Lots of changes are going on for youth! In June I finished the contract as the youth leader for the three United Churches in Kamloops. I have found that the time commitment is too much for me so after much thought and prayer I made the choice to reduce my commitments to youth. With me not continuing with the youth contract and some changes needed because of the way youth group has been developing there is a new structure emerging. We are going to split the youth group into 2 different groups—a Senior Youth Group for youth in grades 8-12 and a Junior Youth Group for youth in grades 5-7. At this point we are still looking for a person to fill the contract position who will be responsible for the Junior Youth Group. We hope to have someone fill this position soon and will keep you updated on how this is developing. I will continue to be involved in the Senior Youth Group. This youth group will have a bit different format and focus but the fun will still be there! Senior youth group will be lead by three united church ministers each taking turns at leading a confirmation class. The confirmation classes will run for 11 weeks—from October 5th to December 14th. Confirmation would take place around the Easter season. In January the youth group will look at mission in action with being active in the community and plan for a mission trip for some time during the year. It will be a year filled with great opportunities, lots of laughing, fun, faith and food! Watch for more info coming about Jr. Youth Group, events like Family Night and youth retreats like Naarai Kir so stay tuned!

Connect

We are going to watch Avatar on Saturday night and I am rather excited! I happen to list this movie as one of my all time favorite movies and I love that I get to share it with the youth! I think one of the things I like most is the connections in this movie. The way the main character Jake connects again with his body, the way the Na'vi connect with one another and with the world they live in and particularly the way the planet is connected. I have often thought of the interconnectedness that we lack within our culture. I think we get so wrapped up in being connected through electronic ways that we forget to connect in human ways. Go hug a tree, a person, or the earth today and feel more connected... oh, and come watch the movie!

It's All about Love

A picture says a thousand words right? In December we started working on collecting images of what the youth thought God’s love looks like using Photovoice. Photovoice is used as a way to have those who are marginalized in community to share a story, their viewpoint, or a message about how they see the world, in a powerful way. Using image youth have an opportunity to share how they see God’s love in our world. This project will also offer a gift to the church community when we share the images for February 14th—a day we celebrate love in our society. When thinking about this question think about the world around you. Where do you see God? Where in nature to you see the gifts God has given us? Where in community do you see God's love. I took this image when at the 40th General Council meeting of the United Church of Canada. It was after a night of dancing and this group of friends were praying together before heading off to bed. this is what i see in the picture "God’s love is good friends who love you, a place to be yourself, a community who accepts you, a place you can show God’s love to others." We need more images ,so youth, get out the camera and find God’s love in our world. Send any photos to Michele by Feb 10th at walkersrwacky@shaw.ca please include what makes you think the image looks like God’s love.

New Year - New Stuff

Welcome to the new year! I like the new year because it follows Christmas and the promises that come with Jesus being born. It is an immensely hopeful time. At youth group we begin the year with a few projects on te go. Youth will be able to participate in a drama for worship service at Mt. paul United Church, we are taking photos of what youth think God's Love looks like so we can gift the three congregations with these images and we have a new activity A Night For Families - a night where families with children of all ages can come for a meal, some fun, and some relaxation with no cooking or dishes! A Night for Families will be happening on the second Friday of each month so this first night on January 15th is just the beginning! check out the youth newsletter - Random Acts of Youth for the latest scoop on youth group and all the events for January.

Advent

Here it is the first week of Advent. What is Advent you ask? It is the time of waiting, the time when we wait in the dark for light to come again. In less metaphorical terms it is the time of waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I do like the image of dark - it is so very dark this time of year - and the coming light. This does bring the reflection on the dark parts of our world and our own lives. We live with these dark moments all year - struggling with bullying, struggling to fit in, struggling to be yourself while trying to be like everyone else, struggling to understand all kinds of things in our world. Advent is one of those times we can look at those moments and name them for what they are. But Advent also brings the light, the hope, the good news of abundant life. Knowing of the hope that is coming gives us the power to name the dark parts and in naming them to release the hold they have over us and in shines the light. Can you name the darkness and let in the light?

This November I will be taking a group of youth ages 12 years (grade 7) and up to Evolve your Faith: A gathering of Junior Youth, Senior Youth, Young Adults, their Leaders and Ministers in BC Conference of The United Church of Canada. Come with us to Vancouver for a weekend of faith, community, and fun. Be the Church in a great big way for Evolve 09.

