Been and Seen

23 – 26 Aug National Youthworkers Hui in Papamoa
Seen: The Island

26 – 28 Aug Manukau Central Baptist youth camp

28 Aug Te Atatu Union Church

31 Aug Windsor Park Baptist Church Lip Sync comp

3 Sep Heather’s 40th, Jerry’s 21st

Thoughts From Hui
Potentially a lot of hui and not a lot of Do-ey. Seemed as if there were some real God moments where some potentially good things were happening, but I was concerned about the ongoing longevity of these things if the current alumni remain at the head of the ship.

Age-ist
I might potentially be ageist, but I do believe that consistently innovation and lateralism comes from youth. Rebellion leads us to want to choose our own paths and prove our own merits, but also there is a openness that doesn’t always happen with aged experience. I’m not sure what I mean yet, and I’m probably being very offensive.

Time Tithe
One of the key ideas that really did influence me at the Hui was the idea of every paid youthworker tithing 10% of their time to another youth ministry. The idea that service and combined purpose breeds a more genuine kind of relationship and unity, that unity being the purpose. As I reflected on this over the weekend I spent speaking at Manukau Central Baptist.. I birthed a little dream.

Te Atatu .. Maybe?
Knowing that Te Atatu are very keen to do something with the young people in their midst, and feeling encouraged and refreshed by the time I spent with the South Auckland kids, I began to dream of a small team of experienced young adult leaders donating 3 hours a week into the friday programme that’s being run for the 10-14 year olds. I know that there are a couple of older youth around, connected by family ties to the congregation. If there was a way of eating dinner and sharing life story stuff with these ones, in the hope of passing on some involvement and leadership with the younger group… it excites me. I guess there are a small group of talented people that immediately come to mind to run an intermediates type programme. I’d donate the time to organise and prepare, it would just be the bodies to turn up on to help me out.

If we could plant enough encouragement, support and resource into that group, to see some of the older kids want to stick around and be involved.. that would be a worthwhile thing.

Not Sleeping
I’m not sleeping at night, I’m lying restless or sitting on the couch wathcing TV. Flipping annoying. Righty-oh. I’m off to the gym I think.