headwayyouth- phil smith's blog

The best thing about moving house...

The best thing about moving house is that after a few weeks you get your bond back. Mine arrived yesterday, which means I have a whole £300 with which i can either a) update my wardrobe care of Howies new range of fine men's clothing b) wax on a decent amount of vinyl c) save in the 'Wedding Account'... hmm, decisions, decisions

iGod

Berry... you're my hero, thanks for this! Bloggers, if you've been a bit of a nasty pasty recently you have to check out iGod and give it a go...very funny!

It's like that... and that's the way it is...

Read something in the independent today about Run (of Run DMC fame) now being a minister in the states anyway checked it out on t'internet and it's true. Sadly he's into all that prosperity gospel gumph but his testimony is quite funny...

"When I was a kid, I dreamed about smokin' weed, eating French toast, sitting in the tub and having a Rolls-Royce. Then I was number one on the charts! I was Run. I was invincible.

"One day, I was in the presidential suite at a hotel. My Rolls Royce was parked outside. I was literally in the Jacuzzi eating French toast. Syrup was falling into the tub. I was smokin' weed, ashes were falling, and there was a girl on the way to the room. I had everything at once. That was a very unholy moment.

"That's when my quest to become a reverend began. I've been a reverend with the nondenominational church Zoe Ministries for over 10 years and I live by miracles... There are no old-school rappers like Run. It's a total miracle that I'm not flat broke and a loser."

So  if you were thinking about ending the day by having a bath with a slice of toast, a joint and a special friend think again... you never know where it might lead you!

Speaking of music I was talking to an old lady today- as you often do when you work for the Methodist church- and she asked me what music i was in to. For one moment I was tempted to respond honestly, "Anything with a groove, especially Chicago House; DJ Sneak, Norman Cook, Jon Carter...". Needless to say I resisted... "Oh you know, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan..."

Times- Fresh Expressions

Following on from yesterday's post about Berry's work in Telford, I just found this article about fresh expressions on the Times Website. Thinking of my youth cell group, this made me smile...

"One of the more unusual new churches helping to stem the decline is the Legacy XS skate park and Christian youth centre in Benfleet, Essex. A youth congregation at the park encourages skaters to use the ramps during prayer and worship to express their spirituality. "

Fantasy Football

I'm not wanting to abuse my position as a blogger, but my fantasy football team is doing pretty bad at the minute and i could really do with some advice...

One last alpha post...

Don't get me wrong, I don't normally listen to Radio 2, but I was tipped off by the mother-in-law-to-be about my all time hero being on with Jonnie Walker last night and sure enough he was, dear old Nicky Gumbell (listen again here). Refreshingly it wasn't an Alpha sales pitch, he was just getting grilled about all things theological ("Jesus is a geezar, but I'm not sure about all this God stuff", "Do nice people go to heaven?" etc) and he answered as you'd expect- evangelically, eloquently and intellectually. For the average radio 2 listen, maybe that is all that is needed, but as a Radio 1/4/5, i just got bored (and i spent three years reading theology!) which is why I'm so excited to read in the telegraph about Berry's quest in Telford...

2 thing that make me smile...

In the midst of life in Darlington a couple of things are making me smile...

1. this painting which zoe gave me for Christmas. i don't pretend to know much about art (except that when you go to an art gallery however intrigued you may be you're not allowed to touch) but that doesn't mean i don't appreciate it- especially this, because in the midst of my rancid canary yellow lounge it gives hope...
2. on an altogether different note... i went to sainsbury's yesterday and saw that if you purchased two packs of sandwich filler you got 80p off. as a full-time christian worker i then walked to the "oh quick this is going off lets sell it" section of the store and saw two packs of the afore mentioned sandwich filler for 29p each. i purchased both of them and still got the 80p off, in other words i was paid 22p... bonus!

A little bit personal...

Yesterday I started part-time work at a church coffee shop and it's going good. I just have to talk to people and more importantly listen to them... not especially dynamic but already it's been a real eye openner. Today two people made me smile; Gary, a homeless guy who's up in court in two weeks, pleading guilty for God know's what and Ken, a driving instructor who's thinks he's got a stomach ulcer so he's started doing Tai Chi and Yoga and is hoping to pack in his job and do something less stressful. It made me wonder what we have to offer these people? Alpha, maybe... but if not then what else? What can the Methodist Church in Darlington offer the criminal and the mystic?

Labyrinth photos

Just came across Matt Paterson's Labyrinth photo album- looks mighty good and i like the idea of doing it in a marquee. Someone should do it on the sly at Soul Survivor next year...

Alpha... boooooo!

First of all thanks to all who commented about the adverts thing. I was v. humoured by Barky's post about people boo-ing in the cinema and must admit that i do share his cynicism- sorry Paul! I just think Alpha is so narrow and, like zoe says doesn't embrace or even allow any diversity in spirituality...

Suspecting some out there share my sentiment for a bit of light relief why not visit this website download the cinema advert and have your own little boo-ing session in the safety of your own home/office. Of course if your more enthusiastic about Alpha than me, boo-ing is not compulsary, feel free to cheer to your hearts content!

Off home to my  messy, cannary yellow house... oh the joys of unpacking!