All Editorial articles – Page 99

Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

If someone asked you to describe how you connect with God, what would you say? Would you talk about church meetings? Does your mind immediately flick to grandiose moments of worship? Or do you find God in the quiet moments of reflection and study?
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

If you could start all over again and make a fresh start at life, what changes would you make? I feel I landed on the perfect answer: whenever I met someone for the first time, I’d tell them I was a twin.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

I love to read something that surprises me. That’s why I enjoyed reading David Csinos’ debut Childrenswork article, ‘Spirituality with Style’. As he talks about his own youth, the children’s spirituality expert draws a picture that may be unfamiliar for many of us. You see, as a child, David loved nothing more than watching the ‘sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes’ of the Catholic mass his family attended. In fact, he recalls, he ‘coerced my family to sit in the front pew… so that I could have the best view in the house.’ I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound a lot like my own childhood experiences of church, nor does it resonate with how my own children seem to engage with services.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

This month Martin panicked, paced, listened, planned, scribbled, apologised, briefed, sprinted, led, eulogised, journeyed and eventually hosted, all in the name of the Youthwork Summit. Next month Martin will be having a big sleep.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

This month Martin hired a big drill and turned his front drive into a pile of rubble. In an effort to save cost, he decided against hiring a skip; vowing to run hundreds of chunks of concrete to the local tip by car. There is still a big pile of rubble outside his house.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

I’m a bit of a crier. In fact, I love a good cry. I thoroughly enjoy a good weep to a film, book or piece of music, and regularly well up at inopportune moments. It’s rare though that an email leaves me sobbing tears of joy.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

When did you first realise you were called to youth ministry? It may have developed gradually over years, with small inklings along the way pointing you in the direction of working with young people. Or perhaps it was a sudden eureka moment, a lightning bolt from above, when you knew deep down in your soul that youth work was what you were born for. Or maybe you just stumbled into it, and aren’t really sure why you are doing what you are doing, or why you are reading a magazine about youth work.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

What did Jesus talk about most? Go on – have a think.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

While I was working as a schools worker a few years ago, the local authority went through a phase of renaming failing schools. It was as if they thought that if they changed its name and gave the children new jumpers, everyone would forget what a terrible school it had become and everything would be alright.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

My heart sank as I arrived at church on Sunday. Having lovingly prepared a youth session with all sorts of whizzy activities and games and discussions and group work – only three young people turned up. We are never a huge and mighty army (we have six on a Sunday), but three is a tricky number ...
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

Sometimes leading a children’s group can leave you feeling like a stand-up comedian. Not (in my experience) because you are an absolutely hilarious and wonderful entertainer – but because you are left in a bit of a panic, unsure of what to do next with the expectant crowd.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

We’ve been trying out some new things in our children’s group recently. After a short story, we’ve been experimenting with letting the children respond as they want to, using various different materials. No worksheets or crafts prepared by the adults, and no leading or policing. It’s been interesting and exciting, but at times frustrating and disappointing.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

It may be less than ten years ago, but my memories of youth group are a church hall-shaped blur. There was the green carpet, which covered half of the floor. I don’t know why it was there, or why we faithfully rolled it out for each session – but we did ...
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

A church in our Diocese recently took a radical step. They decided to scrap the rota. They didn’t close the Sunday school (panic over) but they decided that the best thing for the children in their groups would be to have the same leaders every week, providing the maximum opportunity to form quality relationships with them. This policy sadly had a knock-on effect for the leaders; they felt they didn’t have any spiritual space for themselves and their relationship with God was suffering. The plan was abandoned, and the rota reinstituted.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

If you are reading this at a festival…
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

Our history books are full of people who did big and marvellous things. Einstein discovered the theory of relativity. Nicolaus Copernicus figured out that the Earth wasn’t actually at the centre of the universe. Johannes Gutenberg brought the printing press to Europe, Florence Nightingale founded modern nursing and Thomas Crapper didn’t invent the flush toilet (contrary to popular belief). These great men and women are remembered for their one overarching achievement.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

“It’s not for me to say where he’s going to play.”
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

The editorial process at the magazine is an interesting one. Articles ping back and forward on emails. When one arrives, the text of the email is a clue to whether the article is any good.
Issues
Editorial

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

I love a theory. Specifically, I love coming up with theories. My latest theory is that the biggest contribution that Walkers (the crisp people) have made to the UK food industry is the proliferation of sweet chilli. Just think about it: before sweet chilli Sensations, it was a pretty niche flavour, now you can barely trip over in Waitrose without banging your head on a sweet chilli dip.
Issues
On The Edge : Reflex Woking

2017-01-19T00:00:00Z

When Clare Strong moved to Woking she was determined to help young people realise and reach their potential. Her baptism of fire began when, in her first week at her new church, she said to her pastor: ‘I have always wanted to do youth work.’ ‘Great,’ he replied, ‘I have two groups; you can take the older one.’ That Wednesday evening she walked into a room of 30-40 young people from the local estate and began her ministry.