Evolve your self: Spend time in STREAMS for Junior Youth (grades 7-9), Senior Youth (grades 10-12), Young Adults (18-35) and Youth Leaders learning about yourself and exploring your faith. Sign up for workshops that inspire you, and take part in some inspiring and creative worship and music with rEvolve - they are amazing. Seek to explore your own evolution as a person of Faith.

Evolve your community: come celebrate this new gathering in the United Church of Canada that brings together our community in the spirit of connection, learning and Faith. November 13-15.09Shaughnessy Heights United Church1550 West 33rd AvenueVancouver, BC Registration begins at 3:30 pm on Friday

Sliding Scale: pay what you can between $125 and $150!Includes all costs for the weekend including your travel if you are from outside of the four lower mainland Presbyteries! It’s a sweet deal. If you register after Nov. 1 cost is $150. Registration deadline: Nov. 9.

click http://www.scribd.com/doc/19832740 to down load the the brochure and registration.

Upsidedownieness

Greg was thankful for upsidedownieness tonight, after all the majority of the youth group happened with most youth hanging upside down! Our first night back was remembering what amazing friends we have at youth group and how cool it was to see everyone after what seemed like years not months. But back to the upsidedowniness. All of that upsidedownieness has made me think about how being different can feel like being upside down in a world that is right side up. Sometimes being different can be about the little things like helping out your teacher at school or saying you aren't going to throw your garbage on the ground because you want to be kind to the earth. When you do something really different like believe in God, stand up for the uncool kid, or tell an adult when others or doing something totally risky like drinking then you can feel really upside down. The trick is to feel ok about a decision even if you feel upside down. Really who is to say upside down is the wrong way up? Me, I'm going with Greg - I'm thankful to God for my upsidedownieness - it feels pretty good and I know God loves me for it!

Welcome Back

Here it is September all ready.... what happened to you this summer? I travelled places, saw things, met people, and became part of history! Sounds exciting doesn't it? Well my biggest and most exciting thing this summer was attending GC 40 - that is General Council 40. This was the 40th national gathering of the United Church of Canada and this year it was in Kelowna, BC. I was able to go as a commissioner which meant I was one of the hundreds of people who came to do the work of the church including deciding who would be the next moderator (leader) of the United Church of Canada. There were also children, young teens and youth who participated in GC 40 and two of them were from our youth group! Maia went as a young teen and Sean went as a child at council. They both had memorable experiences and I am sure you will hear more about them through out fall! One of the impacts being at GC40 has had on me is seeing how incredibly diverse our church is and how many young people - from children to young adults - who are involved in our church. It is so great to see how decisions can be shaped, informed and created as a result of the unique culture that those under 30 have. It is so great to know - to really see that culture valued. You are the church - we are the church and together we can impact one another and our world. See more GC 40 Stuff: On the web - http://gc40.united-church.ca/ On Flicker - http://www.flickr.com/photos/31483287@N05/sets/72157618003059304/ On Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/uccgc40?gl=CA&hl=en

Whirl Winds

Really they are tornadoes - you know those moments in life when you get picked up twirl led around and then dumped out again to find out out if you are still in the same vicinity as you were before. When life becomes a whirl wind what do you do? How do you stop spinning? how do you figure out where you are? Well like tornadoes we can't always control when they come and how fast or far they will spin us. What we can do is head for cover and pray! God is the one who sits at the center of the storm where the clam is so praying is holding onto the centre and God can give you clam. The other thing I rely on is my family - I mean my biological family and my church family. No matter where I land they all come looking for me, welcome me back and let me know I was missed. I guess that is how I survive the storm - I have help. How about you?

Wanting and wishing for the new....

Waiting for the new things? Maybe wishing for the new thing - like spring flowers - is making us miss the new in front of us. Maybe we need to focus on the present moment and find the new in this moment. Maybe it is finding God in the moment that will help to see the new... or is it the other way around?

Celebrate someone - the whole someone...

I have been watching a TV show called Monk. It's a show all about a detective who has obsessive compulsive disorder and a number of phobias.  All of Monk's flaws create such a great character and really his flaws accentuate his brilliance.  I love watching this show because it makes me feel normal (really what is normal anyway!) but also because it shows that flaws are not the only part of a person. Although Monk is odd people accept that in the same way they accept his brilliance.  So when you think about someone to celebrate, yourself or someone else,  think about about the whole person accepting the flaws and the brilliance equally - all of them are what makes a great character!

