk Assesment but if the outcome is an attempt to eliminate ALL risk or the event won't run then this is a useful site to check out. It's down to earth and practical! I often encounter two diametrically different positions on Risk Assesment: Either the
'We don't need to do that mamby pampy pc killjoy obsessive nonsense' position
OR the
'I'm happy to say that we've scaled down all youth activity to single sex Beetle drives and a stay at home night as a result of our risk assessments!' response
I really like the site's well balanced three step guide to Risk Assement:
IDENTIFY RISKS – have a good look at what you do, where you do it and who with, and spot what could go wrong.
ANALYSE THE RISKS – decide how serious and likely the risks are.
CONTROL THE RISKS – do whatever you think is necessary to reduce the chances of things going badly wrong.
So, here's to a balanced approach to the process. Failure to find a level position on Risk Assement can render even bathtime at home complicated!
Posted by ian at 07:10 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 14, 2006
Youthbloggy Gumpf
This post is the equivelant of the vicar saying, "Before you go, there are a few things I'd like to bring to your attention!" On that basis you have a note excusing you from reading this particular entry.
I'm looking forward to being at Youthwork the Conference on Saturday and especially to having a coffee with Lewis the Hippy and Random Chris (I'll e-mail you) and anyone else who's around. I'm really interested in some discussion about Confirmation, Spirituality and Contemplative Youth Ministry, I promise not not talk about how the conference compares with Brainstormers 1992 at Brean Sands :-)
Both my regular readers will know the saga of me not going to Spring Harvest but being there(ish). Due to the ski trip I've had to change the week I won't be at Spring harvest to the week after. So I'll no longer not be at Spring Harvest for the week leading up to Easter, I will now not be there the week after :-)
Other notices. The next Network meeting for Full Timers in the Diocese of Oxford will be on Jan 30th at Clanfield (info in the post). Training opportunity on November 28th that I'll be going to in St Albans Diocese. It's called "Mission Shaped Youth" and has the tagline, "A challenge to Beige Theology" Let me know if you are interested.
I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I had a new favourite coffee shop called COMBIBOS (on gloucester Green) but that the wi-fi wasn't great. The wifi is now AOK and if you are meeting me in Oxford, this is where I will be :-)
I've had an encouraging few days: Really good welcome and engagement from a Deanery Synod last night, some good discussion with a couple of youth workers over the weekend AND had great fun running a session/dialogue on "The Bible and Sex" at a youth group on Friday night. I like my job :-)
And finally ............
There's absolutely no reason to post this photo but it cracked me up! Feel free to add a caption or even some sort of explanation!!!!!!!
Posted by ian at 12:38 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
November 13, 2006
It's going downhill
My speaking ministry is going downhill and fast! Or at least it will be as I've been invited to speak on a Ski trip at Easter.
As you can guess I'm as excited as an excited person who is very excited indeed, about the ministry opportunity as well as, of course, the skiing. It will be SO great to see my beloved Alps again and to be preaching in Switzerland.
I haven't been skiing for a few years now as family situation and finances rendered it impossible BUT going I am with the great folk at Gold Hill Holidays. Twenty two hours by coach from London to Adelboden will be a great opportunity to get to know people on the trip before we even ski eh!
I tend to sign off my e-mails with 'Shalom' but this may morph slightly in light of the forthcoming trip
Slalom my friends, slalom :-)
Posted by ian at 03:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 11, 2006
Baptismal enthusiasm
This is JUST fantastic, Great to see this Kids' passion for life in his approach to Baptism.
(the embedded video only seems to work in Firefox (doh!) so if you are using IE you'll need to click on this link.
I wonder if it was the youth pastor that put him up to it?
ht to Chris for this awesome ministry moment!
Posted by ian at 12:40 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 10, 2006
The Church you know
Brian from Rethinking Youth Ministry flagged up The Church You know. It's a great site that in it's own words:
"We love Jesus, and His Body. This love compels us to question some of the characteristics and practices we see in the church we know...and this site is our way of doing that.
