Confessions of a reluctant conversationalist

Time rolls on

2012-01-28T19:18:00.001Z

"Hi, I'm Paul and it's been over two months since my last blog..."

No excuses really. Just got out of the habit. Sorry that I've neglected this particular space - I promise to do much better in the future... 2012 is the time for the return of the blog!!

Graveyard fugitives

2011-11-11T10:42:00.005Z

It's not something I hear often in conversation. Especially not when standing in a graveyard, in the gathering early evening gloom but Kieran genuinely said "Now all we need is the armed police unit to arrive...!"

Once a month, we record a short video message from our boss, Matt - perhaps you've seen them? - and Wednesday was the alloted day for November. We've become aware that the recent videos have all been a little samey, location-wise, so we decided to take this one, all about fear, out into the cemetery across from Urban Saints' offices. The autumnal afternoon light was closing in and we knew we'd have to shoot fast if we were going to get it done.

As we entered the graveyard, carrying all the camera kit with us, a guy cycled up and asked us if we'd seen two guys come past "because his girlfriend had just been mugged". We hadn't. Just as he cycled away, another man and, ever the suspicious one, I began to feel uneasy, as if we were actually being scammed. I kept a tight hold of the camera bag and a weather eye on the horizon at all times as we continued up the hill to our location. We set up, but I was still on edge, buzzing around looking out for people - not least for Matt to arrive as the light was disappearing fast.

When he did arrive, with Kieran, we realised that there was a police helicopter hovering around the cemetery. The combination of the fading light and the background noise meant they we would have to postpone until another day. As we packed down, being careful not to make any sudden moves or look like we're fleeing(!), we joked about the potential newspaper headlines. When the police car, with two armed officers pulled up, the joking turned to further unease. Fortunately, though, we weren't whisked off to the station for further questioning but it was a very surreal thing for 4 Christian guys to be approached, while making a video in a gloomy graveyard, by armed police, with a surveillance helicopter hovering overhead...

Summit through the lens

2011-11-02T23:00:00.000Z

Being a cameraman can give you unrestricted access to an event you're part of. However, it can also cause you to get detached from it at the same time - like you're experiencing things through someone else's (electronic) eyes. So, here's my take on the recent Youthwork Summit - from through the viewfinder...

First things first - I've been eagerly anticipating this weekend for months. Basically since we wrapped on the very first one back in 2010. I've had fun and put the hours in to making some marketing & promotional content in the run-up. I've literally been there AND bought the t-shirt! Let's face it, the Summit was going to have to work very hard to be a disappointment to me. But in so many ways, it totally exceeded my expectations. So many points where I wanted to stop and take a mental picture - to bask in what was happening all around. So many "wow" moments. So many glimpses of God's smile over our scruffy-looking efforts...

The first "pause button" moment was arriving at the venue - bigger and more grand even than I'd pictured in my head. Suddenly the weight of responsibility was dawning on me. We had to capture this event - just us; no back-ups; no plan B - and our cameras were starting to feel rather tiny in our grasp. Then there was the moment, I looked up from my curry and conversation to look around the "Funhouse" dining area. To gaze on a room full of youth workers connecting, laughing together, encouraging & supporting one another put flesh on the bones of an idea that had been discussed many weeks before.

Then there was the day itself. As the room filled up with eager youthworker-types, I found myself pacing the aisles just trying to take it all in. Trying to picture what people were expecting. What hopes and reservations they had about the Summit. And I found myself grinning - despite a growing nervousness about making sure we captured the event faithfully for the cameras. Grinning, because it was all becoming a reality... again. Grinning, because I kept bumping into old and new friends. Grinning, just because...

I guess most people present will remember the speakers - and even from behind the camera, there were some great moments: Mark Roques' deliciously madcap metaphors for contemporary worldviews; Lyn Edwards' feisty, loo-brush-wielding enthusiasm for rural youth work; "90-something" John Langdon & his experience from the streets; Jo Davenport's "is-he-isn't-he" virtual youthgroup pitch; Katie Edwards' fascinating analysis of Christ & Eve imagery in advertising; Jason Royce's unforgettable stance ("stop being nice & give 'em knives") followed by a far more affecting punchline ("What will you do about the kids you hope don't turn up to youth group?!")... In fact, every speaker gave us something fresh yet challenging. Some were clearly conference platform supremos but most were simply youth workers sharing their successes & failures. Their dreams & battle scars. Cheered on by the great crowd of witnesses.

Leading worship, Rend Collective Experiment were sublime. As per last year. I suspect that, like last year, some may have found their songs unfamiliar (even leftfield - 'The Servant King' revived from the 80's) but again like last year, I imagine that few would have gone home unmoved by their creativity, passion & zeal. By the end of the day, the barn-storming 'Build your Kingdom here' was well and truly lodged in my head. The "In Yer Face" sketch was very powerful although, for me, probably suffered the most from a sense of detachment. It's very hard to really take in the message of a performance when you are constantly trying to reframe and refocus a camera on the actors. And then Mr Yaconelli - a consummate storyteller and sage. His unpacking of the soul and its role in our calling and spiritual adventure was heart-breaking, hilarious and (in the soon-to-be-legendary disco-dancing finale) utterly note-perfect. It's worth noting that very few people at the Summit (including most of the team and some of those involved) knew what was going to happen and boy, was it better for it too.

Personally, this was one of the over-arching themes of the whole Youthwork Summit and what set it apart from any previous "conference" (if indeed that's even a fitting description) I've ever been to. It was the light touches of humour and humanity - the memorable playfulness that balanced the challenges and provocation - that characterised the day for me. The kazoo worship & Martin's disapproving "stare". Tom's insanely inspired videos. The "blue screen of death" (an inspired "techy-joke"). The aforementioned finale. The Summit feels like an event for likeminds - and, unless it was an overindulgence in free Starbucks, it feels like everyone's on the same page - that shared connection of those who love Jesus and love young people.

As all present linked arms and a young person prayed over the assembled youth leaders, I panned my camera around to capture the scene. It was another poignant moment - but for me, one to simply witness not experience. We'd successfully captured things but occasionally had held things at arms (or a camera's) length. Don't feel too bad for me though - I wouldn't have swapped my front-row place for anyone's!

Not the end of the world

2011-11-01T23:25:00.000Z

In contrast to my previous post, 'Contagion' was a film that looked well worth my hard-earned, movie-going cash. Death, destruction, tension & trauma. All great movie staples. A great director (one of my favourites), a stellar cast and glowing reviews to match. What's the worst that could happen?!

Well, nothing actually. It was a solidly-made, tense and fascinating thriller. Good performances (although perhaps too many headliners vying for screen time) and unsettling themes and plot. I must confess to both shifting uneasily when fellow cinema-goers began coughing midway through and very carefully and pointedly washing my hands on the way home. The conceit that a global pandemic could start at any time, spreading rapidly and indiscriminately so that anyone could have it or be carrying it - was (is?) a satisfyingly disquieting one. Combine that with one or two gloopy moments - a shock road accident and Gwyneth Paltrow's flip-top head - and you've got the makings of a winner.

My biggest problem with 'Contagion' though was the "apocalyptic overtones" - the "this is the end of the world as we know it" storyline, that inevitably ends up with it not actually being the end of the world. For all their gasp-inducing set-ups (and special effects - refreshingly absent here though), they run out of steam when things start looking up. I'm not a total pessimist (honest!) but find films that hurtle towards oblivion, only to narrowly miss it due to a little opportunism, leave me cold. I'm not saying all should be doom and gloom but I prefer a little more ambiguity in my disaster flicks.

"Thank the blogosphere" that a further saving grace was provided by Jude Law's paranoid blogger - spreading panic and confusion in an attempt to reveal "the truth". There's a great (I'm sure to be "oft-blogged") quote where a doctor says to Jude Law's character:

"Blogging is not writing. It's graffiti with punctuation!"

In my case, it's rarely often even that but it did get me thinking about the influence the internet has had on how we assess "truth" and how ideas / actions can spread like wildfire with no more than a few sparks. It presents a massive challenge for "ideas" and "ideaologies" (faiths?) that rely heavily on transmitting "truth" to others - as things can easily become corrupted and misinterpreted. But on the flipside, it also presents unmissable opportunities to spread great news of hope, freedom and love - like that of the message of Christ and Christianity...

When watching 'The Help', I came away - like all good culture-vulture youthworkers - with enough great quotes to fill a reporters notebook. However, this was the only line that stuck out to me in this movie. It was probably initially because I thought it would make a great blog title but the more I think about it, the more I realise that this uncovers a much deeper, more challenging set of ideas and opportunities.

Now, must go and wash my hands again...

Help me!

2011-11-01T19:35:00.000Z

I have a confession to make. I'd written it off as a "girl's film". Surely the movie of a book my wife read would not exactly thrill me? But I'm nothing if not open-minded - especially when it comes with a free ticket to an advanced showing!

I was fortunate enough to see a special free preview screening of 'The Help' at the Youthwork Summit last weekend. I was working on the Summit team and I hadn't expected to get the opportunity so when the chance came I went for it. How often do you get to see a pre-pre-release showing of ANY film?! Maybe it would be good? Failing that, maybe I could bad-mouth it on Wittertainment... I wasn't holding out much hope but joined my fellow youth workers regardless. The synopsis - a story of a young white journalist documenting the experiences of black maids in 60's smalltown America - did sound too promising I must confess.

However, from the opening scenes I was enthralled - both because of the great performances and the inspiring and challenging themes explored. Prejudice. Courage. (In)justice. Affirmation. Oppression. Loving your enemies. Standing up for your beliefs. Lifting up the downtrodden. Loyalty. Independence. Social conditioning. The list is comprehensive - and there's plenty of humour thrown in for good measure too (including a never unwelcome poo gag!) It was emotional and powerful - and yes, I did have to choke back a few tears - but always felt like a genuine tale of ordinary people bravely trying to make a difference in their world. It was my biggest "movie surprise" since 'Made in Dagenham' (and the similarity doesn't exactly end there either).

Some critics have accused it of being over-sanitised, patronising and even manipulative - I believe there's a fine line between moving and manipulative (and that's usually in the eye of the beholder in my experience) and none of these accusations held water for me. It is just an inspiring story of defying convention to give others a hope and a future. A story about the importance of building up not tearing down. A story full of ordinary heroes trying to bring down injustices. Hmmm, reminds me of another inspiring story - one I'm very much a part of...

I can't imagine I'll be evolving my taste in films any time soon - you can't beat a bit of violent carnage at the cinema - but if this is what Michelle's books are all like, maybe I should pay a little closer attention?!

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

It all came from here*

2011-10-25T13:27:00.000Z

An amazing, exhausting, inspiring, bewildering & truly humbling weekend in Manchester... The Youthwork Summit was awesome and no doubt deserves more than one blog post. However, I'm going to start "green" and go for something a little bit recycled...

Here's a section from my write-up of the Summit taken from the Urban Saints website:

"Short, snappy, bitesize talks on subjects as diverse as advertising, gang culture, people trafficking, the Olympics, the digital world, youthwork 'grandparents' and rat worship(!) came thick and fast before Mark Yaconelli finished the day with a beautiful message about slowing down to appreciate what’s God doing in the quiet. The finale was something to savour for months to come as a childhood story became a full-blown party, complete with 'dancing', seventies shirts and a disco-ball. It has to be-seen-to-be-believed (and you can see it on the Summit YouTube page if you don’t know what I’m talking about!), rounding off a truly beautiful and mind-blowing Summit in fine style."

Read the full review of the day HERE and watch this space for more reflections on the Summit in the next few days and weeks.

Eating together

2011-10-16T22:29:00.000Z

Inspired by World Food Day and Blog Action Day, I was wondering why we place so much significance on eating together? All animals need to eat to sustain life but it's a very human compulsion to eat with others. The meal experience is about so much more than food and company - but why?

We all eat - we all have to - but when you share that experience it becomes something more. Key moments in life are marked with shared meals and may even become more of an occasion because of eating together at the same time. Weddings, funerals, Christmas, birthdays, Sunday lunch - they all feature coming together to eat. As a Christian, even the most sacred ceremonies like communion are based around a communal meal.

Michelle & I have recently moved our kitchen table into the living room to allow us to eat together properly and I have noticed that our meal times have become more valuable experiences. It's a small change but it has made a big difference. I can see why it is often said that families not eating together regularly suffer as a result. For me, I don't really feel I have got to know someone until I've shared a meal with them - in fact, I wish I had more opportunity to do this with the people in my life.

Even in countries where food is scarce, shared meals are the norm - particularly when it comes to hospitality. I vividly recall joining my parents, on the township they work in South Africa, for a special kids event - and the families prepared a meal for us as their guests. The idea is incongruous when you consider that I had more spare change in my pockets than these wonderful people would see all year. There's something in this though - in the global village, the one thing we are not good at is sharing our meals with the hungry. Well, not really anyway... Is this the global equivalent of seeing someone in a restaurant you know but wanting to have a quiet meal on your own. What might we learn if we could truly share what we have with others around the world? But this takes effort and sacrifice and let's face it, on a global scale, we're not exactly great at this...

Yes, we're social animals, of course. Perhaps this fact alone explains why we choose to eat together rather than simply doing so because it is necessary? But I can't help but wonder why social food consumption is so crucial - so instinctive - and why we all feel compulsion for hospitality. I'm sure a psychologist could theorise for me - maybe even break it down completely - but perhaps it is better to simply marvel at the power of the shared meal and enjoy it for the life affirming experience it is.

#cnmac11

2011-10-16T18:06:00.007Z

I guess the prospect of spending a whole day in a lecture theatre with hundreds of geeky Christians would fill some people with utter dread. But 'The Christian New Media Conference 2011' this weekend was far from the ghastly haven of stereotypes you might think...

There was a point during yesterday during my time at The Christian New Media Conference (or #cnmac for those "in-the-know") that had me wishing I could "take a mental picture" (click!) Being in a small university lecture theatre listening to a Benedictine nun (known on Twitter as @digitalnun!) talking about the importance of real relationships online was noteworthy enough but then without missing a beat, Sister Catherine Wybourne, said "with my other hat on as a web designer...". There was a surreal reaction in the room as around 50 people tried to work out if it was appropriate to laugh or not. You could not have scripted a more gloriously unexpected moment - and to be fair, her seminar was equally inspired.

There were other great moments too, in a day that could have been over-dominated by tech and jargon. Vicky Beeching guided us effortlessly through the day despite having apparently swapped her guitar for an iPad. PR man James Poulter really cut to the chase regarding "tweeted outrage" and while his "What Would Wilberforce Tweet?" might have been a little less lofty than "WWJT", it still left an entire audience feeling ever so slightly more self-conscious the next time they hit 'send'. Patrick Dixon finished the day with a genuine challenge to use our "digital resources" wisely and an unexpected, but ultimately well-observed, moment of digital silence. Undoubtedly there were other great moments in the breakout sessions I was unable to get to and countless important connections going on over coffee and sarnies too.

I'm pretty sure there's another blog post on this event for me yet to come but for now I'll simply say this: #cnmac did everything it had promised me. Affirmation for our efforts in a community still running to catch-up with the digital revolution. Inspiration to press on, break new ground and make more connections. And challenge to do so remembering why we adopted these peculiar new toys in the first place - to make a genuine difference.

Summit's coming

2011-09-30T21:54:00.001Z

This month sees the culmination of one of my favourite side-projects I've been involved in this year. I got my favourite "review" as a result of it and even gained a few new colleagues too. I even gained a new catchphrase...

Last year, I manned a fire exit at an event that even the organisers thought might not make it all! But the first ever Youthwork Summit was a great success. This year, when the opportunity presented itself, I signed up to help with the marketing of the eagerly-anticipated follow-up.

So, Laura, Sean & Simon from Youthwork Magazine helped form one of the more popular coalitions of recent years and fuelled by pizza and M&S snacks, we came up with a range of promotional ideas and light-hearted video content. It was some of the most enjoyable work I've ever been involved with - described by one tweeter as "cheerfully, gleeful insanity" - and my particular highlight was "parcelling" up Sean to post him to Manchester! In the past year, I've come to think of these guys as my colleagues-in-exile and I'm really looking forward to the Summit itself so we can get back to working together. We even get to spend the night before at the infamous "Summit funhouse" in the middle of Manchester (Can't wait!)

We've been there and bought the t-shirt (quite literally!) but now it gets really serious. The event is looming and there are still quite a few logistical question marks flying around but what we do know is that we'll be filming the Summit and getting behind-the-scenes footage and vox pops. So it looks like October 22nd is going to be a crazy day but remember... It all comes from here*

MIMIC: Get copying!

2011-09-30T17:16:00.000Z

It feels like it's always been there. But finally, we're starting to see groups signing up to our new MIMIC site and resource. The problem is, that although you can test aspects of the site in theory, it's only when you give it to real-life human beings that you start to spot all the bugs! It looks like my next few months are going to be spent doing a combination of TV presenting, salesmanship and bug extermination!

It's the glorious nature of my work. Some of my time I'm a technician - filming and editing video messages, uploading content and generally spotting things that need changing. At other times, I'm what I'll laughingly refer to as "the talent" - working with Deb to rewrite and present the very same videos and acting (mostly as a clown!) as a virtual guide for all the 7-10s who sign up to site. On another day I'm trying to work out how to succinctly describe the blasted thing and encourage people to view it as the missing link in their youth and children's work - a task not proving easy in as much as it is a vast resource and it works best when used with another vast resource - our Energize website...

The final part of my relationship with MIMIC is as a user. This is the really fascinating, taxing, exasperating and yet rewarding part. I'm really fortunate to have some great 9 & 10 year olds in my kids group and they're really up for making a difference in their world - a key part of what MIMIC is all about. The problem arises when you try and do in practice what you intended it to do in theory. So far, launching MIMIC in my local group has proved very time-consuming and not without its own set of blind alleys and cul-de-sacs. However, what it has also proved is that this is a great resource, just waiting to be discovered. It's got loads of content and a heart that beats for investment in young lives. Not just by the so-called professionals of the Christian youthwork world, but also for us plebs - struggling along, trying to bring some hope to others and mostly stumbling over our own big feet.

I know that MIMIC is going to cause me some sleepless nights in the weeks to come - but I'm really excited about those "wow" moments that are heading this way too - a shed-load of them at that!

Over the Spree to Skye

2011-09-30T16:16:00.000Z

There are times in any career when you think to yourself "how did I get here?!" One hopes that this is pondered with wonder and not dread but the reality is, when most people reach this point, it is tinged with despair. Well, not when you work for Urban Saints...

I have found myself in all manner of amazing places while under the banner of Urban Saints - upon the Great Wall of China; the summit of Ben Nevis; the middle of the Irish Sea, surrounded only by waves; the top of the Royal Albert Hall; riding an 18-seater bicycle, dressed top-to-toe in pink; underneath a pile of YWAM-ers in the woods; in a paddling pool, covered in gunge - but as I sat on the seashore, waiting for a shot of the ferry coming in, it was hard to imagine any other workplace I'd rather be in. This was my first trip to Skye (I hope not last either) and once again, I was getting paid for it.

I took on the near-twelve-hour journey to north west Scotland to help out my friend and colleague Charlie as he ran the 2011 Skye Spree - on the understanding that I took my camera up and took some photos and a bit of video. Skye Spree is a short-weekend (it can't run on Sunday because of much stricter adherence to the Sabbath on the Western Isles...) that takes place in Uig on the northern tip of Skye. Several groups of young people come from other parts of Skye, Harris, Lewis and mainland Scotland to take part in all the activities, crafts, games, worship and food. By all accounts, with around 100 people in and around the playing fields and community hall, it's the largest event that Uig ever sees!

