All sorts of new things

We went to the rugby on Saturday, great game to go to as the Highlands stormed home with four trys, we're talking bonus point territory here. The whole family went, a first for us, and we had a blast with a couple of other SOM families. It was a brilliant warm day, Chris did a great job on the catering front, and we took Benjamin Bear who had a great time having his photo taken with everyone from elemeno P to the mascots (both the cat and the highlander!)

Chris and I are trying to settle into a new routine that includes driving to Mosgiel several times a week. Last night was our first 'Youth Group', they have a great team of leaders and young people and we had a blast! We took the children although three out of four came home with minor injuries; it is a sporty group and they play rough! Zach loved it, we had an awesome game of soccer with 25 people squeezed into a 25m square and he was right in the thick of it. Kamakaze soccer! And I was on deck with the children for the first time, they are a great bunch and very responsive.

Can you tell we are working?

I apologise to our regular readers who were left bereft and desolate on Monday without the regular hot update. However, I went to SOM chapel and ended up ferrying students downtown. Yes, it is O week in Dunedin, the fire service and rubbish collection are on stand-by, one pub is about to lose its license for inciting public dis-order and there are a number of no-go zones that we quietly keep the children from for a week or two.

Chris and I are beginning to find a routine with this work business, complicated by the fact that Chris is also doing some work for Student Soul in the run up to starting again this Sunday. We will start to have some in-put into services from this week on and I will be the new face of Children's Ministries at Mosgiel.

Katarina had her sports day yesterday after a rain forced cancellation on Friday, not that she did any of the track events but opted for the social events. I believe sacks and medicine balls were involved.

Today, Janine has walked the Pineapple Track with her class. For those of you not familiar with Dunedin, this involves travelling up to the top of the motorway and then pretty much walking down a ridge line to Leith Valley. I am expecting one tired and hot 11 year old home this afternoon, summer has arrived in Dunedin. I am even wearing a dress!

Zachary and Hannah are having swimming at school all this week, so I have been grateful for the fine weather, the togs and towels dry in a jiffy after school. Hannah very proudly brought home her first reader and read the whole thing to me, pointing out which bits were the same and which were different on each page. Reading already! And it is only the second week at school.

Zach is struggling to come to terms with his parent's insistence that he play outside at least some of the time instead of spending as much time as possible on the PlayStation. He is also having a hard time understanding why we are in no hurry to rent or buy any new games for him. Tough lessons, thanks Uncle Tim!

The children are all tired again this week, it is taking a while for us all to adjust from holiday time to school mode. Katarina is also struggling with the jump in expectations for school work. She is going to have to find some ways of working more efficiently, poor darling.

Hello there

We spent most of Sunday with the Mosgiel parish, and it looks like we might be able to start this week. There are still some details to be settled but at the moment, Chris and I will be able to job share one position until December this year. We are planning on commuting out there rather than shifting.

We will be able to stay in our School of Ministry house in the meantime, I hope until the end of the year but this is also a fluid situation. THe children are all back at school. Katarina has started at Columba College, which is going to be a change for us in a number of ways. While it is some distance away, we are sharing transport with a family who live across the road from us which is a big help.

We saw Graham Redding inducted last night into his new position as the Director for the Centre for Christian Leadership Training - they really are going to have to do something about that name!!!
And M-J helped with the music for the first chapel this week, always good to start things on the right note!

We are looking at taking the family and helping with Youth Group at Faith Festival, held this year at Cromwell. We went last year to the one at Mosgiel. This should be a great chance for us to connect with the youthies. Zak in particular enjoyed hanging out with the "big boys" yesterday and even the girls finally relaxed and enjoyed themsleves, although they would rather be with the Leith group. This will be a work in progress for them.

In the meantime, we are actively exploring some options for working next year, hopefully involving some students.