One of the boys has stopped coming to the wednesday night club and so me and a colleague decided one evening to go round to his house and check he was okay. I've probably told myself hundreds of times that the best way to engage with a community is to live in it but recently i've struggled with that concept probably becuase i've found this community a bit scary. But on this night when we visited this house i had one of the best expereinces of my year so far.
As we arrived at the high rise building where he lived we noticed he and his brother were standing on the street about 100yds away. Brilliant i thought, now i dont have to climb the hundreds of stairs or get in the lift where guys have unrinated against the buttons...(true story). we got a really warm reception from the boys as we greeted them....Perhaps becuase they saw this visit as special treatment (indeed it was, we visited becuase we cared). I asked why he had stopped coming to club and he explained about one of the other boys annoying him. I explained that if he were to come back i'd keep a close eye on the other boy and try to make sure he left him alone. The boy still didn't seem to keen on coming back to club and so we just chatted for a while and then left. On our way back out of the area we met another boy (named Papa) who is probably one of the nicest kids i've met. Very layed back and always smiling. I asked him about football and how he was getting on.... he explained he was doing fine and might come back to football club at some point (inconsistency is our biggest problem). While we were talking to Papa some other kids came by and asked us who we were....we explained to them that we wroked for the Community Hub at Church.co.uk. They seemed interested. At that point a door opened an a woman looked out. Suspiciously she asked who we were (and why we were talking to her kids) and we explained about Church.co.uk. She also seemed very interested and we chatted for about ten minutes. In the end she offered to promote our work to other mums and she also said that she would send her kids to some of the available clubs..... It was so nice to be in the community engaging with people and getting to know them. Afterall the better we know the community the more relevant our services will be.
The following day it was kids club and the boy we had spoken to was back.....Appeared to have a great time.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Welcoming Tide....Incoming
The 'Bottom' of the country
Sam and Kat playing chicken with the tide... Basically you have to see how close you can get to the incoming tide without getting wet. Kat inevitably got very wet shoes...she fell
Sam and Kat playing chicken with the tide... Basically you have to see how close you can get to the incoming tide without getting wet. Kat inevitably got very wet shoes...she fell
The underwear trial at Eastbourne
I’m running out of socks…..
I think the story I’m about to write verges on innapropriate in the sense that I’m about to discuss the topic of underwear. However, I ask that you read this with an open mind….I’m not about to tell you how often I change my underwear or discuss ‘going commando’.
Over the weekend I worked at Youthwork the conference in Eastbourne (lovely little place). It’s right on the bottom (bottom!! Ha….) of the country. For one whole weekend the little city of Eastbourne was engulfed by Youthworkers (that’s a scary thought when you think about your own expereince of youthworkers). I have to say that some youthworkers struggled without any kids being there. I suppose it’s a bit like a drug addict going without drugs for a weekend… They shake, they sweat…. So, as you can imagine Eastbourne was quite a sight. The basic outline of the event is for Youthworkers to congregate and discuss new methods of doing youthwork. My job was to steward which, involved guiding, smiling and engaging….Things I enjoy doing. One South African guy actually told me I was a fantastic steward.
What was also nice was that I got to leave my institutional home for the weekend. We were booked in at the Carlton Hotel, easily identified by it’s pink exterior. It wasn’t five star but I was just glad for a room with a carpet and a shower….The shower was heaven sent. If you weren’t aware, I don’t have a shower in my ex health centre home. As a steward at Eastbourne we were well looked after. We had backstage passess where the lounge was constantly filled with food and drinks to keep our energy levels up. In the morning we got croissants and in the evening £10 vouchers to eat wherever we wanted in Eastbourne…. I think we deserved it considering a steward works three 15 hour days. As I write this I’m very tired mainly because I didn’t get a break at the weekend…Although, however tired there is always something to keep you smiling at Church.co.uk. Whether it’s the ten toddlers who attend Hullabaloo on Thursday mornings or the kids at football group….sometimes a latte from the coffee shop provides a nice kick. On most days I’m motivated by the team around me. Always laughing, always joking….. Although having my accent copied has ceased to be humerous.