But an event that might seem insignificant to our mainland, suburban worldview, is anything but for these groups. Some travelled several hours to take part; others camped overnight too (not exactly a summer picnic in the Highlands in (pre-heatwave) late September!). It's an event that connects groups together - that brings encouragement to hard-working, often isolated, leaders and volunteers. It's an event that brings churches together - some that just wouldn't in any other context. It's an event that is packed to the rafters with adventure but never feels anything other than laid back. And above all, it's great fun too!

I suspect that Skye Spree is the greatest Urban Saints event of the year, that almost no one in the movement will ever attend - and for that reason, above all others, I'm truly privileged to have been able to take part in it...

[I recorded a little video while I was there but am still working on that - watch this space for a few glimpses and hopefully it'll also feature in the next edition of Leaders TV from Urban Saints too]

The Summit Unpacked

2011-09-17T22:35:00.006Z

This month, the programme details for the Youthwork Summit were released - getting really excited now!

Towards the end of October, I'll be taking part in the Summit up in Manchester and judging by this list of talk topics, it's going to be a blinding day! If you're a youthworker or you've got any affinity for and calling to young people, you need to be a part of this event...

A brief thank-you

2011-08-30T13:38:00.002Z

Thought you might like a quick video message from my Three Peaks adventure. There's still time to give towards the fundraising if you haven't already so please visit my fundraising page!

Holidaying in the past

2011-08-29T22:30:00.004Z

Going on holiday can evoke wonderful memories at the best of times but our recent camping 'weekend' was like travelling back in time - in more ways than one.

I guess whenever you go away with kids, your mind drifts back to when you were one. It might literally make you feel young at heart. It might take you places you've been before; perhaps even known and loved. Sometimes it might actually take you back in time. Almost.

Michelle & I spent last Thursday to Saturday with some friends - and their children - in the vicinity of Swanage & while there is little particularly evocative about this Dorset peninsula per se (I actually spent my brother-in-law's stag do roaming it just 2 months previously...), this trip triggered some very warm fuzzy memories for me.

For starters, there were the rich historic factors - enough to focus anyone's mind on a simpler time. The stark ruins of Corfe Castle - visible from the campsite - and the working, steam-powered Swanage Railway both acted as physical reminders of the past & recollections of childhood holidays in summers gone by. As we stood watching a medieval sword demonstration within the crumbling walls of the castle & a steam train chugged past in the distance, my poor brain didn't quite know what to make of it all... Like finding yourself in a very British Disneyland or something more satisfyingly more genuine.

Then there were the things that you only do when there are kids around. French cricket, for example; a game I've not played since family holidays (one infamous occasion when my dad gave my mum a black eye when an overenthusiastic swing of the bat connected with an altogether-too-close fielder...). Beaches, too, become a much more fascinating place when you are (with someone) just a few feet tall. Whether it was collecting & sorting all the seaweed into colours, jumping waves or helping to build a sand boat with Katelyn & Eden. All were activities I hadn't considered since someone had done them with me.

Then there were the darker perhaps, but no less fondly remembered moments from a school field trip to Swanage one year. Recalling pubs we sneaked into & spots on the seafront where we'd sat watching the world go by - talking about life & music & faith - as well as the youth hostel that had staged the whole affair. Each one bringing back special memories & unique emotions...

I love it when a place or an item it even a song takes you back to a special moment in your journey - your story - & I'm not sure that I always treasure them as much as I should. However, although I never saw it coming, this weekend really was chock full of them.

That back-to-work feeling

2011-08-29T21:11:00.003Z

Tomorrow, after the heady thrill of the Bank Holiday, we all go back to work. Despite actually only being off-duty for about seven working days all summer, I still feel that impending sense of dread that used to only exist on the night before the new term...

I have to lay my cards out on the table; for those of you who don't know, I absolutely love my job. But that still doesn't prevent that inescapable longing to cling on to those relaxing & exhilarating experiences of days off & summer holidaying (more on those to follow here no doubt).

I guess, for me, the fact that I have at least two weighty deadlines for day one back at the grindstone, plus a number of other rather urgent matters to attend to, can't help. It's been a busy working summer too & there is still many loose ends to secure before we can launch into the new school year. In many ways, this summer period has surpassed many before it & might be forgiven for thinking I'd be raring to get back to it. But no. Holiday, like time itself, is a precious commodity - one to savoured & truly lamented once it is gone. Even when you love what you do.

So as I now think about going back to my desk, I know I'd gladly swap a drizzly day in Wimborne for the prospect of a few hundred unread emails & a nagging to-do list any day of the week. Or year, in fact!

Three Peaks: Wales

2011-08-11T22:12:00.005Z

Snowdon. Our final stop on our challenge. A natural wonder, full of stark beauty and mystery - yet with a tourist railway & a bloomin' service station at the top...! Our Three Peaks adventure was drawing to a close but with still one more climb to tackle...

We'd arrived in Wales the night before, tired from our efforts, despondent from the frustrations of Scafell & mildly baffled by Radio1's Sex Night on the journey! But we realised That we were staying within the castle walls in Caernarfon - in a lovely hostel with a dining area & kitchen. Just what we needed to take stock of our progress. Without question, the best place we stayed during our trip. They even had pictures on the wall to help us plan our hike...

The next morning we set out for Snowdon along the Miners track, in thick hill fog. It was hard enough to see the path ahead let alone the summit and our goal. Miners is a deceptively gradual climb up past reservoirs and grassy banks until it gets to the mine itself and then it climbs very steeply indeed. The fog was clearing but then as we tackled the final haul to the upper ridge, we were heading up into the cloud - giving the steep drops around us an eerie, almost celestial, quality. At one point we found ourselves slightly off the path & using the rock climbers spikes to cling on to the rock face!

Eventually, we made it up to the upper ridge, just as the mountain railway clanked into view - appearing from out of the mist at great speed. This was the final gentle climb to the peak & it meant that we were close to completion. As we rounded the final bend & up past the station, the summit appeared. It was cold, near zero visibility & crowded - groups of hikers converging from all sides mixing with the next batch of shirt-sleeved tourists just off the train. We got our pictures and then retreated inside the summit cafe for lunch.

I was expecting a small room - a token gesture of a coffee shop - but what we saw was a purpose-built visitor centre with viewing gallery, toilets, gift shop & allsorts. It was a strange contrast to the blustery, foggy, peak outside & we made the most of the stop. By the time we headed down again, the cloud was lifting and we started to see al the breathtaking views we had missed on the way up!

we headed back down the Pygs track to avoid the steep drop on Miners & this was a smart move - a much more gradual descent. Dom & Timea pressed ahead, perhaps extra spurred on by the proximity to completion of our challenge. So much so that they were back long before I was...! I'd become very aware of how wet my left foot had become today but didn't think anything of it until I got home & discovered I'd split my entire sole apart while walking that day...

So that was our Three Peaks challenge done & throughout it many images of journeying sprung to mind. But ultimately, for me, the main thing wad about achieving great things one careful step at a time and knowing where you are and where you want to be. No bad lesson for life I guess?! It was an amazing experience and one I'd love to repeat some day - maybe with some of the guys from church or from Urban Saints. Next time it'll be different. Next time the leaks won't know what's hit them!

[Please consider giving generously to sponsor me on this, as I raise money for our Rebuild project in South Africa. Thank you so much!!]

Three Peaks: England

2011-08-08T16:12:00.000Z

This is a cautionary tale. It's the story of an Englishman (well, men - plus a Hungarian, Dutch-Canadian & Welsh-Scot actually...) who went up a mountain and came back disappointed. It was the moment when "Three Peaks" became "Two & Nine Tenths Peaks"...

Day two, after a very late meal the previous night, we tackled Scafell Pike - the tallest peak in England at 947m high. Nestled amongst a web-like network of similar peaks up in the Lake District, Scafell makes for a very spectacular climb - once you get to it. We started up the valley along the river before this became a deep gully with steep sides. After the procession of the previous day, it made a lovely change that we were passed by few other climbers - even less still that were running it! Towards the top of the valley we were joined by a very talkative Canadian couple but when we reached a fork in the path we took the more gradual climbing left path while they went up and right.

It was still pretty hard going but this day's climbing was definitely less intense and it gave us the confidence boost we needed to keep going on. At the top we reached a ridge and a small shelter and stopped for a break to get out of the wind and assess the increasingly large amounts of damp cloud closing in. The map suggested you drop down from the ridge and climb Scafell on the other side so we turned left along the ridge before doing just as instructed. This was particularly tough climbing as this ascent seemed extremely steep and like it was going on forever. At the top, surrounded by thick cloud, we stopped to eat lunch, confident (although unsighted) that Scafell Pike, was just beyond the peak.

However, as we continued on through the gloom, our confidence was draining a little and once we came across some fellow climbers we decided to get a location check. It was not good news...

"Excuse me, how far is it to Scafell Pike?"
"Scafell? Um, about 2 hours from here..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep, if we could see right now, Scafell would be right over there" (pointing far in to the distance)
So, where are we then?" (slightly panicking now)
"This is Bow Fell. We reckon you could probably back-track from here but it'll be at least an extra two hours. With this weather, you might get stuck up here. Have you got equipment with you for staying overnight?"
"Er, no...

It was far from the news we wanted to hear. We were left with the choice of doubling back - which at best, would mean not getting to our overnight accommodation until the early hours of the morning and at worst, could mean getting stranded and needing rescue - and heading down again defeated. We had climbed at least two peaks around 900m tall but the one we set out for. Our map reader took it hardest but we all acknowledged that there had been signs we all could have picked up on and were still very impressed with ourselves for getting this far.

The descent was a decidedly downbeat affair - like the journey home for a fan after a footballing defeat. No matter how well you had played, you had still been on the wrong end of the result. Just to rub it in, it started to rain as we retraced our steps. Back at the shelter, it all became clear that we "zigged when we should have zagged" and to make matters worse, we met the Canadian couple on their way back down, full of tales of their victorious ascent of Scafell...

On reflection as we approached the valley on the way down, we all acknowledged that it had still been quite some achievement - regardless of the navigational miscalculation. I know that spirits would have been higher if we had completed Scafell but we had still climbed up into the highest region in our English homeland, despite the complex network of pathways and unfavourable weather patterns. Another daunting and dizzying section of the UK countryside had been conquered and none of us had enough energy to indulge our regrets. By now, lower legs and knees were beginning to throb and we still had a further 4+ hours of car journey to face. Next stop: Caernarfon and the North Wales coast and preparation for day three...

[I was taking part in the Three Peaks in order to raise money for Urban Saints and you can still give towards this by visiting my fundraising page. Many thanks!]

Three Peaks: Scotland

2011-08-07T22:09:00.004Z

Last weekend I took part in a Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Urban Saints. The three tallest peaks in England, Scotland & Wales over three consecutive days. It was pretty tough but it was also pretty awesome too. And pretty!

We planned to start as far from home as possible & then make our way towards Hitchin as we travelled - we being my two neighbours (Dom & Timea), their two friends (Chris & John) & myself. We drove through the opening day up the spine of England, through the dramatic Borders, along the stunning (yet nerve-wrackingly winding) banks of Loch Lomond & finally witnessing the perfect sunset vista of the majestic Glencoe region. It was an exhausting but ultimately rewarding trek in its own right before a night in a little backpackers hostel in the heart of Fort William.

It seemed like the whole place was packed with like-minded hikers but by the time we departed the next morning, the town seemed deserted. Clearly we were behind the crowds - who, it seemed, were already off to conquer Ben Nevis, long before any normal person would choose to be up on a Saturday morning. The next surprise was just how lovely a day it was - this hot sunshine was not what we had seen in the brochure...

There are two main things to note when climbing Ben Nevis in the height of season. Firstly the main ascent is actually pretty dull - as mountain climbing goes (or so I'm told). Secondly, it will be utterly packed. In fact on this day, it was like ants climbing a steep driveway; plus it often felt like getting stuck behind a line of caravans on a country lane. Albeit a rather wheezy, sweaty caravan! That's not to say it wasn't visually breathtaking to behold - and the beautifully clear skies helped with this - just that once you've seen the valleys & hills sink away beneath you, all they do is get smaller & more distant.

It's also not say that it's not a tough climb. In fact, Nevis grabs you from the first path, with one of the most draining sections being the initial path up round the neighbouring hillside to get to the base of the peak itself. Again, the unexpected heat didn't make this any easy (i was the only one of our party to "risk" wearing shorts that day...) Then it's relentlessly "up", zig-zagging as you go. You reach what appears to be a top only to discover another ascent beyond this one!

It was well before this that I realised that my new hydration pouch was not exactly working out for me. In fact, its mouthpiece wasn't even properly machined so there wasn't a hope of me getting a drink at all. With a pen knife & some determined improvisation, we eventually fixed it but it was fast seeming that dehydration & sunburn might be the biggest threats to the opening day of our challenge. This made the fact that we passed a small patch of snow - desperately clinging on to the slopes like the obscure size in a clothing sale rack - all the more bizarre an experience.

Despite the battering our legs were already taking, we did make it to the summit & it was a pretty impressive place too. A flat-ish mountain top with plenty of space and views for many miles. There was the obligatory photo-opp-ready plinth that the steady stream of tired hikers casually queued to mount for THAT photo that proved they'd done it after all. Far more fascinating was the ruins of an old observatory & a bad weather shelter - basically a two-man locker that seemed rather unnecessary on a beautiful day such as it was (although no doubt literally a lifesaver for many past climbers). Equally inexplicably as we sat on the highest point of the whole UK, I was able to call Michelle with beautiful clarity thanks to Vodafone. Even now, I'm not sure she quite appreciates the significance of her standing in a coffee shop in Hitchin Market square speaking to someone on top of the UK's tallest peak...

Coming down again was surprisingly equally demanding & often just as processional. Probably the main difference was that we had the same air of quiet satisfaction (aka smugness!) that we had seen on those fortunate enough to pass us on our way up. We saw some sights it must be said; a surprising number of tourists in jeans & plimsols; a man in a kilt carrying a toy donkey & others dressed as lifeguards complete with buoys & even a mankini. Further down we witnessed a group wheeling mountain bikes up the boulder-strewn pathway. To this day, we maintain they were asking for trouble!

By the time we had made it down again - those walking poles coming in very handy this time - we were actually quite behind schedule. This caused some uncomfortable panic in our party as we still had a lengthy drive to our second hostel in the Lake District ahead of us. Equally discomforting (although in a more physical sense) were the aching limbs and widespread sunburn - the unexpected side effect of a day spent up amongst the clouds.

As we headed away, through the dizzying splendour of Glencoe once again, I was left feeling that it had been another great reminder of the sheer epic scale of the creation & just how tiny we are in comparison to it (&, of course, its Creator too...) That, & I really hope my legs don't seize up before it's my turn to drive!

So that was day 1 & our most arduous climb? Perhaps - but if we were thinking it was all going to be easy from here on in, we would need to think again!

[Remember, you can still sponsor me for this epic endeavour at my fundraising page]

But which is better? There's only one way way to find out...

2011-07-28T19:56:00.000Z

On the eve of my big fundraising challenge, it's worth noting that several people have asked me the same question. Which is the bigger challenge? Ascending the three highest peaks in the UK or helping to run a week of holiday club with up to 100 under 11s the very next day?

In the words of my great hero... "There's only one way to find out!"

If you believe that the mountain hiking will be the great challenge, please consider giving towards my fundraising challenge. However, if you believe the screaming kids require more endurance, remember that this is why I'm doing the fundraiser in the first place and give anyway....!

3 Peaks. 4 New Friends

2011-07-27T16:08:00.000Z

In just 3 days time, I'll be standing on the very peak of the UK with 4 people I know relatively little about. By the time I return home I expect to know considerably more but even so this constitutes a pretty unusual situation for me. As, indeed, does any kind of mountain climbing at all...

Gentle reader, you may have already heard that I rather stumbled into my upcoming Three Peaks adventure but the reality is even more unpredictable than even that suggests. It begins at a damp barbecue two summers previous & ends (well, so far!) with an epic tour of the highest heights of Great Britain. Not all that goes in between makes total sense to me but I'll recount it as best I can.

We first met Dom & Timea at our first street barbecue two summers ago. They braved the weather and brought cake - so immediately we warmed to them - and even returned the following year. Then I filmed their wedding for them, spent some time together over Christmas and shared breakfast together as we celebrated our birthdays. They are big film fans - and even working on a screenplay - and Timea had offered some of her musical compositions for my videos. Timea was also keen to do some sort of physical challenge and was up for doing so to help out Urban Saints.

In what was a throwaway conversation over my birthday breakfast, Timea suggested we did the Three Peaks. I liked the idea but didn't feel that I was in any hurry to organise it too soon. But somehow it was decided that we go for sometime that same July or August and this coming weekend was the only one we could all do. Into the mix came Chris & John - friends of Dom & Timea - and suddenly we were a team of 5! Initially I was unsure about the idea of doing something so soon with people I didn't know so we planned a trial hike to check our fitness and make sure we could all get along...

We needn't have worried. Our circumnavigation of Hitchin was a lovely day - a sunny day with good company. It was great to get to know the guys better and also good to see some previously unknown parts of my home town. Since then it has been great to be part of our little team, preparing for the expedition. Chris, in particular, has been amazingly organised and focused on our preparations - she sent us the most amazing spreadsheet of information and tips - and frankly, I couldn't have organised the trip without them. Now I'm really looking forward to the challenge and also to getting to know my new friends even better!

As I've said before, I'm doing the Three Peaks to raise money for Urban Saints so if you'd like to sponsor me to do this, please follow the following link. Thank you so much!

Love letters

2011-07-19T14:30:00.005Z

I took this photo because we're doing a project in the office that requires magnetic letters. But once I did I realised what a great thing these novelty educational devices are...

You can't beat magnetic letters - and not just for secretly writing rude words on other people's fridges! That is how I first got addicted to the multi-coloured communication tools - writing naughty phrases on Michelle's refrigeration unit (much to the annoyance of her then flatmate). But I can't help but arrange them into phrases and names. It's such great fun.

Unfortunately, our young cats also developed a liking for the letters and chased and batted them around our compact terraced house. Even now, some 2 years later, we keep uncovering stray magnetic letters from down the side of the fridge and under the sofas...

Climb every mountain

2011-07-18T12:44:00.004Z

You've probably spotted by now that a lack of posts means I'm really in the thick of things but I'm breaking my silence for a really important announcement...

In a fortnight's time, I should be on my way down the third of the 3 tallest mountains in the UK - Snowdon. I managed to stumble into doing the Three Peaks Challenge at the end of July and now the end of July is rapidly heading this way. I say "stumble" because it was a throwaway remark during a wonderful birthday breakfast back in May that turned into a full-on expedition and fundraiser. One of my adventurous neighbours (yes, one of those brave enough to attend our street BBQ in the rain!) suggested doing the Three Peaks and I thought it sounded like a great idea. However, I didn't think we were talking about within the next 3 months!

So, I'll be climbing Ben Nevis on July 30th, Scafell Pike on the 31st & Snowdon on August 1st - before a week of Holiday Club starting the very next day! My training regime has so far consisted of a circumnavigation of my home town of Hitchin and a few circuits of the hillside cemetery on Crawley Green Road and will probably need a considerable step-up over the next 10 days. But I'm not putting myself through this endurance trial for the sake of it. Instead, it is the latest in the long line of Urban Saints fundraisers - and this time it is for the Rebuild house-building project.

In July next year, I'll be joining the Urban Saints travelling out to Johannesburg in South Africa to build homes for poor families there. We'll be taking approximately 50 young people too - most of whom will have never been to a township before in their lives. So, in order to take part in this experience, I'm raising funds towards this project - with any extra going towards my own ongoing fundraising for my work with Urban Saints national team.

Please consider whether you can spare a little to sponsor me - your donations will go towards making a lasting difference to a struggling family in South Africa and the opportunity for a group of young people to have their world changed forever too...

