"Living the Questions"

This 12 week DVD and web based small group set of materials promotes itself as an alterntaive to Alpha [which acknowledges its own conservative slant]. It seesm to me that LtQ makes room for exploration and some 'shades of grey'...

www.livingthequestions.com

The Youth Unit is buying a set to pilot/share/promote to groups who may want to give it a try!!

Innovative Resources

Innovative Resources from Victoria in Oz have some great card or book based resources for promoting discussion and fitting in with any 'Assets' or Resilience appraoch to youth ministry.

I have been impressed by the 'Signpost' set of cards seen some years ago at a Youth Workers Inservice. We have just ordered a set of 'Deep Speak' Question cards for promoting significant discussion.

http://www.innovativeresources.org/index.asp

Big Dell has 12th Bundy and Coke spiked

Obviously Wendell Sailor's 12th drink after the win over the Brumbies three weeks ago was spiked with Cocaine [if the A sample is to be believed] from his recent random drug test!!

How else could we explain the latest developments in Big Dell's career. Pumphouse assumes that either Wendell's B sample will turn up negative OR the drink spiking theory will come to the fore...

BECAUSE NO IDIOT WHO HAS BLOTTED THEIR COPYBOOK AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE THAT WE KNOW WOULD BE STUPID ENOUGH TO TAKE RECREATIONAL DRUGS AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SUPER 14 SEASON... AM I RIGHT!!

"Blue Like Jazz" Donald Miller

After hearing an extract from this book [read by colleague Andrew Palmer] it struck me that it was the kind of humour I enjoy reading!! The subheading "Non-religious thoughts on Christian Spirituality" indicates that its an exploratory style of writing observations about stuff that happens... I will post some snippets and what I am liking about it as I read!!

"Churchless Faith" Alan Jamieson

As ever I had noticed this resource and was drawn back to explore more when I read where Jonny Baker had heard Jamieson speak...
Book is based on research and interviews with young adults who have left the church and maintain a faith. Most had a leadership role and/or were engaged in study for ministry at one point and many were also involved for up to 15 years. It looks an interesting study for connection with a generation who fit this description but would connect with people who are simply outside the experience of church...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0281054657/qid=1146591556/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_3_1/203-6949806-7338337

U2 Watch: Tentative Plans Move Ahead

Hawaiian concert pencilled in for December 9th... was early April originally!!

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060428/NEWS18/604280371/1029/NEWS

U2 Watch Looks to December

So the latest rumours from "sources in the UK close to the band"... gotta love that spin... are zero-ing in on December dates for U2's return to Oz and NZ!!

Here's hoping!!

Advent Installations

OK...
I am interested in setting up an Installation/s for Christmas 2006 in a public space or a hall the public will happily access over the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It would include many mediums with a focus on using contemporary images and forms to depict some of the key advent themes. It would hopefully be a contrast to the commercialism and busy-ness of the Christmas shopping season!!
It would suit me to try this in familiar territory in Newcastle/Hunter area so who is up for it? Who would like to help?

We could have a cover charge if we were in a closed venue and this could go to a cause of our choosing... Sudanese refugees airfares fund, Fred Hollows Foundation, Unity and International Mission 'Gifts of Love'...

Just add a comment here if you might like to be involved and I'll talk to you about that!!