Row 'M' Seat 30 "Twilight NEW MOON"

SPOILER ALERT

Discussion Guide to follow...

Installment 2 of the Twilight film adaptations 'NEW MOON' is an engaging depiction of adolescent angst made all the more real by the secrecy around the world of vampires and werewolves. The setting for this incedulous story allows each character to grapple with growing up, identity, how they interact and effect each other and all the uncertainties, challenges and story shaping action of the average teenagers life.

Watch the film with a cinema comfortably full of schoolgirls [if you can] so you know what's supposed to be funny or poignant, gripping or hilarious!! Perhaps the gratuitous 'shirt removals' are taken less seriously this way!!

Bella struggles as Edward decides she'd be better off if he left. Asking her to promise 'not to do anything reckless' he appears at those tempting moments and creating an incentive to 'push it' in Bella's despair and loneliness.

Jacob is experiencing quite a transformation as the teenage male hormones kick in and he represents the 'what's good for you' choice in love.

NEW MOON explores the world of the vampire, werewolf and the world of a whole peer group of different characters.

Not having read the books I was bored almost to sleep by the DVD of the first film in the 'Twighlight' series. I thought the angst was a little false and the incredulous stuff was too understated to creat the smile humour that lifts these stories to another level.

However in "NEW MOON" by all reports the Director and storytellers have made a much more engaging film.

Ordination: A lot of fuss about ?

I've been part of a few interesting dialogues over the the last few months about 'Ordination.' From conversations with Panels, a Formation Intensive, colleagues of varying views, peers, young people, family, acquantances and those with a casual interest.

What does 'ordination' mean? What's different for me? What does this mean?

What are your next steps?

Does this mean free weddings and funerals for family members?

This post will probably be saved as a draft more than once before I post it as I recall different aspects of this and help myself form some thoughts for my 'brief statement of faith' on 12.12.09.

One thing I know is I don't know everything there is to know about what it means to 'be ordained' and I seek permission to be sketchy, to change my mind and to speak only for myself and to take an approach of 'working it out as I go' for the next couple of decades and you can ask me again then!!

Here's what I reckon:

-there isn't any difference between the call to discipleship and the call to ordination, certainly not in terms of power or status, 'seriousness' of your commitment etc

-I think it's important to reflect that it's a call 'to' something not just about 'title'

-in the UCA it's a call to Minister of the Word, or Deacon AND I believe Youth Work [amongst other things]

-ordination doesn't have to be a denial of your baptism, it might just be a choice to live that out in a way the church asks or that makes sense in terms of the time and place you find yourself in or want to be in for the future.

-it's got something to do with time and something to do with place [or standpoint]-Its' got something to do with taking a new standpoint and being 'called' by the church and your own journeying

-It's not a career move but it has implications

-It's continually under examination by the context

-It's problematic in that symbol and tradition both inform us and hold us up e.g the Alb

The alb [in our case the ecumenical alb or long white fairly plain robe] symbolises many things and one is that "it's not about YOU", there's an identification with the ordinary, a recognition in the community at large it represents something of the transcendence of God and the mystery of what the person is 'leading' when they wear it on occasion.

Yet, are some of those things barriers in a time when normal or ordinary dress is so different. Are we in danger of the deity from 'Red Dwarf' TV show or the story of the Friars cat in Chapel [another day perhaps]

-I'm not interested in convincing anyone else they shold be getting ordained. I am interested in listening, encouraging them to explore and helping them ask 'different questions' to the ones giving them the answrs they want to hear

-I'm as surprised I'm being ordained as I am most times someone asks me to offer some form of leadership

-Yet I am as reserved and circumspect about this as I am about what I truly believe about my own intellect, gifts, persona and journey

-I already sense plenty of pressure about 'how I will go in a traditional congregational setting' despite peoples best efforts to envisage a new future for this ancient faith and church of ours

- I'm glad I'm not doing anything different for the first 12 months [most likely] to demonstrate a point

-I wil take seriously the caring question from this last week about what 'preparation' I am undertaking for my Ordination... which in my frame of mind I interpreted as being about organisation... when it was always about identity, time out, relfection, spirtual prepartions. I'm making a plan!

