February 2008 Archives

I've been asked to do a session on 'Parents' with a group on Sunday night. Any creative ideas gratefully received :-)

Alice tagged me on a Biblical type thread. My reply below and feel free to consider yourself tagged if you'd like to blog this one

1 What translation of the Bible do you like best?

Er, the NIV (and particularly the one with ALL my notes in) for study, The NLT when I'm working with Teens, The Message for it's idiom and energy and the KJV for using the word "dung" in Philipians (the NIV loses marks here IMHO for translating the word as "rubbish")

2. Old or New Testament?

Difficult to understand one without the other (he remarks in a slightly piously theological smart-alec way) but on balance it has to be the NT as there's less that just plains weirds me out)

3. Favorite Book of the Bible?

"It's all good" quote Rev Lovejoy ..... but if pushed, John!

4. Favorite Chapter?

John 1

5. Favorite Verse? (feel free to explain yourself if you have to)

Not sure I'm comfortable anymore with lifting verses out of their context so my answer to this one is the same as above, John chapter 1

6. Bible character you think you're most like?

Timothy (apart from the obvious chronological non tie-up, i.e he was young)

7. One thing from the Bible that confuses you?

The Old Testament and Revelation

8. Moses or Paul?

Both

9. A teaching from the Bible that you struggle with or don't get?

The trinity (I mean I kind of do but at the same time I'm convinced that anyone who says they REALLY gets it means that they don't)

10. Coolest name in the Bible?

Habakkuk (which I seem to remember can mean "embraced" or "garden vegetable")

I spent the last two days co-leading the DEPTH retreat for Youth and/or Children's workers from the Diocese of Oxford. We had a fantastic group who really engaged with the process of the retreat and took seriously the fact that they were contributors as well as recipients.

The venue was Windmill Farm

The programme was geared around 4 main sessions (Now, New, Who, How) that formed the reflective matrix to look at what was and could be happening in each of the ministry situtations represented. The framework came from this book, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World and we bought a copy for each of the delegates. The matrix it provided was really useful in giving an opportunity and impetus for reflection as well as setting up 4 distinct phases for some useful input.

My favourite part though was when we gathered around the fireplace in the evening and told stories of people who's lives had impacted us or of encounters with young people that had challenged and informed our faith.

For those who wanted a copy of the chart that compared and contrasted 3 different types of Youth Ministry, it's on p184 of Contemplative Youth Ministry in Appendix 1.

A Scripture Union holiday in the Easter holidays has lost it's speaker. I said I'd post it on the blog in case you found said missing bod' .... or failing that were willing to be involved yourself.

The holiday involves a few boats sailing around the Norfolk Broads from the 5th - 12th April with a bunch of 13 - 16 year olds. The role involves leading quiet times, giving some talks and leaping majestically from boat to boat in a pastorally supportive sort of way. Being able to speak Pirate or being able to tie Bowlines are not pre-requisites (though if you are thus equipped they might, in some bizarre and as yet unimagined scenario, prove useful).

More details from me!

Rowan writing in the Guardian today (full article here)

"But, as the report's findings show, children still value actual physical companionship - which is why they want places to meet that really belong to them, or at least don't belong to adults who want to exercise constant and critical scrutiny. This ought to make us think a bit about what makes public space feel unfriendly to the young - and to realise that this includes the attitudes of some adults. The use of ultrasonic dispersal devices - the Mosquito, audible only to those under a certain age - is a sad example of an indiscriminate and knee-jerk response to a perceived problem, which only deals at best with symptoms, not causes. The Buzz Off campaign against these devices, which is strongly endorsed by the children's commissioner, deserves wide support."

Photo credit to Lewis the Weird Hippy

Over here in the Youthblog corner of the blogosphere I use Moveable Type as the programme that enables my mix of pics n' scribble to appear on your screen in at least as legible a form as when I created it. Moveable type is GREAT but always a bit ahead of my technical abilities, there are very few widgety shortcuts. For example every time I add (or delete) anyone from the blogroll I have to go into the template and play a game of html. Major changes are even more complex and I'm reliant on the help of a friend who understands CSS and other such geekery.

For a long time I have coveted* a 3 column format and felt that my blog is a bit, well ...... 2003. All attempts so far to go three column though have involved bits of code then clashing with each other and the Youthblog front page looking like a drunken donkey painted by Picasso when he didn't have his glasses on. However this week will see another attempt at messing with the DNA of the coding and attempting a tri-columnic format. Watch this space, and if it in anyway resembles Picasso Donkey, please let me know.

