The question is......

Does God allow this.....??? (world war, tsunami, suffering etc.)

This question came out of the context of us talking about things that had happened to us and Craig telling us about when he went to Auschwitz concentration camp as part of his peer mentoring scheme. We talked about what it had been like to visit a place where such atrocities had taken place and a question was raised as to whether God allows these things to happen.

When i was in year 10 on a German exchange we went to visit the camp at Dachau and i will remember the feeling of being in that place forever. It was such a place where you feel that if you talk loudly you are disturbing something very profound, so you talk in hushed voices and walk around very softly. while i was there i just felt really sad and it lasted for ages after i left the place. it was so peaceful but so utterly heartbreaking to realise what happened there. Did God let it happen?

Yesterday in theology we were talking about Does God Suffer?
There's so many questions going on in my head over this at the moment that i don't know what to think......so if you'd let me in on you're opinions that would be helpful....
I'd love to know what you think.

Does God allow suffering?
Can God suffer?
If Jesus was fully human, did he suffer?
if Jesus was fully God, could he suffer?
If God cant suffer and Jesus was fully God then what was the point of Jesus going to the cross?

......

think about it.....
can you see why my head hurts? that's just a starting point......

This is all of us beautiful ladies from 14 CCC on our way out to battle of the halls 2006.

We came 2nd.....Bring on the final!!

CCC! CCC!

CU Weekend away!

This weekend just gone I went on a weekend away with the Christian Union (as the title suggests) I had a fantastic time, there was great teaching, worship and prayer times but the most important thing of the weekend was the people who went. it was amazing to get to know so many lovely people and so begin to build solid friendships over a game of Mafia and a cup of tea.

The best thing that I found about the weekend was the way that everyone supported each other. The teaching itself was given on the topic of community and that is most definatly what the CU here is, a community of people who look out for each other during the good and bad times. I hope that I can be a real part of this and really build up the others by being an encourager.

I've been struggling a bit with my faith and other things that have been going on in my life and what was amazing was how i was listened to and taken seriously for what i had to say. also the way that people just pray for each other as a natural response. this was something i hadnt experienced before and i am so thankful for the prayers of the weekend and for the things that found i could talk about for the first time, strangely with people i had only known for a couple of days. You guys have been such an amazing encouragement to me...thank you!

anyway....i'm rambling away now and i need to do a bit of theological reflection on the big question that Dot posed to us today....sounds painful right.....well....

Seminar Recordings!

As of popular request I have uploaded the seminar recordings from our group tutorials in theology but as I was thinking about it I realised that if I am to post them on here I need permission from everyone in the group...as these could be picked up from anyone...so I thought if you want to have them if you email me at griffin_laura@hotmail.co.uk and let me know your prefered format (windows media player or itunes) i'll email you the upload links. Just because I dont want to offend anyone by putting them online and also...we wouldnt want any of those theology students finding out how smart all us youth workers are now would we!

So let me know!

Also NEWEST THEOLOGY LECTURE UPLOADED in the theology lectures post!

Two really cool things in one REALLY cold evening!

Just for dramatic effect I'm going to use blue text...It really was soo cold tonight!

Sorry for the epic post but I wanted to write this stuff down even if you don't read it all!


Well I suppose I could really tell you about the things I did tonight. As it is Thursday I went to chapel (which is like a different church service every week), this week it was 'High Mass', which to me being used to 'Mass' in the Roman Catholic sense I was expecting something very 'High' and I was quite nervous about going but when I got there everything was all familiar to me... Men in robes.... Strange smelly smoke coming out of a metal swinging thing....Lots of stand up sit down stuff....(some people might think I'm being irreverent here. I'm not, this kind of church is what I've been brought up in, I love it!) I felt so at home to be able to say the prayers without struggling around the funny unfamiliar wording (sorry Anglicans!) and to just know and really understand the meaning of what I was saying...It was so good! Hmm...... After all that running away from my church background I finally find some solace in familiarity...God's a strange one! :-)

