Web Stats 17 - 23 December 2007

Web Site State 10 - 16 December '07

Web Site Stats 3 - 9 December 2007

Web State 26 Nov - 2 Dec 07

Darkness to light

Some more wonderful people relaxing at home with God

Darkness to light

Some beautiful people that I have the honour of knowing.





God is using all these people every day.

Web Stats 19 - 21 November 2007

Web Site Stats from 12 - 18 November 2007

May God Bless You

Web Site Stats 5 - 11 November 2007

Web Site Stats 28 Oct - 4 Nov

All Teenage Children

Can I encourage you to chat to your teenage children about Rich Youngman's Campaigners Group [for Year 10 and above] being held at The Mannamead Centre [Baptist Church former cafe on Burford Street] on Monday 12th November from 7.30 till 9.30 and then every fortnight after that from 8-9.30.

Campaigners is for teenagers who have a little experience and knowledge of the Christian faith but want to explore it in a safe environment with their peers. They can also be mentored by an adult with whom they can form positive relationships - thats Rich, Alfie [co-leader] or Elaine [Rich's wife], or other volunteer leaders coming on stream.

There are about 4 already in the group, and Rich is keen to open it up to others - maybe a small group can agree to come [safety in numbers!!]. If any teenager wants to email Rich and find out more then please do so on rich@younglifehoddesdon.org or phone his office on 01992 509001.

Can I encourage you parents to encourage your children - its a great opportunity for your children to grow their faith safely and with adult mentoring and support, and of course, you are welcome to attend as well [briefly though as it is the teenagers' space and time primarily].

If you are aware of others who may be interested, please copy this email or give them Rich's contact numbers.

Any further help or advice, please feel free to contact Rich or myself.

Thanks
Dave Lee

This is Interesting

Since the 13 September 2007; when a web counter was put on to our web site, until now 2 November 2007, 473 people have visited our web site.

Most of them are from the UK but it is great to see the 24 people from Argentina, 6 people from the USA and a visior from Australia.

Web site stats 22 - 28 October 2007

Web site stats - 15 - 21 October 2007

Broxbourne - Street Pastors

Friday 12th October 2007 Janet, Dave, David and Dan

Well, another evening full of events, for Group 1. We meet at Rosedale Church and as Pam is away on holiday Daniel came out with us.

Hoddesdon - We met up with a group of about 8 boys age between 16yrs, and 17 who attend St Mary’s School in Bishops Stortford and live in the Broxbourne area. They said there was someone famous from Big Brother going to ‘Faces’ (night club) that night. As we stood talking, a stretch limo went round to the club but we don’t know who it was. These boys were on their way home because they were too young for ‘Faces’. We also spoke to a doorman (Pete) outside the Salisbury Arms who was going to be outside till around 12.30am. We spoke to 3 men outside the Swan pub one of whom Dave knew and we stood talking for awhile. We said hi to a lot of people and most said hi back. When we got down the end by Barclays, we found a large group of girls and a few boys. We crossed over and walked through the group. Then Dave and I spoke to a few 15 yr old girls, told them who we were and were volunteers, and they were very surprised that we would be out. A young male about the same age as the girls came over and told us "Hey, I know about Street Pastors and I'm a Christian too". He was quite pleased to tell us this. We said well done, and he walked away. We thought how brave of him in front of all his mates. Again we carried on walking towards the clock tower, met another 3 girls getting into a car. After another short conversation they told us they were not driving but one of their sisters was taking them home. Daniel and David spoke to a few people to, including a lady around 20 yrs old, she was out with her mates, but they were younger than her, and she was going to catch them up, or go home. David found some money laying on they floor but as there was no one around, it was decided that david would put it in the collection box at his church. We walked to Sainsburys but hardly anyone was there so we went back to our car.

Old Pond - We broke again into 2 groups. We are pleased to report there were hardly any boys or girls in the park but when we got out the other side some of the kids came over and told us there had been a fight out side the kebab shop. We saw no evidence of this but we did split into 2 groups again and walked all around the old pond to the Victoria pub. There were a lot of people outside and Daniel and Dave were surrounded by a small group of 2 girls and 2 boys. The boys stood up and chatted with Dan and Dave, but the girls had their photos taken with them instead! They seemed to enjoy the attention!!! David and I went over, had a photo taken as a group, and we went on. Outside the Firkin Pub David and I meet a young man called Dan who told us about one of the pubs that allow underage drinkers in. Also that the bouncers and bar staff were selling drugs and that it was very easy to get hold of drugs. He said that there should be bins outside the pubs, with sand in, for cigarette butts instead of letting people just putting them on the floor. On our way back to the cars we stopped to talk to the driver of a coach outside Wolsey Hall who had brought a party from Stansted.