Time

So we fell back and I loved it this morning because I feel all rested and like I slept in for an hour or so... But this got me thinking about time and how time can fly by so quickly and I didn't get to do all I wanted - or needed - to do.  My husband Scott loves the picture by Salvidor Dali called The Persistance of Memory.  I love that image of time melting because it feels like that sometimes.  It also reminds me that Time is a construction of our society... we have made time into something we understand but to do that we have all kinds of rules about it.  I often think that if we have put time in a box to make it into something we understand then what else do we have to give rules to so we can get it.  Thnk about some beliefs you hold and see if they have rules and boxes so you can get it. What would those beliefs be like if you didn't put them in a box?

cakes

Have you ever watched Ace of Cakes? They are the most amazing group of young adults who work together to make incredible cake.  I am always amazed that they can create such art and then let people eat it! i guess it is like the mandalas that the Buddhist Monks create.... They make these beautiful art pieces out of sand then when they complete the mandala they brush it away.  It is a lesson in impermanence (something that is not permanent).  It is a reflection on the way life is...nothing is forever we can never tell when something - someone -will be gone.  So I like Ace of Cakes because it reminds me that i need to live my life fully, make beautiful things and have my cake and eat it to! What have you done today to live your life to the fullest? 

Check out Charm City Cakes  

Check out cool mandala images and info

Moving Mountains

People often talk about exciting or difficult things by saying "it was like moving mountains." Well, I think right now I will say all difficult or exciting things are like moving houses. I don't mean picking up a house and moving it but packing all the mounds of stuff and moving it to a different house. Why would I say this you ask? Well we are in the last stages of packing to move into our new house so it is both exciting and difficult. I am at the point of wondering why we have so much stuff? Do we need it all? How did we get so sucked into being rampant counsumers? Will we ever get everything packed? Does it multiply when we aren't looking? Will I ever find things once we get to where we are going? So sometimes life is like moving houses exciting and difficult all at once!

Time Flies

Wow! I can't believe it is September all of you are back at school and summer vacation is fading fast......... Is it that time flies when you are having fun or that time slows down when you have to do stuff that isn't as fun? So what part of your summer flew by? What was most amazing? Here is my most amazing moment from the summer.

Yeah, i know it looks like a rather bad and boring picture of water but it actually a picture of the coolest encounter i have had with nature. So it started with kayaking on a river in Coutenay thinking we would not see much sealife. Then we started to see them, seals splashing and diving or just poking their heads up to look out of the water and watch these odd creatures floating in the river. When we thought we had seen the coolest thing it got better. The white spot in the water is a very large and dead Salmon being wrestled, rolled and eaten by a large seal. There were four of them each taking turns eating this Salmon and we had front row seats - close enough to them to get splashed! It was a moment when i truely realized how people could be so passionate about this world that god has made. I saw the beauty of the seals and wondered how people could destroy them? I also realized that if people don't spend time with nature it becomes really easy to not care for the earth because we stay far away ; we don't see the impact of what we are doing.

So think back to your summer.... did you find a moment to connect with nature? Did you have time that flew? Are you ready to come back? Maybe we can find some some ways to make time fly.

Shhhh....

I haven't been writing lately, have you noticed? I have been saying to myself it's just writers block... there's just nothing coming to me. Tonight I was sitting in my car getting ready to drive home and I just paused for five minutes and that is when it came to me.... I don't have writers block I have listeners block! I have not been stopping long enough to hear anything most of all what God is saying to me. So now a short break to give a brief explanation of "God talking to me". This is the ongoing conversation I have with God - me talking sometimes in my head and sometimes out loud, sometimes really out loud - Then there is me stopping - stopping doing, stopping the busy making, stopping the chaos, stopping the running. I just sit still. As I let my thoughts slow then I have space to hear the thoughts, ideas and directions that God places in my mind. How do I know they are from God? Sometimes it is obvious because the thought or idea or direction is just too sane or too out there to be my own. Sometimes I can feel my mind and body relax with a sense of peace and calm that I don't find until I listen for God. Sometimes I just know that I am not alone - that God sits with me. It is the times that I listen that my faith feels nurtured and I feel faith growing and stretching. So what was the point of this moment? Recognition of the busy I put myself into - that in our society our culture we say it is not just OK but expected that each of us with be busy, running, on the go, really involved in all we can be. This idea is not just adults it's kids too! How many activities have you done this week? How much time have you spent on homework, a project for school or practice for one of the many things you are involved in? I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing but a life with go needs the balance of a life with stop. I was part of the planning group for worship at presbytery (our wider United Church gathering) and the theme was 'Be Still' - a theme of rest, rejuvenation and relaxation. The worship for the weekend embraced Psalm 46:10a "Be still and know that I am God." In my hunt for multimedia insight on this passage I found this great Video done by Jim Clark who is a Student Minister at Fox Valley Christian Church in Batavia, Illinois. Check it out then ask yourself when are you still enough to listen?

