Last week I received an email, nothing unusual about it at all, it had an agenda for a meeting I was asked to attend attached yet there was a great point about this that I felt I should share. You see the email and even the attachment were nothing strange or to write about but the agenda had been produced using Microsoft Word 2007, again nothing unusual the interesting part came from the fact that I am using office 2003, trying to open the attachment brought up a request from Microsoft to download a reader extension so that my version of word could read the file. However trying to install the extension (twice) it crashed and would not complete. In the end I only had one way to read a file produced in Word for office 2008, I had to transfer the file across to another computer, not running a later version of office but a linux machine running open office. I just think there is a certain sense of irony in the idea that to read a file produced in a Microsoft package rather than reading it on the computer that uses all Microsoft software I have to read it on one running completely on competitors programmes. I love it!
Not PC world, that’s for sure!
A local minister came to see me the other day having problems with his laptop, it only had one USB port and it had stopped working. He went along to PC world who said it would have to be sent back to the manufacturer for a new motherboard at a cost of £200, for a laptop that had been brought 2 years ago second hand for £200 this seemed a little steep.
After a quick look at the machine and then hunt online we had a 4 part USB card that would work with his machine ordered for £8 including delivery. The crazy thing is PC world would have sold the same device, probably for a bit more cash but they could have made a sale and had a very happy customer, my guess is they were hoping with a quote of £200 he would look at buying a new PC, in the end they lost out completely! Want PC advice, avoid PC world!
So I thought it was about time I tried to write something on here again and as it has been while it will be a reflection back over the Wet Season (that time that a few who have been lucky enough to travel abroad may be able to justify calling a summer!
Although things here have been quite (at least it has looked that way, more on this later!) the time it’s self has been quite busy. It all started when just a few days after writing the last post I was involved in a car accident, the car behind me as I approached the roundabout decided to try and go across the the middle while I was going round! This resulted in a hand/wrist injury for myself (I was the only one in the car so no-one else was hurt) and after two weeks waiting for a verdict the car being written off! (this seams strange considering I was in a 6 year old Renault Espace and was hit by (I think around a 10 year old) Peugeot 307 which was able to drive away from the scene with a bent wing) Now just over two months later the wrist is almost better, although still gets a bit achy and I don’t have full movement in it!
After this we had our Holiday Club in Faringdon, Called ‘The Wave’ we took a different approach this year with some input at the beginning and end and much more activity in between. It worked really well and reversed the trend of numbers lowering during the week as this year everyday had more children and we reached the high 80’s by the end.
A few weeks after this was Soul Survivor, we went week C, maybe not the wettest week there, but at the end of them all and one one of the worst sites, it had apparently been evacuated during another week, we seamed to have a constant stream of mud flowing through the camp which was pleasant and is always helpful when you have 50+ people in the group. Apart from the mud we all had a great time and the group were fantastic.
At the end of the Summer there was a rather sad day when I had to wave goodbye to the Cyberbus, the work we had been doing with it had been dying down and so we felt it was time for a bit of a change. The bus has now gone off to Colwyn Bay and is with a church there so it was great to see it going off to continue in ministry. The work I am now doing is working more closely with local churches many of which have recently started up youth groups themselves, it means my role has changed a little from more Outreach to more Nurture. Its exciting times ahead, we do also have a grant application in at the moment to get another bus next year so we will see what happens.
The blog itself has been busy in the background with a major hit from spam bots, this does mean that now in order to comment you may need to fill in a capture unless you have had a few comments passed before (this should clear you).
I think that’s pretty much it apart from a couple of weeks Holiday, one house swap with some friends in Norfolk and another week staying with my parents.
Oh the other thing that has been going on is the continued exploration of the call to ordination, this has been going well, still quite a lot to do, but positive stuff so far and still enjoying it, please do continue to pray for God’s guidance as I explore this path.
God bless
Simo
Driving home from a meeting last night, past a friends farm and there (by the side of the road rather than actually in the middle) was a cow eating away at the grass. I popped in to let the know and it turned out it she had recently calved and was probably looking for her baby although how she got out and away from baby not quite so sure. I haven’t been back to check but I believe mother and baby are both now doing well! One of those great moments in rural ministry!
Currently trying to develop a policy for using Social networking as a youth work tool, thinking about issues of the balance between meeting young people where they are and endorsing the use of particular networks, how much time? Can you measure the impact? I tend to work to a personal policy of I don’t add young people, I let them know I am there and will accept friendship invites from them but I don’t invite them myself. Do you have a policy? If so can I see a copy please, if you don’t but are working on similar things can we share ideas? If you weren’t even thinking about it but you’ve suddenly thought “if I were to produce some sort of policy I would include this” please share your ideas.
Many thanks
Simo
One of the churches in the Vale is going to be running a training session on running Family Worship, the evening will be Wednesday 2nd July, if you would like further details please contact me.
Vcashpiont are offering grants of up to £2500 for people aged between 16 & 25 to start a volunteer project in their local communities. The projects need to be run by young people and for young people, applications are from individuals but for projects that will involve both that person and at least three other young volunteers in helping their community, interested or no anybody that might be?
Check out www.vinspired.com to find out more.
Just received this video on Facebook (thanks to Carol), it is something that is encouraging the church to get back to the heart of Worship, reminding us that worship is for God and not for us, thought you might find it interesting/useful.
Enjoy.
If your visiting having read ground level, the profile page in Youthwork Magazine then a very big welcome to you.
Regular readers may remember that a while ago I talked about putting up a video tour of the bus, well I have finally done it, as part of the preparations to put it on the market, so if you want to see it inside and out please click below.
Well I had a meeting with the DDO (Diocesan Director of Ordinands) this morning as I continue to explore where God is calling me in my future ministry. It seemed to go well, some though provoking questions and quite a bit of reading to do now but I think it was positive, I now need to get on and do some reading before seeing her again in July. Thanks to all of you that were praying and I will keep you updated.
- ‘Being a Priest today‘ by Christopher Cocksworth & Rosalind Brown
- ‘Ministry in three dimensions‘ by Stephen Croft
I would be very interested in borrowing them.
Cheers
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