I’ve been completely blown away this week. A matter of months ago, I had no idea we even had a Methodist school, but now I’m completely blown away by the work they do.
This week I’ve visited four Methodist schools:
· Hippings, Oswaldtwistle
· Westleigh, Leigh
· St Andrew’s, Salford
· Rosehill, Ashton-under-Lyne
All four of these schools have a lot in common; they all have good or outstanding Ofsted reports, all have enthusiastic, well-behaved kids, all have a strong Christian ethos, and all are meeting a need in their community.
All of them are placed in the vicinity of deprived estates, therefore a lot of their kids come from these less advantaged backgrounds. The schools are a place of support and advice for the parents and all of the family, and in some cases are the first port of call whenever there is a problem.
I guess this is where we should be as a church. I spoke to one head, who saw her school as ‘the church’s mission’. What these schools are doing is what we should be doing as churches! These schools are going out to those who are in need, are meeting a need in their communities – what a lesson we, as a church, could learn from that.
I talked to a lot of kids and asked them what they thought of church – most answers were that church is dull and boring, they don’t know when to stand up or sit down, or they have no interest in it (there were some positive ones thrown in too!); then when I asked them what they thought of their morning worship in school, it was completely different! They were able to participate, they sang good songs, they were allowed to have a bit of a laugh...again, what a lesson we can learn as a church. How much of our worship is fun and engaging without being patronising to these kids who are actually very capable of a mature spirituality!
I’ve had my eyes widely opened this week, to what an asset we have in our Methodist schools.
Let’s pray for them, and the continuing part they have to play in our church.
OPPs & Schools visits
It's an exciting, but very busy time at the moment! With meetings about Greenbelt, Bible Project, Connecting Disciples, Interfaith Organisations, JPIT, YPS Reference Group, a week of schools visits, Methodist Council and the small matter of a National Methodist Student Conference; there are a few busy weeks coming up!
I feel very proud, as should you, to be a part of a church that does so many exciting things! We should be celebrating more and more of that.
As you know, our OPPs are currently in Tajikisthan - they especially need your prayers! It seems strange to think that we're already thinking about next years intake of One Programme Participants. If you know of any projects that you think will make good OPP placements, either get in touch with your local PPM or with me and we can start the application process!
Next week, I'm visiting four North West schools in the North West region. I've never claimed to be a children's worker, and schools work is something that lies way outside of my comfort zone!!
However...I've definitely got used to being thrown in at the deep end, and I actually think that doing some work in the Methodist schools is crucial to our work as a church. In our 65 schools, most are not from church backgrounds, and often they are from families that aren't quite so well off as others.
These are the children and young people that we need to be working with! These are the children and young people that we should be trying to share the word of God with, in as creative a way as possible.
I'm feeling very nervous about next week, but I can see that it is realy valuable work - your prayers would be very much appreciated :)
I feel very proud, as should you, to be a part of a church that does so many exciting things! We should be celebrating more and more of that.
As you know, our OPPs are currently in Tajikisthan - they especially need your prayers! It seems strange to think that we're already thinking about next years intake of One Programme Participants. If you know of any projects that you think will make good OPP placements, either get in touch with your local PPM or with me and we can start the application process!
Next week, I'm visiting four North West schools in the North West region. I've never claimed to be a children's worker, and schools work is something that lies way outside of my comfort zone!!
However...I've definitely got used to being thrown in at the deep end, and I actually think that doing some work in the Methodist schools is crucial to our work as a church. In our 65 schools, most are not from church backgrounds, and often they are from families that aren't quite so well off as others.
These are the children and young people that we need to be working with! These are the children and young people that we should be trying to share the word of God with, in as creative a way as possible.
I'm feeling very nervous about next week, but I can see that it is realy valuable work - your prayers would be very much appreciated :)
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Some people seem to think that the fact its a new year changes everything...it doesn’t. I arrived at the first cell group of 2012, and yes they were still annoying and rowdy and messy as all good youth groups are!
The spend most of their time moaning that I’m never there! I would like to take this opportunity to say that this is not the case, and I never miss it on purpose. I, in fact, love leading my cell group. Its probably one of the most infuriating yet at the same time rewarding things I do with my week!
I want to share with you what I did with my Cell Group yesterday, and want to challenge you to do it yourself as we head into the new year...
