Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde & Argyll

Hi everyone. 

Thanks for taking time to look at my page - hopefully you made it past those tricky opening first eleven words…in fact you are now at 27 - you see, it's not that hard.

This term looks like being a busy one. We had a great Weekend Away at Lendrick Muir in February and there are lots of schools visits to do with Easter coming up.

Having said that, amidst the busyness it's sometimes quite nice to look back at a day and realise that I have spent it drinking tea and chatting to people. I know there are some who will read this and think that it's time I got a proper job (people like my line manager come to mind). To these people there are, of course, a number of appropriate responses some of which are fit for this page.

a) 'It's a tough job but someone's got to do it'
b) 'It's my gift'
c) 'If I didn't do it someone else would do it'
d) 'If I didn't do it no-one else would do it'
e) 'I'm keeping tea growers in a job'
f) 'Get lost'

Getting back to the point (not before time - Webpage Editor) Scripture Union can't function without volunteers. I can't be in two places at once, and I really don't want to be the first person who tries to be. However, I do love taking time to share with people what I have been doing, what SU is trying to do in lots of different contexts in its work with young people, churches and schools across Scotland, and perhaps most pertinently how THEY can be involved in supporting me in my role as regional worker and SU as a whole. So McFly were right when they sang 'It's all about you' - because it is.

If you are a praying person then please make increasing the number of volunteers a priority - there are now a number of schools where, until recently, there was a good going SU group at the school but which has had to stop because of a lack of volunteers. Please get in touch if you would like to help out or find out about being part of a team working in your local school. Or if you would like me to come and visit your church to share about the work I would be happy to do that.
Keep reading on to see what has been going on and what's around the corner - you are now at 401 words!

Click on the links below or scroll down for the latest on...

• Weekend Away
• The Last Saturdays in Glasgow!
• Easter Camp
• School Visits
• Praying for Schools
• COMMISSION - what is it and is it available on Amazon?
• SU groups
• Argyll in November
• SUMMER CAMPS
• TRACY BEAKER, POP VIDEOS AND PSALMS
• JERRY, JERRY, JERRY

Weekend Away

'Two days just isn't enough'-

Well, I would say that about most weekends, but this was a comment from a pupil from Williamsburgh Primary who had been at Lendrick Muir in February.

Schools from across East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Argyll & Bute joined others from the Forth Valley and the atmosphere through the whole weekend was really busy, fun and noisy! (over 100 young people!)

A really big thanks to Brian, Jim, Rachel and Rebecca who came along as leaders for our groups and Sheila who was in the kitchen.

It was good to catch up with boys from Williamsburgh at their SU group and to hear them talking enthusiastically about the weekend with to their friends - and talking about wanting to come to SU Holidays in the summer, so they have more time to take part in all the facilities at Lendrick Muir. I was encouraging them to come along to LM2c (3-10 July) so I can get my revenge on the football pitch - I'll not be so slow and rubbish by then...new training regime...starts soon!

The Last Saturdays in Glasgow!

There are 3 events running in January, February and March in Glasgow city centre (at the Tron church)  From the title can you guess which days they are on?
They are for S1-6 type of person who have been on SU holidays or weekends and want to catch up with friends.
All the info is HERE  ( /news/events/the-last-saturday,-glasgow-%28for-s1-s6%29.aspx)

Easter camp

For the first time in a while I won't be going to Scoughall at Easter - I will be at Lendrick Muir however, on the team for the Study Camp.
The team is mostly made up from academic sorts who can help with any questions from those getting on with their studies...obviously my role will have be something different from that - unless someone is doing Advanced Higher Darts or Standard Grade Snacking...
Please pray for the oppportuntities to grow in faith as they grow in knowledge.   Its from 3-10th April

School Visits

I will be involved in school visits again this term - lots of Easter RE classes and assemblies too.

 

Praying for Schools

We are hoping to add another schools  prayer  network group in East Renfrewshire (details soon)  and to continue with the one in Newton Mearns too.

If you would like to know where and when these meet please drop me an email and if you would like to know more about the Schools Prayer Network ministry in general there is a page on the SU web site just for you - click here

COMMISSION

If you have young people in the 16+ age group in your church please consider how you could encourage and sponsor them to get involved in mission through SU's training. A real benefit for the young people and for their local churches where they can serve.
Please take the opportunity to look at the COmMISSION page - this has all the details of our training for young people, including the popular BASECAMP and LEAD UP residential training events. Photo below: Bible study in the sun at Basecamp - Arran 2009

SU Groups

Here are some photos - some groups are happy to have their photo taken - but few are prepared to lie along a couple of desks for good effect - we salute them all…salute and pray for…

1. Eastwood SALT group or 'Danny and friends' as it's sometimes known
2. Langcraigs SU group
3. Kirkhill SU Group showing off the rather laissez faire attitude to school uniform in Newton Mearns

Argyll in November

SU and  H2O partnered at Oban High in November running a 'Check it Out Week' with a  team take music and drama classes, year group assemblies, and RMPS lessons. Alongside the curriculum work there were also lunchtime events and on the Thursday evening it was great to see so many pupils along for the evangelistic concert.

It was a really great opportunity for the young people of Oban as they each have an opportunity to explore the significance of Jesus Christ in their lives. While all that was happening on the mainland I headed for Mull for three days. It was great to visit all the primary schools on the Island again. In one or two of the schools I was asked to lead the pupils in a reflection on Remembrance - in Lochdonhead PS we had a minutes silence with the young people there. For most of the classes we looked at the story of Jonah and thought about how necessary it is to admit it when we have got things wrong to get a relationship restored - a clip from Mr Bean in the Library helped get our thinking started! Another wee highlight was getting to play badminton with the all (5) of the P5-7s at Dervaig PS

I got a chance to visit the SU group at Salen too - pray that some of them will make the long journey to the weekend away at Lendrick Muir in February.

Back on the mainland I took the chance to visit Kilniver PS and Achahoish - What can I say about Achahoish? Best school dinner and a gift for coming along. Ok. So it's a bottle of what comes out the bottom of the wormery but a gift is a gift!  (It's plant food by the way, just in case you were wondering)

Summer Camps

Did you know you can book for SU camps for 2010 right NOW! 

The brochures aren't out yet but for the first time you can go online early and book a place at a camps for Easter and Summer at www.suholidays.org.uk

Here are the ones I am hoping to be involved in:

Summer at Lendrick Muir (this was previously run at Comrie Croft), 3rd - 10th July 
Summer at Scoughall, 24th - 30th July 

Check the website for the details of these camps.

Tracy Beaker, Pop Videos and Psalms

At the summer camps in 2009 we used material that I had put together to try to allow the young people to understand various aspects of life from a Biblical point of view. In other words, 'Why do Christians think the way they do'. We used clips from Tracey Beaker at Comrie Croft looking at subjects including Parents, School, Temper and Lies.

At Scoughall we used Pop videos and Psalms, comparing and contrasting the lyrics of songs like 'Sorry' by Madonna or 'Smile' by Lily Allen alongside various Psalms.

If you want to know more about how we used the material and have a copy of it please get in touch.

 

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry

One of the other things I enjoyed doing at camp in the summer was the Jerry Ginger (pronounced as in 'Singer') - the red haired version of the Springer show had various characters who had met Jesus being interviewed to tell their side of the story in the midst of lots of booing, cheering , questions and comments from the audience - see picture.

If you want to see the script we used drop me a line.


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Supporting me

I would really value your prayers and financial support  - there are a number of ways this can be done and you can specify any donations to target Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Argyll & Bute.  Click here for details.
Martin