"Authenticity, Relationships and Context" My Three Youth Ministry Drivers

I need to take up a conversation with a few Youth Worker colleagues but I will also be developing some 'thinking out loud' here about what I believe drives me and drives me in ministry with young people.

I think it's a sensible, scriptural and appreciated approach to focus on 'authenticity, relationships [incarnational ones] and context. I'm sure some of my preferred focus is borne out of being an 'idealist' by nature whose natural leadership style includes trying to make space for the gifts and passions of others, listening, encouragement and serving where I am able.

While some people's judgement, resistence and short sighted critique causes me to occasionally 'second guess' I think nearly 30 years of experience means I know something about what I'm doing and the fact some people offer me genuine respect, encouragement and appreciation gives me the energy to pursue what I intuitively believe to be my best efforts!!

Anyhow... more thoughts as they develop!!

"Glee" on TEN in Oz

It's not everyone's favourite show and not one I catch all the time BUT Glee is unique, well written and crosses into excellent territory with each characters struggles, esteem issues and just their usual growing up in relationship to each other!!

I'm writing this now about Season 1 Episode 16 with the rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and the storylines running around it!! I reckon there's a weekend Camp tied up in a 5 min scene... which I'd put here but Glee are very tight about their copyright.... I'll edit my copy eventually and add it here when I have time...

Worship/Reflection at "Transformers"

At our 'inservice' conference this week I had the opportunity to develop a 15 or so minute reflection/worship choosing from the next five weeks of lectionary so that for want of a better reason the participants had stuff to use in coming weeks in their context and could relax into the learning, knowing that would pay off later on!!

I was stepping in to one spot we hadn't allocated so it was put together overnight!!

We began with the clip of "Fireflies" by Owl Citywith it's catch phrase about the world 'slowing down.'
Then a simple prayer,

"Surreal, tactile, mysterious and loving God

We worship you in our actions and in our lives

We bring our hopes and our disappointments,

We know your love in our everyday,

And we look for your imprint beyond what we can see.

Help us to make obvious space for you in our lives

And to share the truth of what’ you’ve doing with usIn places you’ve been

before we came along AMEN"

Then a Lament and Owning Up with a lyrical clip of "Fix You" Coldplay

[I didn't do the spelling!!]

Three people read parts of Luke 7:36-50

I played the 'Enough Rope' snippet of the Waifs to female members talking about being called onto stage as back up singers for Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' on Heavens Door'And how surreal it was where one saw it as being 'in' a Dylan song and the other saw it as a missed opportunity.

I talked about this anecdote and discipleship where there are opportunties to be 'in the moment' and we sometimes will get it and sometimes miss depending on a whole lot of things BUT Jesus was one who got it, like when he turned to the woman and spoke to Simon, accepting, noting and caring for her!!
I shared about the 'Bluesfest Easter' experiment and my 'Easter moment' listening to Kev Carmody play "Cannot Buy My Soul"!!

We shared a 'mission moment' by discussing in pairs who or what or where God might be calling us into a mission or discipleshipmoment in our community where we were each from.... being sent out by a re-read first prayer!!

Shame on You 7 Network!! Today Tonight!

What a disgrace!! The worst in gutter journalism! Peter Meakin and his team have clearly lost ALL perspective!! The 'outing' of NSW Minister for Transport David Campbell with secret video of his visit to 'Ken's' at Kensington [ a play on the 'Peter's of Kensington' retail store] is just a low act... from a media outlet with a set against NSW Labor [a government who deserve to be tossed out at the next Election]!!

'The public's right to know' is an often trotted out catchphrase to reveal stories best left to gossip pages or not printed at all!

This is a 'sad' story not a SCANDAL thanks Daily Telegraph! The whole we as a society [including communities of faith] deal with sexuality is a disaster at best. What this means for Mr Campbell and his family and friends is a private matter and is a common experience for lots of families where they are to be cared for not vilified on the front page of the local 'news'papers!

That Mr Campbell has resigned is a sad/good thing... so he has time to come to grips with this 'secret' becoming known to those closest to him! Even ABC radio talkback today was scathing of the journalistic hubris exhibited last night!

Even if there's some issue to be uncovered or explored, don't be so naive... journo's or 'sources' have known something about this and for their own reasons have chosen to tell about it now!! Journo's know lots of 'off the record' info but look out if they develop an agenda against you!!

There's been no blackmail, no misuse of resources... no evidence Mr Campbell was at Ken's or anywhere other than doing his job the day of the F3 Freeway debacle... but clearly that's the conclusion Channel 7 are leading us towards. If there's evidence of that it would be a sackable offence but that's IF... it would be the same if he'd gone to a concert, movie or slap up meal!!

I wonder what we'd be talking about if another politician had been filmed exiting a heterosexual brothel, a massage parlour, Star City Casino, or Reba Meagher's house?

'Lilith Fair' a unique youth ministry opportunity

Many months ago I blogged about the rumoured return of 'Lilith Fair'!! It was an all female bill Festival Styled one day rock concert which ran in the US from 1997-99 as envisaged by artists like Sarah McLachlan!!

Of course I lost track of that only to discover they have set a long list of dates in the US and now there are plans to tour and head downunder!!

A great aspect of the concept is 'voting' for local artists and booking a revolving list of established local artists!

Why a unique youth ministry opportunity... because...

'Too often blokes rule the space/stage/world'

Lots of potential and maybe even some questionable 'role models' on stage

A chance to dive into a 'girls only' outing and reflections

Run a weekend Camp including the night before, the day at the concert and then a day after

That's just a beginning....

MiCam 5MP Underwater Digital Video Camera

I've no idea whether it'll work with any quality but Target were selling the MiCam for $65 this week. It takes up to an 8MB SD card which is up to 6 hours of filming autoset for youtube.

I'm thinking vox pops, training videos etc... then pasted into our website as well!! We'll see!!

Separated at Birth?

David Letterman of Late Show fame and the Lakers Phil Jackson who is obviously greying from having to coach Kobe Bryant season after season!!

"Knight and Day" Trailer

I have to admit this looks a fun film with Cruise returning to the comedy schtick that's actually his forte!!

'Sundays Coming' Trailer

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

No doubt this'll do the rounds but I saw it checking out the latest from the 'Tall Skinny Kiwi"

How Good is the MacBook Pro

I am still discovering just how brilliant my laptop is and especially with easy syncing with the iPhone!! I wrote and email the other day with a list of dates for people to give feedback on...

Hover over one of them and it offered me the chance to create an iCal event in my calendar... amazing!!

Cadbury Fairtrade

With all due respect to my 'free market' colleagues... to assume that the economic system, left to develop itself, will bring wealth and improved standards of living to all without penalising the poor or the unemployed is risky at best! Not all things of value are measured in the capitalist economic system and the models its built on all include assumptions not always bourn out in reality!!

There's no doubt if resources can be stripped more cheaply they will be, if labour can be hired without Union protection it will be an if cocoa can be harvested cheaply then all's well and good... except for farmers!!

On the flipside, neither will all cooperatives, protests, artificial barriers etc be without side effects or compromises... so is it any wonder Cadbury's entry into the 'fairtrade' world is not without drawbacks. This includes a need to monitor still unfair conditions and the way the multi-national's ability to absorb higher fees will effect smaller operators who've been the pioneers of this move.

Read more about it here

or

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars/cadbury-introduces-fair-trade-chocolate-bar-20100510-uoua.html