News Item
Let us pray for our City of Liverpool
European Capital of Culture, in this year 2008...
Lord God,
Look with love and mercy on Liverpool and its people.
Once the gateway of an earthly empire,
through which flowed the wealth of many nations;
we ask now that the River of Life, Your divine grace,
may flow crystal clear through our city street,
and out to the whole world,
for the healing and well-being of all nations.
Amen
Inspired by Revelation 22:2
Soul Survivor is a 5 – Day camping event for young people to discover and to encounter more of Jesus – and have a great week.
Heswall URC will be taking a group of around 30 to camp together with thousands of young people, from all denominations, at Stafford Showground 25th – 29th July. Would you like come?
SYNOD have kindly offered help with the cost of transport from Mersey to Stafford. It would be great to have other leaders and young people come – allow them to meet their peers from Mersey and nationally – to worship in a way that is attractive and meaningful to their generation.
Need to know more Email Info@heswallurc.com
And see www.soulsurvivor.com
The vision for a Cross Rhythms Media Training Community has been held for at least ten years and now, in 2008, we are offering the first places for interested applicants to join us on a short term (3 month) placement.
Background
Media (radio, tv, internet, film, print, mobile) has been a powerful tool for communicating information, entertainment, ideas, values and philosophies since it’s development throughout the 20th century, but now in the 21st century it’s influence on our society, our communities and the people within them is arguably without parallel. Several hundred years ago the invention of the printing press brought the Bible to the masses. Today it’s the media voice that can re-engage the Christian message to our culture.
http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/mediatrainingcommunity/
Youth Report
There are 5 items on the list given to report on.. and in addition I have included at the end an AOB list to outline all the other areas of love and laughter going on!
YOUTH WORSHIP AT TPG
We were invited back to Trinity & Palm Grove for a confirmation service ..as well as the musicians, around 20 of our young people came to join in the worship... which was vibrant and full of the joy appropriate for a ‘new members’ service . I could see from my position near the back of the church, just how enthusiastic the congregation were in singing with our young band leading .They have sent a letter of thanks to Brian and made a donation of £50 to UPENDO in appreciation of the contribution we made to the music and to spirit of the service.
GARY LEIGHTON put his name forward to be considered for the position of Fury Representative for Mersey Synod. Last Thursday, at a meeting of the Mersey Synod YCW Committee our moderator Howard Sharpe proposed Gary,and the YCWTDO Malcolm Evans seconded him .. a vote then confirmed his appointment and he will in future attend national meetings of FURY across the country to represent the views of the young people of Mersey Synod. Martin and I are finding it useful to be part of the Synod YCW committee. being able to meet regularly with Malcolm Evans to draw on his experience and to explore the opportunities offered to our young people in events both locally and internationally. In turn we hope that our input to the committee helps others involved in growing youth-work in the Mersey Synod.
LONGLEAT TRIP http://www.pilots.org.uk/safari/
In the November issue of Reform last month there was a full-page feature inviting URC children, families and young people to an annual gathering of PILOTS, on their trip to Longleat in May 2008.
Longleat is to be closed to other visitors for the day and the entire park is to be given over to the URC! The church is keen to show what they offer children through PILOTS .. a non-uniformed children’s programme with a Christian outlook. It mainly appeals to ages 6 to 11 ,but they have programme's and weekend events for teenagers up to 18, so our young people ..never ones to pass up an opportunity for a good day out.. want to get on the bus too...
This is a trip which our young families could join..the transport is provided by Mersey Synod and on board entertainment by PILOTS leaders so that the time on the way is fun for everyone. The tickets are discounted for us and include the safari and other attractions normally charged as an extra cost.
As we are to be focusing on the importance of attracting children to our church we might feel able to further subsidise the ticket cost for our young ones up to age 10.. to encourage them to go to Longleat. The bonding and identity they gain through being with a large number of other Christian children makes church and Christianity real and attractive to them. The benefits have been proven in the past and really can’t be over emphasised.We’d be unlikely to get to Longleat otherwise and people seem keen to explore the idea of our church joining in with URC for the first time on this outing.
SPACE EVENT ON THE WIRRAL
As a youth group we grew our young people’s interest from Friday night youth club ...Fun and friends ..to Sunday night worship. . Faith and friends ..using the bridge made taking them to Liverpool ,to an ecumenical ,evangelical, teaching and music event run by The Message Trust. There is now excitement among Wirral churches to set up a similar event, offering an opportunity for young Christians of all denominations to worship together. This is to be called CATALYST and would be every quarter, in a Bebington college which has facilities big enough to accommodate up to 500 young people. Martin and I have been at the initial planning meetings and 2 of our young people came with us to the last meeting to be part of the youth team think- tank. The hope is to hold the first worship event in February so there is much to put in place in a short time. It may be that they will ask for some financial support from the churches in the future. Our Moderator Howard Sharpe is enthusiastic about this project..The URC nationally is focusing on youth work and on ecumenism .I hope you will join in looking forward to the fruits of this work adventurous for God .
