Electricity Supply Calculator

BBC News has a hands on science museum type interactive thing where you can experiment with changing the way electricity is produced to look at environmental and cost impact. Go play!

Links List

I met up with Charity for breakfast at supper time on Wednesday. She kicked my butt and said that having been blogging for just over a year I really should sort out my links list! A cup of coffee made by my wonderful housemate and an extended breakfast later and It's getting there.

It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it... and amazing what you can put your mind to when you have other pressing things that you really should be doing instead.

Definition of Mission

In simple terms, the overriding emphasis of my vision is that of being an agent for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God amongst young people and their communities. By this I do not mean that I necessarily work for young people to make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, rather I look to involve them practically in the growth of the Kingdom of God. I would hope to see this shown both through their living in the Kingdom themselves, and in learning to demonstrate it to their peers and communities.

Through methods which will change as appropriate to individual contexts, and in working in partnership with other Christian groups, other faith groups, and secular agencies, I will work with young people to bring them the good news that those who are excluded and unable to fit into society may find hope, that those who are oppressed in any way within home or society may find freedom, confidence and a voice of their own, and that those who can see no hope of change in their lives may receive new vision for a positive future.

In this way, I seek to work with young people and communities, in order that as many as possible may be drawn into the Kingdom of God, living in the wholeness and completeness of His Shalom.

This made me laugh when a mate emailed it.

Due to the nature of the quality of driving in England the Department of Transport has now devised a new scheme in order to identify poor drivers and give good drivers the opportunity to recognise them whilst driving.

For this reason as from the middle of May 2006 those drivers who are found to be driving badly which includes:

• overtaking in dangerous places;
• hovering within one inch of the car in front;
• stopping sharply;
• speeding in residential areas;
• pulling out without indication;
• performing U turns inappropriately in busy highstreets;
• under taking on motorways and
• taking up more than one lane in multi lane roads,

These drivers will be issued with flags, white with a red cross, signifying their inability to drive properly. These flags must be clipped to a door of the car and be visible to all other drivers and pedestrians. Those drivers who have shown particularly poor driving skills will have to display a flag on each side of the car to indicate their greater lack of skill and general lower intelligence mindset to the general public.

Please circulate this to as many other motorists as you can so that drivers and pedestrians will be aware of the meaning of these flags.

Department of Transport.

The Kingdom of God, the presence of God

I've been exploring recently the tension between Christian Mission as being foccused primarily on encouraging people to deliberately follow Jesus, or as focussed on building the Kingdom of God, of Shalom, of Justice for everyone.

In his book 'Liberal Evangelism' John Saxbee writes of the time when he was at a mission partners conference in East Africa and found himself sharing accomodation with members of the Peace Corps. He asks:

If my sympathies and sentiments lay with them (the Peace Corps)
more than with the evangelical missionary society, then to what extent did I, as
a liberal in poverty-stricken Africka, have a gospel to proclaim thwas in any
way distinguishalbe from the secularized seeumptions of the Peace Corps?

In working towards developing the Kingdom of God with yong people and communities, I might ask myself similar questions. If we see heaven as the Kingdom of God on earth, rather than the literal place you go when you die, what is it that Jesus and the Kingdom of God have to offer the secular youth agencies working twoards fairness, justice and equality don't?

Bosch also raises a challenge to this Kingdom here and now theology in 'Transforming Mission', pointing out that what I see as working towards the Kingdom of God could be seen as a purely humanistic gospel, whereby:

Here not the person of jesus was at the centre but the cause of
jesus; the ideal, not the One who embodied the ideal; the teaching (particularly
the sermon on the mount), not the Teacher; the Kingdom of God, but without the
King.

Could it not be seen differently though? Bosch suggests that we are building the Kingdom without the King. I would suggest however, that as we work with young people to encourage them to realise the image of God within them so we work to encourage them to becoming more fully human and therefore maximising their realisation of the image of God within them. In this was we are in fact firmly and undoubtedly building the Kingdom of God around the ever increasing presence of God as King, as those we work with meet, recognise and respond to God in themselves, in others and in the world around them.

Thoughts anyone?

Peak District Piccies

Piccies from the last day

On top of the world on Edale Rocks.
Dave celebrates with his 'king of the world' pose... or maybe he's singing a Delerious song?

'I wish I'd bought my climbing shoes...'




And finally we witness the 'Snooze of the Navigator' er... which way do I go here Dave? Dave? Dave?

Back to reality

I've spent the last 11 days away - having a great but challengeing time.

Last week I was on an Outdoor and Residential Youth Work module- which was spent residentially out of doors in the Peak District. It's a beautiful place with some fab hills, fab routes, and great views. Physically it was challenging as I'm unfit- but not as much as I expected. Emotionally it was tough as I grappled with group dynamics stuff. (The group were amazing and I've done a lot of growing in confidence which I never expected!) Spiritually it was good to be in the hills coz that's where I've always met God. I feel like someone has hit reset on my overheating life and I can now get back to training, healthy eating, time outside and fitness- the things that my life feels right when I'm doing! We spent lots of time talking about the spiritual and educational benefits of being outdoors for young people- and experiencing these benefits for ourselves. There are some photo's taken by one of the tutors here- see if you can spot me in the sunshine attire and with hair looking very flat and fluffy!

Then I was on a two day retreat to Worth Abbey. This was er... different. I don't think that Benedictine Monastic Spirituality is my path... in fact I feel like I was more nurtured spiritually the week before.

And now I'm back to essays- lots of outdoor gear to sort out- the kettle is broken- the car needs fixing- playing catch up at work. I'm determined though to rework my routine so that it involves more regular excercise, and more regular time in the hills and by the sea.

Taking a day off words.

I like the BBC's Week In Pictures and other picture stories. It gives an opportunity to reflect on some of the significant events of the week, either for those who don't like words- or for those of us who are too worded out at the end of the week to use them meaningfuly anymore.

Sometimes when we are constantly thinking, theologising, philosophising, reflecting, writing, reading, talking, debating, it can be good and restful simply to sit back and find other ways to be and to reflect.

I also like that there is a Your Week In Pictures section- where readers can send in significant pictures from their weeks. I found powerful images amoungst both sets this morning- that said so much more than the words could... although the picture of Gordon Brown's dog carrying a welly didn't have the effect of making me realise what a Jolly Good Average Nice Bloke he is... which I'm sure is what it was intended to do!