20:20 & Fusion

Here are the details for the Castlewellan Retreat next weekend! Apologies I forgot to print this off and distribute on Friday night!

We will be departing from Waringstown Presbyterian Church Car Park at 6pm on Friday 22nd February. We will arrive back at WPC car park on Sunday 24th February at 3.30pm.

CONSENT FORM MUST BE COMPLETED & RETURNED TO NEIL

Things to bring:

• Sleeping bag & pillow
• Warm clothing
• Older clothing for Saturday afternoon activities & late night ‘Capture the Flag’
• Towel & wash kit
• Bible, notebook & pen
• Snack Food:
• Torch & batteries
• Sense of humour

We had our Christmas night out with Fusion & 20:20 before Christmas. We went to the Panto and had a great nights craic! I had decided that at a time of year when we spend so much money on ourselves it would be good for our young people to give some away to helps people less fortunate in other countries. So i gave them some advance warning that we would be taking donation in the hope that we could buy a herd of goats (cost £60) for a family in Afghanistan from Present Aid. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of a group of young people mostly aged 11-18. The total raised was a fantastic £211 which meant we were able to buy the goats as well as pigs for a family in Nicaragua, ducks for a family in Bangladesh, a bike for an outreach worker in Malawi and a water tap for a community in Nicaragua! How amazing is that! If you haven't visited the Present Aid website then you really should - use the link above. Maybe you could purchase an ethical gift for a friend or family member.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had an exciting new year's eve, bringing the New Year in with style. I welcomed in the new year on Portstewart Strand and it was fantastic! In the dark all you could hear was the roar of the waves and the sound of footsteps on the sand!

So as the new year begins I am drawn to think of the year gone by - and to remember the many ways in which God has been good to me, and the many times when I didn't deserve his goodness! There are so many blessings that come to my mind!

And as I think on the year that is to come I see many things which I will face and struggle with. I need to lay these before an Almighty God, and believe that just as He was with me in 2007, so He will be with me in 2008!

So let us pray for all that 2008 may hold: school and exams, starting university, new jobs, Fusion, 20:20, discipleship program and Romania trip, 20:20 weekend in February, holidays. The Lord holds all these in His hands. And as we look around the world and see conflict and strife we must remember, the Lord holds all these in His hands.

So let us listen and hear the Lord say to me, and to you:

Here is the Patience video we showed last week in 20:20. I know some of you couldn't be there and I'm sure all of you would like to see it again anyway!



I've posted a couple of the thoughts and quotes i shared on Patience on my own blog so just click here.

It's been ages since i have posted here but thought i would share a bit about the activities of last weekend! 20:20 celebrated the 18th Birthday of Jessy Stoddart on Friday night with a 60's party in the church hall! It was awesome craic and special mention has to go to the female leaders who put extra special effort in to their costumes as The Supremes. Alas i have no pictures of this to share with you but if anyone has some pics then let me know!

On Saturday we had a 20:20 Day trip to Dublin. The highlight of this was the Surprise Mystery Event! This had built up quite a suspense amongst the young people for the 2 weeks leading up to the trip and i don't think they were disappointed. We had booked the Viking Splash Tour, a trip around Dublin on WW2 amphibious (yes land and water!) vehicles called DUKW's. Here's a few pics to give you an idea! All and all it was a great day's craic with the young people who made it along!

Have you ever done something really stupid only to later sit back and wonder why you did it? To recollect the events only to find that you can provide no explanation as to why you took a certain course of action? Perhaps this is a common feeling for some of us, but not for me. However, as of last week I can now be counted part of the club!

Why? Because last week, in a moment of blind stupidity, I ran full smack into a window. I was in a cafe and in such a rush to get outside I must have decided that the door was clearly not an option. The clever man goes for the window instead!! Now in my defense the window was very clean, and one could easily have not realised that it was glass and not air in that gap! Like I said, I have often tried to explain what went on in my head, but I can't - it's just one of those things I suppose! The bonus is, since I broke the window, no one else will be running through it anytime soon!

But anyway, as I lay there half embarrassed to death and with concussion probably making up the rest, a thought came over me! Despite what's just happened I should thank God for small mercies:
- I had legs which enabled me to run, even into a window
- Had I required it, there was a hospital 2 minutes down the road
- I had friends around me who took care of me (while laughing hysterically I should add)
- I went home and had a bed to lie on

So next time you're stuck outside in the rain, Thank God that we have enough water. The next time you complain about homework, Thank God that you can go to school. And should the unfortunate happen to you and you run into a window, say thanks to God for all the many things you still enjoy, and perhaps most especially, the gift of Shatterproof Glass. . .