We look forward to discovering with you what part each of us has in helping the church we all know to become more like Christ"
Each of the topics on the front page seems to have a short ironic video, I particularly liked the one in which the question is, Would Jesus buy a hummer? The answer being yes BUT only if he got a killer deal and could then use the vehicle for ministry! Beneath the video is then this piece (which encourages you to visit the discussion forum)
"What would Jesus do? This video is not really about kingdom economics, or whether or not it is a sin for you to buy a Hummer. That’s between you and God – and He is your judge, not us.
At its heart, it’s about the sayings, slogans, fads, and movements that come and go like Krispy Kremes at a Church potluck. What would Jesus do? What would Jabez pray? What is your ‘best life now,’ or your ‘purpose-driven church/life/tricycle?” At best, these can become cliché attempts to understand and control our life in Christ through catchy words, and at worst, they end up becoming semi-truths that allow us to justify a range of behaviors that may have nothing to do with God.
You can probably find 10 steps to physical healing, 5 steps to revival, 3 steps to a Godly marriage – but thankfully, there is only 1 step to fulfilling the will of God: love Christ"
I reckon this is a great, make you laugh then make you think site that you could really use for some group discussion. Nice!
Posted by ian at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 08, 2006
Bog Standard Office
I know that a lot of Church based youth workers have to work from home in terms of admin and the like. I also know that its difficult to create an office area that doesn't encroach on the family space. I thought then that you'd be impressed with this innovative working arrangement .......
Feel free to post any obvious (or even subtle) related jokes and wry observations!
Posted by ian at 05:05 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Trax 16 Podcast
Mike North who is is a CMS Youth Advsier, sporadic blogger and Podcast salesman dropped me a plug-a-thon for their TRAX 16 podcast, I'm listening to it now and I like it. It's aimed at young people and is an up-beat monthly programme that explores mission, discipleship and church. I'm impressed with it and especially like the way that young people are encouraged to get involved, produce jingles and content, its about their voices.
TRAX 16 bill it as:
The authentic voice of today’s young Christians:
• committed to mission locally and globally
• growing as disciples
• exploring new ways of being church
They got 800 downlaods last month and seems to be growing. See what your group make of it?
Posted by ian at 10:36 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 07, 2006
Good youth work
Good youth work opens doors to opportunities that young people may never even have imagined
Posted by ian at 10:35 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Licensed Youth Ministers
Class of 2006
Simo, Rob, Bishop Stephen, Lizzie, Rob
Oh and something that amused me ......... 
Chris from the Church does the beat box for the worship. Over coffee one of the visitors to the Licensing service was trying to refer to the beat-boxing but lacked a name for it. She referred to it (entirely positively I should add) as "Didgeridoo through your nose"
Made me laugh :-)
Posted by ian at 08:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 06, 2006
And woosh went the weekend.
I'm on a day off today which I'm really enjoying. It was a busy, full-on weekend but a good one.
Encouraging things are afoot!
On Saturday I ran a whole day on "Contemplative Youth Ministry" in the Bracknell and Ascott Deanery. Not only did a good number come and engage with Contemplative worship and with youth work BUT the group comprised volunteers, employed workers, an NSM and the Area Dean. I was so pleased with it as it felt like the ripples from the day will affect and bless all the churches in the Deanery. (If anyone else in the UK is doing training on Contemplative Youth Ministry or experimenting with it, I'd love to compare notes and share ideas?)
On Sunday it was the Licensing service for Youth Ministers who'd succesfully evidenced competancy in theology, 
youth work, preaching and leading worship. Many congratulations to Simo, Rob, Rob and Lizzie. We held the licensing at the uber funky St Laurence and it was fab having such a large congregation of St laurence young people, teens and loads of adult supporters from the Youth Ministers' churches, all particpating and engaging. The service was participative, partly reflective and some awesome beatbox, MC, voice and guitar worship. The encouraging bit was not only how well it all came together and the excitement about Gods presence and love, it was that even some of the adult supporters who I thought may be weirded-out by the service, LOVED IT! (Enormous thatnks to all the crew of St Laurence and Bishop Stephen for being so supportive and making the service happen)
I'm going to get on with the day off but wanted you to know, Encouraging things are afoot!
To God be the glory
Posted by ian at 10:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 03, 2006
not codifying the ashes
Marko flagged up a tribute to the late great Mike Yaconelli written by Bob Carlton. I lifted out the quote below as it's a great memory of Mike, but also an inspiring piece of prose about what being a follower of Christ was and can be.
