This weekend was the United Reformed Church’s Synod of Scotland meeting.  For the last few of years Youth Forum for 12-16 year-olds has met alongside Synod.  This year, following FURY Assembly’s plea to highlight the plight of the Invisible Children of Uganda, Youth Forum spent the weekend considering how we could tell the story of children who are abducted and forced to fight.

Every night hundreds of children gather in towns because staying at home in the countryside at night is too dangerous.  The Lord’s Resistance Army abduct children, kill their families and force them to become child soldiers.

The issue, highlighted by Invisible Children, is one which shocked and moved us.  We were delighted that following the young people’s presentation Synod discussed and debated how they could help.

The Synod of Scotland resolves to encourage churches to investigate the issue of child soldiers, to raise awareness of their plight, campaign for an end to this inhuman practice and to pray regularly for these children, their families and their communities…. to make these invisible children visible.

We also heard a report that the project we highlighted last year, a leprosy colony in Malawi, has been successful in achieving some of it’s ambitions, a process kick-started by the Youth Forum highlighting the needs of the project to Synod.

It’s easy to think that the problems of the world are too big, too far away, and that we are too small to affect change.

This weekend has been a reminder that we can make change.  It reminded us that we can shine light into dark places.

Who the Heck Are We? Exploring the Identity of the URC

The United Reformed Church are hosting their 1st Webinars – “Who the Heck Are We? Exploring the Identity of the URC” on:

Wednesday 24th March 2010, 12:30pm – 1:30pm:
This is an invitation to all our ecumenical and external partners who work with the United Reformed Church.

Saturday 27th March 2010:
This is an invitation to EVERY member or visitor of the United Reformed Church.
There are 4 time slots available between 9am – 2.30pm. More details can be found if you click on “Q&A re: The Webinar” below.

What is a Webinar?

A Webinar is a convenient way of hosting a meeting online for up to 1000 people to attend. All you need is connection to the internet to join in and a computer or laptop. For maximum participation, use your computer’s built-in audio (i.e. speakers and microphone or use a headset) to contribute. You can also participate in the meeting by “calling into the webinar” using an ordinary landline at a cost of a local telephone call. You can attend the meeting via your mobile, if your mobile supports internet connection.

But how does it work?

You will be sent an invitation by email and asked to register your details (i.e. your name, address and some questions e.g. which Synod or organisation you belong to etc). Once completed, a confirmation email will be sent to you confirming your place. The email will feature your direct link to the webinar. This link is UNIQUE TO YOU and enables you to securely gain access to the meeting. At the time that you have decided to attend the webinar, you must click on your direct link.

If you don’t have my email address already, how will I be invited?

To attend your exciting online event, please contact Denese Chikwendu, Campaign Co-ordinator at: denese [dot] chikwendu [at] urc [dot] org [dot] uk or call her on 020 7916 2020 or Lawrence Moore at: lawrence [dot] moore [at] urc [dot] org [dot] uk . Please be ready to give us your full name and correct email address. Denese Chikwendu can also send you hard copies of “Save the Date” cards for you to hand out to members, visitors and friends. (They are the size of business cards for convenience).

Help! I’m not convinced – I haven’t done a webinar before…

Don’t worry, we will be hosting test runs so that everyone can try out the application and feel more comfortable with it. We plan to host test runs from w/c 22nd February 2010 to w/c 15th March 2010; so that’s 4 weeks of practice! Each session will last approximately 30 – 45 minutes. There will be:

• 2 sessions per week for all URC members to join an informal webinar where we can discuss church related issues or general current affairs/ news etc. EACH TUESDAY AND THURSDAY between 2pm – 3pm.
• 1 session per week for all of our URC external partners to join an informal webinar. EACH WEDNESDAY between 2pm – 3pm.

More details will shortly be available on the topics below:

1. A full set of Q&A re: The Webinar, including time slots for 27th March 2010
2. Email template/ Invitation – for URC members and friends – invite more people!
3. Email template/Invitation – for URC ecumenical and external partners – invite more people!
4. Save the Date card – A4 notice for your church/ church notice board/ share at the next Church meeting
5. Save the Date card – A4 notice for external partners and colleagues
6. View Webinar Demo – https://www2.gotowebinar.com/en_US/webinar/pre/G2W_Demo.tmpl or https://www2.gotomeeting.com/en_US/pre/quickTour.tmpl

Image on the front page and above is ‘Mouse’ by pure9 , Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en

I was leading worship at Hamilton URC this morning.  Nothing unusual in that except that I was early.  I usually follow the ‘the closer it is the later I’ll be’ rule but today I was early.  Good job because it turned out it was communion today… and I didn’t know!  At least I had time to nip home and collect a communion liturgy.