Okay, so I was in Eastbourne…. It first struck me on arrival at Eastbourne train station that I’d forgot to bring a change of boxers and socks….. Oh oh I though to myself. As a steward (face of the conference) you need to look fresh and clean. Clean underwear only helps to set you up for the day. I decided that I would clean my underwear each night and let it dry on the radiator over night so it would be ready for the morning. First night came, washed my stuff in the sink… and in the morning they were fresh and dry. I remember thinking that I might never take spare underwear away with me again… Cleaning in the sink was the way forward.
The second night came and I started the process of cleaning….Running the hot water, adding soap….Then I heard the football on the TV and I ran out the bathroom to catch Match of the Day. Sam my room-mate came in at the end of the football and we chatted for a while before going to sleep. Now, had Sam gone to the toilet before he went to his bed what happened might not have happened. I remember us having a discussion about bladder control and Sam saying that he could need the toilet before bed but keep it in until the morning (potentially dangerous if you ask me, potential for accidents!!). Because Sam or I never went to the toilet after I had put my underwear in the sink I woke to find them still happily floating in the now grubby water. Rubbish! I thought as visions of a day with wet underwear on flashed through my head…. Luckily my team mates were able to lend me some spares they had brought with them. Clean brown socks from James..... and nice pink nickers from Karin...........!
(Just for those who have slight concerns about me, i was joking about the nickers thing....!)
I think the story I’m about to write verges on innapropriate in the sense that I’m about to discuss the topic of underwear. However, I ask that you read this with an open mind….I’m not about to tell you how often I change my underwear or discuss ‘going commando’.
Over the weekend I worked at Youthwork the conference in Eastbourne (lovely little place). It’s right on the bottom (bottom!! Ha….) of the country. For one whole weekend the little city of Eastbourne was engulfed by Youthworkers (that’s a scary thought when you think about your own expereince of youthworkers). I have to say that some youthworkers struggled without any kids being there. I suppose it’s a bit like a drug addict going without drugs for a weekend… They shake, they sweat…. So, as you can imagine Eastbourne was quite a sight. The basic outline of the event is for Youthworkers to congregate and discuss new methods of doing youthwork. My job was to steward which, involved guiding, smiling and engaging….Things I enjoy doing. One South African guy actually told me I was a fantastic steward.
What was also nice was that I got to leave my institutional home for the weekend. We were booked in at the Carlton Hotel, easily identified by it’s pink exterior. It wasn’t five star but I was just glad for a room with a carpet and a shower….The shower was heaven sent. If you weren’t aware, I don’t have a shower in my ex health centre home. As a steward at Eastbourne we were well looked after. We had backstage passess where the lounge was constantly filled with food and drinks to keep our energy levels up. In the morning we got croissants and in the evening £10 vouchers to eat wherever we wanted in Eastbourne…. I think we deserved it considering a steward works three 15 hour days. As I write this I’m very tired mainly because I didn’t get a break at the weekend…Although, however tired there is always something to keep you smiling at Church.co.uk. Whether it’s the ten toddlers who attend Hullabaloo on Thursday mornings or the kids at football group….sometimes a latte from the coffee shop provides a nice kick. On most days I’m motivated by the team around me. Always laughing, always joking….. Although having my accent copied has ceased to be humerous.
Okay, so I was in Eastbourne…. It first struck me on arrival at Eastbourne train station that I’d forgot to bring a change of boxers and socks….. Oh oh I though to myself. As a steward (face of the conference) you need to look fresh and clean. Clean underwear only helps to set you up for the day. I decided that I would clean my underwear each night and let it dry on the radiator over night so it would be ready for the morning. First night came, washed my stuff in the sink… and in the morning they were fresh and dry. I remember thinking that I might never take spare underwear away with me again… Cleaning in the sink was the way forward.
The second night came and I started the process of cleaning….Running the hot water, adding soap….Then I heard the football on the TV and I ran out the bathroom to catch Match of the Day. Sam my room-mate came in at the end of the football and we chatted for a while before going to sleep. Now, had Sam gone to the toilet before he went to his bed what happened might not have happened. I remember us having a discussion about bladder control and Sam saying that he could need the toilet before bed but keep it in until the morning (potentially dangerous if you ask me, potential for accidents!!). Because Sam or I never went to the toilet after I had put my underwear in the sink I woke to find them still happily floating in the now grubby water. Rubbish! I thought as visions of a day with wet underwear on flashed through my head…. Luckily my team mates were able to lend me some spares they had brought with them. Clean brown socks from James..... and nice pink nickers from Karin...........!