(* and repented, obviously)

As a work across and around 3 counties it's useful for me to be able to work from anywhere rather than always bouncing back to the office. Work provide me with a laptop but in order to legally find a bore-hole into the internet I need a subscription to a hot-spot provider. Up until now I've been handing over £11.75 a month to BT for membership of BTopenzone which means I can access the web from any McDonalds (boo!), Starbucks (slightly more Yay), Motorway service stations (OK apart from needing a mortgage to buy a coffee) and Bracknell Leisure Centre! This has worked pretty well other than the MyCloud partner sites are very unrelaible and also that BT sometimes sends me to places where they believe they have a hot-spot when in fact, they don't.

Vodafone have an offer out at the moment though which makes the BTopenzone membership look a bit lame. For £15 a month I can have internet access through the phone network and thus can work from virtually anywhere, even Woolhope Cockshoot. So I have canclled BT, embraced Vodafone and am thus highly mobile and free of my bondage to McDonalds, hooray. The offer is here if you are interested and it's worth pointing out to them that they are only the same price as the "3" network and that "3" give you the modem free!

Vodafone give you a 3 gig a month allowance which is a whole bunch of browsing (they do hit you hard if you trespass beyond that though). Also, the USB dongle has wannabe i-pod styling but works brilliantly, completely plug and play from the box.

(PS I get no commission for this plug at all BUT if you are interested in home broadband and/or phone then I still get commission from Plus.net)

Via Marko, why children Lie, well worth a read.

Did some advanced behavioural science observational fieldwork with Tweenagers over the weekend looking at socialising and peer interaction when Tweens experience both high levels of excitement and sleep-deprivation.

OK, in truth all that was a long winded way of saying my daughter had a sleepover (or a "talk-over" as we prefer to call it). Great fun had by all BUT it took me a long time to drag my carcass out of bed this morning!

Report from the Children's Rights Director for England, read it here.

Aaarrgh, never managed to blog yesterday. I'm at a conference and always imagine that I will therefore have much more time for blogging, as ever though this is not true. Having a cool time though.

I'm at St George's House in the grounds of Windsor Castle (you know you are somewhere posh when you sign in with a fountain pen!) at a forum on young people and Aids. There are some fascinating people here and some lively discussions about sexual health approaches in the UK and the role of Churches and other faith based organisations.
The presentations and discussions are all taking place in the Vicars Hall which dates from 1418 and is a pretty funky place to meet.

The coolest thing though was that last night was a private tour of St Georges Chapel which was staggeringly impressive with parts of it dating from 1240, wood carvings of supreme intricacy and the largest collection of heraldic plates in the world. It was awesome, shed loads of history and stunning architecture.

The work of Asbo

"What hypocritical loonery thinks that you can teach teenagers respect by treating them disrespectfully?"

Bishop Alan, article here!

Good to see 'informal Education' getting being included in the Education Supplement of the Guardian as the focus is normally only the formal. The article in question is about Detached youth work and is quite positive and encouragingly seems to question why local authorities have cut back on detached provision.

The main thrust of the article though is covering that Detached Youth workers are increasingly being sucked into targetted provision and/or being located for a significant amount of time in Schools. The whys, hows and wheres of their deployment is a VERY important question, which my mind re-framed as how do we stop detached work being only semi-detached.

[Graeme Tiffany] says when he first started as a detached youth worker 15 years ago, he'd knock on a school's door, tell them who he was and they'd slam the door in his face. "Now it has gone too far the other way," he says. "We worry that we are being diverted away from our community-based practice. I don't think schools in their present form are ever going to meet the needs of youngsters in deprived communities."

(related, Federation of detached youth work web site ..... Their conference is Nov 13th-15th in Wigan)

I devoured yet another mountaineering book at the weekend, but what a read: A Slender Thread by Stephen Venables, Inspiring stuff even if it does mean I'm turning into an armchair mountaineer. The next book on my to read list is Sex, Sushi & Salvation which arrived last week from the States for me to review (free book, good plan). I also need to be reading a pile of M.A stuff but more often than not I get sidelined by other books that represent my 1001 other interests, doh! My daughter went to the library twice this weekend .... that's my girl!

"I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves" Anna Quindlen

Hang on, I remember now why I started this post. I've just turned 41 so need to update my numeric biography. It's a bit self indulgent but I find it fun to try and reflect on who I am in a series of snapshots.