Please sponsor me HERE

No junk mail

2011-06-15T22:23:00.003Z

As I struggled to manhandle the brightly-coloured card through the stiff letter box, I heard the furious barking. I didn't, however, expect to find the source of this commotion thrusting its face through the cat flap to emphasise the point...

I never particularly enjoy leafleting but it has become something of an annual affair. Since we've moved to this part of Hitchin, we've toured our neighbourhood giving out prayer cards and barbecue invites and I reckon I'm becoming an expert in the variety and complexity of the average Hitchin mail-slot. This summer, we're celebrating 30 years of HCC with a street party in the Market Square on Sunday June 26th (12 'til 3pm) and this evening we hit the streets of the Poets Estate to spread the word.

Tonight's somewhat soggy mission was no exception - no shortage of stiff, squeaky & clanking letter boxes, guarded by yappy dogs and draught excluders. It's remarkable how fortified most people's side gates are and the sheer variety of "letterbox messages" (no circulars, junk mail, cold callers, deliveries left on the doorstep...) You can't help but try to ascertain which tall, bolted gates are holding back rabid canines and which are just a sign of the times. Some of the doors are more difficult to get to than a golden statue in an Indiana Jones movie - in fact, one door I had to reach around a full 4 foot spider's web to get to their letter box - and others simply scream "Do NOT disturb...!".

But as with our previous sorties into the community, it is a real privilege to visit the doorsteps of our not-so-next-door-neighbours with a great opportunity to have some fun and join in our celebrations. Maybe we'll see you there...?!

Challenge me

2011-06-08T17:35:00.000Z

I'm just about to start editing some cracking video footage. Perhaps some of our greatest work. It's going to bring an entire new dimension to the new website and I hope it will be the sign of things to come. It is known only as "The Mimympics" (or MIMIC Olympics) and it is simply, good, old-fashioned, fun...

When Deb & I started shooting our MIMIC video messages back in the Autumn, we mentioned the opportunity to have some fun with the role. Up until this last week, everything was far too focused and serious to even consider such things. But now, the 7-10s age group on MIMIC has the makings of a very successful series of knockabout videos and we're hoping that the other age groups will follow suit.

This week we recorded 8 videos full of energy, competition and banter and trotted out that most well-trodden device of the "boys vs girls" contest. We kicked off the shoot with a short(ish) interview sequence - an interview with a soggy twist actually - for the benefit of those members curious to know more about these grinning idiots.

Then we followed it with 7 different challenges to determine the superior gender - they were messy, frantic and suitably silly challenges and every single one of them had us both in stitches and rather breathless too! It was a hilarious afternoon and we're looking forward to doing more of this sort of thing in the future...

Of course, for the sake of the format, I can't reveal whether Deb or I came out victorious but it will suffice to say that it was a fiercely-fought contest and a very close run thing! In the meantime, I enclose some stills to give you a few clues about what took place...

Retracing our steps

2011-06-07T21:05:00.003Z

Last month, Urban Saints officially turned 105! Three of us decided to revisit some of the key sites from the history of the movement and, while hardly in the league of a pioneering mission organisation, we had a mini-adventure of our very own...

As you can see from the video, we set out to track the broad story of Crusaders & Urban Saints from its inception in a North London park to the present day.

We started off at my previous place of work in St Albans - now both a school drama studio & a private home - and just as we began to film the first segment some workmen turned up to dig up the road in the exact spot we were hoping to shoot! (Strangely, they didn't mind driving round the block and parking up to read their newspapers too much. The owner of the house came out to see what we were up to but when she heard what we were doing couldn't have been more encouraging!!)

Then we jumped on a train to head into London but not before getting ourselves "trapped" in the most confusing mutli-storey car park in the world (with another equally-bewildered couple!). The moment we stepped out of City Thameslink, along from St Pauls Cathedral, it started to rain making the next segment of the story a little soggy for Mark! It also didn't help that we were surrounded by the largest foreign exchange party ever amassed in one place - making some of the long shots tricky to capture too.

Our old Ludgate Hill office is now a rather more modern-looking HSBC, next to the Cathedral although you can still clearly see where the old building would have been. What's more, a pretty awesome place to have a Christian youth organisation it would have been too!

Next we went on to the Royal Albert Hall where Crusaders celebrated both 50 and 100 years of existence - two very different types of events but in exactly the same majestic setting. More tourists provided an atmospheric buzz while there was even a couple getting their wedding photos taken next to the Hall too!

This was the point we went our separate ways but regrouped a few days later to return to the site of the first ever "Crusader group". A previous group from the staff team had visited Elthorne Park in Islington - just down from Crouch Hill - in the pouring rain to plant a tree for our founder and we found the same tree looking splendid in amongst a rather (sadly) over-grown bed in the Peace Gardens.

The plaque has gone but the tree remains to mark the vision of Albert Kestin back at the start of the 1900s. We captured the final segment - despite me doing my very best to leave all the necessary equipment behind - and having dodged the over-friendly birds and drunk locals, we headed back to Luton feeling excited with what we'd captured.

We hope you like the video and that it brings back memories - or at least offers a little insight. For me, it was great to visit these key sites again, starting in my first place of proper employment through all the places my illustrious predecessors would have walked. Just as when we planted the tree back in 2006, there was something really moving about returning to our roots and all the locations had their own special memories and importance. I have had the privilege of visiting all sorts of places and people in my 11+ years with Urban Saints but this video was really, truly, one of the really stand-out ones so far...

Hopper shopping

2011-06-06T00:05:00.001Z

Just bought some of these for kids club - really reminds me of my childhood! But as well as being great fun for future kids club challenges, this was a great example of what customer service should be about.

I bought these from Howleys Toy Shop (albeit via Amazon) and they arrived very promptly. However, on closer inspection, it turned out that one of the hoppers was the wrong size. Howleys immediately responded to my query and resent it to me straight away - plus they let me keep the wrong one (which will now go to a good home with one of the families from the kids club). Great work Howleys - take note everyone else!!

Out of my depth

2011-06-05T22:08:00.000Z

A few years back an enthusiastic Christo-pop singer sang the following line: "I wanna go deeper but I don't know how to swim..." I'm pretty sure that these are my sentiments exactly about the current Deeper course at HCC...

Brendan has been guiding us through some challenging studies from the Bible over the past few months and although it has been genuinely fascinating, I also sometimes feel I have no idea what people are talking about!

The cynics amongst my readership might say that is because the Bible is a dusty old irrelevance while the more scholarly might think me a little slow. Personally I hope the truth is somewhere in between. Whatever the reason, I know that I am out of my depth with this level of scriptural study but I am determined to allow this stuff stretch and challenge me to grow and develop!

If you are interested to know more, you can listen to the 'Deeper' sessions on the HCC website & the next session is next Sunday night at HCC...

Limping to victory

2011-05-25T22:32:00.005Z

Back in October, I used the phrase "this season, being part of 'The East Stand Roof' FC is something of a curse. It seems that signing for my team is a sure-fire indicator of an imminent dip in form..." in a blog post about my ailing fantasy league team. However, as Mark presented me with the Urban Saints trophy today, I keenly felt the irony of my early season grumblings...

[N.B. If you're not interested in football, fantasy or otherwise, you're probably best giving this post a wide berth...]

This weekend I pipped my nearest rivals to take the Urban Saints title by a single point. However, it has been something of a rollercoaster and early in the season it looked like being another fruitless year. You see, the Urban Saints fantasy league is head-to-head; it's not just about scoring the most points but scoring more than the team you are paired with for a given week. Early in the season, I was struggling at the foot of the table and then even when I started to pick up points, I kept being bested in the match-ups. At one point, I had by far the most points in the league and yet was only in mid-table.

But they say that these injustices even out over a season and my good mid-season form found me rapidly climbing the table until I was top and then even managed to open up something of a lead over second place! But then the inevitable "wobble" occurred and the competition closed in again - in fact, for one week I dropped down to third. But in the final two weeks, I was back to a point clear at the top. I lost my first game & thought that was it - only to discover that second and third had both lost too!

So it all came down to the final match - I was up against my mate from church and second and third played each other. This meant that a win would give me the title but defeat would hand it to my rival (the only question being which one...). The final Sunday of the Premier League season came and went and I wasn't convinced that I had done enough. 5 of my 15 players didn't even play so no points for them. I resigned myself to a plucky but ultimately disappointing second place. I checked the scores on the Monday and to my delight, found I had scraped home by 4 points - exactly the number of points lost when one of Liam's players had been sent off (thank you, Seamus Coleman!)

In the end, I rather limped home - having been so far ahead, it would have been cruel to have lost it that way - but despite my early season moaning, I had won almost two-thirds of my games. As it turns out, being in 'The East Stand Roof' FC was far from a curse - and now I have the trophy to prove it too!

Come on & decorate

2011-05-09T13:08:00.000Z

Sometimes there are projects that are more necessary than you could have ever realised. They are often the things you've been putting off because they are less than urgent but they can often have the most surprising of reactions...

Back in the middle of 2009, there was a training workshop at Urban Saints and when we arrived there were all these craft items and props waiting for us. We all thought they were going to be utilised in the activities of the day but it turned out they were just there as creative stimulation (at best, and to fiddle with at worst!). This sparked off a whole series of events that led to 3 of the staff team giving up our Saturday for a clandestine redecorating job in the Support Centre at Kestin House.

Walls were daubed red, floors were cleaned and everything was just given a fresh touch. A bit of Ikea furniture here and some rearranging of chairs there (not to mention the application of some kids games and activities from our cavernous stores to bring a touch of fun to the place!) and the office environment was transformed. All while our Trustees and Directors met to discuss the future of Urban Saints.

As far as we were concerned the timing was no coincidence. We planned the make-over as a nice surprise for the team, with as few people in on it as possible. As it turned out, the rest of the team saw it as no coincidence either. On Monday morning the changes and updates were met with unanimous approval and many heartfelt "thank you"s. Matt went as far as to say it was one (along with some great new supporters coming on board and the excellent Trustees meeting) part of a real sense of a new exciting season in Urban Saints...

All for a couple of tins of paint and some imagination! The really great thing, though, is that it's inspired us now and this is just the beginning, so watch this space.

The sound of silence

2011-05-08T21:03:00.001Z

I have a confession to make. Ever since the BBC rebooted Doctor Who back in the days of Chris Eccleston I have been utterly addicted. I haven't always been able to watch them at the time but thanks to the wonder that is iPlayer, I'm able to indulge my addiction nonetheless. Problem is I think I may now never sleep again...

I have watched The Doctor off & on for as long as I can recall tv programmes. My most vivid memories of his adventures were of Sylvester McCoy but since then I've seen pretty much every doctor who had sailed his TARDIS... My parents gleefully recall tales of me hiding behind the sofa of a Saturday night. Surely, now that I am a proper grown-up this is a long-banished reaction (reserved for when the Watford results come in instead)? However, thanks to the most recent series' of Who - I fear that I may be glad of my very own sofa and the substantial hiding place it provides!

It seems to me that, despite its exile in the 90s, Doctor Who has remained consistently one of the most unsettling tv shows ever made - and one supposedly aimed at kids at that. Over the years the sets, effects, costumes & general production values may have evolved but its ability to have viewers (young & old) peering out from behind cushions has remained the same.

These most recent episodes have seemingly raised the bar too. Prior to this recent series, things had got pretty creepy (the Weeping Angels anyone?!) but I think The Silence may top all to come. A creature that controls your actions by suggestion but that you forget the moment you look away. Now that is enough to get anyone looking twice at that thing in the corner of your eye...

Add to this, the great use of not-so-subtle references to their presence in previous episodes and the genius "handheld" recording devices - the only evidence of an encounter (used to particularly creepy effect in the orphanage) - as well as the lead characters marking themselves every time they met one. It all adds up to some cracking, if a little complicated, Saturday evening tv.

But (perhaps to my shame?) I did find myself twice last week checking my peripheral vision when I turned off the light - just in case...!

#LoveMonday

2011-05-02T10:34:00.003Z

It seems to me that something like Twitter offers great opportunity for some public and unabashed encouragement for others. But it rarely delivers on that promise... until today maybe?!

When it comes to writing my blog posts, I usually am struck by a thought or inspired by an idea and then it spends many hours/days/weeks rolling around my head until I have time to exorcise it from my brain and out into blog form. However, this one is so simple, so fundamental and so obvious that it just had to go out today (it also helps that it's a bank holiday too!)

There's a little, grassroots hashtag going around Twitter this morning called #lovemonday and it deserves your attention (even if you have never tweeted in your life). For those of you in the know, it is a bit like #followfriday but instead of suggesting people others should follow (which is also a lovely thing to do!), you simply select 3 people you follow and tell them what you appreciate about them. Then, rather than the mutual backslapping that often occurs on FollowFriday, those people tell 3 people they follow the same and so on and soon we have an entire Twittersphere full of encouragements! And what better thing to do on a Monday eh?!

Don't credit me with the idea though - I'm riding on the vision of others here and frankly, it is hardly an original idea either (see the movie 'Pay it forward' and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 for example...). But it is a great idea. Maybe it can spread to Facebook? Perhaps everyone will be posting encouragements on the walls of others come next Monday morning? Maybe even, who knows, we'll all be enouraging one another in "real life" at the beginning of each working week?! That's got to be a much more positive "Monday morning feeling" right?!

April shine

2011-04-26T00:04:00.003Z

This might be as banal a blog entry as "tweeting the world" about what I had for dinner but I don't really care: it's true that everything just is so much better when the sun is shining (especially in April!)
Let's start with some context. I'm sure you were, like me, working hard to squeeze your five days of work into last week's four-day-er. Like me you were probably dreading that the unseasonably warm weather would disappear as the bank holiday weekend kicked in. Like me you are probably glowing, literally or at least metaphorically, as a result of a gloriously summery four-day weekend. Please indulge me as I share mine with you now...

Friday was all about public worship & private barbecuing. We hit the streets for the annual Hitchin March of Witness (as mentioned last time out) & the sunshine ensured a cracking attendance from the local churches & a more optimistic vibe from the marchers than expected too. Then after a slight false start with our bank holiday bathroom-decorating & some light weeding (even weeding is better in the golden rays!), we went two doors along for a BBQ with our neighbours. It was a lovely evening of chatter, good-natured ranting & lightly-charred food. Eating outside in April is definitely better when warm...

Saturday I went to see Watford play & sure enough, that too is better in the sunshine. Watford won a scrappy game & we pretty much cooked in the blazing second-half sun. Then another outdoor meal with friends - perhaps a more dignified affair but so enjoyable all the same. Even a short rumble of thunder couldn't change the fact that April sun makes life taste better.

Sunday was Easter day & so it's hard to top that for celebratory vibes but more sunshine, more lovely guests, the biggest Easter egg I've ever had & eating outside for the third day running managed it!

Then today - Monday - & just when the forecast might threaten to prematurely refocus us back on the workplace, another glorious day followed. We finished the bathroom - well, for now anyway(!); bumped into a neighbour in the supermarket car park that we hadn't seen since a bitterly cold night last November (even shopping is better in the sunshine); then spent a cracking day out at the zoo! Getting in touch with your inner child is definitely best done in shirt sleeves & yet the blossom on the ground was a clear reminder that this is no summertime fantasy...

So, it's back to work tomorrow & for me I get to meet (& film) some new people - the girls from Golddigger actually - but can I dare to dream that even work is better when the April sun is shining?!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Marching together

2011-04-21T21:44:00.002Z

Michelle has rightly pointed out that it would be a far less sombre if the churches in Hitchin were to march through town on Easter Sunday but this fact aside, this is why I shall be taking part in the Churches Together March of Witness...

In general, I like tradition and religious people do excel so at tradition. The Hitchin March of Witness is one such tradition although the prospect of striding in silence through the streets is probably not everyone's idea of a fun bank holiday frolic. I'd agree too if that was all it was - an annual funeral procession if you like. For me it's not remembering Jesus' death that is important but instead what it represents for the living.

The life, death and resurrection of Christ is one of the key events from history and not just because we are still celebrating it. You may not believe that he was the son of God but it's hard to deny his influence on our world. But contrary to popular opinion, Jesus didn't just come to "rescue" us and whisk us off to some safe haven but rather, in his own short life and through his millions of followers since, came to renew and restore our world - to bring heaven to earth. To Hitchin in fact.

You can't escape his reach. Christians are working all over the place with a vision and a calling to leave everywhere just a little better than when they got there. We help care for your kids, visit the elderly, run local businesses, teach in the schools, look after people in the hospital, provide meals for the homeless and drink in the pubs (to name but a few).

We're not perfect - and we're definitely not always right (certainly no more than anyone else) but we do care for Hitchin and its people. And we represent Hitchin too. We champion what is good in our community and try to critique what is less so. We do sometimes come across as judgemental but it is just the tricky balancing act of combining love with justice - and that's not as easy as it sounds (believe me!)

We have been known to be rather territorial to be honest - so many churches all jostling for position is not exactly how it was meant to turn out - and that's the other reason for supporting the March. If it takes a ceremony of sombre reflection to bring all these followers together then so be it and I for one will be there. Walking side by side with my other "family members" to represent our commitment to our Lord and Saviour AND to the town we serve.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm an editing machine

2011-04-07T14:01:00.000Z

"Is it sunny where you are?" asks my friend. [Long pause - while I find a window to look out from my darkened room...] "Yes" I reply wearily.

Such is the life of a video editor. Unfortunately, mobile edit suites and bright sunshine really don't mix! But for all the building pressure and hurried deadlines, I wouldn't swap it for anything...

Today I'm facing a big pile of video work, all demanding my attention. We are due to publish the 4th edition of our Urban Saints Leaders TV web-show. I'm also working on the next batch of video messages for our new MIMIC site and in addition to these I'm making up a DVD to include in our internal MIMIC launch pack - not to mention some creative video work for this summer's mission project and a couple of other tasks kicking around in the background. So, most of last week, this week and the next one will be spent sitting at the mercy of our iMac, bathed in its eery glow.

Editing video for a living is a strange occupation with hours of careful adjustment and repetition; cut and paste; drag and drop; and general trial and error. Then there are long sessions simply waiting for the progress bar to work its magic (I remember once, with great dismay, seeing the message "Estimated time: About 78 hours"!) It's a curious rhythm of focus and thumb-twiddling; intensity and patience; but when you are also responsible for a whole bunch of other comms stuff, you have to use the down-time carefully and schedule your delays (in case you hadn't worked it out yet, I'm typing this in one of those enforced working breaks!) Emails and phone calls do often get ignored until these periods of inactivity and it does make working a 9-5 day more complicated.

But I love it - the creativity and variety as well as the detail give me great joy. It's not all sweetness and light (in fact it can get quite boring at times) but to be a part of a transformation - however small - is a great privilege. I know I'm not the world's best video editor either but I really feel it combines the best of my skills and strengths and so who would rather be anywhere else...

Sunny memories

2011-04-07T13:14:00.001Z

In the midst of such a busy working period, it is important to remember good times gone by. Working hard is not a bad thing but holidaying is even better and such wonderful thoughts remind me that I never really posted about our recent short getaway...

It was a Ryanair-type excursion. A cheap and cheerful break. Some time in the sun, volcanic sand and Atlantic sea air. Our short holiday in Tenerife was just what Michelle and I needed but was also a real eye-opener to us too...

Five days in the "Brits-abroad" haven of Playas De Las Americas is a simultaneously wonderful and woeful experience. A huge cluster of endless bars, restaurants, tacky souvenir shops and adult entertainment establishments nestled along the rocky southern Canarian coastline. With the volcanic peak occasionally being spotted through the mist and cloud, and the crystal blue ocean, it has some breathtaking views. This is NOT the description I would give to crowds of yobbish, lobster-red and deeply sozzled UK stags and hens though. Regardless, this uncomfortable juxtaposition is the context for the following "life lessons" from our package holiday.