FRESH EXPRESSIONS
In a previous church meeting I reported on the visit to ‘After Hours ‘ one Sunday Evening by Gareth Jones, a representative commissioned by the central office of the URC . He was given the task of touring the country ,assessing the church youth work projects currently happening . His report became the publication Fresh Expressions and his article on our youth work here made very complimentary comments on the enthusiasm and spirit of the young people :) The publication is professional and impressive and we have much to thank God for that our youth work should feature in it so positively.
AOB so much!
This would include Young people leading our 6.30 services
Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards
An outward bound weekend at the Christian Mountain Centre
A Youth Alpha weekend in spring,
Soul Survivor at Stafford County Showground in July ,
A Synod Swedish trip in August,
HOPE 08- a year long national Christian event beginning January 1st 2008
There is so much spirit and love and we thank God for all he does in sending us these young people and for the encouragement we receive from his church, from you all.
What is the Youth Diary thing then?
It's an on-line diary that allows you to add your youth group's weekly sessions and your major events.
Why have one?
- To share good ideas with each another
- To avoid duplication/clashing of events
- To work together in a shared goal
- To link detached young people to your groups
- To provide on opportunity for WYFC to invite some of the 25,000 young people they see each year in Wirral's schools to the amazingly credible, safe, enjoyable and life changing groups that you run.
How can the Youth Diary help?
Working Together - Last year WYFC were invited to attend 3 very similar youth meetings in a single weekend all within a mile of each other. We went to all three and met plenty of stretched leaders... and very few young people. Planning great events is hard work and takes a lot of time so lets support each other. By planning joint events and pooling resources, by attending each others events and by avoiding duplication and clashes we can maximise our capacity to affect the lives of young people.
Providing Opportunities - WYFC present good news to 1000's of young people each year. This youth diary will provide us with a method of highlighting what's going on out there so young people can choose to attend.
Tell us - When, Where, Why and Who can come
Youth Diary Leaders Forum
There are loads of forums out there for our young people to talk on so we thought it was about time we had one for youth leaders.
This forum is only visible to Wirral youth leaders who've registered on our site. It allows us the opportunity to encourage each other, exchange ideas and support each others work. This is exclusively for paid and voluntary Christian youth leaders on Wirral.
So go on register and make it useful.
More info:- http://www.wirralyfc.org.uk/home/
I found this which might help some who have Homework problems?
Click on link below:
http://livehomeworkhelper.co.uk/
New Web Site Click Link:- http://www.conversare.org.uk/
Support
Every man diagnosed with prostate cancer, or concerned about it, faces his own personal journey. How he finds his way through depends on a host of factors including the quality of support he and his family receive.
Telephone Support
Helpline: 0800 074 8383
Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
plus Wednesday 7pm - 9pm
Our confidential Helpline is the UK’s only nurse-led dedicated prostate cancer phone line, staffed by specialist nurses. Independent of the NHS, we give reliable, up-to-date, and above all specialist support and information. We offer callers the opportunity to express their feelings, whether it is anger at diagnosis or relief that someone is there to listen.
The Helpline is currently staffed every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 9pm in addition to its regular hours of 10am to 4pm , Monday to Friday. Calls are free of charge from UK landlines. Mobile phone charges may vary.
Networkers
Would you like to speak to someone who has personal experience of prostate cancer? Our Networkers are men and women who have been affected by prostate cancer and can share their understanding and experiences. This group consists of individuals who have first hand experience of prostate cancer, they are men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, their partners, sons, daughters etc…and they are now willing to share their experiences with you.
Give your old mobile phone to Christian Aid
and save lives
Thinking of throwing your old mobile away - think again!
Christian Aid can turn your old phone into cash to support vital work in more than 50 countries. Christian Aid receives £3.50 for every phone donated.
£3.50 could pay to vaccinate 21 children in India against life-threatening diseases.
There are an estimated 60 million redundant mobile phones in the UK, which are potentially hazardous to the environment. But they can be recycled, or reused in developing countries.
By donating your old phone you will not only be supporting overseas development programmers
and UK campaigns tackling global poverty and injustice, you will also be helping to provide
affordable technology in countries where it's most needed.
Simply send your phone to:
Christian Aid – UK
Greener Solutions
FREEPOST LON17592
Mitcham
CR4 3UZ
or leave in box by room 2