Take some time to think about what it is you’re hoping for this year. What do you want to be proud of by the time 2013 comes around? What changes do you want to have made to your lifestyle? What resolutions do you want to have kept?
Think about some of the big decisions that might be coming up... Which job to go for? Which Uni to go for? Which sixth form to go to? Which church to go to?
Make list of a few of the hopes and dreams you have for 2012, and write them on a piece of paper and seal them in an envelope.
As you seal the envelope, take some time to reflect on this verse from scripture...
Some people seem to think that the fact its a new year changes everything...it doesn’t. I arrived at the first cell group of 2012, and yes they were still annoying and rowdy and messy as all good youth groups are!
The spend most of their time moaning that I’m never there! I would like to take this opportunity to say that this is not the case, and I never miss it on purpose. I, in fact, love leading my cell group. Its probably one of the most infuriating yet at the same time rewarding things I do with my week!
I want to share with you what I did with my Cell Group yesterday, and want to challenge you to do it yourself as we head into the new year...
Take some time to think about what it is you’re hoping for this year. What do you want to be proud of by the time 2013 comes around? What changes do you want to have made to your lifestyle? What resolutions do you want to have kept?
Think about some of the big decisions that might be coming up... Which job to go for? Which Uni to go for? Which sixth form to go to? Which church to go to?
Make list of a few of the hopes and dreams you have for 2012, and write them on a piece of paper and seal them in an envelope.
As you seal the envelope, take some time to reflect on this verse from scripture...
I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jeremiah 29:10-11 (The Message)
Think about what this verse means for you as you go into this new year. Think about the incredible promise that God has made us, the part we have to play in his place.
In the lead up to Christmas, I’m sure we’ll all have read about the extraordinary thing that God called Mary to, let’s all be excited NOW for the extraordinary things that God has in store for us as individuals, for us as Methodists, for us as part of a global Christian movement.
I pray that you are richly blessed in 2012, and maybe that you’ll consider some of these things in your prayers this year...
· OPPs trip to Tajikistan
· Think. Talk. Be (an exciting new project you’ll be hearing lots more about very soon!)
· Connecting Disciples Conference
· Methodist Israel & Palestine Visit
· YPS Review
Amen.
Giving...
I guess I couldn’t have missed out this advert from my advent blogs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSLOnR1s74o
What’s your favourite part of your Christmas?
For me, food comes pretty high on the list, all the TV Christmas specials, spending time with friends and family. I wonder how many of us are like the little kid in this advert.
How many of us can’t wait to get up on Christmas morning to get our presents?
How many of us can’t wait to get up on Christmas morning to give our presents to other people?
“Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it cam up in the east, and we have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:2
The wise men can’t wait to see Jesus, to give the gifts they brought for Him; not only did they bring material gifts for Jesus; they gave their time and energy.
How will you give of your time and energy this Christmas?
How will you make sure this Christmas is as much about giving of your time, energy and money as it is receiving?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSLOnR1s74o
What’s your favourite part of your Christmas?
For me, food comes pretty high on the list, all the TV Christmas specials, spending time with friends and family. I wonder how many of us are like the little kid in this advert.
How many of us can’t wait to get up on Christmas morning to get our presents?
How many of us can’t wait to get up on Christmas morning to give our presents to other people?
“Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it cam up in the east, and we have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:2
The wise men can’t wait to see Jesus, to give the gifts they brought for Him; not only did they bring material gifts for Jesus; they gave their time and energy.
How will you give of your time and energy this Christmas?
How will you make sure this Christmas is as much about giving of your time, energy and money as it is receiving?
Ordinary people...extraordinary things!
I can’t even comprehend what it would have been like for Mary. One day, she’s making plans for your new life with her husband to be, the next she’s trying to work out how on earth she’s going to possibly be able to articulate to the aforementioned husband to be that you’re going to have a baby that isn’t actually his!
We often gloss over the significance of each character in this story. Without Mary accepting God’s call, without Joseph not disgracing Mary, without the wise men not going to Herod on their return; imagine how different the story would have been! There wouldn’t even have been the story as we so fondly know it.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=2011+british+airways+advert&docid=1365078181284&mid=37D54822476B67CD061837D54822476B67CD0618&FORM=VIRE5#
God calls each of us to serve in exciting ways, ways that we can’t even imagine; none more so than Mary’s! These people that God calls are just ordinary people, but God uses them for extraordinary things!