-To those considering or avoiding or questioning ordination I say "......." what do YOU make of it? Rather than everyone or anyone else? What are your questions and how are you seeking the answers? -It's something that in the past I have said 'no' to or 'not now' or 'not in this way' and somehow this time is different? Does it seem like 'selling out', 'domestication?' YET what are your gifts, what do you know you would contribute or do and is there an inkling for you that the questions are prompted in you by more than human interest?

More later perhaps...

[10] Resources to Change the World

Here's a sneak peak of a fun article for our next MESH Magazine... which will also include my previous post. In this case it's a reflection that simple ideas can build on what's actually important in relational ministry and mission...

[10] Resources to Change the World
While resources are important for events, programs or groups, there are some simple ideas which can open up limitless possibilities for ministry and mission with young people. To illustrate the point, here’s [10] resources to change the world. What [10] would you list?
They are a reminder that it’s actually about much simpler notions than entertainment, expensive nights out, continually trying to ramp things up or Bible Study only instead of having some fun!!
Youth ministry is inherently relational but even morseo in the current era it’s about asking ‘who God is calling us to be at this time in this place’ and helping young people engage in ‘mission’ helping others and changing the world. This and mature mentoring, exposure to new ideas and positive affirmation are well on the way to helping young people develop holistic wellbeing.

1. Soccer Ball
 Only the holder of the ball can speak in a group ‘icebreaking’ or discussion circle
 Play endless games of ‘poison ball’ with elimination and non elimination varieties
 [2] or [3] teams can play catch where you can’t run while touching the ball but you’re team scores a point if you can catch 10, 15 or 20 consecutive passes on the full
 Use it as the ‘bone’ for British Bulldog
 Oh yeah, play soccer [football]
 Sign it and give it to the young person leaving the group

2. Length of Rope
 Tug o war
 Tied in a circle, pick it up and move to a circle, the rectangle with eyes closed and others guiding
 Play ‘survivor games’ where last to be holding the rope is winner
 Set ‘initiative’ or group building tasks using the rope, getting over the rope
 ‘Trust exercises’ leading groups with eyes closed
 Sit around the egde in a circle no further than the rope away
 Abseling [and it’s great stories]


3. Ream of A4 Paper and Pens
 Sharing sheets answering Questions
 MySpace Pages
 Quizzes
 Scavenger Hunts
 Faith Questions
 Reflections and writing
 Bible Study Questions
 Feedback Sheets
 Group or Activity Programs
 Database of Group Participants
 Lightning Self Portraits
 Camp Rego Forms


4. Stick of Chalk
 Teams Chalk Chase
 Footpath Graffiti
 Drawing shapes on the floor for musical shapes
 Marking Goals
 Writing rosters on a chalkboard
 Prayer Wall


5. List of ‘Get to Know You’ Questions
 Hundreds of questions can help groups and individuals move from ‘icebreakers’ to deep sharing
 Camps, Discussion Nights, New Members, Re-shaping group, Leadership Team building
 Leaders ‘getting to know’ individual group members better
 It’s not all about physical games

6. Peoples Hats
 Keep the sun off heads
 Share stories, memories or anything about you and that hat
 Hats NO Hats Games
 Bushwalking
 Organise Embroidered Group Hats [especially for trips to wider events]

7. Video Camera, TV and DVD Player
 Films
 Discussion
 Viewing Discipleship Resources
 Video Scavenger Hunt
 Vox Pop Video
 Intergenerational Interviews
 Claymation and Lego worship resources

8. Bible
 Reading
 Discussion
 Creating ‘portable’ faith
 Q and A
 Storytelling
 For use in asking ‘what difference God makes?’
 For holding up as a mirror to explore who we are


9. A Pillow
 For sitting on during long talks
 Name Bop Game
 Only the person holding it speaks
 Camping
 D and M question time

10. A CD/MP3 Player
 Background music
 Music for reflection/discussion
 Worship
 Games soundtracks
 Musical chairs etc
 Party
 Talks
 Young people choose, explain and share a song
 Social Justice anthems
 Reflective worship

Missional Youth Ministry Ideas

Lots of ideas floating around for me this half year about 'mission' and ministry with young people... where my 'working definition' of mission is action we take to help with the hurts and hopes [the fundamental human needs] of those where we live!! It's about contributing to healthy community where we can and stopping negative influences we're known for as well.
My posts will be 'out loud' thinking, undeveloped ideas and glimpses [what's new] as I work through to a paper or a more considered resource.
So your in on the ground floor of my usual process i.e. I usually write any article, paper or resource over and over as new and deeper thoughts crop up... kind of like my minimum three week preaching prep cycle!!

