just the rev

met this morning with one of the elders of nant coch evangelical church to chew over youth work opportunities. My little world of ministry seems awash with possibilities and good ideas.....most of which (for the time being) seem just out of reach.

Lucy has gone away with a friend for two nights for a well deserved break and so I am in charge at home!

trying to progress the idea of a CYM student for next Sept....how far the churches in the city centre are willing to actually work/mission together is going to become very apparent in the next two - three months. Presenting some city centre youth work ideas/possibilities/strategies to the other church leaders in September....

off now to sort out tea!

never a good time to lose a key player from your team. never a good time to lose a key player from your church.........never have a team needed more cohesion and more creativity (thank goodness for Gerrard and Cole). never has the church been in need of more creativity and cohesion.....Which is more frustrating - Church or Football?

had lunch with Father John Kelly from the Catholic Church today. Top bloke.

Have been too busy watching the world cup to blog!...and now there's tennis on too!

Thanks to my scouser mate Andrew for the following:
It is just before England v Brazil at the World Cup. Ronaldino goes into
the Brazilian changing room to find all his team-mates looking a bit glum.
"What's up?" he asks. "Well, we're having trouble getting motivated for this game.
We know it's important but it's only England. They're rubbish and we can't
be bothered". Ronaldino looks at them and says "Well, I reckon I can beat these by
myself, you lads go down the pub."
So Ronaldino goes out to play England by himself and the Rest of the
Brazilian team go off for a few jars.
After a few pints they wonder how the game is going, so they Get the
landlord to put the teletext on. A big cheer goes up as the screen reads "Brazil
1 - England 0 (Ronaldino 10 minutes)". He is beating England all by himself!
Anyway, a few more pints later and the game is forgotten until someone
remembers "It must be full time now, let's see how he got on". They put the teletext
on. "Result from the Stadium "Brazil 1 (Ronaldino 10 minutes) - England 1 (Owen
89 minutes)". They can't believe it, he has single handily got a draw against England!! They rush back to the Stadium to congratulate Ronaldino.
They find him in the dressing room, still in his gear, sat with his head
in his hands. He refuses to look at them. "I've let you down, I've let you down." "Don't be daft, you got a draw against England, all by yourself. And they only
scored at the very, very end!"
"No, No, I have, I've let you down... I got sent off after 12 minutes"

England must get better....one can only hope and pray. Couldn't believe how many chances Lampard wasted.....

Come on Costa Rica! watching the opener with Phil and the family. did a world cup assembly at toby's school this morning to help get in the mood.

Been a hot week! Met with Richard Passmore at the beginning of the week. Richard works for the cym (centre for youth ministry) in bristol and is a old youth work mate from my Gloucester days. Good to show him round and get his take on things. Also discussed the possibility of getting a student from cym on placement in Sept 2007. Also went to Liswerry School CU with my mate Jim - Jim thanks for a great chat and an awesome bacon sandwich! L and I met with Sheila to discuss the "transfer of power" with regards to St. Paul's restaurant as of September this year. And we've enjoyed seeing Cat and Sarah and other people too. Sorry if this is all a bit dull but apparently some deanery whingers having been saying that they don't know what I'm doing......perhaps they'll be none the wiser even if they read the above!.....they could of course just ask me.....

Preaching this Sunday by the way on John 3 for trinity Sunday and been thinking lots about what Brian McLaren says about eternal life in his excellent book "the sercret messge of Jesus". What is eternal life? Do we need to get further away from the pie in the sky when you die stuff and more into the steak on the plate while you wait stuff?

really enjoyable time at Heroes. Great input from Lawrence, Claire, Andrew and Del as we focused in on Jesus the King. thanks again everybody. Nice little crowd representing half a dozen different churches - all just mucking in together.

as promised here's the link to the free vid of S M Lockridge's prayer That's my King!

Got back from family camping expedition in the Gower on Thursday and then spent yesterday in bed with a vicious tummy bug. Could it have been the barbecue?!

Yes before you ask that is a copy of the Church Times at my feet! Did I buy it? No I was given it (honest!). Why did I have it on holiday with me?! well actually there was an interview with Brian McLaren about the Da Vinci Code in it....it also came in handy to fan the flames of the barbeque!

Feeling a bit better this morning...wanting to be 100% fit for our second lab at Heroes Bar/Lounge in the Leisure Centre tomorrow night. Bit of input at heroes this time from the godly crew at Bethel......looking forward to it.