Imagine how those pioneers in the advert must have felt...how does that compare with Mary’s emotions? How does that compare to when God calls us?
What extraordinary role does God have for you this Christmas?
We often gloss over the significance of each character in this story. Without Mary accepting God’s call, without Joseph not disgracing Mary, without the wise men not going to Herod on their return; imagine how different the story would have been! There wouldn’t even have been the story as we so fondly know it.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=2011+british+airways+advert&docid=1365078181284&mid=37D54822476B67CD061837D54822476B67CD0618&FORM=VIRE5#
God calls each of us to serve in exciting ways, ways that we can’t even imagine; none more so than Mary’s! These people that God calls are just ordinary people, but God uses them for extraordinary things!
Imagine how those pioneers in the advert must have felt...how does that compare with Mary’s emotions? How does that compare to when God calls us?
What extraordinary role does God have for you this Christmas?
Short-term Christmas?
How many of you watched the X Factor final yesterday? I’m sorry, but surely those two hours of television would have been better filled by just Coldplay than all the rest of them?! I think that’s enough of my misery on that subject for now...!
My house has always been a Strictly household (I’d just like to make it clear that this is forced upon me, you’ll be surprised to know that I don’t actually enjoy watching Russell Grant in a lycra sequin suit...!), but X Factor is on most Saturday nights too.
Those of you who do watch it, I wonder how many of the contestants from last year you can remember?
Struggling? I bet most of you won’t be able to name all of this year’s either...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYCToHQk6nc
Fame for all these people is almost certain to be a short-term thing. There might be the odd couple that last a few years, but I expect that in a month’s time we’ll have forgotten about most of them.
‘The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”’
The angel appears to Mary, and shares what God has in store for her. Mary isn’t just in for the short-term fame thing, she’s part of a story that will last forever!
The most exciting thing...we’re part of that story that never ends! We are the people of God, who are to proclaim the good news of Christ this Christmas!
So...
How will you encourage people to see the birth of Jesus as significant in the long-term?
How will you ensure your Christmas celebrations are not just short-term?
My house has always been a Strictly household (I’d just like to make it clear that this is forced upon me, you’ll be surprised to know that I don’t actually enjoy watching Russell Grant in a lycra sequin suit...!), but X Factor is on most Saturday nights too.
Those of you who do watch it, I wonder how many of the contestants from last year you can remember?
Struggling? I bet most of you won’t be able to name all of this year’s either...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYCToHQk6nc
Fame for all these people is almost certain to be a short-term thing. There might be the odd couple that last a few years, but I expect that in a month’s time we’ll have forgotten about most of them.
‘The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”’
Luke 1:30-33
The angel appears to Mary, and shares what God has in store for her. Mary isn’t just in for the short-term fame thing, she’s part of a story that will last forever!
The most exciting thing...we’re part of that story that never ends! We are the people of God, who are to proclaim the good news of Christ this Christmas!
So...
How will you encourage people to see the birth of Jesus as significant in the long-term?
How will you ensure your Christmas celebrations are not just short-term?
Prayer
I don’t know about you, but I find prayer really difficult.
I’ve never been one for kneeling by my bed each night and doing all that shebang, I much prefer it being more like an ongoing conversation with God throughout my day...but that’s turned out to work about as well as the kneeling by my bed thing!
I think this is a problem a lot of Christians have as well. So I thought I’d share a way of praying I find really helpful, I find it’s great for trains :)
I carry this little card around in my wallet all the time...
I love this as a structure for prayer. Before anything, reminding yourself of how completely awesome God is! Why we love Him, why we worship Him. Then you bring all those things that you’re not proud of, that you need to ask for forgiveness for. Then thank God for all those amazing gifts that he pours out on us each day. Finally, ask God for some help!
I think a lot of us are guilty of just using our prayer times to plead with God for some help, we forget about how awesome God is, how much we need God to purify us, and the incredible number of things that God gives us that we should be thankful for.
I really challenge you to make one of these cards for yourself, maybe with some bible passages you find more helpful, or you might just want to print one of these ones off. Put it in your wallet, or your purse, and take 5 minutes each day just to go through it and spend some time with God.
Prayer scares me...a lot! But when I remind myself that it’s not actually about all those fancy words that no-one understands; instead, it’s just you talking to you father, your friend, I feel a lot better!
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