I'm very proud of my home country but from time to time I'm embarrassed to be British. I'm sure you know what I mean by that and no further explanation is necessary. I'm also saddened by the bleak desperation that dominates the tourist industry in a place like this and slightly shocked to realise that I now know a shop where you can buy beach towels, postcards, air pistols and pornography in one stop...

For all of this "cheapness", our budget holiday was a great reminder that we often live too fast, too noisily & with our eyes shut to the beautiful world around us. And it was great to spend time with Michelle when we're not being harried by an agenda of any kind - here's to holidays and many more where this one came from!

Quick-fire cult heroes

2011-03-15T22:33:00.003Z

With goals number 24 & 25 this evening, Danny Graham is racing towards a record haul of strikes for Watford FC. In football, it is the strikers that do tend to grab the headlines, but after just over 18 months at the club, this particular forward player has already become something of a cult hero...

I've been a Watford fan for nearly 30 years now and during that time I have become very attached to many footballing heroes. Goalkeepers (Coton, James, B Foster), defenders (Gibbs, C Foster, DeMerit), midfielders (Johnson, Porter, Ramage) & wing-wizards (Barnes, Callaghan, Young) but it is inevitable that it's the strikers that stick in the memory. Luther Blissett & Mo Johnston in the early days, Paul Furlong, Kevin Phillips, Tommy Mooney, Heidar Helguson, Marlon King & Tommy Smith in more recent times.

But no one player has raced to hero status faster than Danny Graham. He signed in the summer of 2009 for what appeared to be an excessive £250 000 but despite a winter goal drought, he registered 14 for his first season at Vicarage Road. However, it is still March and Graham's heading for twice that many for year 2. Malky Mackay's current bargain basement squad are no one-man team but ultimately goals win games and Danny Graham is my latest footballing man of the hour.

Not only does he seem to have a natural instinct for goals as well as high confidence levels, but he also leads the line with strength and links up with others brilliantly. Like many of those mentioned above, you expect things to happen when he gets the ball or is running at goal and is capable of scoring with his head, from close range and from distance. But it is the ease with which he has settled to the task that makes Danny Graham such a cult hero already - most strikers take a little time to gel with the team mates and strike partner but Graham has been up and running from day one of both his first season and this one too.

It's interesting to me that despite him being Championship top scorer, Graham's not really attracting that much attention because of Watford's modest league position. That can only be a good thing for Hornets fans like me as there is a faint chance that we might keep him at the club.

If Graham does hit 30 this season, it is very likely that he won't be a Watford player next term but we can hope that our unglamorous reputation will continue to blind bigger clubs to our "hidden gem" of a hitman...

Subliminal messages

2011-03-12T13:40:00.004Z

It took a while but we began to realise that maybe we'd had a visitor while we were away on holiday...

Actually we knew that Mrs Lees had been around but it did take two days for us to spot her subtle message to us both!

Come to the Summit

2011-03-12T12:26:00.004Z

This is SO exciting! Last year, one of my working highlights was being a small part of a major new youth work event in London. In 2011, The Youthwork Summit heads north to the home of The Gallagher Brothers, Coronation Street and Gary Neville - Manchester - on October 21st & 22nd. This year I am involved in the plans a little earlier (and so am already getting pretty pumped about it!) and the event itself is growing too...

At this stage, I don't know much about the detail of the Summit (so don't ask!) but as things develop over the next few months do watch this space for any little hints on what is to come! For now, let me direct you to the just-launched, brand-new Youthwork Summit website and hope to see you in Manchester for the Summit!

Salvation comes...

2011-03-11T10:56:00.005Z

Pete Greig posted this photo on Twitter a little while ago to stimulate some light-hearted discussion...

So, where do YOU think salvation comes from?! I know what I believe and it's probably not just from a bacon roll but...

Spring clear-out for Urban Saints

2011-03-03T13:34:00.002Z

Is it time to declutter? Perhaps you've still got some of those unwanted Christmas gifts kicking about the house? Maybe it's just a chance to get rid of some unnecessary belongings? Whatever your reasons, why don't you think about removing some of the things around your home AND raise some money for Urban Saints into the bargain?!

For those of you who find yourself here as a result of my (ir)regular emails, I did promise you a way to turn the well-meant festive presents into donations to support my work with Urban Saints and here it is. Ebay for charity. I'm sure you'll have come across eBay (even if you haven't actually used it) - the auction website for people buying and selling independently and second-hand - and now you can give some or all of the proceeds going to your favourite Luton-based youth and children's charity...

If everyone who read this post was able to sell one thing, whatever it may be (although it does need to be something that has some saleable value e.g I once sold a car phone holder that didn't fit my phone), it would represent a very significant donation to the work of Urban Saints. It could be used to allow a young person with a talent for visual media or creative arts the chance to develop that talent as they serve the mission of Urban Saints. Alternatively it could subsidise a struggling youth group or pay for a series of meeting resources to be written; a house to be built for a poor family in Mexico or even see free family fun days held all over the country... Who knows?!

So, here's you go about helping via eBay for charity:-

1.) You sign up for an eBay account

2.) Once you have your eBay account, go to our Urban Saints page

3.) Click on "Save as favourite"

4.) Go sell some stuff...

If you've never sold anything using ebay before, here's a few tips on how to do so.

You don't even need to sell anything - you can add a donation when you buy something on ebay or just give a one-off donation instead

ALTERNATIVELY, you could send your items to Urban Saints or drop them off at the office and we could sell the items on your behalf. Let's face it, most people not already on eBay are not going to sign up just to sell things for Urban Saints. So we can help you with that but remember, we're not hosting a jumble sale - only give us something in a condition you would be prepared to buy yourself!

Who out there doesn't have one thing they couldn't spare to sell on behalf of our worthy cause?!
Get eBaying people...

[Don't forget, if you want to donate this way on behalf of my work with Urban Saints (rather than the general Urban Saints pot!) please let me know once you've sold your item! Thanks]

Keeping myself busy

2011-02-28T11:46:00.002Z

It's been a while since I did a proper update on how work is going so I thought I'd do a bit of an overview in visual form for your interest and amusement...

[First up is loads of editing on the new Mimic website]

[Filming some material on mentoring in a local coffee shop]

[Attending the Children's Ministry Conference in Eastbourne]

[The "2 sides" of filming with puppets - for a mission project happening later in the year]

...and finally a quick video clip. I led a session at our Team Gathering about communications and we decided to show people how easy it is to use modern pocket camcorders by filming the session and editing it to be shown an hour or so later. This is the result:

Duran Duran and Mike the fan

2011-02-27T19:06:00.000Z

Michelle & I really don't see eye to eye on musical genres. The list of styles / acts about which we are equally enthusiastic is a very short compilation indeed. Except perhaps when it comes to 80's music - a pop decade we both lived through. Whenever I'm working through our many hours of 80's music playlist, it takes me back to a story of musical (im)maturity involving one of my uni friends in the late 90's...

I'd be the first to admit that it is now relatively acceptable to be a fan of "the decade fashion forgot" but back in the final third of the 90's, it was still somewhat sneered at. I think people were happy to hear it in a retro club night environment (the night in question at Liverpool Uni was called 'Time Tunnel') but they would be quick to deny that they were fans. All except that is for Mike.

I vividly remember him being obsessed with Duran Duran (so much so that I remember little else about him actually). He was always listening to their albums, going to see them on tour and generally talking about how great they were - much to the mild derision of everyone else on our course. At the time I remember thinking he was mad for liking a band so very definitely belonging to a past era.

Now, maybe it was because he was a mature student (although I don't think he was more than 10 years older at the very most) or maybe he was something of a musical visionary but 12 years or so on, I'm beginning to see what he was on about. Maybe the truth is that Duran Duran and their flamboyant 80's counterparts are best appreciated in your 20's and 30's rather than when you're an angsty student with long hair? Or even that musical appreciation, as with so many other fleeting things in life, is cyclical (see Take That and the fact that I still mostly listen to bands I loved in the 90's) while talent and the status of a true classic is enduring.

Whatever the reason is, Mike I take it all back...!

Who do you think I am?

2011-02-27T16:36:00.000Z

"I am not what I think I am.
I am not what you think I am.
I am what I think you think I am."

I'm not sure whether I agree entirely with this gem that appeared in my daily Bible reading notes, but it does make me think about where our identity comes from...

I'm sure I am not the only person who spends a lot of energy on what other people think about me. Sometimes this manifests as being a "nice guy", avoiding unnecessary conflict or even, occasionally, manipulating a situation to ensure I "look good". It can be quite draining and it's not always a good use of my energy either. But the opinions of other people do matter and it's certainly not wrong to be considerate of others. How much, though, should I base who I am on what others believe me to be?!

The culture of celebrity seems to illustrate this best for me - with stars desperate to be 'liked' and fans disillusioned when the "human" reality is revealed (often dramatically). This even affects the Christian community - where you'd hope we'd have a better sense of our own identity. I appear "holy" to others and therefore I am "holy". However, heaven forbid if I show others that I struggle with stuff.

But for me, it is vital that we put most value on what those who most love us think. So, in my book, that's my wife, my family, my close friends - those that you know will be there for you when it really matters - and of course, the one who made me and is passionate about me above all others. My heavenly Father. The one to which I cling to, hope in and put my trust. As Psalm 8 says (about God)...

"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honour." (v3-5, NIV)

Perhaps you might think less of me just for saying this? If so that is unfortunate but I am no less secure in who I am and who I was made to be as a result. Perhaps if you knew this living God yourself you would be too?! Perhaps that is unfair to presume? Either way, if you're intrigued and want to know more, I'm always happy to tell you more...

Sometimes I just shouldn't

2011-02-23T00:39:00.006Z

So I had just returned from a very disappointing game at my favourite local footballing establishment. I had formulated a blog post about how astonishing it is that this insignificant leisure pursuit can cause such anguish but then halfway through typing it up, I just had to reach for the "delete" key...

On a day like today, when there seems to be so much hurt, injustice and sorrow in our world, to even use the word "pain" in this context, seems in poor taste. When I have friends waiting for news of loved ones overseas; when freedom and justice are being violently challenged and bravely fought for; when people are wondering where their next meal might come from or how long they might yet have to suffer, my ramblings - honest and genuine though they were - just felt hideously short-sighted. On a day when I felt I had to turn off the radio to stop myself from taking in any more "bad news", how could I blog about losing a football match?!

Maybe one day I'll get to ask that question again and then you may get to hear what I think about it. Maybe not. Either way, now is not the time for such things.

Hellish edit

2011-02-22T17:24:00.004Z

Sometimes improvisation produces amazing and very timely results. Other times it can be the creative equivalent of pulling teeth. For so many reasons, our latest monthly video message falls very definitely in the latter camp...

Last week, while I was "shooting puppets" in Wales (more of that another time), Dan was left with responsibility to film Matt's latest video message. The problem was that I had all the camera kit! He did a great job of filming the short clip, making smart use of a Kodak pocket camcorder and an iPhone. All was going well until we tried to do a little editing.

First problem was that the two cameras record at a different audio sampling rate (please forgive the technical talk) so we had to work out how to stretch one of the videos so it didn't look like a bad kungfu movie! We managed to nail that on Friday but then today we had to match the colours on the two different videos. Simple, right?! Well, no and it took several hours to even get close. When we finally gave up on the matching process, we went for a stripped down, desaturated look and even now I'm not massively happy with how it turned out.

However, I'm sure it will do the job required and I imagine most people will never know that it was any different from any of the previous or future efforts. Dan, in particular, has done an amazing job under particularly tough circumstances and we've learned lots about the software we use too! You can judge for yourself by checking out the latest video message...

Welsh beauty

2011-02-21T08:35:00.000Z

This week I followed our road trip to Hereford with another brief "puppet shoot" in North Wales. It's the fourth time I've made this trip over the past twenty months and every time I head through the hills, valleys & rivers, it's as if God is blowing a breath of fresh air into my soul...

I'm not ashamed to admit that I am very moved by nature's beauty. Stunned by the Father's handiwork of creation. A dazzling sunset. A lofty mountain. The sound of rain. But the thing that gets me the most are expanses of water. A rushing stream or a crashing ocean. I could simply listen to the sound of a stream all day to be honest.

My trips to North Wales - in this case Bala and even more so, passing through the mini-town of Llangollen - have all of these sensations in abundance. As soon as I cross the border, everything becomes just, y'know, "Welsh" and soon the hills rise and the valleys fall and often in between rivers cascade, tantalisingly out of sight of my position behind the wheel. I want to pull over regularly and take it all in properly. Sadly though, most of the time I am hurrying on my way to or from a video shoot. The first time I travelled through Llangollen, I vowed to stop on my way home and it was a warm late May afternoon, so I enjoyed a few minutes wandering around taking some photos. Framed on all sides with steep hills and cut in two by a surging water course, it is a truly heavenly place.

Now every time I drive through it, I pine slightly for an opportunity to stop and explore again. But even when I keep driving on to my deadline destination, I still feel myself becoming slightly more alive each time.

Welcome home

2011-02-19T18:07:00.000Z

When it comes to being made to feel at home, it's the little touches that make all the difference. When you go and visit good friends you haven't seen in months, you don't need much to make it a special experience but what about when you visit complete strangers?

Last weekend, Michelle & I went to visit our friends Andy & Eri in their new house in Hereford. It's been quite a journey for them with an unexpected move and lots of renovation work on their home (check out a bit of the story here - it starts about half way through this video). It lends itself very well to receiving guests but hospitality has very little to do with how much space you have. It's all about attitude and innate generosity.

They've set up their guest room with tea & coffee making facilities and bath robes as well as them having a separate bath room. But this is a home that people just enjoy visiting. On the Saturday morning, Andy celebrated his birthday with a big breakfast for a good crowd of his friends and throughout everyone seemed like they were at home. They looked after us - and everyone else for that matter - so well and the whole weekend was full of great moments and good company. Andy & Eri's two young kids - Morgan & Lois - kept us on our toes (I've never played so much football - both on the Wii and in their mud-and-gravel back yard!) and as always, visiting the Churchers feels like you're part of the family.

Welcoming friends is one thing but welcoming total strangers is quite another. On the Sunday morning, we all went to their church - Freedom. It was quite an experience for a number of reasons. It's a young church - mainly students and young adults - and the worship is more like a rock concert than the folksy singalong that has become the norm in modern worship. They make great - if a little "in-joke-y" - use of the multimedia and the teaching is very grounded and accessible. But it was the welcoming (the VIP team) that really sticks in the mind. When you arrive as a visitor / new churchgoer, you get offered a tour of the building before being taken through to the auditorium. Afterwards you get to go in the VIP lounge, being served with coffee, having someone to chat to and ask questions to and getting a gift of chocolates just for being "new".

It's possible to be a little cynical about this kind of welcoming effort (especially as someone involved in hosting myself) but it is to the credit of the team at the church that you can't help but feel at home. At the end of the day, that is all that matters. Going to a church for the first time can be a highly stressful experience - with it's confusing routines and internal jargon. With that in mind, it is little wonder that some churches struggle to keep or even meet first-time visitors. We often become so comfortable with our church communities that we forget what it is like to first visit the church. Again, to their credit, Freedom have given this aspect proper thought and suitable priority and they really strive to make the "visitor experience" as special as possible without smothering people.

The whole weekend - while also being a thoroughly enjoyable and invigorating - was a real lesson in the true impact of the little things...

O Praise Him

2011-02-10T21:30:00.001Z

Affirmation. We all need it (even if sometimes we pretend we don't). We need to know that we're doing well and that our performance is being noticed. We also need to know that someone else is grateful for all the effort we've put in - for the good deed we just did - and that another human is glad that we are who we are. And it was just these thoughts that raced through my mind as I chased the traffic warden along the seafront, shouting...

Let me set the scene for you. I was working at an exhibition down in Eastbourne and the hire van was parked on a meter along the promenade. I'd left enough to go and top up the meter on Saturday morning but had neglected to realise that the van keys were in our 3rd floor hotel room. By the time I got in sight of my vehicle my ticket had just expired and in the distance I could see the traffic warden standing next to my white van.

I said a hurried prayer and started to run. All the time I could see the ominous figure in uniform motionless by the vehicle. Were they writing up my ticket? What was happening? As I arrived to deposit my change, the warden watched me, smiled and then wandered away. There was no ticket and my mild panic turned to relief and curiosity.

Time rolled around to top up the meter again later that afternoon and this time I left ample time to get the job done. No more panic for me. I arrived and bought my ticket and as I was putting the small scrap of paper on the dashboard, the warden swept past again - clearly on her way through to check on my ticket again. As she continued to wander on, it occurred to me that I should probably thank her for not writing me up. There were only a handful of cars on the stretch of road and she could easily have taken a hard line on my tardiness. So I call after her. No response. Then I started to yell and jog her way. Still nothing. Eventually, she turned and I gushed my gratitude. I called her a "credit to traffic wardens". I probably laid it on a bit thick. But, she went on her way smiling and I felt like I had rewarded her generosity & grace with what it deserved... It was a good feeling.

Two days later, I'm sitting in a long team meeting at my church, knowing I also have an appraisal to look forward to straight afterwards. The working weekend has left me feeling tired and struggling to keep focused. But for all the shared challenges, action points and competencies, it is the thanks and praise that are lodged in my memory. Even if I believe that some of the encouragement is excessive, it still feels like I'm being acknowledged. That someone chose me for a role. Someone appreciates my efforts and notices when I do something well. And then takes the opportunity to actually tell me. Just like my chance to praise on a blustery seafront in Sussex.

I have now determined to praise more. To affirm others. And not just think well of those around me - but also speak well too. Some people are easier to praise, thank and encourage but there isn't a single person alive who doesn't have something praise-worthy about them. I'm going to make it my business to find it and tell them...

Est 1981

2011-01-29T13:30:00.005Z

Several weekends ago, Michelle & I went to a friend's 30th. The theme was early eighties (and his year of birth, 1981, in particular) and it was fancy dress. I have to say that before I go any further that Mrs Windo suited the eighties fashions very well. But I was less than inspired by my options for a costume... until I googled the year in question.

You see it turns that even a quick internet search reveals that the first ever London Marathon was staged in 1981. No need for elaborate costuming or charity shop raids. A runner's outfit is all that was required - plus the addition of some retro wrist and head bands bought cheap on Amazon (intriguingly, said retailer now thinks I have a thing for neon "sweatwear" and constantly send my notifications of the same items in a range of different gaudy colours...!). I even went so far as to do my research into who sponsored the first event (it's the little details that make all the difference!) to include on my "entry number"...

Check out the photo from the actual real first marathon - I reckon it is pretty uncanny! So then, the only other problems were that I was wearing little shorts & a t-shirt for a party in the middle of January and that there were no pockets - my iPhone ended up stuffed down my sports sock at one point!

However, I think it was a fancy dress challenge that was simply and cheaply but creatively negotiated...

Strange things are happening to me

2011-01-25T18:01:00.000Z

I have a friend called Phil. He's one of those people who makes you feel very at ease when you're with him. He's also very wise and considering he's got a very busy job, I'm very fortunate that he's doing a little bit of mentoring for me. However I'm starting to notice that odd things seem to happen when I meet up with him.

The first time we met for a session we met at Victoria and on my way to meet up, I stumbled upon a struggling French passenger with a small child and two huge suitcases. I helped get them up the escalator (and frankly this was only because I couldn't really avoid doing so as she was completely blocking the way) and she asked if I would help get them to the coach station. I agreed but hadn't realised how far it was. I even ended up holding her little son's hand while we crossed the roads. It was bizarre and although it felt good to help out, it was also a little unsettling.

The next time we met at the Apple Store - which I discovered used to be a chapel - and as we were touring coffee shops nearby we stumbled upon Starbucks recording a corporate promotional video. This Thursday we met up in St Pancras and while we were chatting a cowboy playing a guitar wearing just underpants!

