I’ve been away.  Some of the time I’ve been on holiday with Ben and Jack in a caravan and the rest I’ve been at V&N, a 4 day residential for teenagers in Pilots.

Something struck me about both experiences… Kids like to play.

Both the holiday and the camp were low tech.

On holiday the kids spent much of their time playing in a burn (that’s a stream for those not in Scotland), riding their bikes, or running around with the other kids they met.

At camp we played games, made stuff from newspaper and balloons and tape, sang songs, danced and talked.

There is something to be said for unplugging…

Sat 27 february 2010   10.30am – 4pm

Cost £10 – includes lunch

St Silas Church, Glasgow, 69 Park Road, Woodlands, Glasgow G4 9JE

The event is a must for anyone interested in building a Christ-centered community where parents, carers and children can share their creativity, eat a meal and worship together outside of Sunday worship.  It’s ideal for Worship Leaders, Local Preachers, Ministers, Deacons, Sunday School teachers – the sky is the limit! There will be time to learn from Lucy Moore, to try out activities and make plans for the future.

Book soon. Places are limited and this even sold quickly out last time.

For bookings contact Fiona Inglis – Email: meth [at] scottishchurcheshouse [dot] org – Phone: 01786 820295 – Methodist Office, Scottish Churches House, Kirk St, Dunblane, FK15

You can download the Messy Church Training poster 2010

Sorry for the lack of blogging recently. My laptop is in for repair so I’m using paper and pens and other antiquated tools for now. Good job my iphone arrived the other day or I’d be cut off from the world. I’d have to have actual conversations with people and everything!

Normal service, or what passes for it round here, will resume shortly I hope!

We’re big fans of the Snowman so the new Irn Bru advert tickles me greatly:

The number of people living with HIV in the UK has trebled in the last 10 years.
UK Statistics

People living with HIV:

* More than 80,000 people living with HIV in the UK
* One in three people with HIV are undiagnosed
* One in every 360 pregnant women in the UK is HIV positive

New HIV cases in 2007:

* 7,700 new diagnoses in the UK in 2007
* 2,700 new diagnoses among men who have sex with men
* 3,500 new diagnoses among people from black and minority ethnic communities

All figures from the Health Protection Agency report: UK HIV New Diagnoses, August 2008.

HIV is increasing in every region of the world

International Statistics

People living with HIV:

* 33 million people living with HIV worldwide
* 30.8 million adults
* 15.5 million women
* 2.0 million children under 15

New HIV cases in 2007:

* 2.7 million total new cases
* 2.3 million adults
* 370,000 children under 15

HIV-related deaths in 2007:

* 2.0 million total deaths

All figures from UNAIDS.

Thomas tagged me with 5 things which I’ve always wanted to do… so here goes:

1. Visit Everest base camp.  No idea why.  I just want to.  Always have.  Not that interested in climbing Everest but I’d love to see it.
2. Write a book.  Not an instruction manual, a book.  Not a novel either.
3. Play football for Scotland.  Being 36 has made me realise that this particular dream is fading.  It makes me really angry when people who could play choose not to.
4. See my kids grow up and be happy.  I know that sounds corny but I think this is the thing that makes me feel the greatest sense of love and pride.
5. Make a difference.  I’m not sure how or where but I have a sense that at some point I’ll make a significant difference to something, possibly the church, but maybe not.  I’m looking forward to that whenever the time comes.

This was a hard list to write and looking at it now it seems a little obvious.  Maybe I’m obvious but this is my list.

So, Avril, Jay, John, Shuna and Christine… 5 things you always wanted to do.