Yoblog - Musings of a Church Youth Officer

Over on RevRuth’s blog I was prompted by one of those vestry agenda points which rolls on for months, or perhaps years.

We’ve been trying to get a decent Book of Rememberance for the Church - something that has a week spread over a double page where names and dates can be entered.  At the moment we have a cheap diary but it has been suggested we go more towards a longer term, leather embossed type thing.  Anything that has “Memoral Book” embossed on it seems to cost hundreds of pounds.  And the cheapskates amongst us pointed out that if it is always laid open, nobody would ever see the wording anyway?

Any bright ideas from anyone in a similar sitaution recently??

Well, we had queues for our face painting yesterday. 

At one point, my husband thought he would try and alleviate the crowds by helping out with some painting so there were some slightly less than artistic ‘red noses’ walking round the site.

The day started with a worship event with John Bell (Iona Community) and Archbishop of York, John Sentamu.  Unfortunately it was not family orientated and I had wriggly children in tightly packed seats for most of it.  My son’s main impression of the Archbishop of York was that he hadn’t brushed his teeth when he was a boy which is why he now has ‘poo teeth’.  Not the expected outcome of the sermon, but still valid!

Again it was great to see some familar faces in the afternoon as they visited our tent. 

There were also some slightly overwhelming people including one lady who seemed to be addicted to the God channel on Sky TV.  In my judgemental way, I want to disregard some people as ‘fruitcakes’, but I know I shouldn’t.  In a way I’m amazed at their certainty about everything - they have no doubts.  They are 100% sure that God or the Holy Spirit has come to them and spoken to them in their kitchen and given them absolute instructions as to what they should do.  I don’t think I am a great evangelist and feel inadequate in a mumbly way when faced with such conversations!

If the National Gathering becomes an annual event in our area, I’d definitely go again.  And we’d have some new ideas as to what we could do in the tents!

What a day! 

I was going to blog last night but crawled into bed instead too exhausted after all the fun and games yesterday.

It didn’t rain, the crowds came, the worship was huge, children had a great time, friends old and new met, shared and had fun. 

I’d recommend it to anyone who is free today to come along - there is such a variety of stuff from the 200 or so tents hosted by individual congregations to the kids marquee with crafts, puppets, stories and about 5 bouncy castle things.  There are also quiet places, a ‘youth shed’, worship events, resources….  I hope to get around a bit more of it today.

We’re doing face painting at our tent today which should be a laugh!  

Pictures to follow..

“Is that God up there?”

- Felix Fritzl, 5, sees the moon for the first time since leaving the cellar.

Once you reach a certain age, maybe in your mid twenties, you realise that it doesn’t really matter what beauty products you buy, the marketing is mainly hype and they are unlikely to change your life or looks as promised.

I’ve just moved onto the next stage of ‘realisation dawning’. 

It doesn’t matter how perfect, shiny and beautiful the plants look in the gardening catalogue, I am never going to produce a specimen bearing any resemblance to that in the picture.  This is Scotland, land of storms and slugs.  Not a sub-tropical corner of Cornwall!

I’m now wondering what the next round of marketing will bring and will I fall for it??  Will I want one of those walk-in-baths or stair lifts??  Maybe I’m not that old yet!

Having got out of the the bath and streaking round the house, my 1 year old managed to pee all over my copy of the SEC Child Protection Handbook.

Is there a message in there somewhere?

There’s nothing like a bit of competitive spirit to make things a bit more interesting.

There are two church events next Saturday - one is the National Gathering at Ingliston which I have been promoting and the other is the Bishop’s Sexuality Listening Day in Stirling.

I am pleased to have poached a Sexuality attendee to come to the National Gathering instead! 

And to anybody else, I think you’ll find my tickets are cheaper than the “Sex  Conference” ones! 

And you’ll have more fun, I’m sure!!

Well, I hope the fact that the weather is absolutely miserable today bodes well for the National Gathering at Ingliston next weekend. 

The rain will have run out by then and the tented village of storytelling tents will be basking in balmy spring sunshine.

I will not get wet, nor muddy.  I may get a bronzed glow.

Having realised there are a few worky things like this that I need to drive to in the next week or two, I went and panic bought fuel this morning making sure I had a full tank. I had resisted the urge up to now!

This blog makes me laugh.

It is a great source of topical and quirky cartoons that may or may not offend, depending on how sensitive you are to fun being poked at Christianity.

Does anybody (or any church) have a music version of Junior Praise at the back of a cupboard somewhere that they would be willing to donate to a newly started toddler group in Edinburgh??

It costs around £35 new which is pricey for a group just starting.  Any gift gratefully received!