a new term

Yesterday saw the first meeting of our new freshers on our Christian Youth Work Programme at the University of Chester. As always it was a joy and delight to meet them again as we always interview them due to it being a professional and vocational course. We even met in the chaplaincy tipi for one of the sessions, as it was there and free - that was also good as it was trying to encourage them to be out of the box in their thinking and attitude to youth work, but good because the tipi is awesome!!

Later in the afternoon I was the cantor at the evensong where three people were being installed as canons at the Cathedral in Chester. Two of them I knew and it was a real privilege to see them being recognised for their hard work in the diocese, on a lay canon and one an honorary canon. It was only my 2nd time of being cantor and when I saw the amount of people it was a little scary!!!. but it went fine and folk were pleased with how I had done, which was good to hear!

The big thing on my mind as we start a new academic year is change! Change is all around us, at home, work, church, the government. Change is one of the hardest things to cope with when you are not the one facilitating change, and usually I cope quite well with it, however when change is change because it suits one group of people who are 'in charge' and not the recipients of the change I think it is a different matter. This is what I am struggling with at the moment. People who do not understand the logistics and issues involved, but think because they are in some sort of power it automatically gives them insights are trying to impose changes that most if not all the recipients of this change will not actually want the changes nor will it benefit them!! Youth work in this county is changing because of people in power - when will politicians ever learn? Money talks, unfortunately!

How do we stand firm against the powers that be?

And for those who read this and think you know what I am talking about, be careful what you assume! You might be right, BUT you may well be wrong! Assuming things makes an ass out of you and me, and that is never a good thing is it?!