After chapel I practically ran over to Hoole Baptist Church (slight change of denomination-those from home will understand what I'm like!). I've volunteered to help out with a youth group called DBiz run by the Light Project in Chester. But you see the thing was that I didn't exactly know how to get there and it was dark and it was cold and every so slightly scary.....So....While I was in chapel I prayed that I would find the church, not freeze, be scared of the dark, drunk people or crazy old men (worried now mum??)....And God totally did that for me, it was fine, I got there safe and it didn't take me long to defrost. It was an incredible night, first they have a 'brief' thing where they pray before the youth arrive, then the actual group, then the tidy up/round up/debrief thing where there is more prayer. This way of doing youth work isn't a new concept to me of course but I just found it so encouraging that people could do that as part of the normal youth night...Since back home we'd be lucky if we could say hi to the team before they were going home again....Never mind praying for each other. It was so good to be back in a setting with young people again, I've missed their bad language...Attitude...Arrogance and disregard for rules! And is was amazing to be in such a God centered place. Even though I don't think I had one conversation about God all night....He was there...Big time...Covering the place.....In the smiles of the kids.....The patience of the leaders.....Just everywhere!

Tonight has reminded me of why I want to do what I do.....Because of God's love....For those young people and for me too (since I'll always be His little Teenager!)

Theology Recordings!

Here are the download links for the theology lecture recordings:-

They will always be added in THIS post...In the comments.
I will add them week by week so you just have to come back...Find this post and download that weeks comment. Make sense?
Sorry...Its the only way I can get them out to everyone who wants them.

I was introduced to this video by my lovely housemate and i just thought I'd share it with you all. Let me know what you think!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2406460985877029386

War Child

Stands alone,

Cold and scared,

Hoping his mother and father will return,

Waiting, waiting,

But darkness comes,

No one is there.

Sits in the dark,

In the shell of her house,

Hoping her child will return,

Waiting, waiting,

But darkness comes,

No one is there.

The red sun rises,

The child walks alone,

Back to the shell of his home,

His mother is there,

Lying in the dust,

He is alone once more.

Copyright ©2006 Laura M Griffin

All Blogged out!!

I feel like blogging has become kinda like a part of my study here at chester and i think its going to be helpful for stuff like the big event next year....i'm really exited!!!....(anyway) but i'm not totally sure why i'm still blogging about random stuff but anyhow.....
let me know if i start rambling and i'll try to post something from someone else more inteligent!

today we had key issues and we talked about sex.
a little issue that christians seem to be just a tiny bit scared about. (agree??)
from my experience of youth work i've not really had to discuss this issue that much apart from when its february in coventry cathedral youth team.....when Keith has the tradition of talking about sex for a whole month in all the groups.
i do have to admit that the first year i lead groups in febuary i was very embarrassed about the subject just because its not something my family or home church really talked about that much (at all) but by the end of the month i realised how important it is not to shy away from the subject and to face it head on....young people are going to want to know about sex, young people are going to have sex.....no matter what the youth worker says (a lot of the time)....so we need to be prepared to deal with the issue sensitively and informatively.
i look forward to the day when christians are no longer afraid of sex but are able to talk about it as easilly as they can give talks on things like self-image (groan) or Jesus (yay!)....

Youth workers out there (and anyone else really).......what do you think??

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Congratulations go to the Boxer Family (Mhairi and Christian) on the safe arrival of Baby Oliver on tuesday this week!

Can't wait to see you soon!

I've once again not posted for a week....But never mind.....
BIG NEWS:- (Best house on Campus!) 14 Church College Close now has internet!! So I am writing this from the relative comfort of my bean bag! Very exiting!

this week has been really good...Had my Personal academic Tutor (PAT) meeting today....Hey Dot!'....And in my true style I managed to get it to last a whole 3mins!.....Yeah I know some of you from back home are tutting to yourself because you think I should have had more to say but.....Sorry guys.....I'm just being me as usual....I don't like talking very much!

theology was again on creation so don't really have anything to add there.

Tutorial was good but no real controversial topics launched.....Did mention about the bar etc in St John fishers (my home church) and that got many a diaproving look....What do you think? Also I did start to explain a little about the Catholic Missal (thing with the order of mass and readings in) but I think it came across as that we don't use the bible....Sorry Aimee! Hopefully there will be more opportunity to talk about this and the other denominations of churches further.....It's kinda my favorite subject being a Roman Catholic Evangelical Baptist Anglican Christian that I am! Short definition being a Christian...As described in earlier blogs.

well all for now guys....Take care and thank you to everyone for their kind words and prayers over the past week....I really appreciate it!

Creation????