Aim:
To effectively engage in God's mission in the world where you live and particularly in relation to connections with younger people

Goals:
To share the 'good news' of God's love and grace with all who'll 'hear it' and some who won't
To share the truth and impact of how God has been active in my life and world while discovering how God has been active in their life and world before I came along
Helping to create a world lived according to the values of God [joining the dance, hoping to get my song in tune with the rythmn of God etc etc]
Taking seriously the communal nature of faith, these goals and life as it is
Helping young people find: identity; meaning; belonging; and faith shaping
Hope

Mission Possibilities:
These need to be tested for contextual and cultural relevance wher you are
These are subject to the resources, gifts, collaborations and passions at hand

Background Resources:
Exemplar Youth Ministry Study http://exemplarym.com/
Which explores the characteristics of mature Christian faith pointing to shaping tasks, experiences and relationships making that possible
Search Institute Assets/Tools http://www.search-institute.org/assets/
Any writing by Pete Ward from the UK
"Threshold of the Future" Mike Ridell
"Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling" Andy Crouch
It is not enough to condemn culture. Nor is it sufficient merely to critique culture or to copy culture. Most of the time, we just consume culture. But the only way to change culture is to create culture.

Cultural and Contextual driving forces:
Multigenerational activity
Cross Cultural activity
Communion or deep community connections
Affinity or networked interest groups

Possibilities:
1. Schools healthy breakfast programs
2. Federal Government School Chaplains Program
3. Joining local community action and social justice groups rather than starting a 'church version'
4. Work parties and social justice action exposures or full on programs including mentoring
5. Balanced programs or groups which include age and context appropriate faith explorations using 21st C resources
6. Conneect with and enact advice from 'Project Green Church'
7. Learn about and support Fairtrade/Fairwear
8. Offer mentors for local school programs
9. Engage in sporting team comps/coaching
10. Support someone running for local Council
11. Homework Centre at the church property
12. Contribute to community centres/drop in centres
13. Run Camps aimed at all young people in your community BUT around AFFINITY with particular activities
14. The HSC: Study Camps; Care Packs; Tutoring; Retreats; Exam volunteers; community venue based worship marking points on the journey
15. Run an Easter or other Camp through an existing community event
16. Regular community BBQ
17. Boys version of a Men's Shed [open to girls also]
18. "Living the Questions" reworked for young people and run on Alpha style with meal
19. No 'one size fits all' children's or youth ministry, rather activities around 'affinity' with links to sensitive faith exploration possibilities in other layers of activity
20. Creative, contemplative and experimental worship experiences [special efforts]

OK, there's 20 to begin with...

POMO Ministry and Mission 'Rites of Passage' etc

After the modernist decades we have a brilliantly 'shaped' church community or institution for it's time BUT the world and society have undergone seismic shifts and we are yet to adjust except in rare cases, emerging initiatives and where the creativity and experimentation of gifted people is encouraged. Don't be fooled... the great shifts in the response of the church and it's shape have always followed societal change and finding ways to 'share the gospel' in the 21st C is no different.

Random Ideas>

• People won't simply walk through an open church door
• Schools are the last great gathering place and we need to see and engage in that mission field
• In the confusion over when a child becomes an adult we can play a role through cross generational interactions/mentoring/'Belonging' or other exploration of faith and belonging etc
• The HSC is a huge opportunity to build pre> during> and post> encouragement, resources, support and time out
• Year 6 to 7 is well targeted by resources like 'Priority One'
• Young people need encouragement towards 'portable faith' or faith practices and spiritual disciplines which aren't reliant on a local faith community connection yet encourage that from time to time
• Sports programs for boys could connect local male coaches and boys in pratical and effective mentoring
• Bible Study and discipleship material could name and open up the issue of the blurred 'rites of passage'

Alongside this our 'preaching and teaching' need to access many mediums and rediscover narrative and the connection of stories and Scripture, plus....

