| | Dan has done a year out with Norwich YFC, now works for North Breckland YFC, is part Christian indie pop rock band BrokenFor and helps lead the youth work at Sprowston Methodist Church. |
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| | I work for The Magdalene Group co-ordinating the Jigsaw Programme. This is a programme working towards the prevention of exploitative relationships amongst young people. |
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| | Ben did a year out with Norwich Youth For Christ, is part of a Christian band and enjoys graphic design. |
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| | Hazel works for The Matthew Project as part of the Under 18s Team |
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| | Nick works for YMCA Norfolk as the Schools and Communities Manager |
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| | Ben and his wife Amy live a missional life and lead a church plant in Fakenham. |
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| | Paul Roast is a Fusion Worker employed by Norwich Youth For Christ adn working with St. Paul's in Hellesdon |
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| | Mark Tuma is the Director of Norwich Youth For Christ |
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| | Pete Tyson is the Fusion worker for Norwich Youth for Christ in Poringland and Framingham Earl.
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| | Jess Tyson is the Health and Well-being Development Worker for YMCA Norfolk. |
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Creative Christmas
Over the Christmas season youth workers and churches have been engaging with people using all sorts of different ideas. Below are some short examples of how the Christian community has communicated Christmas this year.
 Wymondham Methodist Church has had an exciting time this Advent with the community involvement occasioned by a project based on the South American tradition of ‘Posada’. In Mexico, children dressed up as Mary and Joseph go from house to house in search of lodging. The Anglicised version involves figures of Mary and Joseph travelling around a local area. In Wymondham, we have used large figures (made of correx – supplied by ‘Silent Lights’) and involved schools, care homes, shops, a hotel and a coffee shop, as well as individual households. They have also been present at key church events and the announcement that they will be ending their travels at the Carol Service on Christmas Eve has helped advertise that particular event. Selected photos of the journey can be viewed at www.wymondhammethodist.org.uk with Mary and Joseph’s journal being online there as soon as it has been typed up.
The figures have made an impact wherever they have gone. They have been a comfort to older folk, an encouragement to younger people, an educational tool for schoolchildren and a catalyst for relationship building in the community.
We will be putting resources we have used, as well as the building blocks of what we have done, on our website in preparation for next year. If anyone would like an email notification of this material being available, do get in touch through the site.
Some of you may have seen the article on Network Norwich about the Nativity Factor entry from Luke Bryant who goes to Oak Grove Chapel. This video and many others have been used at a Christian worship event for young people in Poringland. IGnight meets every month and as part of the December session the 'loud room' was taken over by looped films around the nativity. Luke's film was used as well as others from the Nativity Factor site. IGnight also used 'A Social Network Christmas' from YouTube. These videos help young people to think about the Christmas story and hopefully brings home the true meaning of Jesus' birth and life among us.
It's so easy for Christmas to become about presents, spending time with family, munching many mince pies... By engaging with the story of Christmas in creative ways, hopefully young people will grasp again the amazing story and allow it to affect their lives.
 At the beginning of the month, Soaked (the youth ministry at Taverham Evangelical Church) hosted a Christmas weekend at the Horstead Centre. With loads of activities the residential helped young people get their heads around the story of the birth of Jesus.
The feature of the weekend was using movies to understand the story more. Films, food, friends and fun: what a great way to spend a Christmas weekend.
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Pete Tyson, 19/12/2011 |
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