(Just for those who have slight concerns about me, i was joking about the nickers thing....!)
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Dog.... a mans best friend
Charlie the dog now a very good friend of mine....I usually hate dogs but this dog is the best i've ever met.... he's immense. Playful, doesn't smell, doesn't drool, always up for a laugh and a great listener!
When God made me he broke the mould (the egg has hatched)....accompanied by charlie the dog
Me and Steve from my team enjoying the autumn leaves... looks like something from a menswear catalogue
When God made me he broke the mould (the egg has hatched)....accompanied by charlie the dog
Me and Steve from my team enjoying the autumn leaves... looks like something from a menswear catalogue
Church included in this Blog for the good of the Church
Dave (senior minister) was leading training this week on ‘urban church’. Really interesting stuff that left me feeling really inspired to learn as much from this year as possible…. What does urban church look like? Or perhaps I should phrase it how does our urban church (Church.co.uk) look? It looks pretty inclusive I’d say. I think the majority of the people in our church are people that have been rejected by other churches. Rejected referring to not being supported to be themselves or not being supported during a difficult time in their life…. If that doesn’t quite make sense then here are a couple of examples of inclusive church that Dave gave us at training.
After the morning service Dave was approached by one of the men in the congregation. The guy told him that he had been attending the church for two weeks and felt that he’d like to make it his regular place of attendance. He enjoyed the people attending the church and felt at home. However, he explained to Dave, there was one slight problem…. he was gay. Dave said ‘cool’. A little surprised, the guy asked what the churches policy on homosexuality was? Dave asserted that the church didn’t have a policy on homosexuality and that he was more than welcome. Still not knowing how to respond the guy asked Dave if he considered homosexuality to be a sin. Dave responded: “If homosexuality is a sin then you’re a sinner but that makes you just like me and everyone else in this church…sinners”.
The other story Dave told my training group was about a couple that approached him to dedicate their child. Dave agreed when they initially asked him. However, when it came to getting their details it became apparent that they were not married and had two kids together. Dave decided to dedicate the child despite the parents not being married. It would be interesting to know how other churches would have reacted. Anyway a couple of weeks after the child had been dedicated the parents had continued to attend the church. After one service they approached Dave and asked him to marry them….I think the stories a very powerful witness of what God will do if we open ourselves up to people.
Inclusive church takes risks, and I suppose is willing to include the people that other churches might not. When I was visiting Brighton the advocacy team I met told me about their unique selling point. It was “we work with the people other organisations don’t want to”. In a sense churches unique selling point should be to “involve the people that society other parts of society doesn’t”….
After the morning service Dave was approached by one of the men in the congregation. The guy told him that he had been attending the church for two weeks and felt that he’d like to make it his regular place of attendance. He enjoyed the people attending the church and felt at home. However, he explained to Dave, there was one slight problem…. he was gay. Dave said ‘cool’. A little surprised, the guy asked what the churches policy on homosexuality was? Dave asserted that the church didn’t have a policy on homosexuality and that he was more than welcome. Still not knowing how to respond the guy asked Dave if he considered homosexuality to be a sin. Dave responded: “If homosexuality is a sin then you’re a sinner but that makes you just like me and everyone else in this church…sinners”.
The other story Dave told my training group was about a couple that approached him to dedicate their child. Dave agreed when they initially asked him. However, when it came to getting their details it became apparent that they were not married and had two kids together. Dave decided to dedicate the child despite the parents not being married. It would be interesting to know how other churches would have reacted. Anyway a couple of weeks after the child had been dedicated the parents had continued to attend the church. After one service they approached Dave and asked him to marry them….I think the stories a very powerful witness of what God will do if we open ourselves up to people.