So, not only do I look forward to Phil's wise words but also what might happen when I'm there!

The master schedule

2011-01-24T17:40:00.001Z

January, for me, has been dominated by a new responsibility and I still am not entirely sure how I feel about it all. Since the turn of the year I have taken on being the contact person between Urban Saints and our designers and a good proportion of my first month in the role has involved making sure we knew what was happening when. Enter the "Master Schedule" - and the more time I spend pouring over it, the more intimidating it becomes...

I guess it comes with the territory. We have a lot of design work to coordinate - leaflets for events, appeal letters, presentation templates, prayer diaries, adverts, websites, video titles and loads of other stuff - and this year, I'm the filter through which all of this work passes. It's a great privilege to be in charge of the design traffic and it has been very satisfying to see the system starting to work. However, it does require a lot of messages, phone calls and conversations backwards and forwards - not to mention an additional responsibility for proof reading. Even a cursory glance at the 2011 schedule shows it is going to be a busy year and the challenge for January is to get our heads around how it is all going to work!

The main problem with this is that I'm struggling to get to grips with all the other jobs that need to be done - including some that weren't finished before the Christmas break. I'm sure it will settle down but for now I'm just trying to hang on...

God's Story

2011-01-23T15:37:00.002Z

After 2 consecutive years of reading through every word of the Bible, I decided to try something different in 2011. I returned to an old copy of a book that featured in a very formative part of my life - my DNA year. It seems, though, that I have aged considerably better than it has...

The "Cover to Cover: God's Story" book is probably very familiar to many people - especially anyone who has completed a DNA year themselves (do they still get you to work through this?!). It, as the title suggests, guides you through the story of the Almighty over the course of a year, unpacking every promise in turn. It focuses on a small passage of scripture each day, with an explanatory reflection to think through and I first encountered it in October 2004 as I began my DNA "year-out". I must confess that at the time I never completed reading it, failing too far behind in the daily readings to warrant catching up. Without the regular reminder of my DNA colleagues and the team, it sat neglected on my book shelf until the eve of 2011.

(It is worth noting that 2004 was also the first year I attempted to read through the entire Bible - an attempt that was later thwarted by the "requirement" of reading "God's Story" each day... As Alanis might have said, isn't that ironic?!)

So, I'm now a few short days into my second attempt to go "Cover to Cover" and a few things strike me. In the intervening six plus years, my book has really deteriorated. I managed to drop it just a week or so into 2011 and it literally splintered into about 20 pieces! At some point, with a little care and gaffer tape, it might be fit for the year-long journey, but at this stage it is decidedly delicate. It is also a little frustrating in style. As someone who has become accustomed to wading through pages of verses each day (and often having to take time to catch up), its simplicity can be a little limiting. I feel that I often end up reading more ABOUT the Bible than I do OF it. Having said that, the lack of dates (each day is instead simply numbered) means I feel no pressure to "catch up" - in fact I'm able to read as much as I like - and so I am eager to get my next installment.

So far, the daily readings have raised the subject of Jesus being the centre of God's Story. That the Old Testament, even its more troubling content, has to be viewed through the lens of Jesus Christ. This is not exactly a revelation to me - if for no other reason than we filmed a Mimic video message on the subject just before Christmas - but it is entirely fitting as HCC are working through a series on 'Jesus and the Bible' - where He fits, how He used it and how He fulfills the promises it contains. It's just another lovely piece of God's timing and reassurance that He can use very unspectacular means to teach His believers.

My other significant observation is about how far I have progressed myself. In 2004, when I began on my original "God's Story" journey, I wasn't married (although Michelle & I were together). I lived at home with my parents. I had been driving just one year. I had far fewer responsibilities at work. I didn't blog. I had very little or no experience of children's work (in fact I loathed it and children's workers for that matter too!) I wasn't entirely sure where Hitchin was! I hadn't met some of my favourite people in the whole world. I'd never seen true poverty overseas. I had no concept of what Facebook and Twitter were...

So much has changed and although it is hard to say that my life is better than it was in 2004, it is certainly richer from all the experiences I've had. My understanding of God's Story also has been enriched over this period, thanks to some great teachers and mentors as well as great resources and a fair amount of personal study and prayer. I'm not sure I'll ever fully understand the Bible but I do know that I am considerably more equipped to use it now. It has changed me and I hope I have been and can be a part of it changing the world around me as I live out my faith.

My battered old study book has changed too in that time. Sadly, though its contents remains just as rich and profound and does yet contain some surprises within its dog-eared covers, it has definitely not survived the ravages of time passing as well as I have...

Enough of looking back

2011-01-11T22:59:00.000Z

Right, I am definitely spent on looking over my shoulder. To me, 2010 felt like a good year - one major thing that didn't get a mention in the previous posts was Michelle getting a new job that she seems very at home in (can't believe I missed that one!!) - but I have a feeling that 2011 could be even better. Even if this is pure wishful thinking, I'm definitely going to put 2010 away now and focus on moving forward into what delights this year has to offer!

The great thing about looking forward to a new year is that while some things are planned and can be anticipated (my sister's wedding for one), most are going to be a big fat surprise. There's loads of stuff just waiting around the corner to be experienced and although I must acknowledge that there will be a fair mix of ups and downs, it is this that makes the beginning of the year so exciting.

Perhaps 2011 will see me learn to properly to balance work, church & life? Maybe this year I'll finally write my movie script? Or see all our neighbours come out for the summer BBQ? Perhaps I'll get to see System of a Down play live or Watford get promoted (some things are much more likely than others of course!)? 2011 could be the year that I capture that passion to consume God's Word - the Bible - or help guide someone on their first steps to a new faith journey? There's always a chance that this is the year that I finally remember all the names of the children at kids club too...

Yet with all these 'unpredictable' experiences awaiting, I also realise that I need to aim for things in 2011 too. I could see almost any of the things mentioned above happen if I put my mind to the task and commit to pursue them. (Well, I can't get my team to win no matter how hard I try but you know what I mean.) So, now is the time to set some targets too - some goals for the year ahead. I suspect that the things I have included in the previous paragraph might feature quite prominently in my "2011 goals" but I'm also sure there are plenty more that I'm either too nervous to mention - and perhaps even more that I'm not even aware of just yet. So, it's time to "set my rudder but not be afraid to allow the wind to divert me along the way"...

Come on 2011 - let's see what you've got in store!

5 from '10: Best of the rest

2011-01-10T22:21:00.000Z

Ok, so they were my highlights of the year - in five areas of life really dear to me. There were loads of other great experiences during the year - again, probably too many to recall properly. But what other memorable moments - of rather random origin - REALLY stood out from 2010...

5. Beat's "magic trick"
This probably features more highly simply because it happened just a few days before the end of the year but still it was a classic moment. Rich AKA Beat is known for his random acts at the best of times but this was brilliant. He offered his little nephew the chance to see a magic trick before pouring some white powder into his hand and then, rather bewilderingly, he poured water on it. It was "magic snow", which expands when it gets wet but far from being impressed, little Ethan just ended up covered in water and powder, which then also went all the Starbucks table we're sitting at! It was a bonkers moment and classic Beat.

4. Getting mini V-man
My friend Harriet has a very creative streak but when she said she was going to make me a little crochet version of my superhero alter-ego, I wasn't sure whether I would ever see it happen. However, when during the second half of 2010, she presented me with my own cuddly V-Man, I was utterly gobsmacked. A huge amount of care had clearly gone into it, with such attention to detail - it even has my silly little beard! It also, thankfully, signified the final time I would have to wear a lycra suit and for that reason alone, it make the list!

3. Street BBQ take 2
We revisited our summer street BBQ in 2010 and despite much improved weather conditions, we still only saw a small proportion of our neighbours out for some free food. Having said that we did get to spend the longest amount of time with our next-door neighbours since we moved in and we met a couple who came from round the corner specifically looking for fellow Christians who might live in the neighbourhood. We've since hung with them at their house too. I also got the chance to film another couple's wedding celebrations later in the year. It could have been tempting to feel that it was a lot of effort for not much return but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

2. Donkey fancy dress
We were invited to my boss' 40th fancy dress party back in November and although we were a little reluctant at first, eventually went for the whole costume thing. I found this amazing Donkey outfit, complete with a rather inconvenient, if certainly spectacular 'head'. It's fair to say that it was one of the more memorable outfits on the night - which was a movie-themed party - and by the end of the celebrations my Donkey-head was being passed around for all and sundry to try on. Fair to say it was something of a personal triumph - even if I did get lots of people pointing and laughing cos I looked really ridiculous!!

1. Michelle's birthday do
My darling wife turned 30 in 2010 too. We had a small gathering for her at the local Cafe Rouge. It was utterly lovely - mainly because everyone who could make it were my friends too! It was like having as many of your best mates together in the same place as possible and it wasn't even my big day. Definitely my favourite birthday gathering of the year - which is now weirding me out because I can't remember what I did for my own, rather last historic, birthday in 2010... Is that wrong...?!

5 from '10: Faith

2011-01-08T11:36:00.000Z

Up until now my review of 2010 has been pretty straight-forward, but how do you compare and contrast your faith experiences? Perhaps for me these represent the most profound moments during my year. The most memorably 'holy'. Those opportunities when God felt near or if not near than at least, most obvious. It is to my shame that I'm sure I have forgotten more of these moments than I can now recall...

5. Musn't grumble at Soul Survivor
I might have already cheated because this is technically two moments. At this summer's Soul Survivor festival, I really went through the mill emotionally. I felt like I didn't want to be there, wasn't in the best of moods and felt like things were falling apart around my ears. In the midst of this, my co-exhibitor suggested I take up one of our Mimic daily challenges and not grumble for a whole day. This was next to impossible for me - despite the fact that I am usually a pretty positive person - but as the day went on I felt the release of not being negative. The discipline was tough to achieve but the resulting peace was really invigorating. Later in the week, it was also very humbling to see young people praying for the volunteer leaders who had brought them along and it felt like a real privilege to stand in the same place as all these faithful servants of the younger generations. It definitely illustrated perfectly just why I do the role I do myself...

4. Right through the Bible - twice
At the end of 2010, I completed my second consecutive year of reading through the entire Bible. Again, this has not always been an easy, desirable task but it has really opened my eyes to the beauty and power of the Scriptures. I don't think I had any profound moments of realisation during 2010 other than the fascination of seeing the broad sweep of God's story weaving together and round the characters in it - including, of course, you and me. But then, what's more profiund than that?!

3. God hides in the cracks
At the end of the summer, Michelle and I escaped for a few days in Wales with a couple of friends and in amongst lots of sitting, reading, eating and enjoying good company, we went off to see some nearby landmarks. In an unplanned detour, we headed towards the coast one day and found some clifs to walk along. Hidden in a small cleft in the rocks was an ancient chapel. It wasn't in itself particularly remarkable but it represented what so many of our churches offer to modern society. A place of peace. A refuge from the stormy seas of life. Not always relevant and contemporary but always wecloming in a humble kinda way...

2. I'm in the Spotlight
The church holiday club was definitely another highlight for me. For me, the idea of doing a week of kids work wasn't especially intimidating but I know that for many of my fellow team members, this was a brand new experience. With 100 kids coming through the place over the course of the week, there were no hiding places for anyone and it was amazing to see the journey many of the church team went on as they saw God use them to give those kids an unforgettable week. It was challenging to me too to see how much God could do regardless of our skills and experience - and it was brilliant to be part of such a great team, willingly sacrificing themselves for others.

1. Not long enough to pray
My top moment of the year is becoming something of an annual affair. The HCC 24-7 Prayer week is always a genuine highlight. The creche/playgroup room gets transformed for half term week into a creative prayer zone with round-the-clock access and then we sign up to pray 24-7 for the week. It's an amazingly creative, peaceful and inspiring place and despite how unpleasant it sounds, it is most powerful during the small hours of the morning. It was in the midst of the night that I created visual prayers out of magazine cuttings; worshipped to club beats; built a "house of prayer-cards" and was moved by the heartcries of so many Hitchin people. As always though, the biggest problem is that the time goes too quickly and there aren't enough spaces left to spend in the room in God's presence...

5 from '10: Urban Saints

2011-01-04T17:12:00.001Z

Today's 2010 Top 5 is inspired by returning to work after the Christmas break. So, here are my most memorable moments from my role at the wonderful youth & children's work bastion that is Urban Saints

5. Ultimate Event
In 2010, we returned for our 3 bash at the awesome Alton-Towers-based Ultimate Event. In some respects, this was just about retreading previous efforts but this year it was all my responsibility. It was another year of serving and encouraging tired leaders; selling loads of big foam hands and other merchandise and rocking out to great Christian bands.

4. Complete Energize re-brand
During 2010, we had all our Energize publicity redesigned with a striking journey and race track theme. It has been very well received and although it was loads of work, it was great to play my part in that process - including an impromptu training DVD that I threw together. One very memorable part of this was building a physical representation of the marketing imagery out of an actual Scalextric set for an exhibition!

3. Presented with new skills
In September I was approached by the boss to consider doing some presenting work on video for the new Mimic website - technically, launching this year so can't count towards my top five - and reluctantly I agreed. However, despite some stressful line-learning, I have really grown into this new responsibility. I've loved working with my co-presenter, Debs, and wrestling with the scripts to hone them for the 7-10s target audience.

2. Urban Saints social media
We have experimented with social media tools - particularly Facebook and Twitter - to help improve our communications and encourage community. It has been though 2010 that we've seen these experimentations become much more legitimate! This has included topping 1000 followers, using more photos and video and running a gunge-tastic competition to choose a new colour of Urban Saints hoodie...

1. Youthwork Summit
My favourite work experience of the year was the first ever Youthwork Summit in London. My involvement was hardly crucial to the success of this inaugural youthwork gathering but it was very satisfying to play a small part in this influential new concept. I packed goodie bags, edited video, manned fire exits and generally pointed plucky youthworkers in appropriate directions but it was a great team to be a part of.

5 from '10: Music

2011-01-03T12:59:00.000Z

If my 2010 film picks were a little random, then my musical moments of the year probably reveal my lack of interest in pop music. My musical year was bookended by two amazing moments that don't count - Rage Against The Machine making Christmas number 1 and finding out System of a Down AND Linkin Park will be headlining Download 2011 - but here's 2010 in notes of the musical variety...

5. Kym Mazelle live in Hitchin
One of the features of our musical year has been helping to organise a small live music night in our local Cafe Nerro in Hitchin. Once a month, on a Sunday night, we take over the cafe with various local bands and musicians playing live - mostly people from church and others we have contact with. However, we did do an album launch for one of our church members, Don, and topped it by having a soul and R&B legend perform one month! (FYI - she attends HCC when she isn't on tour!)

4. Soul Survivor
I haven't been to Soul Survivor in several years but it is always inspiring musically. The worship is breathtaking - not just because of the musicianship but also the atmosphere created by thousands of young people singing together. It was also the moment when I had to finally admit that the Phil Wickham song "You're beautiful" isn't as 'girly' as I first thought... (it is though!)

3. iPhone live
One of the highlights of the end of the year was discovering the Rend Collective Experiment, thanks to their live appearance at The Youthwork Summit. I love their album - it's on constant play in my car as I type - but the pinnacle was seeing them "play their iPhones" live at the Summit itself. I'd seen them do it on YouTube and had to confess to being a little cynical. But seeing them play 'Exalt' live on the stage was one of those unforgettable experiences.

2. Discovering Spotify
It took me a long time to realise that iPods were going to completely change the way I listen to music - I still maintain that I miss the flow of listening to an album but in 2010 I finally became sold on the idea of the "playlist shuffle" and I doubt I will ever go back. However, 2010 also saw me take the next step too - Spotify - now I can find new music I don't even own and learn about new bands without having to commit my hard-earned cash. The days of buying albums en-spec have gone forever... and good riddance too!

1. Pearl Jam in Hyde Park
I really miss going to gigs. Nowadays, I only seem to be interested in going to gigs in arenas that cost a fortune (mainly cos I still only listen to bands I did in the late 90's!!). In 2010 I missed out on a couple simply because I am unable to play the crass game of online ticket booking. However, I did get to one gig in 2010 and what a gig! Pearl Jam playing 2+ hours of 90's crowd-pleasers and songs from their back-to-their-best latest album... and in the heart of the capital too! Just spell-binding...

Right, I'm off to switch my Rend album for Pearl Jam's...

5 from '10: Movies

2011-01-02T13:58:00.004Z

I love movies. But I don't get to the cinema as often as I would like. So my top 5 films of 2010 are all movies I saw for the first time last year - whether in the cinema or on DVD. Special mention must go to the latest Narnian epic - even though it didn't make it in to the top 5 - simply for where and how I came to see it. Even if a film is poor, you remember an advance screening at Empire Leicester Square...

5: Zombieland
Great comedy horror - like a kind of American road movie crossed with Shaun of the Dead - from the perspective of one of the survivors of the apocalypse. Great performances and visual style not to mention the now infamous cameo and the hilarious fairground-based climax.

4: Kick Ass
Notorious use of "C-word" aside, this is a near perfect, if tongue-in-check, comic book actioner. Becoming a massive fan of anything that Matthew Vaughn does... Very pleased to have received this from my Secret Santa too this Christmas!

3: No Country For Old Men
It's taken me a while to get to this but this is a brilliant Coen Brothers thriller with strong central performances - especially from the sinister and unhinged Javier Bardem - As with most Coen films, I could watch this over and over again...

2: Inception
Utterly mind-bending, if a little cold, but there weren't many other movies that generated as much discussion and debate. Really exhilarating stuff and great to see something completely original coming out of Hollywood.

1: Toy Story 3
Maybe it is simple nostalgia but it was really hard to top this latest Pixar effort. Pixar don't make bad movies - I saw 'Up' during 2010 too and that narrowly missed the top 5 - but this is such a perfect conclusion to an awesome trilogy. It's breathtaking in its drama and is a great study of growing old and being outgrown. It's moving, hilarious and utterly delightful.

5 from '10: Football

2011-01-01T23:36:00.005Z

Having just enjoyed a great New Year's Day performance at Vicarage Road, it seems only fitting that my first top 5 moments of 2010 are from the beautiful game. However, mainly due to an intensely forgettable World Cup in the summer (the only game that would even make my top 10 would be England's "false dawn" against Slovenia), and my general lack of access to Premiership football, here are the best Watford results during 2010...

5: Watford 3-0 Sheff Utd (2nd Feb)
This was a particular highlight because it was a great performance, timely as we had not won in 8 and because I was actually there. Brave, determined, dogged and just what the doctor ordered too. With this and a 2-0 win over Bristol City the following week meant that I was briefly a very lucky talisman at Vicarage Road. It didn't last - but those two wins did go someway towards saving us from relegation.

4: Coventry 0-4 Watford (2nd May)
Final game of the season - nothing to play for? Yes, we'd avoided relegation a couple of months but it wasn't the result that was so memorable (crushing though it was). It was the performance that was so striking and perhaps we should have seen some of this season's attacking fluency coming. The defeat cost Chris Coleman his job and gave us Hornets a warm glow for the summer break.

3: Norwich 2-3 Watford (6th Aug)
The very next game technically speaking. The first game of the new Championship season and for 24 hours we were top of the league. Two great Danny Graham strikes - another familiar story during 2010; no other player has scored more Championship goals this year - and all witnessed by the Sky Sports cameras. At the time, the win didn't seem so impressive, but Norwich have since proved very difficult to beat so it's grown into one of the key results of the year.

2: Millwall 1-6 Watford (18th Sep)
It was like we were dreaming. Everything we touched turned to goals - and, to be fair, we had a decent amount of good fortune too. But it ended an in-form Millwall's 10-month unbeaten home record and they've never really recovered from this utter hammering. It would be hard to top this fluent attacking displaying.