Attention all Shipping: The booking for DEPTH is now closed and final instructions will be snail-mailing their way towards all those who are booked in. Thank you

I was chatting with a bunch of teenagers about the names of bands, we were discussing which bands had really cool, original and creative names. Not the best groups ....... just some of the greatest names.
Some examples they came up with included 'My Chemical Romance,' 'The Foo Fighters' and 'Super Furry Animals'

Musing on this I decided my list would include:

The Mighty Wah
Ultravox
They might be Giants
Earth, Wind and Fire
Transvision Vamp
The Men They Couldn't hang
The Velvet Underground

So for fun friday, your fav' band names please. Oh and if you are looking for further amusement I highly recommend Vinyl Sleeve heads where people combine themselves and their albums into a photo! (eg above). Now that's something you can't do with a CD!

I spent last weekend at a hotel in Bournemouth (you may recall the ad') running the youth programme for a Church away weekend. The Church had specifically gone away to look at who they were and where they were going; for the chance to pray, reflect, dream and think together. Some of the sessions were all together and some involved separate groups ....... hence why myself and a fellow Yoof Wurka were working with the young people.

As part of that process we explored what the building blocks of church (community and mission) needed to be (ht to the Jonny Baker blog where I half-inched the Jenga idea from). The young people to make pipe-cleaner portraits of themselves representing the gifts, abilities and attitudes they contribute to the life of the church. We also did an impromptu trip to the beach where we wrote in the sand on the waters edge some of the important stuff of church and faith that easily gets lost or washed away if we are not committed to it.

I am loving this version of "Super Trouper" by Camera Obscura, there's something about the haunting pathos of the singers' voice and Scottish accent that is wonderful, kind of sad and hopeful at the same time. But what d'you think?
(Be patient as the player takes about 15 secs to appear)

Teenage boys and church? Any conversations you've had recently with lads about what they like/don't like about Church would be useful. Thank you!

We've had a German friend living with us for the last 6 weeks which has been great fun. We've had lots of laughs, endless discussions about language and some hilarious games of bi-lingual scrabble! Before she left yesterday though she gave me a present having being amused that I didn't actually own an ice scraper for the car. I am now, therefore, the proud owner of a pink fur lined delux ice-scraper! Frosty mornings? Bring 'em on!

I picked this up via Random Chris: A new language is being developed by mobile phone-addicted kids based on the predictive text of their treasured handsets. Key words are replaced by the first alternative that comes up on a mobile phone using predictive text -- changing "cool" into "book", "awake" into "cycle", "beer" into adds", "pub" into "sub" and "barmaid" into "carnage". (direct quote from this article)

In a desperate attempt to be hip (*laughing*) I shall of course be adopting Textonyms in the text of Youthblog (book, eh?) and as any attempt to type 'pew' with T9 predictive txt produces instead, 'sex' ....... you can expect some quite weird writing when I'm referring to the seats in Churches :-)

I spotted this particular tag thing on the blog of the Steve and enjoyed the read but thought no more of it. But Steve tagged David Keen who has in turn tagged me. So, Lo ...... my turn, aha:

The rules as given are thus.

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five other people.

I don't normally do these things but this is not from some snobby elitist blogging ideal, it's mainly 'cos I don't get tagged. But having been tagged I'm up for giving it a go. I fought the temptation to go and find a really intellectual tome and instead grabbed the book I have just finished reading. It's Dark Shadows Falling by Joe Simpson, a reflection on ethics and morality in high altitude climbing wrapped within the story of a climbing expedition in Nepal.

P123, sentence 5-7: "After the second day of driving snow the jagged moraines upon which we had camped were carpeted in a smooth white cloak of powder which hid the ankle breaking rocks beneath. As I trudged up the short slippery incline towards the mess tent, I noticed the line of prayer flags from the puja ceremony was collapsing under the weight of snow. The altar had completely disappeared."

I wonder if one of the effects of this tag series is going to be a lot of authors wishing they'd worked a little bit harder on the crafting of page 123? Anyway I'm going to tag, Doc Bush, Lewis, Random Chris, Richard & Amanda.

But hey, if you read this and want to put your nearest p123 into the comments then that would be fun too ....

Grahame has been busy writing outlines for evenings again. Click here and you'll find a list of them on the left hand side of his Insight blog.
Thanks Grahame :-)

Doc Brush sent me a link to the Youthwork Practice site which has a ton of stuff on it. I was muchly amused with this idea for a Stone age themed camp on there! (I haven't had time to check out everything on there, so there may be more bizarre nugget

....... Can you REALLY imagine the guys in your youth group wanting to act like Neanderthals for a day? ;-)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

My prayers are with Rowan today and my frustration is with our soundbite culture. It seems the 'media' champion freedom of speech unless they decide that they do not approve of statements, questions or discussions that arise. Overall though I am even more saddened at 'Christians' that have revelled in the chance to put the knife in.