Inclusive church takes risks, and I suppose is willing to include the people that other churches might not. When I was visiting Brighton the advocacy team I met told me about their unique selling point. It was “we work with the people other organisations don’t want to”. In a sense churches unique selling point should be to “involve the people that society other parts of society doesn’t”….
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Friendly trips to London....
Just the average weekend...... Friday spent visiting an advocacy service in Brighton (see picture below)....The beautiful Brighton Beach
Saturday/Sunday spent with good friends......Waterloo Station
Saturday/Sunday spent with good friends......Waterloo Station
The South Bank... looking over to the tower bridge
Some stunning contemporary London art and a picture of some guy with sunglasses.....
Friday, November 10, 2006
more than a game of football
It may not seem like it, but i do more than play football here. However, to find out the other things i do you'll have to keep checking my future posts becuase again today i'm going to focus on Football. What strikes me is that it's more than just a game... I'm not sure everyone will agree but for me it's a constructive way to release a weeks worth of stress. For others its just a reason to fight (some will remember the infamous Ped of Friday Night Chrisitian Football) For most it's a way of keeping fit.... Tonight its 11 to 18 year olds football and no doubt some will come to fight, others to laugh and some to show off to their mates. In fact i haven't been running this football for a couple of weeks due to half term breaks and friends staying but tonight i return to the theatre of theatrics that is our football field.
Last time i ran this football session i was put in charge due to the absence of my two more expereinced colleagues Tim and Pete. It's always a little tense during the games becuase the group is made up of kids from different areas so in a sense different gangs come together to play football. Most of the time when it's well refereed there are no problems but when its not well refereed chaos can erupt. Now, it wasn't becuase i was a poor referee that chaos erupted on that night i think it was more that the two leaders who have developed the best relationships with the kids were absent. Therefore the element of respect the kids have for them was absent.
It all started when one of the boys accidently kicked the ball in anothers face. A shouting matched was the result but i managed to settle everything down with my whistle and my scottish slang. Problem was that the two boys had history and the ball in the face incident opened up old wounds and as soon as the game finished the two went for each other. Again we managed with the help of the older males to control it but it became inevtiable that they were going to fight at some point that night whether under our supervision or not. We managed to get all the boys off the pitch and onto the street so they could begin to walk home. However, instead it turned into a massive circle with the two fighters in the centre squaring up. From what i could see the guys i knew from football had turned into fighting machines, they had tensed up and were totally focused on the other person. Normally jolly guys who were laughing and joking looked angry and serious as if this was about more than just a ball kicked in the face. Instead it was about pride, territory and reputation. It was very scary to watch. It was even scariar to know that i was in some way responsible for the kids and the leaders. I really didn't know what to do.... But i remembered thinking that whilst we were outside the pitch the football session was over and the kids had a respnsability to make their own way home. Was my safety and the other leaders more important here, i also remember thinking! But i also saw that this fight could get messy especially as both boys were supported by groups of peers. The best option i thought was to try and get the group to the main road two hundred yards away where the mass of people and street lights would surely distract the situation. Instead the whole situation kicked off, a punch was thrown and another then all the boys from one group jumped in and it became a five on one mass. Then realising how unfair it was other guys jamp in to pull them apart. As the boys separated the male who had been ganged up on ran for the main street and i breathed i sigh of relief knowing that he might run home and the whole thing would de-escalate.
Not that simple, instead the running away male shouted a load of abuse about the other guys mum and the whole thing really kicked off. As a result of shouting he was chased by the guy he had offended with his comment and all that guys mates. Instead of keep running for the main road he turned round and ran back towards the oncoming group of males and was tripped up and beaten pretty badly. Again the wider group of guys there stepped in to pull them apart. One of the other leaders took the hurt boy and walked him briskly home whilst i and another leader stayed back with the group of boys to try and slow them down. The whole thing was crazy and left me feeling really shaken.
I tried the night it happened to write about it for my Blog but i struggled, mainly becuase i was still really affected by the whole thing. Now i feel more clear about the situation in my head and after i've written this i'm attending a conflict resolution session with the group of boys to discuss their actions. How will it go..... I'll let you know
Last time i ran this football session i was put in charge due to the absence of my two more expereinced colleagues Tim and Pete. It's always a little tense during the games becuase the group is made up of kids from different areas so in a sense different gangs come together to play football. Most of the time when it's well refereed there are no problems but when its not well refereed chaos can erupt. Now, it wasn't becuase i was a poor referee that chaos erupted on that night i think it was more that the two leaders who have developed the best relationships with the kids were absent. Therefore the element of respect the kids have for them was absent.
