One of those days

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Richard Passmore

Every now and then I have one of those days, where I cant get motivated, want to lounge around and do not a lot. I returned to work on Thursday after a great sabbatical, and had two fantastic days, with loads of stuff just falling into place, had a small grant confirmed, and good meeting with a funder, met John who had held the fort brilliantly, wrote two major reports, and set up a heap of meetings.
It is not tiredness but more lethargy, it works one way or the other – sometimes I have loads of work energy and sometimes loads of home energy. But today there is lack of home energy which i find more difficult to deal with, and life is not quite happening today. Note to self – SORT IT OUT

Choose Youth

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Richard Passmore

Dear Colleague,

An unprecedented 25 national organisations have come together to organise an indoor rally for the promotion of young people’s services on February 12th 12-4 in the Renewal Centre, Lode Lane, Solihull, B91 2JR. Support organisations include as you will see from the attached leaflet NCVYS, NYA, NUS, BYC, UKYouth Parliament, and many others.

Our campaign is called Choose Youth and we are seeking to arrest the decline of essential services to young people. Your support at this rally could make all the difference.

We will be celebrating good youth work, looking at the threats and challenges to it and discussing a way forward to support us all against cuts and closures.

We have had high press profile recently and feel sure that this rally will
achieve even more. But a good turnout would help.

I therefore write on behalf of the partnership to encourage you to circulate details of the rally and strongly encourage your members to attend and promote it.

Bookings for attendance can be made via the website www.chooseyouth.org where you will also find details of transport co-ordinators who will be able to offer support for group bookings.

I very much hope that you will help build for this rally, the largest in youth work’s history.

Your voice will make a difference.

All the very best.

Doug Nicholls,
On Behalf of Choose Youth.

(Kerry Jenkins)
Community and Youth Workers in Unite
National Section Operations Officer
0121 6436221
www.cywu.org.uk and www.unitetheunion.org
Follow us on Twitter – @CYWUnite

For Once I fully agree with Kester

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Richard Passmore

I agree go read this

Personal responsibility

Posted on January 1, 2011 by Richard Passmore

how do we take more responsibility for our own actions and approaches to faith and life. So often we rely on institutional approaches like membership which tells us what we should do or believe. It replaces grace and the need to dialogue when we don’t agree. To journey to the light is to journey in the light and embrace the difficulties and uncertainties that entails. To ditch the security blanket of the known, the institution, the rules, and regulations To take responsibility for our actions, to challenge the actions of others and so grow and become fellow travellers of light.

Hope?

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Richard Passmore

Unprepared a way to prepare for mission?

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Richard Passmore

Officially StreetSpace starts this week as a national project. It is with some trepidation that I left the securer role of my split post with BCYM to take on the task of developing 36 new Streetspace/ Church on the edge projects. Whilst my funding is reasonably secure for the next two years, beyond that depends on the take up. I always found risk easier and certainly more fun when I was younger and never know quite what to think when people say they need this or that to get going. My first role was nonsalaried and I lived in a shed for a year responding to a need I identified in my dissertation – Was I naive, or am I now just old? Trying to follow what God is already doing – to an extent feels less risky and is very reassuring when stepping out. Perhaps this is the difference – the see a need meet a need demands a different kind of step to the one I am currently taking.
So what should my preparations be? I have spent the last few months positioning the project between the missional intentions of the churches/localities and the funding streams available. Knocking the paperwork into shape and setting up the first few months meetings. Even though it has been clear to see God in the process so far I still feel unprepared.

My role is about finding what God is already doing and helping others sniff this out in their localities. Using Streetspace positioning where needed or coaching others to develop their missional instincts. The meet the need see the need and where I am perhaps aren’t that different – both are off the map, where the easy to spot pathways are nowhere to be seen, where following the spirit moment by moment is the only way to go. This openness and freedom can be daunting but is the heart of mission so my preparations are to, forget the maps, ditch the compass and to travel Light and remain unprepared otherwise I am likely to miss out the Missio-dei.

House swap/ holidays

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Richard Passmore

This year we have decided to support a new youth project instead of paying for a holiday (that and having the outlay on the cars). However we would still like to try and get away for a week or two and wondered if anyone fancied doing a house swap at Easter or in the summer. We are about 20 mins from the devon/dorset coast in chard, and would need a two/three bed house. Anyone interested let me know.

happy new year

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Richard Passmore

HAppy new year? The last day of leave before i go back to work after an interesting break. Good times with family but needed to spend a grand on the cars servicing, tyres, tax etc and then mine has just gone wrong (not sure what maybe just a dirty fuel filter hopefully not the turbo) and needs an mot. Indie has chicken pox and very spotty, and got a message to say college has been flooded and my desk in particular (which included my lecture prep) but still I have enjoyed the break. Happy new year

Tuffty and Clive

Posted on October 24, 2009 by Richard Passmore

Congrats to Clive on her year 6 SATS, she received an award this week as she was the first student in the school to come top in all three subjects of Maths, English, and Science. Although rather embarrassingly as the head teacher noted the glass plague looked smaller in the catalogue, so she just needs to make sure she doesn’t leave it on the window sill and burn the house down one sunny day! Tuffty now is revising for his Maths GCSE course work but motivation for the 80 page workbook from the school is heavy going!! So glad I am not at school anymore!