This week we spent a couple of mornings doing ‘Walk Thru the Bible’ (in double time, 3 hours for each Old and New Testaments instead of 6) and I have to say it has been fantastic. Our teacher was Paul Keeys, the director of Walk Thru the Bible (although I am sure the other presenters are also very good). It has got me thinking a bit, over the last couple of years in my last post I had started using story a bit more, perhaps because I started doing more primary aged assemblies again and unlike in the past most of them I did on my own. One of the things I really enjoyed was the fact that exploring the bible this way even in such a quick overview it helped you to not only see how things fitted together a bit more but also made things click that I had just not noticed before. I have to say it is a brilliant resource and one that I may well consider looking into training for in the future especially seeing the way it can be used with both school Children and in adult seminars. It could work as a brilliant introduction to a series on the Old or New Testament, could perhaps even work as a whole for a weekend away but it has also challenged me to think a bit more about the use of story in my ministry, we often think of story time as something for the children yet it was Jesus main teaching method, maybe we could all do with a bit more story in our lives?
Email this postit’s currently 00:50 and I have had a complete inability to sleep so far tonight (I am going to go and try again in a minute.) Anyway as i couldn’t sleep I thought I would update the blog, not just this post I have re done the about page so it now reflects what is happening now rather than being out of date. Of course with it being very late, me being tiered if not sleepy and dyslexic it could well be full of mistakes so if you feel like having a read and find anything that needs to be corrected please do feel free to let me know!
Good night!
Simo
So apart from the short updates from twitter things have been a little quite here OnMeBus for a while although I’m sure by now you know that things are changing a little bit. OnMeBus will be hitting the road again soon and hopefully with more regular updates than there have been over recent months but the destination has now changed.
Where as before we were journeying through the world of youth ministry (and life as a youth minister) in rural Britain, after 10 years in youth ministry my journey is now hat of an Ordinand (training to priesthood within the Church of England).
Just to update you on where things are, I am now living in Nottingham about to start studying at St. Johns Collage for two years. OnMeBus’s new route will be travelling through Theological study, placements and exploration of all things Anglican.
So climb aboard, grab a seat and buckle up for the ride.
For the last few weeks one of the projects that I have been working towards has been a course for parents of Teens (and Tweens). Last night was our first session and it seamed to go really well. It is a six week course starting with a short bit of input from me and then largely discussion based. We had 10 turn up out of the 12 booked in for the first session which I don’t think is a bad response and we had some great discussion thinking back to our own teenage years and remembering that this is one thing we definitely have in common with our teenagers, we have also been there.
Over the next few weeks we are going to be looking at issues such as Families, school, technology and sex etc. I have to say I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the next few weeks as we explore these issues together!
It just hasn’t made it onto here yet!
Just over a week ago Gill and I went to look round our first Collage, St Johns in Nottingham, the collage had a really good welcome and we were made to feel very comfortable and happy during our visit, it was also good to catch up with some old friends who are currently studying there. I have got to sort out going to look at a couple of other places before making a decision (all of course assuming I get accepted for training anyway!)
Last week I was away for two days a Depth a retreat for youth and children’s workers from the Oxford diocese. We had led sessions looking at leadership and time to reflect and discuss the issues raised. It was a very beneficial couple of days on so many levels.
On top of all that of course has been the wonderful snow, a chance to go sledging and build snowmen with the kids which was great. On the down side though it did mean I missed my monthly visit to one of the youth groups which was a real shame.
A question to finish which came up at the retreat when we were having a bit of fun:-
We were talking about what songs you could have on a list of inappropriate for a part of youth and children’s workers, so what would be on your list?
Earlier this week I was visiting one of the youth groups in the area that I go along to once a month, on this occasion I had been asked if I could do something on the big S word. This is not a problem as it is something I have talked to youth groups about several times before. One of the things I do to get the ball rolling is I get a selection of lads and girls ‘general interest’ magazines ( I think the idea came from youth work magazine some years ago) and I get the to look at the front cover and later the adverts looking at how sex is used to sell both the magazine and many of the products advertised inside. With it being two or three years since I have done this session it was time to go and get some new magazine and I have to say I was quite shocked, I found it very difficult to find a lads mag that I felt I could even show the front cover of to a group of young people, I did get one (where as I would have got two or three) but then I wouldn’t let them open it. What is the world coming to when I go to speak to a youth group about sex and the only thing I find particularly embarrassing is looking at a couple of current youth aimed publications to help the discussion. Of course it doesn’t help when I live and work in a small market town and I go to the local news agent to buy these magazines as well!
Currently trying to develop a policy for using Social networking as a youth work tool, thinking about issues of the balance between meeting young people where they are and endorsing the use of particular networks, how much time? Can you measure the impact? I tend to work to a personal policy of I don’t add young people, I let them know I am there and will accept friendship invites from them but I don’t invite them myself. Do you have a policy? If so can I see a copy please, if you don’t but are working on similar things can we share ideas? If you weren’t even thinking about it but you’ve suddenly thought “if I were to produce some sort of policy I would include this” please share your ideas.
Many thanks
Simo
One of the churches in the Vale is going to be running a training session on running Family Worship, the evening will be Wednesday 2nd July, if you would like further details please contact me.
Vcashpiont are offering grants of up to £2500 for people aged between 16 & 25 to start a volunteer project in their local communities. The projects need to be run by young people and for young people, applications are from individuals but for projects that will involve both that person and at least three other young volunteers in helping their community, interested or no anybody that might be?
Check out www.vinspired.com to find out more.
Just received this video on Facebook (thanks to Carol), it is something that is encouraging the church to get back to the heart of Worship, reminding us that worship is for God and not for us, thought you might find it interesting/useful.
Enjoy.
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