It all started when one of the boys accidently kicked the ball in anothers face. A shouting matched was the result but i managed to settle everything down with my whistle and my scottish slang. Problem was that the two boys had history and the ball in the face incident opened up old wounds and as soon as the game finished the two went for each other. Again we managed with the help of the older males to control it but it became inevtiable that they were going to fight at some point that night whether under our supervision or not. We managed to get all the boys off the pitch and onto the street so they could begin to walk home. However, instead it turned into a massive circle with the two fighters in the centre squaring up. From what i could see the guys i knew from football had turned into fighting machines, they had tensed up and were totally focused on the other person. Normally jolly guys who were laughing and joking looked angry and serious as if this was about more than just a ball kicked in the face. Instead it was about pride, territory and reputation. It was very scary to watch. It was even scariar to know that i was in some way responsible for the kids and the leaders. I really didn't know what to do.... But i remembered thinking that whilst we were outside the pitch the football session was over and the kids had a respnsability to make their own way home. Was my safety and the other leaders more important here, i also remember thinking! But i also saw that this fight could get messy especially as both boys were supported by groups of peers. The best option i thought was to try and get the group to the main road two hundred yards away where the mass of people and street lights would surely distract the situation. Instead the whole situation kicked off, a punch was thrown and another then all the boys from one group jumped in and it became a five on one mass. Then realising how unfair it was other guys jamp in to pull them apart. As the boys separated the male who had been ganged up on ran for the main street and i breathed i sigh of relief knowing that he might run home and the whole thing would de-escalate.
Not that simple, instead the running away male shouted a load of abuse about the other guys mum and the whole thing really kicked off. As a result of shouting he was chased by the guy he had offended with his comment and all that guys mates. Instead of keep running for the main road he turned round and ran back towards the oncoming group of males and was tripped up and beaten pretty badly. Again the wider group of guys there stepped in to pull them apart. One of the other leaders took the hurt boy and walked him briskly home whilst i and another leader stayed back with the group of boys to try and slow them down. The whole thing was crazy and left me feeling really shaken.
I tried the night it happened to write about it for my Blog but i struggled, mainly becuase i was still really affected by the whole thing. Now i feel more clear about the situation in my head and after i've written this i'm attending a conflict resolution session with the group of boys to discuss their actions. How will it go..... I'll let you know
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Borat the movie, insight or the truth
I'm sure everyone is aware that Borat the movie is now playing in Local cinemas. I went to see it with some guys from work including senior minister of Church.co.uk Dave. It's a very funny film, mainly becuase his humour is based on 'shock factor'. He says the things that other people wouldn't. After my Blog yesterday i got a comment from a friend which made me think about this film. Basically i was trying to think of the times i'd been shocked at the hypocracy of Christians. Now no-one is perfect and i too am not perfect (a shock to some i know) at times i will be a hypocrite to the faith i support. However, at one point in the Borat movie (the film is filmed with real people, in real situations) he is having dinner with some southern american VIP's. Around the table is a senator (i think) a pastor and their wives. Towards the end of the meal Borat invites a prosititute to the house where they are dining. When the Bell rings he gets up and goes to answer the door. Upon seeing the inappropriately dressed woman (and realising what she was) the guests at the dinner table become very agitated. The Pastor get's up from the table and say's in a statement way "i'm sorry i can't be here anymore" suggesting that this was an atmosphere too uncomfortable for him. Jesus walked comfrotably amongst all people despite their actions. The man who plays that pastor had an opportunity in that Film to be a tremendous witness to the world that Jesus lives....instead he wasn't. Like me I'm sure many others feel their fighting against this sort of 'christian' action. When this bit in the film happened Dave the senior pastor cringed and hid under his jumper....