Nothing I could write though would be as good or as useful as Bishops Alan's posts here and here, so I recommend you pop on over to his virtual abode.

Also, you might want to read all of what Rowan had to say.

Exploring the far reaches of the attic I was amazed to find an old violin and a framed oil painting. You can imagine my delight when I discovered they were in fact a Stradivarius and a Rembrant. Sadly though the violin had been made my Rembrant and the picture painted by Stradivarius!

(Relevence to youthwork, er ........ none. Chances of a vicar finding this and using it in this Sundays sermon, high)

Andy is trying to find out a bit more about how young people use the net, SN sites etc and has posted a survey on his web site. Over to you .............

I was at a MENCAP Centre last night as I'd taken the projector and screen along for a film night they were having for their youth group. (This was because I'd been to one of their film nights last year and all the young people were crowded around a small combi video and TV struggling to see/hear so I said that they should give me a shout next time).

I was talking to the chief exec of the centre and I explained that I was a Church Youth Worker. To which she replied, "Yes, I was aware that lots of churches had got fed up with the local authority youth work(ers) and had got their own!"

I thought this was an interesting conclusion about why the Church employ youth workers?

Got home last night to find my daughter had been doodling. In all there were 7 pages of cartoons but I particularly liked the idea she had been playing with of animals reacting to various things. I reckon her doodling is Dave Walker meets James Thurber. Sadly they don't scan too well as she insists on using a thin blue pen ........ oh and I hope you'll forgive this soppy dad type post :-)

On the 9th or 10th of April there will be a crunch meeting to work out whether the Matrix conference* has a future. There is a distinct lack of people/organisations with organisational time available and the wherewithall to underwrite the conference or to buy a guaranteed number of places.

This is incredibly frustrating and an outworking of the fact that most Christian youthwork posts are locally funded with no central funding or organisation, and with only some sort of networked support. I'll be talking to the network of Diocesan Youth Advisers to see if there is anything we can collectively do.

But a question?
Is Matrix important? Are there other get-togethers that bring together employed practitioners in this way?
Is it time to consider an entirely different model?
...... and if the Matrix is important, how do we make it happen?

*IMHO The Matrix conference is/was the BEST and most useful bringing together of employed Christian Youth Workers

If you can get to Oxford on March 13th then you can have a day with Ann Holt on the Youthworker as theologian. Download file

If you can get to London on March 1st you can be in dialogue on 'Working with young people across faiths' Download file

Tonight, BBC2 Programme on classification of (and harm caused by) various drugs. Alchohol comes out as a class 'A' Check out Horizon.

Exactly what it says on the can, check it out

Happy Pancakes everyone :-)

One of my favourite churches in the Diocese is a wooden building that sits in the middle of a less affluent area of Oxford. It has a long history with the community and as far back as I can find information, young people have been at the heart of what the church is about. (They have these wonderful photo albums going back 30 years that record the life of the church and community).

What really impressed me though was their confirmation prep' with a bunch of young people. The young people and the leaders made a series of mosaics whilst talking about faith and life, exploring what being a christian means. The mosaics were then incorporated into the screen at the front of the church. I really loved this whole approach as:

> It involved creativity and doing
> It involved conversation and discussion in the context of being and working together
> It produces a method that promoted discussion rather than just the imparting of information
> When the work was incorporated into the fabric of the building it communicated volumes to the young people in terms of them being welcome and part of that worshipping community.

Fab eh!

Spirituality and Doctor Who
An exploration of spirituality through Doctor Who
Sat 19th April 2008

"Why is the new version of Doctor Who such a huge success, with ratings going through the roof, regular Christmas specials and episodes commissioned up to 2010? Is it the strength of the acting and writing? The state-of-the-art special effects? The family appeal? The monsters and sense of imagination? Yes, it is all of these things. But maybe the series is also touching people’s need for - and understanding of - myth and spirituality"

Here goes with a mega splurge of what's what and what's not in the Universe of Youth Ministry. If there's helpful stuff for you here then great, if not please complain to the Managing Director of the World Wide Web!
Er ........

If you were at the SoulNet retreat this weekend then I hope you had the best and most refreshing of times (and made it out of the pool for some of the programme?), let me know how it went eh? The LOVE edition of Streetbrand magazine is about to come out! The Youth Alpha Conference is coming up fast, 21st - 22nd of Feb I think?
I'm at a consultation conference thing at Windsor on the 21st - 23rd Feb on Aids and Young People, is anyone else going or am I going to be a Norman-no-mates? There is a Youth work training weekend at 'London School of Theology" on April 11th - 13th, if you are interested send an e-mail to LBC.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide have launched a youth resource project called Outcry, wanna know more? click here.
Scripture Union have launched Word Live, kind of the Bible to-go, the word in drive-thru convenience!