How did we get here?
What was the Big Bang?
Did the creation happen in 6days?
Did we come from bacteria?
Did God create the world?

Anything else?
Over to you........

Back to what we were talking about the other day in Key issues....
we talked about where we get our spiritual development/fulfillment from...I firstly found this a really difficult question to answer but once I got thinking about it I realised that the way that I feel closer to God is usually when I'm on my own and I've been doing something that I don't have to think whilst doing...Like cycling long distance, swimming, walking etc and then I can use that time to think about God.

This weekend I went on a trip with the mountaineering club to snowdonia. On the Saturday we went walking in the Rhynogs (spelling?) and on Sunday we climbed snowdon. I had done this before but this time we took a different track and also the fog cleared just as we got to the top...It was spectacular! I could have sat there all day. But while I was sat there I got to thinking about this 'feeling closer to God thing' and well its been a long time. Lately I think ivy been so busy that I've not given God the time or space in my life that is deserved and I think that is probably why I've been feeling so far away from God...Because I haven't taken the time to be with Him.

This blog seems to be turning into some sort of story of my life, I'm not sure I want it to....I'm going to stop now....
in future I think I'm going to keep it more academic....That was the idea right?

Ok...Time to think of more controversial topics......
Lectures on Creation tomorrow.....Anyone want to start?

Just a little distraction and a note to all those in my course....I have recordings of the theology lectures on mp3. Files if you want them send me an email at griffin_laura@hotmail.co.uk and I'll try and send them to you or give me a re/writable CD and I'll transfer them for you or bring a memory stick to lessons and I'll try and remember to bring my laptop to save them for you.

other things....If you want to know how to add links and pictures etc to profile let me know and I'll do a step by step guide thing otherwise just ask me and I'll show you....But Dot said there might be a few people so I can make a guide at some point if people want it.

Thanks Guys.....

Youth Work Rules!!!

Muslim Youth Work At Chester

This post is designed to challenge you.....
designed to make you think.....
So even just for me
Could you try??
(only messing with you!)

Basically this has come out of our tutorial today about Muslim youth work. There is a degree course which is starting at Chester uni next September. One of the guys who will be teaching it is going to be coming into some of our lectures to see how the Christian youth work course is taught. This brought out some questions from the group and sparked off a discussion. Some of these questions were.....

should we be teaching Muslim youth workers how to work? Wont that just help them make converts to Islam? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own youth workers? Why should we help another religion make converts? Why do we do youth work? Is there just one God who we all have different understandings off or is the Christian idea of God the only correct one and all other religions are just deluded and fooling themselves? If we don't teach Islamic youth workers who will? Do we have the rights to the knowledge of how to train youth workers?

Oh so many questions.....Take your pick...Answer what you will....The comments are up to you.
I will respond.

Wow....So much to write about....Firstly though to shorten this post I will just direct you to Hayley's website, like on the right hand side of my page, read the post about youth workers and theology and leave a comment about what you think.....I believe that what she's written is totally true and that I myself as a youth worker (in training) am fully committed to getting theology out into the lives of the young people I work with because it is so so important! Anyway...Go read the post!!!

First in study skills we looked at some of our learning styles and personalities. Just for your information I am a reflector and an idealist. (if that makes any sense to you!) Basically we did the test found on http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind (what am i like) if you want to have a look...Let me know what you are. I've done lots of these quizzes in the past and haven't actually found them that helpful...Interesting yes...But not very helpful so maybe after this module I'll finally understand why I learn the way I do (or don't learn, as the case may be). I'm looking forward to a deeper understanding and knowledge of different learning styles and skills so that I can use them to make my youth work practice more effective. In our tutorial with Rich we talked about the Muslim youth work course that is going to be started at Chester Uni next year...This was such a great discussion and so I'm going to pose some questions about it rather than just ramble about the time...Its about time you used your brains too!

Theology was not so interesting today but maybe that was because I had done the pre-reading etc and kind of found out all the stuff we were being told before we were taught it...Yes I know I need to stop being such a geek! The lecture today was about tradition and orthodoxy (Greek word for currently assumed correct belief) and was well explained and detailed in content but wasn't particularly interesting.....But it was important!! We need to learn about where the statements of faith (creeds) which we/the church say come from and how these things affect what we believe and do today.