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Friends to the end
Friends are great things. Their the people that allow you to be yourself, they have the ability to make you laugh like no one else can and they are the people who you can offload your problems onto. I have some great friends made both through the church and outside the church. Taking the friends who don't go to church to church is always a difficult one. Mainly for me becuase i dont want them to feel like i'm imposing my values on them. Often i'll be chatting to someone and we'll talk about church and they'll be interested but i always feel there is a barrier in our conversation perhaps becuase people feel negative about the term church. A lot of my friends went to Sunday school and then stopped going to church when they became too old to attend.... why is it that there wasn't things in place that would hold people's attention. Obviously as people approach teenage life they begin to question the world around them and question whether this christianity thing they've been told about in Sunday school is really true. Exploring is a wonderful thing when your young.... i remember the first time i was allowed into town by myself, wow! The responsability made me feel so old. I also remember the first time i really i was asked whether i was a christian.
I was 12 and at Scripture Union camp... This leader approached me and a friend and asked if we wanted to accpept God into our lives. I hadn't really thought about it but felt it was a really big decision. I then remember the leader asking us if we wanted him to pray for us.. My friend said 'no' and I without wanting or knowing what was right said 'yes'. After he prayed he told me i was now a christian and i remember feeling awful.... that some massive responsability was now being placed on me... to be something i wasn't ready to be. That night we had an evening meeting and afterwards i approached the leaders to talk about how i felt. As soon as they took me into the office i burst into tears and explained that i didn't want to be a chrisitan.... i wasn't ready. They explained that it was okay and that i didn't have to be a christian if i didn't want to. They also explained to me that being a chrisitian wouldn't change me much...Anyway i left the meeting deciding i wasn't a chrisitian becuase it was a bit scary. I felt so pressured by that Scripture Union leader and i've never forgotten it. I suppose it's affected the way i apporach people when we're talking about God.
I've gone totally off track there, this wasn't what i intended to write when i started out... but i love that about writing freely (There's always the chance you'll offend but then again sometimes your words will inspire). My two closest friends G and T (they asked to be referred to as this because of my approach to people in earlier Blogs). No, i'm not referring to Gin and Tonic as in my alcohol addiction (don't worry mum and dad) but my friends G and T (all sounds a bit mad really, am i going mad.... voice in head says nobody reads this). Right, my two friends came down at the weekend and we had a great time laughing, partying, socialising and partying and laughing. First thing they did when they arrived as take me out for Tea... No questions asked, they did it without thinking... and reassured when i offered to pay that i need not worry about money when with them. They've always been like that to me. I know a lot of generous people but these two have since i first met them been the most servant like people. They support when i'm weak they care about my family and my other friends. And their outward actions towards others are amazing. They're nice people to be around.
Their not Chrisitans but support me completely in my faith (another great thing about them). They came to church with me on Sunday and in the past they've come to church back home. On Sunday we were asked during the service to write encouraging cards for one another, it was a great idea. I instantly knew who too write my encouragement cards too, G and T. Afterall they were sat right beside me. Perhaps at this point i was in a position to encourage them to take a step of faith (some people might have) but inside i felt only a need to encourage the people they were. For me they're actions are like that of Jesus and i feel no pressure that they should become chrisitians. I feel confident from what isee in them that the God i know works through them. I know what i'm writing is slightly contraversial but recently i've been thinking about the term chrisitian and whether it matches up to say christlike (follower of Jesus!)..... I know lot's of followers of Jesus who call themselves christians and i know lots of people similar to jesus who don't call themselves christian! These thoughts are only those of a young man on a journey to find God and Jesus in the world. I love what i read about Jesus and i follow him becuase he offers me direction in such a messy world, direction to help those who are suffering. Someone said to me the other day that if Jesus came back we'd kill him..... just like we did before becuase he'd be so contraversial and so unlike what we have made him. He's the coolest guy that ever walked the earth, where did we manage to lose sight of that......we need to let our young people see him for what he is!