I was invited to do a session on e-youth work at Chester University for the Christian Youth Work course, looking at use of Social Networking et al. Sadly I have no Thursdays free this term so I've had to decline BUT they still URGENTLY need someone. Let me know if you are willing, able and suitably equipped and I'll pass your details on. Ta

Of Diocesan Interest only:

Mentoring Training and Intro in Buckinghamshire. Download file
The Forgiveness Project visits Reading University in February. This is a very powerful exhibition and some great opportunities to for listening and interaction. Could be dynamite for an older youth group. Details here.

And Finally: (a competition)

YS Marko is in London this week! 5 points for spotting him, 15 points for a photo with him and 30 points for a mention on his blog!

Don't you hate in when you are playing table football and your opponent just blindly spins a row at crazed speed?
If not though, you may want to adopt the technique below!

The week before last I had the privilege of spending the day at Lambeth Palace along with my fellow Diocesan Youth Officers from around the country. We were in discussion with Rowan about Youth Ministry in and through the Church and exploring the issues that we see and experience in work with young people. The Archbishop had a very perceptive understanding of youthwork/ministry and he reflected that the key question that he saw churches needing to grapple with was, How to get past the ‘how do we entertain them’ question to the ‘how do they grow?’ question?
We had a wide ranging but useful and practical discussion and I was, as ever, impressed with the Archbishops' wisdom, humility and desire to engage with young people. (Check out the interview from Oi magazine for an example). He is a man who listens to young people, not because he has to but because he wants to.

This is the second time I have been to Lambeth, the last time was with a bunch of young people. On both the occasions I have been in conversation with Rowan I have been so blessed by the time with him, not because he's the Archbishop but because of who he is as a person. Rowan is a deeply Godly man who moves easily from laughter to considered and honest dialogue, I get the impression of him being in a role that he doesn't actually want but is willing to serve fully in as this is where he is called to be.

One of the things that saddens me as I travel out and about is the harsh and judgmental things some of the christians I meet say about the Archbishop. Often what's being voiced is just a regurgitation of some tabloid nonsense but nevertheless it is re-voiced with conviction and becomes an 'informed' opinion of mistrust or dislike of the Archbishop.

For what it's worth though I wanted to record that Dr Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury is for me a tremendous source of hope and inspiration as we struggle to live out the calling of Jesus across the church and in the communities we serve.

In our sinful state it's more our ability to follow that's the problem.

As I write this I think about the Eucharist that Rowan led simply and powerfully in the chapel at Lambeth 10 days ago and how much I was moved by the service and words of the Archbishop. I also think about being sat on the floor a couple of years ago at Lambeth with Rowan and a group of young people, eating Pizza and sharing stories.

Useful stats and stuff from Steve and Mark, bloggers both .... and authors of whose books I have read This is a meaningless fact just to pad out the blog post a little but the phrasing of this fact does serve to illustrate how complex prepositions* are eh? (thus further padding out this post).

* Talking of the complexities of prepositions, see below

Aha ...... I'm back.

Wow, have my son and I had fun; it was an awesome adventure! The whole trip came together really well right from the generous hospitality of a Youthblog reader and his family (thanks Paul) prior to the flight through to great fun travelling, fun in the mountains, mad snow, great laughs, wonderful hosts on a farm in Austria and a good journey home! I'm back at the computer trying to focus on the e-mails not drift back in my mind to the mountains.

This is the farm/gasthof where we stayed

Having only experienced a light dusting on snow where we live in the south my boy was so excited that there was a couple of feet or more for miles around. He still was thinking in terms of English snow though and our hosts were highly amused when he came down to breakfast excitedly shouting, "wow, the snow is STILL here!"

We did some sledging (including some good wipeouts in whiteout conditions) but my boy was happy just being in the snow whether it was snowball fights (lots), walks, exploring or just being. He also got a real kick out of walking across the frozen crust of the snow drifts knowing that he could confidently bound across the surface but an adult was too heavy and I'd wade from newly created crater to crater as my feet sank.

For those who know my long term efforts to learn German, you'll be amused (incredulous) to know that it is starting to come together and for the most part I didn't need to revert to English. I make no claims about grammatical accuracy though :-)

(thanks to everyone who has asked about the trip ....... you are duly warned that I am armed with photo's and stories of the adventure and ready to inflict them on people at a moments notice)