Waltham Cross - We parked at the back of the Post Office and we met up with a few people. Dave and David were talking to a homeless 15 yr old boy who said he was chucked out of his temporary housing. He had been threatened by the nephew of the family who lives there. We called the police, who took just under the hour to arrive. We brought some chips for every one which helped pass the time, mind you, they were yummy. The police officer said that there weren't a lot that they could do and after sometime the police men left, leaving George with us. We stood back and prayed about the situation we were left in, and 2 mins later 2 girls got off the bus and he went home with them. PRAISE the LORD, AMEN.

We must also thank Alison for her support on the phone and Jo, from Enfield Street Pastors, who kindly came to give us a helping hand on her way home, even though we had the LORDS hand there. Thanks Alison and Jo.

Web Site Updates

Number of visitors to our web site from 8 - 14 October 2007

Set back

Its been very frustrating. Last week my computer stopped working. After many attempts to fix it, I finally had to completely wipe the hard drive and reload everything.

The computer is still not back to how I would like it, but at least I can update the Church web site again.

I am sorry to those of you have have been downloading the Sunday newsletter on Thursday evening. I could not upload it until Saturday.

However, all seems to be working now.

Web Site State

FRom Monday 24 - Sunday 30 September 2007

Web Site Stats

Number of web site visits from Monday 17 - Sunday 23 September 2007

Music Added to our Web Site

I have just spent several hours adding a music sound track to the St Cuthberts web site. This music is on the home page and also on the "Sky" page in "What kids do".

So far feed back has been quite positive about the web site, although there are a number of areas where it could be better. So, while positive feed back is very welcome, you are also welcome to make suggestions, re-write some of the pages etc.

Thanks - Ian .A

Web Site Stats

St Cuthberte updated Web site went live on the very late evening of Wednesday 12 September.

These are the numbers of people that visited our web site from Wednesday 12 - Sunday 16 September '07.

Children's work at St Cuthberts - much to be thankful for

Last Thursday Diane Healey and I attended the first of a number of meets for children's workers organised by the 2 youth advisers for the dioceses of St Albans and Bedford. This was for our area covering a couple of deaneries (the group structure next up from a parish for those who aren't familiar with the jargon). We heard a catalogue of stories from churches with no proper facilities for running Sunday schools (operating behind a curtain at the back of a church during the service, or in a hall the other side of an A road), shortage of adult leaders, shortage of children -a Sunday school run for 4 children once a month.

Which rather put us on the spot because our children's work (called Special Branch rather than Sunday school) has had a steady supply of children and leaders for the last 15 years. We've rarely had less than 10 children and numbers have gone past 20. Apparently this is out of the ordinary. At least for a congregation with an electoral roll (membership) just over 100. And let's not forget that we have had healthy numbers 10-20 of teenagers during that time as well. Plus a creche team. And Diane and I were surprised - we had no idea that as a church we had been so blessed. We struggle sometimes to find leaders but our regular team comprises 4 leaders and 4 helpers.

We were asked what we attributed this to. And all I could think of was the child friendly attitude of the congregation. We have got used to children (of all ages!) wandering around the church during the services. And we have had frequent reports that one of the reasons families coming to a service at St Cuthberts for the first time like it is that they don't need to worry about controling their childrens' behaviour or risking stares and glares. It also leads to the children feeling relaxed because they aren't being expected to sit in rows and to do as they are told. It doesn't mean that our services are chaotic - relaxed more like.

Some churches are going to struggle with this - feeling that children should be trained to prepare for a lifetime of churchgoing and you don't do this by letting them do their own thing. My counter to this would be that our responsibility to them is to bring them up in the faith and this is very much more than churchgoing. Churchgoing in our lifetime has already changed markedly - with many people not attending twice a Sunday or even once a week. It is likely to change even more in the next 30 years. We cannot make service attendance the goal of Christian education. When they reach adulthood our children will discover that gathering together with other Christians around the Eucharist and the regular teaching programme is essential to keeping their faith on track. But it isn't the point of the exercise. Following Jesus is. And that is what we have to teach our children and young people.

Adulthood isn't the point either. It was Jesus himself who said If you don't accept the kingdom of God like a child - you'll never get in.

Experiment

This blog is very much an experiment.

I do not even know how many of St Cuthbert’s congregation even visit the Church’s web site.

The updated web site went on line very late on the evening of 11 September 2007. This blog was attached to the web site as a way for church members to communicate in an informal way. It stemmed from a comment made by David Lee at a Church service on Sunday 9 September.

Dave said, “Some of you may be interested in this” and proceeded to give a short message. He then said, “I have left a printed sheet at the back of the Church, but only a few copies”.

I confess, that when Dave started his announcement I got side tracked and missed the whole message. I then thought that it would be great if David could have put this message up for everyone to read. Like a number of people I do not get to Church every Sunday and as such the updated web site and this blog can keep us all up to date.

However, as I have already said, this is an experiment and only the second blog I have created. For people to comment on this blog they need to be registered users; as this is the only way I could see to set the blog up.

All Church members are invited to become registered users. Please contact me at ian@iandrews.plus.com