“Mike punctured the oppression we experienced that faith was only right thinking - Mike reminded us of a pre-Constantinian community of Jesus-followers who blew on the flames of Jesus stories, rather than codifying the ashes of that flame into bound doctrines”
Posted by ian at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 02, 2006
State of the blog address
I'm still loving the interactivity of the blog, thanks for the help, silliness, input and fun via comments and e-mails. I find it incredible that so many youth workers stumble bleary eyed into the office at about 11:30* in the morning and check Youthblog before liberating something from the Tuck shop and naming it breakfast.
The blog is rapidly approaching it's 1000th post, this feels like an important milestone but I'm not sure what to do with it, I'm open to suggestions! Linked to this is the fact that I've been blogging for 27 months so the archive list was mahoosive. To this end you now have to click on "Show Archives" if you want to delve into the former-narrative** (The search works brilliantly though if you are looking for a particular ramble). Oh and if anyone still visits via the old address of anglican.org/youthblog, there's now a gentle reminder to update the link!
Spam continues to be an irritation but is mostly under control. Today however in a spectacular misunderstanding of the economic clout available to christian youth workers, this blog was spammed by a Private Jet charter company!???!
I've finally gotten round to applying to join IASYM (International Association for the study of Youth Ministry), I've cited this blog as evidence of my academic credentials so I'm hoping they have a sense of humour!
I also forgot to mention that I killed off "Pedallingmythoughts" as I didn't have the time to maintain two blogs. Having committed blogocide though I might have to mention bicycles from time to time here as they are very much part of my DNA (not literally of course).
Anyway thanks for reminding me when I'm being a muppet and stretching my thinking when I'm not. I'm well chuffed that so many people either pop in or hoover the text into a Newsreader.
Here's to christian youth work and ministry!
*Only teasing, I know most of you are actually at work by 11am :-)
** I continue to make up words and terms in the ridiculous hope that one of them will eventually be adopted by Pete Ward or Kenda Creasy Dean
Posted by ian at 07:35 PM | Comments (2)
We're talking Tolkein
I'm trying to put some stuff together around 'calling' and 'journeying' and was trying to find some clips from Lord of the Rings. Does anyone know whereabout it is that Gandalf says (in response to Frodo)
"All that we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us"
Also any other suggestions of relevent clips from LOTR (and whereabouts in the 3 films they are)?
Posted by ian at 08:16 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
November 01, 2006
Hill rolling extreme
Now that's the way to hill roll! Fantastic. I tried a smiliiar thing once and nearly killed myself (and lost all the money from my pockets).
Posted by ian at 12:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Learning tables is difficult
An epic tale of furniture purchase and one man's struggle with overwhelming possibilities!
I've finally managed to order the new Gopak furniture for the residential youth centre and man (person) was it ever complicated. I wanted 4 tables and 8 benches together with 8 folding chairs. No probs for an internet savvy table purchaser but I got swamped by the choice which was mahoosive. First off there are 6 different types of tables but narrowed it down very quickly with a complex economic algorithym i.e "Which are the cheapest?" but then discovered that only the 'Premier' range are advised for eating off as they don't have the natty edging strips that end up catching food in. These (obviously) were more expensive but there is no reason why I couldn't get cheaper benches! However the different ranges have different colour options so another layer of complexity while I found a suitable colour that I could get the benches and tables 
in. Now we were getting somewhere BUT the folding chairs are a different colour range!
(Decided at this point that the chairs would not match completely but I would embrace the eclectic look!)
Job done!
Nope, aaararrrrghghghgghh the tables, benches come in a myriad of height, width, length options so I ended up scurrying around the building measuring everything table-esque to glean an idea of what I needed. Finally decided that it had to be the 1520/685/698 option (genius!) for the tables and a wild guess at 1520/254/432 for the benches!
Huzzah, job done!
Well not quite, I've arranged to drive out to the residential centre on a pre-arranged day to furnish delivery of the furniture BUT the benches/tables come from a different place to the chairs meaning that they need to be delivered on different days!
This is a true story
I should point out that Gopak where very helpful every time I phoned back with the next layer of choice made. I'm not sure their call-back facility works though as they never did.