1: QPR 1-3 Watford (10th Dec)
But in unlikely circumstances, it was topped. In a poor run of form, we visited the runaway leaders who hadn't been beaten and hadn't conceded a single goal at home - in front of the BBC TV cameras. I couldn't have imagined it but in about 50 minutes we utterly destroyed a swaggering side - once again a team who have struggled somewhat since. Always great to get one over the leaders in their own back yard - not to mention Neil Warnock - but, again, it was the sheer breathlessness of the performance that sticks in the mind. We've since gone on from strength to strength...

If we keep playing like this, 2011 could be a great year - and to think everyone said we'd get relegated in 2011...

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T10:38:00.002Z

It's a brand new year. 2011 is now with us. After a great Christmas, spent eating too much and seeing loads of friends and family (busy Christmas but the best kind of busy), I thought I would do a few blog-reflections on the year that was.

I have in the past written posts on each month of the year but I thought this time I'd pick my top moments from 2010. I had wondered whether I should go for a top ten for 2010 but my legendary ability to waffle on may have to restrict me to a top 5 for the sake of time! So, there now follows my 2010 top 5's in football, film, music, Urban Saints, faith and life in general...

Snow Joke

2010-12-20T16:13:00.003Z

It IS very beautiful but it can also be a total pain in the backside. Right now, I should be visiting our Scottish team - and my mate Charlie - up in Glasgow but due to a combination of laying snow, uncertain weather forecasts and a bit of "peer pressure", I'm sitting at home in my living room instead.

It probably didn't help that our Sunday guests couldn't make it because of the conditions (although our neighbour gratefully stepped in at the last minute!) and that we were host to one of my colleagues who couldn't get home from the Christmas party on Sunday (I last heard from him on a ferry in the Irish Sea!)

I've often thought it true that "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" but the reality is, with all the travelling to be done this year to share it with friends and family, I really am not...

#sm4sc

2010-12-20T11:46:00.004Z

At the end of November, Dan & I attended a gathering of "geeks with a social conscience" called 'Social Media For Social Change' up in London at All Souls Langham Place - within spitting distance of Oxford Circus and the BBC. It was a fascinating day exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by social media and, apart from me leaving my laptop charger behind and battling through the early winter snows, it was a very positive and challenging experience.

The day was organised by the EA and there were contributions and presentations from Mumsnet, KORE, Tearfund, Leonard Sweet and the Digital Advisor for Government, drawing on their experience of using social media tools and ideas to mobilise and impact social change. There was so much to chew on, both for Urban Saints and for the local church, and there were a few key themes that seemed to run through the day. These included that social media is all about conversation rather than declaration. Support, involvement and connection and not just information. Social media allows causes to mobilise people quicker and easier and gives more direct access to decision-makers than ever before. In the world of social media images and story become so essential and it is less about one person in authority instructing than group learning and engagement.

Perhaps few of these things are surprising but as always it is the questions that remain that provide the most food for thought:

How can we use social media to bring people closer to our causes and missions, breaking down boundaries and making it easier to engage?

What can we learn from the very successful social media influenced campaigns? (e.g. Rage Against The X Factor)

How do we encourage more "dialogue storytelling" so people are involved in the storytelling - particularly when it comes to matters of faith? It's no longer the "sage on the stage" but the "guide on the side" that matters after all...

With the Church's historical role in promoting literacy, should we be looking to encourage digital literacy? How do we demystify the digital world for those who haven't properly experienced it yet?

If 'presence' (i.e. being there rather than witnessing something online) will become very important in the digital world, how can we ensure that the 'presence' of our churches and groups inspire and excite like this?

Change will happen using this technology, whether for good or for ill, so do we dare not explore ways to make a difference using social media?

...and finally we were left with a thought from the Bible itself - from Jeremiah 29:4-7 - about how we should be serving, praying for and engaging with our own communities no matter how "set apart" we THINK we are. This is not about social media for making the Church a better place but for changing the world (maybe just our part in it, but that's a good start nonetheless...)

Sherwood Christmas

2010-12-18T20:58:00.004Z

Last weekend, Michelle & I enjoyed a lovely long weekend celebrating a friends' 40th birthday at the Center Parcs resort in Sherwood Forest. Rich was turning 40 and his (and my old) housemate, Lauren, had made it to 25. It was one of those breaks that just felt like hanging out with family - with lots of eating, drinking, laughing, swimming and (although I didn't indulge in it myself) computer games! Center Parcs is suitably festive in the run up to Christmas with glowing Christmas trees and reindeers about the place as well as choirs and bands and fireworks displays. For me, it felt like Christmas had truly begun.

It was bitterly cold with snow on the ground and frozen watercourses but this didn't stop us from enjoying several hours in the outdoor swimming area, flinging ourselves without restraint down the wild water rapids. Yes, I bruised my back, got kicked in the face and was unavoidably squeezed between several of our party in the process but it was a wonderful - if a little surreal, if thought about it too much - experience!

It was great hanging out with some good friends - some of whom I've not seen for months or even years (Hez and Jono - why HAS it been so long?!) - and making a few new ones too!

Other highlights included Rich's hideously inappropriate "magic trick" in Starbucks; the huge meals all together; the distinctly invigorating plunge pool; Lauren's utter determination to break the "don't feed the squirrels" rule; getting uncomfortably close to complete strangers in the rapids; remembering what joy it is to "live" with Jez, Lauren & Caroline again; Ethan Holbrook (mini-legend in the making!) and being told to be quiet during a particularly raucous late night game of Cranium...

So, folks, can we do this every year?!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-12-17T21:49:00.004Z

It's great to see the latest Narnia movie topping this week's box office chart. I had the privilege of seeing a preview screening about ten days ago at the prestigious Empire Leicester Square for a bunch of youthworkers. It was a little thank you for helping out at the Youthwork Summit and it was a great experience. It was awesome to get an early peek at the movie; nice to catch up with the Whittakers and fascinating to see plenty of youth worker types loitering around Leicester Square - sat next to Jason Gardner and the Romance Academy folks in McDonalds!

As for the film itself, I really enjoyed it. I've always seen the Narnia movies as slightly poor relations of the Tolkien epics but there's no doubt of their profound message and spiritual significance. 'Dawn Treader' is a more exciting and action packed than previous efforts and it boasts a suitably whiney performance from Will Poulter from School of Comedy. It's dark in places - although it does suffer from being somewhat po-faced for my liking - and could cynically be described as simply a mish-mash of Lord-of-the-pirate-rings-from-the-carribean. With zoo animals.

As you'd expect from a series of Christian allegory, it's packed with strong, positive messages and teaching points. There's loads about self-image and self-worth as well as where people get their status and significance. Temptation and deception are themes explored heavily and the journey of one key character reveals a cautionary tale about cynicism and selfishness. There's also a great line where the Christ-like Aslan tells the children that they will encounter him in the 'real' world - but by a different name... In a screening full of youth workers, you could literally hear meeting plans and talk illustrations being scribbled down!

The effects in the film are very well done even if I personally was underwhelmed by the 3D - not something that I'm particularly enamored with. There are some scenes featuring waves that are very effective but otherwise I don't believe the "extra dimension" adds anything you'd miss. But overall, I believe the film is a triumph and I recommend it to anyone wanting a fun, exciting and inspiring night out at the cinema. Thank you to Youthwork Magazine and to our new pal Sean, for giving us this unique opportunity to share in this screening and get a head-start on the big Christmas blockbuster!

C'mon!

2010-12-16T23:45:00.005Z

It was the Urban Saints Christmas party today and amongst the eating, party games and secret santa gifts, was the usual end-of-year pep talk.

Times are tough but God is moving. We had become good at being self-sufficient - rowing the boat instead of letting God's wind filling the sails. God is helping us become more reliant on him but there are times when we have to expect more of our great God. Time to shout "C'mon!" and wait for him to act - to see breakthrough in this generation. To see this generation changed for the better...

It stirred me. It always does. But it doesn't take many hours to become settled again - to lose that fire and that desire to act. I feel challenged to never let myself truly settle but how? Well, among other things, enter my new favourite band...

Come on my soul, let down the walls & sing my soul
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, it's time to look up...

This is not about easy answers - this is going to be a long journey I suspect - but to me it is initially about raising expectations. Expectations of what God can do; what God will do; and expectations of what I'm prepared to do - how open I'm prepared to be and how bold I'm willing to get. As Matt concluded this afternoon, "Let faith arise..."

Partaaayyy!

2010-12-16T23:24:00.004Z

Today, was Christmas party day! For the last few years, the Urban Saints staff team has celebrated Christmas at our very own Westbrook Centre on the Isle of Wight. In 2010, we went to Felden Lodge for a day of festivities. Here are my highlights from the day:

Discovering I was a "pudding" in the guess-the-name-stuck-on-your-back game

Carrying my colleague piggy-back while she threw presents into a cardboard "chimney" - couldn't stop laughing & my arms from shaking afterwards...

The now-annual chaos of trying to organise a group staff photo

The limerick my 'Secret Santa' wrote for me - with a couple of in-jokes that revealed the writer's identity without question - and then witnessing Matt read it out for the whole group, subtle innuendo and all!!

At the opposite end of the scale, Matt's stirring end of year message - a big fat "C'mon!" for the challenging year ahead

The meal, of course, the great company and all the great chatter throughout the day

Driving home through the falling snow... and

Hearing, just a few moments ago, that my colleague's unborn child, who we had fervently prayed for after he dashed home to his wife, was completely fine and growing well

A great day, as always

Stuff my Father says

2010-12-16T22:10:00.005Z

It's possible that these two "collections of wisdom" might seem unlikely bed-fellows, but...

A few weeks ago, Michelle & I enjoyed a lovely Friday evening with our Canadian near-neighbours, Rob & Cindy. There was plenty of food, wine and interesting conversation, while outside the temperature plummeted. At the end of the evening, we got on to the subject of reading and Michelle's book club. Cindy & Michelle discussed pulpy fiction while Rob and I sneered and commented sarcastically. Then he recommended a book called "Sh*t My Dad Says" and having heard about it via Twitter, I took it home with me to read.

So, now this book sits alongside my daily Bible reading. At first glance, the ramblings of one of the most blunt & profane parents in history, seems incongruous with ancient spiritual wisdom. But as I read the quotes and stories, I see glimpses of the profound amongst the belly laughs. Mr Halpern is far from the perfect father but he is honest, fair, compassionate with a strong sense of right and wrong. He might lack tolerance and patience and general "niceness" but since when did being true stop you from saying things that are unpalatable and not what others want to hear? Clearly, this man is passionate about his family and about right and wrong but lacks the "politeness filter" that so many of us (Brits) often let overrule.

The other thing that comes through this book is how the author recounts stories from his childhood and youth. He shares situations and fatherly advice and "wisdom", that at the time, he didn't quite understand. However, with reflection, now he can see why his father said and did these things. At the time, the father's reactions and standpoints can seem unfair, uncaring and even bizarre. But with maturity and hindsight, things can look very different. Often the advice and guidance is meant to grow and shape his son's character and educate him in the realities of the world he will soon have to survive in; to help him put his life and situation in perspective.

Generally, the Holy Bible is much less amusing (...um?) but there are definite similarities. The Bible's teachings are often blunt but amongst what can often seem unpalatable, old-fashioned and even controversial wisdom, is a heartbeat of justice, truth, hope and love. In my opinion, my Father - God - is also not afraid to say tough things to help me grow in character and experience and to open my eyes to the more "grown-up" realities of the world around me. Based on these two books, I reckon it's good to listen to your Father...

5 items or less

2010-12-15T00:17:00.003Z

There is now officially a blog-queue. Too many thoughts. A surplus of incident. A plethora of ideas. A profusion of random opinions. And, of course, not enough time! I will endeavour to roll out some/most/all of these over the next few days - without adding too many more! I do currently feel like the casual-journalistic equivalent of someone in the "5 items or less" queue with an rather over-capacity basket...

Busy doing nothing

2010-11-21T21:54:00.000Z

I had to take some holiday on Friday.

Circumstances conspired to have me spending most of it within a mile of my office. However, I enjoyed one of the most enjoyably relaxing periods of aimless loitering I have ever experienced. I worked my way around 3 different Luton coffee shops / restaurants, with my latest book and two of my favourite, as yet unread, magazines. I wandered in and out of shops. I watched the world wander past. I sat on a vibrating sofa.

There is something extremely liberating about not having to be anywhere. No agenda. No sense of watching the clock. Ya know, I could get used to this life of proactive time-wasting...

In the spotlight

2010-11-21T20:46:00.001Z

Sometimes it is very easy to say something but very hard to believe it...

On Wednesday, I began my new "career" - as one the faces of Mimic for the 7-10s age group! I was presenting 3 video messages on discipleship, written by my friend and hero Mr Pete Gilbert, delivered with my newest "partner-in-crime", Deb. The run up to my full presenting debut was equal parts fraught and funny with lines learned in just over 24 hours and practiced with much "corpsing" on the morning of the shoot. Having said that, it all went much better than I had anticipated and, although I haven't seen any of the footage, I reckon I could get used to this new role.

However, at one point during the final rehearsals, we had one of those really memorable moments. We were running through some lines on the first video - on the subject of self-image. We started to chat about how we were feeling and particularly that we had been quite concerned about we would come across - even down to what colours we should be wearing and other stuff like that. It was at this point that Deb and I both realised what we were saying - we were teaching kids about how God loves them and that they could love themselves too and yet here we were, considerably older than 7, still struggling with the same self-image challenges!

It seems that no matter how much you are confident in the love of others and of your maker, you can still struggle with that self-conscious urge to doubt your own self-image. The more I think about it, the more it hits home - just what a vital and influential role we are playing. If we can disciple, guide and mentor kids when they are this young, perhaps we can help, in some tiny way, to spare them from these insecurities? We can only hope and pray...

Fancy that

2010-11-10T07:52:00.002Z

It's all been a bit serious recently so I thought we'd go for something a bit more light-hearted for post #901 - the trials and tribulations of the fancy dress party.
The top man in Urban Saints, Matt, turned 40 last month and this Saturday we attended his birthday party - a movie characters fancy dress party. Neither Michelle or I have vast experience of costumed celebrations (a few years back I went to a party as a pirate with facial hair caked in mascara...) and we were both a little reluctant about it. However, it did start to get my creativity flowing - particularly on how we could go as a movie couple.

If I'm honest, I really wanted an excuse to go as a Stormtrooper from Star Wars (technically, Luke as a Stormtrooper) and I hoped Michelle would be taken with the idea of going as Leia. However, Michelle was very specific - "it has to be a princess". So after we did a bit of web-searching, we set upon Shrek and "Princess" Fiona. Ebay came to the rescue and the Fiona outfit was on its way. Next we had to find Shrek but despite some tactical bidding, I got outbid at the last minute. So then I found a brilliant Donkey outfit - for a very reasonable price - and won this instead.

Then the costume arrived - but the label made me wonder whether there has been some horrible mix-up. It was delivered to the office and my colleague brought it to my desk. When I saw the label I could feel my cheeks flush and I must have glanced either side of me. However, once I opened up the package, it became reassuringly clear that I hadn't ordered some sort of donkey-skin panties but instead a proper donkey costume, complete with massive head!

On the night we had to work out how we would get there. Would there be a parking space close enough to the town hall to reduce the amount of time out in public in costume? Could either of us drive in them? What about money? Neither of us fancied queueing up at the cash machine like this and donkeys don't exactly have pockets for their wallets... However we got there - with our neighbours along for the ride - without too much drama. I did wonder what our other neighbours thought when they saw a near-6-foot Donkey leaving our house though!

At the party itself, most people had made a spectacular effort with the costuming. There were zombies, superheroes, Caesars, Blues Brothers, T-Birds, apes, 2 Darth Vaders, a Lara Croft and even a Pope! For me, it quickly became clear that the Donkey costume was going to be rather impractical - it was very hot with the head on, I could barely drink and really struggled to hear. But the costume WAS going down a storm - I think I won on the "point and laugh" count - and everyone was obsessed with 'my head'. By the end of the night, it was being passed around to be worn by all sorts of folk!

Since I've been involved in kids work I have got more used to the idea of fancy dress but I still find it to be just a little bit out of my comfort zone. However, it makes a huge difference when people really embrace it fully and this was one of those parties. Everyone had lots of fun and, in some cases, got to be something they'd always wanted to be. For me, I'd never aspired to be a "noble steed" but on this occasion I had a blast making an ass of myself!

{Most of the photos on this post belong to Ellie Jackson - no room for a phone/camera on a donkey either...]

Youth work: Luxury or necessity? (guest post by Claire Murphy)

2010-11-08T13:38:00.003Z

I am a youth worker. I am a committed to working with young people. I am 100% behind all those who give up their time, energy and effort for the sake of teenagers across the world.

So, as I was sat in the Youth Work Summit, I was kind of intrigued to find myself wondering - is youth work actually necessary?

This question has been a big challenge to me over the last couple of weeks, mainly because this is my profession! I’ve done ten years of training and working with young people, and I believe I’ll continue in it for many years to come. For me this question throws up the question of “why do I do what I do?”

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in youth work, and I am not suggesting that we scrap the whole thing and leave young people to fend for themselves. There is, however, nothing wrong with asking the question that makes us say ‘why?’ To go about our everyday life doing what we do because that’s what we’ve always done is not always a good thing.

Anyway, I digress (I really am a youth worker!!)

My head tells me that there have not always been youth workers, that young people who have lived through previous centuries had nothing like the network we now have...and yet those young people did not all self destruct due to a lack of a youth worker. I’ve also seen youth workers who dedicate their time to young people, sacrificing time that could be spent doing other things, and yet they struggle week in and week out with groups of young people who are happy to continue in their negative behaviour, with young people who aren’t asking or looking for help, who want to do what they want to do regardless of the consequence. I know these are both very extreme examples, and that there are many scenarios that fit between the two.

What’s funny is that when you look around our world, there are countries where the concept of youth work barely exists!! That’s almost unthinkable here in the UK! If you type in the words ‘England’ and ‘youth work’ into Google, the top three sites are: The National Youth Agency (with thousands of resources, contacts and job sites for youth workers), The Youthwork Directory (a long list of UK Christian based organisations and groups working with young people), and UK Youth (a national youth work charity). If you type the works ‘New Zealand’ and ‘youth work’ into Google, you get: recruit.net (a NZ job site with six youth work jobs currently available), youthworkers.net (a youth work website that is no longer working) and Ministry of Youth Development (a government website promoting best practice in youth development).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying New Zealand is devoid of all care of young people, but youth work is not central to their society as it has become in ours. And this will be true of other countries around the world. Not all societies with little youth work have teenagers falling apart at the seams.

One question that keeps bugging me is this: in having so much youth provision available, are we producing ‘soft’ young people; young people who need to be led by the hand through every step of life; young people who don’t make their own choices and decisions, they just do what their youth worker tells them to do?

But really, deep down within me, my heart tells me that youth work is a necessity – we see and hear of young people suffering, of young people struggling to get their heads around how they do life well. We hear the statistics about young people and drugs, alcohol, violence and crime, and my heart goes out to them. I want to offer them a home, to give them a safe space.

I know beyond doubt that great youth work has an impact on the lives of both young people and those around them; I believe it can bring transformation both to individuals and communities. I have seen the impact of good youth work, and I have seen the loneliness and isolation of some young people who have a hard home life, few friends and not much else.

After two weeks of contemplating the topic, I’ve come to the conclusion that a debate over whether youth work is a luxury or a necessity is irrelevant!! What is important is:

to never underestimate the value of weekly youth group meetings

the reminder that we can support and care for young people, in one hour a week or in 37 hours in a week

for those of us who have made youth work our profession, we should stop taking it for granted, and get back to the understanding that it is a privilege and honour to be able to connect and engage with these fragile, inquisitive and complex human beings, in a way that can impact how they do life, forever.

899 down...