• Ask open questions
• Explore resources like NOOMA DVDs
• Encourage 'experiences' not just learning
• Invite participation of young people in creative planning and leadership
• Use all the vivid imagery at your disposal
• Build connections and community
• Hearing God's word isn't just about 'speaking'
• Start with story and move to Scripture
• 'own' and 'ground' your statements e.g. your views are your views and beliefs or theology are often 'the view of the early church' or 'many Christians' or scholars... say so...
• encourage play, intimacy, immediacy
• Retell the ancient message for a new age [reframe]
• Use acceptance of juxtaposition to advantange

More next time...

"This is Who I Am" Vanessa Amorosi

This is an impressively edgy and poignant song from Vanessa that would generate plenty of conversation amongst the young people you are in ministry with...

Post Modern Youth Ministry and 'Rites of Passage'

In teaching this semesters course "Youth, Culture and Mission" we've just done a series of weeks around the contextual and cultural issues for ministry with young people in terms of: evangelism; mission; faith shaping; and rites of passage. This week it's preaching and teaching! I'm still pondering the really practical implications more broadly and also specifically in the 'rites of passage' area...

"One of the recurring themes in postmodern youth ministry circles is the lack of strategic points at which young people are recognized as becoming more than children. The church can be a place of recognition and communal rites of passage for youth."

Markers are external signs of our progress along, in Kierkegaard’s lovely phrase, ‘the stages of life’s way’
David Elkind

This topic is about the way we might help or hinder young people [adolescents] make the transition to adulthood and in the case of the Christian faith this might include the transition to mature Christian faith.

Issues:
Changes in the child to adult transition
The relatively new concept [100+ years] of youth
‘stretched’ adolescence with part time work, study, living at home, late marriage, 50/50 church v civil ceremony and those simply 'moving in' together
Belonging, Meaning and Identity, Faith Shaping but also ‘recognition’
How do we ‘pass on’ the faith in this context?
Post modern interruptions… is ‘confirmation’ a graduation ceremony?
Spiritual and faith practices to aid the transition [portable faith]
What significant points can/should we mark and celebrate?
Membership and Leadership in a post modern context
1.5 and 2nd gen issues
In terms of ‘mission’, how/what will be meaningful entry points for connecting with young people in your community… what rights of passage could/should the church offer?
Issues around new understandings about sexuality
Divorce Single Parent Families
Refugees
Death
Year 12
Individualism/consumerism
Media
Appropriate discipleship


How do we encourage creativity and imagination?
Can adults value children and young people offering then space, permission and vailidity?
Move from propositional faith to imagination


What are the commonly accepted ‘rites of passage’ in your church? In your family? In the youth sub-culture of the young people you work closely with?
Do you agree with Elkind that there is a lack of markers in our society?
Why? Why not?
If you were to construct a ‘rite of passage’ for the young people you work with, what would the purpose of it be? Who would you involve? What would you do?

"It is no longer possible to effectively present the Gospel in the way it was successfully preached in the first part of the 20th century. Understanding the postmodern worldview is not a luxury for a sociologists. It must be an essential insight for all Christians.”

From Rick Warren at http://www.internetevangelismday.com/
Post-modern evangelistic methods versus modern methods
Multiple encounters — less single encounters
Listener-centered — less witness-centered
Dialogue — less monologue or ‘telling’
Gospel story — less Gospel presentation
Story then proposition — not proposition then story
Asking good questions — not giving lots of information
Community integration — not individual isolation
Soft — not loud
Consideration — not argument
Guided tours — not ticket sales
More supernatural — less supersales (natural)
More earthly benefits — less eternal benefits
More relational validation — less evidence validation
More percent of time seed planting – less percent of time harvesting

Sharing Christ can be fruitful and rewarding, yet it will be ever adapting to the changing culture. After conducting hundreds of interviews with lost people, it was easy to determine that the cries of the confused are many and varied. The lost people reflect many of the concerns and views of those around them. However, there is a common cry of the confused. It is found in the title of a Styx song, "Show Me the Way."