Check out Jim's Blog http://tyndalespot.blogspot.com/

Super Heros

In January one of the youth went to Hawaii and brought back some wonderful photos, check some of them out in the previous post. Last month we had a night about images and how powerful they are and then we had a night about how powerful words are. So what happens when we combine those two? Superpowers! have you ever wondered what a word superhero would do? Look it's Super Word Woman she can spell tall words in a single bound, stop speeding insults with her mouth and is mightier than the word Supercalifragilous Expialidocious! Her sidekick is Projector Boy with his super projector vision he is more powerful than computer processor. Together they are invincible against ads that make you want to buy things you don't need, bullies who want to hurt you with their words, and games where killing is cool. With Generator man not even Blackout Boy can defeat them! Think it will be the next hit for Marvel Comics?

Superhero picture http://www.suckatlife.com/digital.html and the artists blog http://blowatlife.blogspot.com/

Beauty and surfing.......

What a great combo sand, surf and sunsets! One of our youth had travelled to Hawaii in January and brought back great memories and amazing photos! Here are a couple of the pictures.... these are the ones that make me want to go there! Images are powerful. Just as powerful as these images are in showing beauty and fun images can be used to portray: devastation and violence as cool. They can give a distorted idea of how people should look to be considered beautiful, how people should act to be cool or what people need to buy to be happy. Think about what the images around you are saying....

Spiritual Friends

Well I was off travelling this weekend spending time with our Presbytery - that is the group of United Churches in the Kamloops Okanagan. We get together at least twice a year to make decisions about policies, find out what is happening in our churches, the United Churches in BC and the United Churches across Canada. It is pretty interesting but the thing I like the best is the people. I have had a couple of people talk about how the church is the people and that is so true. The cool thing about this weekend was seeing all the different people - including some really amazing youth- that make up our church! For church on Sunday the Minister spoke about Spiritual Friendships and right away I thought about youth group. In youth group we have talked a little about being teased because of going to church or about friends not knowing you go to church, to youth group, or believe in God. When it is difficult to be different because of a spiritual belief it is always easier to have spiritual friends. These friends speak some of the same language, have some of the same challenges and have a way of supporting each other that is unique in a great way! Thanks for being my spiritual friends!

Water, Water everywhere and not a drop to drink....

Well this week we go swimming and I keep thinking about how much water there is in the pool at the Y and how little water some people have. I was looking at some facts about water and here are a couple of interesting things I found: -*70% of our Earth's surface is covered by water but before you get excited 97.5% of all water on Earth is salt water, leaving only 2.5% as fresh water and les than 1% of that water is accessible as drinking water. -*In Mozambique the average water use is 3 gallons per person per day and in Canada the average water use is 209 gallons per person per day. -*It's estimated that bottled water is between 240 and 10,000 times more expensive than tap water and some companies pay little or nothing for the water they take out of groundwater streams and aquifers. -*A tap leaking one drop of water per second wastes more than 25 L of water a day - that’s 9,000 L a year! -*A five-minute shower with a standard showerhead uses 100 L of water where a five-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead uses 35 L of water. -*Only 10% of our home water supply is used in the kitchen and as drinking water but a whopping 65% of it is used in the bathroom

Here are a few water conservation tips: **Repair leaky faucets and always turn off your taps tightly so they don't drip - even a small drip can waste tons of water. **Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your hands. **Have showers instead of baths and keep them short (5 minutes). **Install low-flow showerhead. **Install a low-flush toilet (that uses 6 litres or less per flush), or place a toilet insert or weighted plastic bottle filled with water in the water tank. **Don’t run the water continuously while thawing food, hand washing dishes or while washing fruits and veggies; use a partially filled sink instead with a quick rinse afterward. **Wash full loads and use the shortest cycle. **If you water your lawn, do it in the cool morning to avoid evaporation and be careful not to water the pavement. **Plant trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers that are native and generally require less care and water.

Swim Night 6:30-8:00 Meeting @ the KUC Youth Room - Swimming at the Kamloops Y.

Where you can find more info on water issues: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/water/story_of_water/water_tips.pdf www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/africa/lessons/HSgeog01/Hsgeog01sup01.pdf http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/freshwater_supply/freshwater.html http://www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/waterfocus#involve http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/ecology/water/10concerns.asp