2010-11-08T09:03:00.000Z

This feels like a completely pointless post and I guess in a sense, it is. You see, I offered to give up my 900th blog post to anyone who wanted to write it. Thing is, now I'm at 899 and so need to fill the gap. I could continue to waffle on about what I've been up to recently and no doubt I will continue to do so at some point! However, in the interest of efficiency, I decided to intro my guest author so as to give her the full opportunity to share her thoughts...

Meet Claire Murphy. She's a youth worker and lecturer and she's even now one of Urban Saints' trustees too. I first met Claire when she was youth worker at my current church (but long before we ever started going there) and she helped out with various Crusader events. Over the years, we have worked together as Radish small group leaders, on the ReAct mission teams and in loads of other situations. Recently she married the suitably bonkers Kieran (who I now also play football with) and currently works as a lecturer at Oasis College in London. Unsurprisingly, we now have loads of mutual friends and although rare nowadays, the opportunities to hang out are always thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to.

Claire is one of a number of great godly women I have had the privilege to meet and get to know through working with Urban Saints. She is fun, caring, wise and she knows a thing or two about the art form that is youth work! So it is with great pride and eager anticipation that I present my 900th blog post (to appear shortly after this one of course!)

Do, do, do

2010-11-04T08:03:00.000Z

I've blogged a bit recently - a couple of mammoth posts on my previous week - but as I was rattling through my reflections on the Summit, I was starkly challenged about what I share through this medium. Maybe it was Sunday's talk on being saved by faith and not by actions but whatever the reason, I felt provoked to think about what God's been doing rather than just what I've been doing...

So, from now on I'm going to try and reflect as much on what He's doing rather than on what I'm doing. It's going to be tough because I'm an "achiever" and love nothing more than to cross things off lists. However I'm going to give it a go (and I guess if I don't manage it perhaps it wasn't what God wanted me to do...)

No room to pray

2010-11-03T17:40:00.003Z

Last week I discovered something unexpected - sometimes you can have too many people praying!

We've just completed our annual 24-7 Prayer week at the church and the response has been superb. Almost every hour-long slot during the week-long prayer space was filled - even the ones in the middle of the night. The only problem with this impressive enthusiasm was that it meant there weren't as many gaps for us to choose from! Most of the times I was in the exquisitely and creatively decorated prayer room, unusually I wasn't on my own.

In the past when I've taken part in 24-7 Prayer weeks before, it has always been hard to fill the time and often we've been required to do long stints through the night. Thing is, these late/early periods of solitude are often the most powerful, most deeply affecting. So this time I was hoping for a few of these and I was sadly disappointed. In fact, four of my five hours were completed with a group of friends.

Surely this is good though? Well, it was - great to pray together, for people and circumstances and to respond to each other's requests and heartcrys - but it was also distracting at times and required different approaches to connecting with God. Sometimes it felt like we were falling over each other. Other times like we were waiting in line to pray. But that is one of the challenges (and also the joys) of being in community. We are not alone with God most of the time and we sharpen each other and spur each other to press on into Him. It's not always how we picture it and certainly doesn't always go our own way but we are better when we're together.

It also helped me rediscover using dance beats & electronic soundscapes in worship and prayer - especially when they are on my iPod...

It seems to me...

2010-11-03T09:18:00.000Z

If you were at the previous Saturday's Youthwork Summit, the more observant among you might have spotted a familiar face on the screen at one point. Perhaps the less charitable of you might have wondered what I did to deserve such an accolade and I, in return, can only offer you an unlikely tale of "wrong place at the wrong time" I'm afraid...

The Half-Baked Ideas. It started off as a simple editing assignment. They were gathering a number of youth workers together in London one day to share their unformulated ideas for youth work as a discussion starter for the Summit. I was asked to attend to observe, with a view to editing the ideas for showing at the Youthwork Summit itself. As the day approached, I was asked to think about ideas of my own, in case they needed me to make up the numbers. I gave it half a thought but didn't really consider it too carefully (after all, most of my ideas are barely even half-baked...)

On the filming day I make it to the shoot eventually (that's another torturous story in itself actually) to find that they DO need me to share. I'm not sure of my credentials to contribute so I share this one question that's been rolling round my head on the train journey down...

"It seems to me the youth group format has not changed since I was in one. What would it look like if we started again now and left behind all our preconceptions of what the youth group should look like?"

We shoot the insert and I'm on my way home again almost immediately. Then the wait for the tape for the edit begins but I'm sure my contribution won't make the final cut... When the tapes finally arrive, it turns out there are only 4 of us and then it's cut to 3 as one of them is a speaker on the day of the Summit. The other two are the heads of two respected Christian youth organisations and then there's little old me!

So, to this day, I'm still not sure how I ended up doing it - I only said yes to the edit job because I was nosey about what this Summit was going to be all about! Still I guess I must have said something reasonably coherent otherwise I guess they wouldn't have let me get as far as the big screen for the Summit's debut.

Just goes to show that some are born great; others have greatness thrust upon them (and still others fall through a trapdoor into the wrong room at the wrong time...!)

Trick or treat

2010-10-31T20:40:00.000Z

Halloween. The one festival in all the year that is guaranteed to get church-goers talking and debating. But I wonder if our response to this night reveals as much about our tradition as it does about our faith?

I've just returned from our church Halloween alternative event and it has been a great success. 28+ primary age kids having great fun, playing games, singing songs and generally reveling in the madness of Spotlight. Sam shared about Christ, the light of the world and we didn't mention Halloween at all. There is a big part of me that loves events like this - and this was no exception. Great to see so much fun and laughter and glow-sticks. However, they also continue to leave me asking questions.

I feel the need to state my own position on Halloween before I go any further. I've never liked Halloween - even when I was young myself (although back then it was much lower profile). I do everything I can to avoid being at home when potential trick-or-treaters could be operating and have in the past always been quick to discourage people from taking part in the festivities. It's not Christian, it can be rather anti-social and it is potentially spiritually dangerous (in my opinion, of course)

However, this year, a combination of reading a book about ethics and multiple conversations about Halloween - including many different parents of different faith backgrounds and one American (where Halloween is widely socially acceptable), I have had reason to challenge my own viewpoint. It seems to be one of those things that parents most fret over and increasingly children struggle to see anything about it beyond a fun night where people dress up and get sweets. By taking a stand and not letting our kids get involved, are we running the risk of looking like killjoys? Light parties and Halloween alternatives help counter this but are we separating ourselves (and our children) rather truly engaging with the issue of Halloween?

The latest book I've been reading challenged me to think about how I would respond to Jesus' attitude to cultural phenomena he would never have come across and in this case, to ask "Would Jesus have gone to a Halloween party?" I concluded he would have but he wouldn't have gone dressed as the Devil! Jesus hung out with all sorts of people and most of them were in situations that the contemporary church of his time did not approve of. He did challenge these people to consider the right way to live but he didn't wait until they came to him - he went to the places the people were. Maybe as Halloween becomes more established in the UK, Christians need to think about going to more Halloween parties?

Of course, the reason most God-fearing folk don't go to Halloween events is not because they are old spoilsports. The argument is that the fun and costumes disguise a much darker spiritual element which could make those who partake more susceptible to the occult. That focusing on darkness and evil is not wise or healthy for our kids. I don't doubt that this is true. But I do wonder whether the church is a little blinkered on its attitude to this festival. Do we continue to fight against it because it is fundamentally "un-Christian" or have we just got used to not engaging with it at all?

Over the years, the accepted position of Christians on a variety of topics has softened - from cinema to rock music; Sunday trading to Harry Potter; wearing suits to church to drinking alcohol. Has Halloween become the one given to show that Christians refuse to be compromised? We find ways for Christians to live, operate and make an impact in areas of music, media, the arts, politics, big business without having to make them Christian sub-cultures but we seem incapable or at least unprepared to consider doing so when it comes to Halloween. Perhaps this is the right response or perhaps we are not seeing the festival, and those who actively celebrate it, through the eyes of Christ?

Even with all these tough questions to wrestle with, I must admit that my own position has not changed that much. I still don't like Halloween. I don't like that kids go pestering other people for treats (or face the potential of a prank). I don't like that this is the one night where it is supposedly ok to knock on strangers' doors - the one thing every parent tells their children not to do. I also don't like the fact that we can't get our neighbours to come out to a free BBQ but some of them think that we'll give their children sweets if they knock on our doors... But what if we could somehow "redeem" Halloween - and turn it into something good and positive? What would happen, just as an example, if a whole group of Christian young people went out on Halloween doing good deeds for others - giving out 'treats' rather than demanding them? It's just a thought...

Ultimately, there are two parts to this debate. It's easy to theoretically ask questions about our response to Halloween. It's much much harder to decide how to apply to your own children - whether to allow their participation, how much you can protect them from the temptations and potential dangers of Halloween and how old before they can make up their own minds. I acknowledge that the issues are much more complex than I've spelled out here and this is not intended as a dig at very well-meaning Christian parents. However, I guess I hope people reading this will give at least a second thought before flat-out condemning all Halloween activities... and here's to a spate of Christians dishing out Halloween "treats" all over the UK next October 31st!

The Youthwork Summit - a steward's eye view

2010-10-26T07:39:00.001Z

The Youthwork Summit - a brand new event for youth workers, set in the heart of Central London, promising a fresh new take on the conference circuit. Something both empowering and inspiring. Something that doesn't promise all the answers but looks to gather experience from all involved. Nice idea - but how was it in reality?

My involvement in this new venture was predominantly behind-the-scenes and as such, on the day was a fire-exit-minding, stair-patrol-officer (or 'steward' as they are more commonly known). However, this did offer me a unique perspective on the proceedings. And so, here's my take on the first EVER Youthwork Summit...

My Summit started early with a drive into London as the new day dawned. We gathered and prayed and prepared ourselves. First up we ensured the fire exits were all clear for the 500+ youth workers about to arrive. Then we're on the stairs, encouraging the bleary-eyed travellers to "keep left" as they trooped down towards caffeinated stimulation and comfort breaks. The break-out area filled rapidly with people eagerly taking advantage of the free Starbucks coffee and for me, it was a great privilege to offer a smile, a joke or a word of encouragement to the gathering delegates. People were catching up with new friends, getting their bearings and tapping away at mobiles, in anticipation of what was to come.

Suddenly, there's a stream of people heading up the single stairway to the main auditorium. The "X Factor voice-over man" announces the Summit and we're underway. The room was packed with eager faces and it took quite an effort to spot spaces in the crowd for latecomers - made even harder when The Rend Collective Experiment led us into worship. To me, Martin Saunders hosted with a mixture of relief and bewilderment, as he looked out on the nearly 600 youth work practitioners - almost more apologetic than triumphant...

As a member of the team (and one assigned to "guard" a fire exit at that), it's easy to become detached from the spirit of the Summit. However, with the multi-faceted, quick-fire content and interaction of this conference (if we can even call it that?), even the "staff" could gain something from the sessions. For me, the partially-obscured Twitter feed was a fascinating snapshot of the mood of the room and although it occasionally descended into in-joking and childishness, it's contribution far outweighed the distraction factor. I loved the mixture of music, comedy and video seamlessly meshing with skilled oration and even if Sean, invisibly pulling the AV strings, became something of a Granville to Saunders' Arkwright, there was a rich vein of gentle banter onstage and between the queue of guest speakers.

As for the actual contributors themselves, they all had much to commend with only the rare exception, being guilty of sales-pitching or self-satisfaction. The best nuggets (and at 10 minutes each, that's all they were) were the ones that brought a fresh perspective or pinpointed a challenging question. However, even during the less engaging or relevant chunks, there was plenty to be praised (even if it was by avoiding majoring on the typical youthwork staples). Add to this, the availability of the contributors down in the break-out area for follow-up questioning and interaction. There was no safe, comfortable speakers lounge at this conference and it was all the better for it.

For me, there were plenty of stand-out moments - perhaps too many to unpack (without further turning this reflection into an epistle) - but many of them were accompanied by an audible (or at least figurative) gasp from the watching crowd:

'Mixed Opinions' - the dazzling youth band and the genius move that was putting their powerful and heart-felt lyrics up on the screen behind the performance

Rend's live iPhone worship (I must confess to being skeptical when I saw it on YouTube...) & their sensitive and moving worship leading throughout the day

Andy Flannagan's emotional linking of social justice and politics and hearing him describe my friend Gav's journey from Luton youth group, to church leadership and through the wake of political scandal to election to Westminster

Co-host Vicky gleefully stoking the crowd before tearing into one unlucky 'tweeter'

Dave Jenkins' "Basil Fawlty of youthwork" monologue

The self harm videos - particularly the shattering wall punch sound effects at the climax of the "comedian" video. I don't think anyone in the auditorium exhaled for the next few seconds

Christopher Pilkington's bewitching of the audience, as he unpacked the 3-act structure of (TV) storytelling and its significance for our youth work

The 'a-ha' moment as everyone realised who the Catholic priest's famous sibling was(!)

Yannah Nightingale - just 19 - unpacking Christian leadership with wisdom well beyond her years

The rare treat of an insight into the new 'Africa United' movie with the film's Christian director

Mark Russell's closing rallying cry of a commissioning. Had the Youthwork Summit been a Hollywood movie, no doubt people all over the place would have been saluting!

and finally the realisation, that all this had been crammed into one, albeit rather long, day - not an entire weekend...

Other things that I got to witness with my steward's hat on were the increasing spread of people from the chairs to the carpet as the sessions progressed (not sure if this was to do with the unyielding seats or the increased freedom offered by the side aisles) and the unique experience of watching 500+ youth workers making playdoh shapes, as led by Rachel Warwick - not to mention the 'escalating' (ahem!) "All Good Youthworkers Keep Left" campaign on the venue's only staircase...

As the Summit reached its successful conclusion and the youth work contingent headed weary but buoyed towards the exit, my day ended as it had begun - clearing and tidying. One delegate approached me to thank us for all we had done and I could do nothing but gush about how it had been worth every minute. My final act was to mop up a puddle of the free coffee spilling out of a bin bag. Even as I did this, there was no doubt in my mind that I'd be back for next year's Summit - whatever changes and improvements it undergoes and whatever it ends up looking like!

Bring on #yws11!

Variety Pack-ed Week

2010-10-25T18:26:00.000Z

Sometimes working at Urban Saints - and life in general - can become rather routine. However, most of the time, it is anything but. This past week was really varied and there were several occasions when I found myself a little baffled by the juxtaposition of my daily activities... (ooh, get me and my wide vocabulary...!)

Monday was a pretty standard day really - office-based with a little basic video editing for the Youthwork Summit at the weekend. Catching up on emails and the like and preparing myself for the week to come.

On Tuesday, Lorne, Dan, Gibbo & I headed into London to do a bit of creative planning and team building, heading first to the British Museum (a first for me and rather fascinating with it) and then to the MacVideo Expo to hear and see all the latest developments in video equipment and software. It was a long afternoon / evening, full of tech-speak and demonstrations - some much more useful and engaging than others. They gave out £1000s-worth of software to delegates, drawing their names out of a hat - probably about 100 items - but despite there being good odds on one of us winning something, we came home empty-handed. In fact, I think they could have drawn out twice as many tickets and we still wouldn't have won anything!

Wednesday was a change of pace again with the Youthwork Summit team briefing and goodie-bag-packing. A mammoth task of collating and storing over 500 goodie bags at the Urban Saints office. On reflection, perhaps bringing the goodies up from the store, packing and then taking the completed bags back down to the store was a little unnecessary but the team from LCET did an awesome job of making up the packs. The next big question was how we were going to get these bags down to London but thankfully that was out of my hands...

On Thursday, our new volunteer Victoria started in the office. She's helping out a day a week with marketing etc while she is in the UK from America studying. But there was no time to help her settle in properly as Mark & I were heading down to Westminster in the wake of the Spending Review. We went to Portcullis House to meet with some great guys who work with MPs in Parliament and are producing resources to help churches and youth groups see politics as a legitimate mission field. We went to talk about running visits to Westminster for our groups and combining this with group meeting resources. On the return journey we schemed on some great ideas for the Christmas edition of our Leaders' TV show (more on that when we are allowed to share it!). Then it was a case of finishing off the last few items for the Summit goodie bags before racing off to help lead the weekly kids club in Hitchin. We were a little under-staffed so it was rather hectic and among other things I managed to 'encourage' my fellow leaders to drop handfuls of cold porridge from the church balcony on to my head...!

I think it was at this point that I most wondered how I find myself in all these crazy situations!

I was filming our neighbours' wedding on Friday (i.e. technically a day off) but was still creating files etc for the following days Summit, while down in the store other members of the Urban Saints team were working on how to get all the goodie bags AND the band for the day, down to London. The wedding was yet another change of pace and as it was an English-Hungarian wedding, it was fascinating to be a part of it. It was the first time I've been asked to film anything before the service and so got a glimpse of what it is like for brides all over the world on their big morning! Frankly, it was something of an eye-opener (so glad I am a guy!) and I even got involved in transporting some of the bride's party to the church! Then there were some of the unusual Hungarian customs - including guests lining up to pay to dance with the bride... Another late night but a great day to be a part of!

...and then there was Saturday and the highly-anticipated Youthwork Summit up in London. But that's a different story altogether!

So you can see that this last week was something of an epic marathon for me. However, I wouldn't swap any aspect of my world right now - every day brings new challenges and new delights!

Need a hero

2010-10-14T19:19:00.001Z

It is commonly acknowledged in movie-merchandising circles, that the gateway to superstardom is being immortalised in doll-form...

I'm not quite suggesting that this is true but, on the other hand, look at what I received yesterday:

[Thanks to Harriet for the lovely gift!]

Contemporary worship

2010-10-13T20:11:00.000Z

What modern "worship temple" currently stands where this plaque is situated...?

I'll give you a clue...

Anyone got any good fundraising ideas?

2010-10-13T11:28:00.009Z

I have a challenge for you, dear reader. Can you come up with the next big way to raise some much needed funds for the work I'm involved in here at Urban Saints. With the imminent spending review just around the corner, money is going to be tight. That's bad news for us charities but perhaps a great opportunity for some collaborative creativity...?

Once a term, the Urban Saints team meet together to talk about ways we can raise our levels of support - in terms of people who volunteer to help the movement, give money to the cause and pray for the work we do. It is great opportunity to celebrate and thank the wonderful folk who support us personally and think about new ways to include and involve others in Urban Saints.

For me, 'Team Windo' has been slowly taking shape since the start of 2010. There are people who give a small monthly gift and pray for me. Then there are those who receive my newsletters, read my blog posts and follow me in some sort of 'social-media' context. So it seems a shame not to make use of the vast creativity represented in this great crowd of witnesses.

Do you have the next big fundraising idea?
Perhaps it is a crazy sponsored event?
Or a paid-for social event?
Maybe even a new way to encourage people, with little understanding of what we do, to dig deep and give generously?
No idea is off-limits (within reason of course) but there are no guarantees I'll take you up on it!

Get thinking and get suggesting!! Thanks

Nightmare league

2010-10-12T23:10:00.000Z

Now that the abject frustration of this evening's match has passed (to be fair I didn't watch - but spent the time with my good lady!), my attention now turns to the surprising form of my 'real' team and the abysmal performance of my fantasy league side...

Frankly, I don't understand. I'm not exactly Jose Mourinho when it comes to spotting players in form but I'm usually reasonably good at selecting team members. However, this season, being part of 'The East Stand Roof' FC is something of a curse. It seems that signing for my team is a sure-fire indicator of an imminent dip in form... It started with Joe Cole (sent off first game), Defoe (injured second game), Vidic (generally struggling this season), Sagna (shipped three against West Brom when captain), Chamakh (hardly pulling up trees despite there being no other Arsenal forwards fit), Charlie Adam (scored an own goal from midfield in his first game for me), Andy Carroll (scores 3, signs for me & can't score for love nor money). I could go on...