Here are my amazing house mates. Left to Right: Jem, Hayles, Steph and Jen. In case you didn't guess....The cow in the middle is the legendary.... CHARLOTTE! Yay for 14 CCC!

What is a Christian?

This was one of the main questions that we talked about today in key issues along with exploring how we judge others (especially youth) and how different churches do things differently.

To me, a Christian is someone who believes in God, Has a personal relationship with Jesus as their saviour, Knows that they will sin and fall down but more importantly knows that God forgives, Understands the reason Jesus went to the cross (to die for us-bring us into relationship with God). That basically sums it up for me. I used to think that a Christian was someone who went to church...That was that....But as I've grown up I've come to understand that Christianity isn't about appearance and attendance at a church but it is ultimately about relationship. Something which is also at the heart of Youth Work.

Today we also read a poem by Pip Wilson, written just before one of the Greenbelt festivals. It contained a lot of very important issues regarding judgments of people by appearance, competence andbehaviorr without getting to know them as real people. For me in particular I found parts of it very challenging and parts very saddening, I think this comes from personal circumstances I have experienced and I'm sure I will talk a bit more about these in the future. But I need to take time to 'get to know' my blog a little more before I tell my whole story. Give me time and I'm sure I will.

One thing I was reminded of during today's session was something A guy called Andrew Croft said at Soul Survivor this year. He said that before we speak we should make sure we T.H.I.N.K. Now think stood for

T. True
H. Helpful
I. Inspiring
N. Necessary
K. Kind

I believe that it is important for us to think before we speak but also before we majudgmentsnts about people.

Sorry for the long ramble..You'll'll just have to get used to it...

So
What is a Christian?
Do you have to go to church?

Discuss

This is a quote that an amazing friend of mine sent me today and I just wanted to post it on here so that mainly for my own benefit (and yours too, of course) so that I can read it and remember that God really is here for us and does want to heal us. If I put it here I'll see it regularly and remember...I think that it's important anyway. Feel free to comment on it.

"God went back and got the shaking little girl that was hiding under the bed and convinced her to some out. He unclenched her little fists and took her hand and placed it in his and answered her question. He held her and told her it was ok for her not to be tough. He would protect her. She didn't have to be strong. He told her she wasn't a rock but a child. An innocent child. His child. He didn't condemn her for anything but instead understood her and loved her! He old her she was special...Like no other and that she had special gifts like no other. She knew his voice and trusted him. She could hear the pleasure He had for her in his voice and felt His delight in her as he talked. He was so gentle and loving she couldn't help but melt in his arms."

This is available. This is the offer of our saviour- to heal our broken hearts. To come to the places within us and find us there, take us in his arms, bring us home. The time has come to let Jesus heal you.

(Captivating by Jon and Stasi Eldredge.)

Lecture One:- What is Theology?
Some little questions to get your brains working.

1) What does the word theology mean to you?
2) Can you study theology as an Atheist/Agnostic or do you have to be Christian?
3) Why should we even think about the subject of theology?

I will post my own responses to these questions in due course but for now it's all yours.

Discuss

The whole process of blogging is pretty new to me but not as new as becoming a real live university student!

My first week here has been such an incredible experience and I have been blessed by the amazing people I have met in so many ways. Firstly just a little note about my housemates. You girls are sooo great!! Big Cheer for 14 CCC.....And Charlotte the Cow (pictures will be added). Its been so good to get to know such awesome people and to be living in the same house is great cause it feels like we're known each other for ages, not just a week!

I started lectures on my course (Christian Youth Work and Applied Theology) today and although there was a lot of information to take in all at once, I think I've got it all. Luckily I have tomorrow off so I can re-organise my stuff and make sure that everything is ready to go again on Thursday. I am really interested in the theology side of the course, not just because it will give me a good knowledge base to answer young people's questions {or facilitate their own discovery-see learning already!(don't look so shocked!)}. Personally for me I think its going to be such an opportunity for me to become strongly rooted in what I believe.

So basically now...I'll finish this post on this note...Dot said that some of us would love this Blogging thing, some hate it and some just get on with it...I'm not sure which category I fit into yet but one thing I am glad about is to be given a task to write....I've missed it so much. Hopefully this will be an opportunity for me to set time aside for some creative writing and reflection...I'm actually looking forward to that.

So that's that
First week over
First Blog over
Roll on the rest of term!