Another abortive start?

Feeling far more organised these days and I want to try again to blog on a regular basis. So what's going on currently?

Well we are beginning an entirely new programe at church this term with loads of new ideas. I have prayed through and produced a vision document that the church have agreed to take forward as a framework for the future, but God seems to have already put his mark on things.

Slightly foolishly I decided to put a timescale of when we hoped to introduce things over the next year and two weeks in God already seems to have other plans on the how and when!!!

n:GAGE

Been thinking a lot recently about the next step on from n:GAGE and what that should look like. The sessions are two hours and split into two halves. Firstly there is the "social" part involving lots of chat, pizza, coke and cake in that order followed by a time of worship/prayer/testimony/sharing in a different part of the building. n:GAGE is weird because it brings together young people fresh from the estate with no church contact with young people who have been brought up in church for years. Quite honestly, every text book I have come across as part of the degree says that it shouldn't work and yet it does. The books aren't always right you know!

It strikes me as an animal that has elements of mission, disciplship and worship about it, but what does that mean for the continued development of the faith of the young people who go to it. What should be the next piece of track that is laid down on the train journey to Christ? We keep praying for guidance.

By the way, the photo above (along with the one that heads this blog) is my favourite of a number I took with my new Samsung G800 mobile on a recent trip to Hayling Island. I now have a Flickr account with lots of others on (but surprisingly none of the car!). I've been trying to link it to this blog but I'm having trouble, so the photos below are from someone elses. Check my Flickr out here.

Which way now?

Got a planning session with the leaders tonight looking at how the work with 15-25's fits in with the ministry and mission of the rest of the church. It seems like a great opportunity to look at the future and ask God's will for it. Important I think to make sure God is central to what we are doing and the direction it goes.

In true "Purpose Driven" style the first job will be to create a purpose statement that also fits in with the church's new purpose statement before beginning the process of discerning God's will.

I am blest with such a great team here in Crookhorn, wish all youth workers were as fortunate as this.

One of my new years resolutions is to actually keep this blog up to date (keep praying for me, it may happen!).

For those who are unaware, Kate and I moved at the beginning of December away from Gloucestershire for the first time and we now live near Portsmouth. God called us here to take on the role of 15-25's minister at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Crookhorn (hence cogs).

The job is hugely different to the one I was doing in the Cotswolds with different issues and different opportunities. This is why I have taken the opportunity to change the look and feel of the blog, to put less emphasis on me, and more about sharing the job and as the title says finding God in the urban sprawl.

I have been taking more pictures recently, especially walking with my two favourite people (well Holly half counts as a person) so I'm going to start a flickr to see what happens but don't expect too much because the only decent digi camera I have at the moment is on my mobile.

God has been doing amazing things already in the first two months since we moved, but we've had some difficult times personally too. There is an excellent opportunity here to as God what his will is for this work and this area, and to spend time on strategy with this amazing group of people God has blest me to work with.

In the

Marilyn Manson in St Peters

Myself and the curate are in the process of putting together a looped presentation to play in our church during the Easter period. It is a mixture of artwork based around the easter story as well as music. We are using tracks by artists as diverse as Black eyed Peas, U2, Marilyn Manson, Johnny Cash, Lauren Hill and a few others. The idea is to reflect on the Easter story using culturally relevant images and music.

Also in the last week , God has provided the opportunity to meet with a group of guys in the pub to talk about my faith. More soon.

Gods Continued Blessing.