Bulletin update from Langey re District Youth Stuff:

A loving person
A report entitled 'a loving person' has been adopted by the District Leadership team for further discussion with the District Policy Committee. The report included a video that featured Lydia Barlow (our District Youth Enabler until last September) interviewing some of our key youthworkers from the North of the District. The question as to how we can encourage young people to be involved at every level in the life of the Church led to a call for more Churches to be involved in outreach - firstly with their neighbours but remembering particularly the needs of young people. The video will be shown at Representative Synod and we are looking at how it can be distributed more widely.

A District Youth Minister rather than a ‘synod rep’
We have considered how the District Youth Committee is supported. The suggestion is that the position of synod rep/youth co-ordinator becomes 'District Youth Minister'. This person’s role will become more clearly defined – this began when I took up the position last year. The emphasis is on a minister who will raise the profile of youth issues, attend District events and help young people to reflect on life and faith. (Please note, I cannot stand the word committee and am thinking about what it means to be a team of people rather than a committee!) Thanks also go to a host of people who have not been part of the committee but have provided support – not least Liz Childs (mission enabler), Jane Measures (Training Officer), Gerald Barley (manager of Nichols) and David Perry (Chair of District).

The Youth Participation Strategy and Youth Enablers
3/ Whilst we agree with the aims of the Youth Participation Strategy, the role of youth enablers in their present form has come into question. Lydia combined all her time together and visited us for a sustained period. However the three hours a week that is being envisaged by the Connexion is not enough to meet our needs. Thus, discussions will be underway about what level of support is needed and how it can be best achieved.

Think on
There are more ideas that we need to develop - about training, mentoring, gap years, children's days – please note we have not forgotten children! One such example is the development of a 'faith4life' scheme, whereby as young people mature they commit to living by some simple principles designed to help them carry their faith wherever they find themselves. These could include - attending a local church, becoming part of a small group, praying to God for direction and doing God's work. Ideas/feedback would be appreciated. Send me an e-mail. Our hope would be to support those who become part of such a scheme with web/e-mail based resources.

New Appointments
It is good to celebrate new things that are happening – and I feel that it is fitting that we should say hello and welcome Donna Needham, the new Children’s and Youth Worker for both the Louth and Mid-Lincs Circuits.
Any other news – thank you, staff changes – let me know and I will follow it up with a bulletin.

Thanks
Once again, thanks everyone for your hard work.
I will be in touch as soon as documents and video are posted on the District website etc.

Every blessing

Rev Langley: Email

Louth Methodist Church and District Youth in partnership.

Summer Sunday 1 – Unpacking life, focusing on faith.

Theme - Education

Live interview – Dr Chris Rolph former cosmologist, now the head of two schools; Monks Dyke Technology College in Louth and Tennyson High School in Mablethorpe. Watch out for – Chris honesty about leaving science at the highest level to do something else that had more meaning for him.

Recorded interview – Adi Bentley, Youth Development worker, the Nichols Project, Louth. Watch out for – honest advice on how we should accept, embrace and mentor young people.

Summer Sunday 2 – Unpacking life, focusing on faith.

Theme – Justice

Live interview – Roger Maidens from North Somercotes, former senior officer in the Metropolitan Police and presently a local preacher, lay pastor and circuit steward for the Louth Circuit. Watch out for – The worst and best decision that Roger made.

Recorded interview – Christine Ruffell-Ward, Action for Children Secretary for Louth Methodist Church. Watch out for – What Christine has to say looking back on how faith has sustained her throughout her life.

Summer Sunday 3 – Unpacking life, focusing on faith.

Theme – Mission and reaching out to young people.

Live interview – Rev Margaret Kennedy – raised on a farm, worked for the tax office, moved on to be a layworker and is now a minister working in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Circuit. Watch out for – the story of how one of Margaret's Churches found the confidence to reach out to the young people who were constantly hanging around outside.

Recorded interview – Lydia Barlow, Youth Enabler, Lincoln and Grimsby District (her post ended in September 2009). Lydia interviews key leaders from around the District who offer encouragement on how we should reach out to our neighbours – many of whom include young people. Watch out for – mind blowing comment from Gerald Barley, Elaine Wilkinson and Nick Chambers.

Summer Sunday 4 – Unpacking life, focusing on faith.

Theme – Training and growing in Christ

Live interview – Jane Measures – Training officer for the Lincoln and Grimsby & Nottingham and Derby Districts. Watch out for – an awesome piece of testimony about how one of Janes sunday school teachers had a profound influence on her own spiritual development. A must for every youth leader who feels that what they are doing seems to have little immediate impact.

Recorded interview – Louth holiday club – a magazine style presentation which shows people of all-ages coming together to lead activities for young people. We ask the adults why they are there and what inspires them. Watch out for – a final comment by Donna Needham, Children's and Youth Worker for the Louth and Mid-Lincs circuits – 'I think that we can learn a lot from young people.'

Summer Sunday 5 – Unpacking life, focusing on faith.

Theme – Expectation

Live interview – Rev Langley Mackrell-Hey – (interview by David Newlove) looking at Langley's expectations on arrival in the circuit a year ago and his reflections now. Watch out for – what Langley has to say about the openness of rural congregations and their faithfulness despite the prospect of change. Recorded interview – none. Look out instead for a hard-hitting video reflection used at the beginning of worship challenging us to think about what we expect God to do in our lives.

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