I could be forgiven for thinking that I decided to sign the entire England team to my fantasy league squad this week (although before anyone starts flinging any blame, I didn't...). I am considering signing players from teams I don't like just to make the most of the apparent curse.

Game on?!

Moving home

2010-10-10T22:10:00.001Z

About 10 days ago, my colleague Dan made a somewhat off-the-cuff suggestion. Within 24 hours, we had completely rearranged the office layout for the Urban Saints comms team and when I go in to the office on Monday, I'll be making full use of it!

Gibbo & I used to share the media room when he was in the office but recently Dan has started working with us too and last week we had a work experience guy in the team plus Victoria - who's helping us one day a week - joining too. The media room was going to get crowded! So Dan suggested we move out to the adjoining part of the open-plan office and use the media room as an edit suite and meeting room.

Over the next 2 or 3 days, we were moving desks, shifting computers and equipment, clearing out old files and generally relocating. Now we can all work together out in the main office (not to mention we feel more a part of the whole office), there's still space for other staff members to "hot-desk" and we can use the media room as a more creative space or a place to get some required quiet for editing. It's astonishing to think that all this has taken place in such a short space of time and it has already been really great for our work experience week.

With a week of editing ahead of me, I know I'll be making even better use of it this week!

No such thing as innocent

2010-10-08T08:02:00.000Z

It's not often that a comic-book movie about a flaming skeleton draws my mind back to that week's sermon but...

On Sunday evening I was watching the movie 'Ghost Rider'. It was frankly pretty dire and probably wouldn't have merited any more of my attention on any given Sunday. But this was no ordinary Sunday. You see, this Sunday we'd listened to a talk on the second half of the first chapter of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans and it doesn't exactly make for easy reading. In summary, it says that people are bad and need saving - we've turned their backs on God despite knowing deep down that He is Lord. You might not agree with this or even believe as Richard Dawkins apparently does that we have never been so moral and 'good' as a species. Either way, this passage makes for a pretty bleak sermon and not exactly something to look forward to. Yet - whether due to divine inspiration or skilled construction of the argument - it was a riveting, challenging and even hope-filled message. It might be unfashionable but without the reality of widespread immorality, what need is there for the salvation we so revere?!

Scroll on a few hours and I find myself sitting through some bland comic-book fantasy but there's one aspect of the plot that grabs my attention and refuses to let go. The flaming skeleton in question is the devil's bounty hunter - a stunt man who sold his soul to cure his father's cancer. But by a convoluted plot twist, he has the ability to turn the evil dished out by an evil soul back on themselves. So he turns vigilante, punishing wrong-doers with the pain and suffering they caused others all in one hit. Following so far?! Well, here's the rub, he only does this to people who are 'evil' - and even identifies people who are 'innocent' before moving on to more deserving targets... (I promise you this is going somewhere!)

So this in turn gets me thinking - where does he draw the line? Do they have to be 'criminal' evil or just have hurt someone? What acts of immorality or cruelty qualify and which fail to ignite his fiery (yet righteous?) temper? Do you have to be a repeat offender or is it more about the severity of the pain caused - my own selfishness perhaps only warranting a mild Chinese burn from the avenging Ghost Rider...?

Thing is, I don't in any way consider myself to be an evil guy. But I do know that I have hurt others - with my words, (in)actions and (although not often) physically too. I'm certain that there are hurts I know nothing of and perhaps never will. I'm also sure that God could tell of my selfishness, poor choices and lack of integrity - to name but a few - which hurt Him and others in the world that I could never imagine. I'm not innocent and although I might earn a badge of innocence in this comic-book story, I couldn't in His story. No one could.

But before you edge nervously away from my blog, wishing you'd never started reading, take heart! Jesus, the Son of God, died to take away this guilt and present us as innocent to the Father in Heaven. Even better than this, I don't have to do anything to earn this other than to believe. No catch. No unexpected terms and conditions hidden away in tiny font. Just a bit of faith and an acknowledgment that I need forgiving. This is, I realise, quite a statement and if you're struggling with what it means for you or you want to know more, I'd be happy to chat to you about it.

But to sum it up, there's some bad news yet there's even more good news - and I bet that this is the strangest review of Ghost Rider' you'll ever read!

Where?

2010-10-01T16:51:00.000Z

Michelle was doing some preparation for this week's kids group and she reminded me of the wonder that is "Where's Wally?"* I know it is a kids book but there's something deeply addictive and rather frustrating about these detailed cartoon pictures. Perhaps it is the high nostalgia factor or perhaps it is just that it is such a simple but brilliant concept. Either way, I defy anyone - adult or child - to not spend hours staring at the images in search of that elusive striped-jersey-wearing hiker...

(P.S. I just read on Wikipedia that they are planning to make a live-action movie of it, with Jim Carrey - even if this is not true, it does still show it has a high cool factor...)

(* Waldo, to our American friends)

Summertime: I believe in miracles (revisited)

2010-09-30T20:40:00.000Z

Back in the later part of 2008, I posted an honest comment about the confusing spiritual phenomenon of miracles. Some recent conversations and meetings here at Urban Saints have brought me back to this topic and it all came to a head in our fairly mind-blowing Team Gathering earlier this month...

This is one of the hardest entries I have ever had to write. Mainly because I still don't really know what to make of it all. Usually I have a thought or a wondering (or a rambling!) and it turns into a bit of writing with a beginning, middle & end (in case that has not been obvious before, that is what I try to do...!!) But when it comes to the subject of 'miracles', I genuinely don't know where to start or end for that matter. So I'm going to just type and see where this goes...

It started with our team members around the British nations sharing about camps and missions they had taken part in over the summer. Amongst the reports of fun and spiritual growth and inevitable logistical complications, there were tales of extreme healings from broken legs and even cancer and of natural phenomena triggered by prayer (like guitar strings breaking and stars "going out"). Now, I'm a rational guy most of the time and sometimes I can be guilty of being skeptical. I've seen God do things with my own eyes before but it's just so unlikely, right?!

Then some colleagues shared a vision for the future for Urban Saints - not necessarily THE vision but a bold plan, a dream, to see major impact in the lives of young people all over the UK. Again, they admitted that this would not happen by conventional wisdom and human effort but rather only if God did something miraculous. Again at times like this I find it easy to identify with the guy in the Bible who says "I believe - help my unbelief"...

Then we had a guest speaker called Flora who has an amazing story to tell - of how she experienced God in His power when she was younger and then went on, with God's help, to be very successful in business and property and to set up her own charity. She would hear God say to offer ridiculously low amounts to buy houses and they would get accepted! She can spend hours and days in prayer and hear God speak as clearly as you or I. Flora is an amazingly inspiring women of huge faith and great wisdom and I couldn't help but feel completely in awe but also rather baffled. Again, it is one thing to say you believe what she is saying and quite another to really BELIEVE it...

No question about it, I know God is challenging me about his ability to perform miracles - to expect to see Him do miraculous things (and not just for those around me, but for me too). I'm not sure what that means for me and I would even say that I'm rather apprehensive to find out. But all the while, I'm reminded that this is the week of my friend John's birthday. Well, it would have been his birthday but for the cancer that ended his life last October. We prayed so hard and expected so much for John and his family but ultimately, we were left disappointed. Did we do it wrong? Was my faith just not quite big enough - not real enough - to qualify for that miracle?

Truth is, I do STILL believe (although I continually pray that God would help my unbelief) in miracles but as I said, back in my original post, I just don't understand them. Maybe I never will but I await with interest to see what God has in store for me next!

Summertime: Star of stage & screen

2010-09-23T17:36:00.002Z

It began with me as a last-minute replacement but could become a habit...

We're heading into the final stages of a massive new youth project. 'Mimic' is our new youth discipleship website and programme and we're looking to release it later in the Autumn. We had scripted a video to preview 'Mimic' and then set about finding a few people to be in the video. Matt is always reliable and we recruited our former colleague Ellen to represent our volunteer leaders. However, we were lacking someone to complete the trio so I stepped in (somewhat reluctantly).

On the day of the filming, Matt rattled off his lines with his standard professionalism. Ellen was nervous about her takes but did really well and then it came to my go. I did get rather stuck on my lines but eventually made it through unscathed! It was a somewhat longer shoot than expected but we had a laugh filming - with Ellen acting as prompt and offering advice on posture ("Stop slouching!") - and it was good to hang out with my fellow "co-stars" and Gibbo and Dan behind the camera.

The video was first previewed during our recent Team Gathering and although I never enjoy watching myself, I was pleasantly surprised with how it came out. What's more, Matt asked me if I would consider doing more presenting roles for some of the future Mimic videos - for the under 11s age group. I was rather taken aback but after some consideration, I've now agreed to give it a go!

So I'm looking to brush up on my presenting skills for the next series of shoots!

Summertime: Welsh retreat

2010-09-20T10:31:00.000Z

The contrast between several days slumming it in a damp tent in Somerset and our escape to Wales for a few days of "R & R" was massive. Chris & Kate & Michelle & I headed off to Carmarthenshire to the Summerfield family country cottage to "live without agenda" amongst the Welsh hills.

It's a lovely place to hide away for a few days, with open fires, a big kitchen & dinner table, plenty of room to relax and even a pool table! The garden is really beautiful with the option to eat outside (not that we really managed to because of the weather!) and you can happily spend your time just around the cottage. We read, chatted, ate, drank, walked and generally relaxed. When we did venture out and about, we visited Carmarthen to check out the coffee shops; a local country park where we hired bikes, walked on the beach and checked out some weird abandoned railway tunnels; scaled Pembroke Castle and discovered a small stone chapel buried away in the cliffs; we wandered through a rather blustery Tenby and capped it off with the traditional fish and chips!

It was great to get away and it was really brilliant to spend some time with the Birch-Evans' (who had just announced that Kate was pregnant! Congratulations guys!). It was just what we needed and we're really grateful for it!

Summertime: Soul Survived

2010-09-20T08:03:00.000Z

I'm catching up on overdue blog posts from my busy summer so here's a few reflections on my last few weeks...

My week at Soul Survivor - Europe's largest Christian youth festival - truly was the best of times and the worst of times. There was so much about the experience that was wonderfully uplifting - the soaring worship, seeing so many meet the living God (for the first time), meeting some great guests, seeing Mike Pilavachi leading a ministry time dressed as Batman(!) and sharing some time with my co-exhibitionist, Mike - but...

It was really hard work too. Right from the beginning we had technical difficulties with the stand - video screens failing, banners collapsing, inter-organisation sabotage (thanks YWAM!) - and cooking rudimentary meals on a single faulty gas burner in high winds proved challenging too! The disposable BBQ wouldn't light - so we had fried burgers in a saucepan. The gas canisters leaked both times they were changed; the wind blew the burner out repeatedly and it took 45 minutes just to boil a kettle for washing up! There were points when I just wanted to "take my ball" and go home.

However, for all the challenges, it was a good event. We made plenty of new connections for Urban Saints, sold a number of hoodies and experienced God working powerfully in and around us. I even took one of our new Mimic challenges - to stay joyful for an entire day (not as easy as it sounds!) - which made me reassess my attitude to setbacks. Despite my early struggles, I really felt encouraged and inspired by this year's Soul Survivor!

Obsessed

2010-08-13T23:30:00.004Z

It's about 6 weeks since that amazing evening in Hyde Park with my new favourite band - Pearl Jam... Unfortunately, since then I've been unable to listen to anything else. This may be the most profound impact any single gig has ever had on me - or it could just be that they occur so rarely now that the effect is massively intensified?!

Anyway, for whatever reason, I'm hooked - so in a vain attempt to return to normality, I publish the setlist from HRC2010 in the hope that it will help draw a line under this experience. Normal, non-fan-boy, service should be resumed shortly!

The off-season

2010-08-04T08:14:00.003Z

Summer at Urban Saints is a curious thing. In one respect it is one of our busiest times of the year. Camps and holidays. Mission trips around the UK and further afield. Summer festivals and general time for holidaying. On the other hand, there's just nobody here in the Kestin House office...

The work still needs to be done and the office responsibilities covered and all by what remains of the 'skeleton' staff team. So, we're answering calls (usually by saying "I'm afraid they aren't here this week!") and generally running things. Last week I was off for our church Holiday Club but this week and next I'm here, trying to get sorted before I go to Soul Survivor and then on my own holiday break.

It's hard because you do so much of your 'to-do' list but you soon get to something that requires someone else's input - and they're usually camping in a field somewhere, sleeping on a church floor or generally sunning themselves on a Spanish beach. It's very frustrating and I find this time of year rather de-motviating, if I'm really honest.

So, instead, let's look forward to what's coming up. This week I'm working on our promotional push for the new Mimic project and generally getting to grips with measuring traffic etc on our websites. Next week, I get a "moment of fame" as I've been drafted into to some filming for the same project (actually we still need another female contributor who can be available to film in Luton on Monday 9th if anyone is interested or knows anyone who might be...) and setting up for Soul Survivor. Then I'm running the stand for the second Somerset week before retreating to our Pastor's holiday cottage in Wales to recover from a dramatic month...

So, best get on as I think I can hear the phone ringing!

Never forget

2010-08-02T08:09:00.003Z

Some friends you can lose track of while others have ways of popping into your mind on a regular basis... Recently, we connected with a lovely family through a bizarre chain of events - kittens, drama, house-moving - and now they even financially and prayerfully support my role here at Urban Saints.

In their case I'm not sure we need reminding, but we do have two very permanent reminders of our friendship and connection with Gary & Jaime and their family...

Guys, I don't know whether you ever get to read these posts, but you are never very far from our thoughts and prayers

I'm in the spotlight!

2010-08-01T21:30:00.000Z

Sometimes the most unlikely set of circumstances - and the most unlikely set of people - can come together to produce something wonderful. Just the fact that it has the potential to be a disaster, makes that wonder even greater, don't you think?!

Last week was the HCC Spotlight Holiday Club - 4 mornings of loud kids, crazy games, craft, video, songs and challenges, run by the best team in the entire world! But running up to the week, things looked rather bleak. A team was slow to form despite a big demand in the local schools for the free activities and even the preparations had been slow-going. I believe that our two great team leaders were somewhat under pressure during set-up day last Monday...

There's no doubt that Sam & Shaz put a lot of time and effort into the programme (you ladies are brilliant!!) and as "people of faith", we also must acknowledge that God can do amazing, surprising and powerful things through, and sometimes even despite, us. But I was constantly struck by the team that gathered each day. Lots of willing faces; some of whom had never even done kids work before, let alone a rather intense holiday club like this one. All of them ready to get stuck in and encourage and guide these kids and not (too) fearful of what might occur along the way. It's a humbling experience to be part of a team like that and it's contagious too. A number of team that were unable to help every day expressed regret for having to miss out and some even rearranged plans to be present for extra mornings. We even managed to recruit some new leaders for the weekly kids club - such was the infectious nature of the team spirit (and I have a hunch that, if it wasn't such a difficult time to attend each week, we'd have got some more enthusiastic volunteers!)

As we gathered "on the hill" on Friday to eat fish and chips and reflect on a great week, it occurred to me that this could have been my best week in Hitchin so far...

It probably was aided by the fact that Michelle went for a job interview on Monday and was offered it that same day - a great opportunity for her to develop her HR skills and progress her career - what a storming way to start the week!

Hitchin Beach Party

2010-07-23T17:24:00.000Z

At work this week, we asked the people on our Facebook fan page what fun thing they were doing for their final youth group night. We got a range of responses but "BBQ on the beach was pretty popular...

We didn't go as far having a BBQ but we did create a "beach" in our church for our final session party. We had loads of games, a bucket-load of craziness & the kids loved it - especially when I got covered in shaving foam and gunge and when they all made ice creams at the end!

Check out our handy-work...

Eating Out

2010-07-23T08:23:00.000Z

Our Big Lunch was completely different this year but basically we saw the same result. We set up all the trimmings for our 2nd annual Keats Way street BBQ and waited for the crowds to roll in. Well, actually we were just glad that it wasn't pouring with rain this time!

The afternoon got off to a slow start - despite the early games of Giant Jenga - and we were beginning to wonder whether any of the effort - gazebos erected, cakes baked, map-of-the-street-for-people-to-add-their-names-to - had been worth it. We had a few nervous looks from passers-by and even one couple unload their car right next to our grill (but they remained unflinching, even when we invited them to have some food...) But thanks to our neighbour Jim turning up, the afternoon began to turn for the better with a few returning guests from last year and one or two new faces too showing up. And, of course, the ever-reliable local HCC contingent made it a fun afternoon all round too.

By the time the last neighbour headed back to the safety of their own domicile, we had concluded that it had been a success! Perhaps not in terms of numbers, but certainly in terms of relationship-building. During the BBQ, I'd personally offered to film someone's wedding, sold the idea of an Energize subscription to another person, got asked to work on a "movie" and spent longer properly talking to my next-door neighbours than in the whole two years we've been living here. If that's not growing community then I don't know what is?!

I did, however, feel a little frustrated. I'd convinced myself that the reason why we struggled to get people to turn out was the inclement weather. This year, it was delightful and just right for eating out. Truth is, people don't really want to get to know strangers who live near them. They need a prompt and a bit of cajoling, actually. Maybe we left it too late to tell people and they were already busy or maybe they took a look and were put off by our "youthful exuberance" (ahem!)? Whatever the reason, one thing is certainly true - building community is tough, slow and requires the patience of a saint...

But it is SO worth it!

Your street or mine?

2010-07-09T23:39:00.002Z

We're going to host another street BBQ "round our way" next weekend. It's part of a nationwide project to get people sharing meals with their neighbours and improving communities - The Big Lunch.

Last year, we had a great afternoon - despite the rain!

Raindrops

2010-07-09T23:13:00.000Z

Our lawn looks like we haven't had rain for months. How quickly "us Brits" forget just how much rain we usually get?! We should never take our rainfall for granted as many communities experience this on a regular basis. This lack of rain takes my mind back to spending a rain-soaked weekend in a tent in May...

I do love hot weather - and long may it continue - but I miss the sound of the rain. It's really therapeutic listening to water falling outside - even more so if you're in a tent! I know that some people never get any rain to appreciate this and others that don't have the shelter to protect them when it's raining, but I do enjoy rainfall. We are very fortunate to have the range of weather conditions to experience these phenomena and I'm very much looking forward to the clouds breaking again at some point...

Live from Studio 1

2010-07-08T10:54:00.000Z

(Well, not technically 'live' but...)

Last week we filmed our very first edition of 'Urban Saints Leaders TV' - a monthly video aimed at our volunteer leaders to inform, encourage and, hopefully, entertain them. We've covered the walls of one of the upstairs back offices with foam insulation and white sheets and turned it into a mini studio. The first episode featured Dan discussing the finer points of our Energize resources website, the ReBuild video and Esther talking about what is going on with the latest changes to the CRB system. It was a great afternoon - although rather hot in this unventilated room with cameras and lights churning out heat - and we were pleased with what we produced.

Now we have to edit and come up with some title sequences, music and a few fun inserts too. So far we have grabbed some sequences involving putting people in stocks and even me riding the gyroscope! I did feel rather queasy after that one!

If you're an Urban Saints leader, keep an eye out for the first show some time during this next week or the one just after...

Strange days

2010-07-02T08:31:00.000Z

Someone has just reminded me about some of the odd things that happen in my office - odd things that seem completely normal in context...

Nothing that happens at and in the name of Urban Saints ever surprises me anymore! Over the past few weeks and months, I have:

* Travelled along in a minibus lying on top of a massive pile of tents
* Helped squeeze a gyroscope into a lorry
* Been buried under a pile of hoodies
* Been covered in gunge
* Spent a couple of hours arranging teddies around the office
* Worn a girl's t-shirt
* Built a Scalectrix track

So, life is never dull at Urban Saints!