STUFF to be sharpened before my next post on this:
In addition to the general Warren list...
Faithmaps [www.faithmaps.org] mapping known reference points, not every answer
Story and it's importance
Enquiry not information
Relationship relationship relationship
Experiences
Affinity and Mission [Oestericher]
Described by Mark Oestricher in "Youth Ministry 3.0" as the 2 focuses of the pomo era [I tend to agree, especially on the praxis value of engaging in 'mission'
People not programs
Celebrations, liturgy, events, community engagement/partnerships cf 'church versions of same'
Naivety
Respondi and remembering to help young people engage in stories for the first time
catering directly to peoples issues, ages and stages in life
Intergenerational activity and relationships
Discipleship material across the age ranges recognising pilgrimage or journey
Transition focused resources like "P1" for Yr 6 to 7 transition
Camps, retreats, celebrations [not books for attendance/membership]

Youth Ministry 3.0 Mark Oestricher from www.beliefnet.com
The reviwer says....
"We need to develop an ongoing conversation about youth ministry.
Marko's book provides for us a virtual history of youth ministry in the last 50+ years and does so clearly and simply. [in the US]
We need this book."

As you read this post, think about whether or not you agree with his 3-fold scheme.
Maybe you don't agree with it all, but in general. What do you think of his 3.0 proposals?

Here are the characteristics of Youth Ministry 1.0 according to Marko's new book,
"Youth Ministry 3.0: A Manifesto of Where We've Been, Where We Are & Where We Need to Go":

The 50s gave rise to a youth culture and this led to ministries like Youth for Christ and Young Life.The major emphases were on two things:

Evangelism
Correction

Youth ministry 1.0 was proclamation-driven.
It was fixated on identity formation and a theme verse would have been Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate ...".

Youth Ministry 2.0 focused on autonomy (youth culture had confidence now) and discipleship programs and creating a positive peer group. 2.0 was not so much proclamation as program-driven.
A theme verse was Matthew 28:19-20a: make disciples and teach them.

Youth Ministry 3.0, call it a "third way," realizes it cannot meet this generation's needs with a 2.0 set of assumptions and methods. Youth culture has become the dominant culture in our world. And it is powerfully fragmented. It gives rise to the need for affinity groups. He says we need cultural anthropologists with relational passion. The themes are

Communion or affinity
Mission

Big idea for Marko: if 1.0 was proclamation-driven and 2.0 was program-driven, 3.0 needs to be not-driven. It wants to be Present. Marko thinks some prototypical Bible verses will be Acts 2:42-46

More to come...

New York Yankees clinch their 27th 'World Series'

As a sports tragic I have followed US baseball since I was in Primary School! There was just something about this game which we saw fleetingly on Wide World of Sports or the occasional network coverage of the finals. From that early age my fascination with New York had begun and thed Yankees were my team. Back then, pre internet, the occasional peer with a relative in the US or very rich parents, would appear on the scene wearing an authentic 'New Era 59 Fifty' cap [not a Parklea Markets or Hong Kong copy].

Then came the sports importers stores like the one at Miranda Fair and I had an adjustable Yankees cap for years until it fell to pieces.

This is a team which played a significant role in peoples recovery from the events of 9/11. They are the 'famous pinstripes' and home to the legend of 'Babe' R.uth

More recently via http://www.yankees.com/ or the Yankees Clubhouse Store in Manhattan and now http://www.lids.com/ on Broadway near Times Square I added an authentic cap then a 'World Series 1998' edition!! We saw them play Atlanta Braves early that season in the Bronx and they later went on to win!! Yesterday Hidecki Matsui batted in 6 runs for the Yankees to win the 'best of seven' grand final 4-2 in the inaugural season of the new Yankees Stadium... high drama!

While the 'World Series' is a grandiose title it has a historic background rather than just being a claim to global status... anyhow...

We do plan on taking our girls back to NY sometime in the next 5 years so I look forward to the twizzlers, crack a jacks and expensive Heineken once more!! Still it's just a game!

"Oh My God" A Peter Rodger Film

One persons exploration across 3 years and 23 countries in search of what God means to people and now it's a movie! You can participate in the conversation here on the website!!