I was 12 and at Scripture Union camp... This leader approached me and a friend and asked if we wanted to accpept God into our lives. I hadn't really thought about it but felt it was a really big decision. I then remember the leader asking us if we wanted him to pray for us.. My friend said 'no' and I without wanting or knowing what was right said 'yes'. After he prayed he told me i was now a christian and i remember feeling awful.... that some massive responsability was now being placed on me... to be something i wasn't ready to be. That night we had an evening meeting and afterwards i approached the leaders to talk about how i felt. As soon as they took me into the office i burst into tears and explained that i didn't want to be a chrisitan.... i wasn't ready. They explained that it was okay and that i didn't have to be a christian if i didn't want to. They also explained to me that being a chrisitian wouldn't change me much...Anyway i left the meeting deciding i wasn't a chrisitian becuase it was a bit scary. I felt so pressured by that Scripture Union leader and i've never forgotten it. I suppose it's affected the way i apporach people when we're talking about God.
I've gone totally off track there, this wasn't what i intended to write when i started out... but i love that about writing freely (There's always the chance you'll offend but then again sometimes your words will inspire). My two closest friends G and T (they asked to be referred to as this because of my approach to people in earlier Blogs). No, i'm not referring to Gin and Tonic as in my alcohol addiction (don't worry mum and dad) but my friends G and T (all sounds a bit mad really, am i going mad.... voice in head says nobody reads this). Right, my two friends came down at the weekend and we had a great time laughing, partying, socialising and partying and laughing. First thing they did when they arrived as take me out for Tea... No questions asked, they did it without thinking... and reassured when i offered to pay that i need not worry about money when with them. They've always been like that to me. I know a lot of generous people but these two have since i first met them been the most servant like people. They support when i'm weak they care about my family and my other friends. And their outward actions towards others are amazing. They're nice people to be around.
Their not Chrisitans but support me completely in my faith (another great thing about them). They came to church with me on Sunday and in the past they've come to church back home. On Sunday we were asked during the service to write encouraging cards for one another, it was a great idea. I instantly knew who too write my encouragement cards too, G and T. Afterall they were sat right beside me. Perhaps at this point i was in a position to encourage them to take a step of faith (some people might have) but inside i felt only a need to encourage the people they were. For me they're actions are like that of Jesus and i feel no pressure that they should become chrisitians. I feel confident from what isee in them that the God i know works through them. I know what i'm writing is slightly contraversial but recently i've been thinking about the term chrisitian and whether it matches up to say christlike (follower of Jesus!)..... I know lot's of followers of Jesus who call themselves christians and i know lots of people similar to jesus who don't call themselves christian! These thoughts are only those of a young man on a journey to find God and Jesus in the world. I love what i read about Jesus and i follow him becuase he offers me direction in such a messy world, direction to help those who are suffering. Someone said to me the other day that if Jesus came back we'd kill him..... just like we did before becuase he'd be so contraversial and so unlike what we have made him. He's the coolest guy that ever walked the earth, where did we manage to lose sight of that......we need to let our young people see him for what he is!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
A week gone bye
Time is flying and i apologise that i've not been able to update my Blog. Recently work has been hectic. However, i'm pleased to inform this Blog that i've got stacks of thoughts in my head ready for a night spent on my laptop where i can begin to share with you my experiences. While i have the time i'll share this little story.
On Friday i spent the day in Brighton visiting a church that has set up an Advocacy/Advice service. I learned so much about setting up projects and the hurdles that you have to overcome. I also learned that about a year ago the project in Brighton almost shut down becuase someone within the church who opposed the service stole all the policies and procedures. They're files weren't backed up on the computer and so they had to start from Scratch. How cheeky is that.... and how un-christian like (in reference to societal stereotypes) to steal all the policies. Anyway it's nice to be part of a working Church where people feel passionate about outworking and finding ways to engage with people. As the saying goes... if your not part of the solution. Your part of the problem......
On Friday i spent the day in Brighton visiting a church that has set up an Advocacy/Advice service. I learned so much about setting up projects and the hurdles that you have to overcome. I also learned that about a year ago the project in Brighton almost shut down becuase someone within the church who opposed the service stole all the policies and procedures. They're files weren't backed up on the computer and so they had to start from Scratch. How cheeky is that.... and how un-christian like (in reference to societal stereotypes) to steal all the policies. Anyway it's nice to be part of a working Church where people feel passionate about outworking and finding ways to engage with people. As the saying goes... if your not part of the solution. Your part of the problem......
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