I was early because my friend Thomas was coming over to Hamilton to join us for our worship.  Because of my missing communion liturgy he was left to fend for himself which probably gave him a more realistic insight into the congregation.

It’s funny how the unexpected or unprepared things often have more significance.  I grabbed the only communion liturgy I could find this morning.  But if was ideal.  It fitted with the sermon.  It fitted with the feel of the service.

The best bit was sharing the peace, greeting each other and wishing God’s blessing of each other.  The congregation don’t normally do it.  But today they did… with relish.  People wandered around the church hugging and shaking hands for quite some time.  It was brilliant.  People were warm and genuine in their sharing.  A real community.

And I liked being a part of that.

Today I’m learning about VOLE.  Apparently that’s something to do with Virtual and Online Learning Environments…

I’ll let you know what that means as the day progresses.

This morning we have been looking at MOODLE.  We’re playing with forums, profiles, feedback, messages and stuff.  Good fun.

The afternoon was spent doing more of the same.  We each have our own little Moodle sandpit to build stuff.  It looks like an interesting tool but I’m yet to be convinced that it would be worth investing in the hosting costs for us yet.

Lunchtime was an unexpected surprise.  We went to the church next door to the London office.  Lumen URC has been completely renovated and is now a stunning space.

It has meeting rooms, a multi faith prayer space, a sanctuary, a cloistered courtyard and a soon to be open vegetarian cafe.  It is quite simply stunning.  If you are passing Tavistock Place in London then go and have a look at what a falling down 50s building can be transformed into.

Perhaps that was a bit of a metaphor for the the day?  Is VLE something that can transform learning in the church?  Will it help to engage people?  Will it bring new life to an old idea?

Have you given up on evening services but still long for that special evening thing? – but not necessarily on a Sunday?

Want to reach out to people for whom traditional morning services don’t seem to appeal?

Like to tackle spirituality in different ways?

At ‘Night Has Fallen’ Stewart Cutler and Jack Dyce will help you explore some fresh ways of doing evening worship.

Tuesday 3 November – unpacking some ideas

Tuesday 17 November – planning an Advent night service

Tuesday 1 December – the Advent service!

7.30 to 9.30pm

Giffnock United Reformed Church

Trains stop at Giffnock station nearby & 38 buses outside the door and ample parking at the church

Let us know you’re coming – phone Christine on 0141 332 7667 or email Scottishcollege [at] urcscotland [dot] org [dot] uk

We’re leaving today… but not yet.

First there is packing and reflecting before a long goodbye.

Packing is easy.  We have much less to take home than we brought.  All the gifts and Sunday school materials and the sweets and toothbrushes have been replaced by Havana Club, cigars and Che Guevara t-shirts.

We’re joined by the moderator of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba’s youth organisation.  I’m sorry, but I can’t for the life of me remember his name!

We talked a little about their youth work activities and presented him with a celtic cross, hand-made by a member of Angela’s church in Nairn.  Our young people also collected their remaining spending money, more then 100cuc, and gifted it to be used to help in youth activities.

For the rest of the time we have a lazy morning.  Some people went outside, topping up their tan, or in my case still trying desperately to get one.  Others are inside playing cards or chatting quietly.

Lunch is a surprise, well not really… it’s rice and beans.

After lunch we are joined again by the moderator of the Synod and for the first time by the minister of Luyano Church for an evaluation.

There are few complaints but a few suggestions, mostly about planning.  The response… this is Cuba.  And they are right I suppose.

The things that frustrate about Cuba are the things that define it.

There seems never to be a plan… but that means that the people are relaxed and spontaneous.

It’s hot and humid… but that means that life is slow and never rushed.

The poverty is obvious… but that means that people concentrate on each other rather than their possessions.

The political situation is oppressive… but that makes Cuba the peculiarity that it is.

The group (left to right) Eilidh, Jen, Anaitza (our host), Matthew, Alison, Erik, the Moderator, Shona, Katie, Rob, Avril, Me and Dyana (our translator).  Angela took the photo.

Going Home

Luis and our Cuban friends took us to the airport, one final ride in the bus along the potholed roads of Havana.

Check in took ages and wasn’t helped by the only impatient person we met on our whole trip, our check in person.  And then it was time to say goodbye but I think we were glad to be heading home.  The flight was the usual East-bound transatlantic overnight flight.  The flight was full so there was no chance to spread out and get some sleep.  Just a doze after watching Angels & Demons.  Breakfast was the strangest breakfast ever… chicken, honey and mustard wrap.  Seriously Virgin, a croissant and a coffee would be a whole lot better.  Even the staff were embarrassed.

There is much about Cuba I like.  I love the architecture, the sun, the vibrant colours and the people.  But for me the highlight was something we brought with us.  The group of seven young people we had the pleasure of travelling with were warm, open, friendly and funny, a credit to their church and to their country.