It's a pretty cool job...

I've had a few people asking what I do for my job now. I have some pretty busy weeks ahead, so I thought I would give you a taste of what I do.

This week:

• Pram club (toddler group): Another amazing lady runs this group. I go to support her. I prepared a Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem coloring page, told the first part of the Christmas story with a pop up book, and sang Christmas songs with the kids. Most of the people that come to this group aren't part of our church, so the rest of the time I try to chat with the moms and carers.
• Meet with Alison: My minister and I meet once a week to read the Bible together (working through Acts), pray together, and discuss the upcoming week/s.
• Summit: I have teamed up with a Youth for Christ worker and an Anglican children/youth worker to do a youth drop-in at lunch time. The Year 10 and 11 (15 and 16 year olds) students from the local comprehensive (high school) are out at lunch time. We invite them into the community hall next to the Anglican church to hang out, play the Wii, and have free fairtrade hot chocolate. It's a chance for us to serve our community and get to chat to the young people that would probably never come into a church.
• Rehearsal for Mayor's Carol Service
• Community Christmas tree set-up: We've asked local shops and organizations to decorate small Christmas trees that are on display in our church foyer. We began this last year and the community loved it! The beauty salon hangs curlers and foils on theirs. The auto parts store next door hangs little cars. It's great fun. This year I'm working with our youth club to decorate one.
• Pram Club #2: This pram club meets on an afternoon and a worker and helper from a learning-disabled adults centre comes in to run this club. I'm here to provide support.
• TGI: TGI is an after school drop-in every Friday afternoon. We have a Wii and Xbox set up, an iPod dock, a fairtrade stall with chocolates, board games, etc. Plus once a month we have a pizza night where we usually watch a Simpson episode and then have a related talk faith talk -- love, temptation, etc.
• Christmas grotto: Our church fair is this week. I organize the children's bit -- bouncy castle, facepainting, ornament decorating, etc.
• Children's nativity practice: Our regular Sunday School attenders put on a Christmas nativity every year. We also invite any Rainbows or Brownies that meet at our church to take part as well.

Next week:

• Pram Club
• Staff Meeting: All the ministers and lay employees in our circuit meet together with the Superintendent of the Circuit once a month.
• Mayor's Carol Service: Our church is hosting the Mayor of Durham's carol service this year. We have invited to local school choirs to sing at the event and have asked several children from different organizations to be involved.
• Makro run with Alison: We're heading up near Newcastle to pick up supplies and food for TGI Christmas party and Sunday School Christmas party.
• Summit
• Mission Shaped Ministry training course: I am taking a year long course on Fresh Expressions and missions.
• TGI Christmas party
• Pram Club #2
• Nativity rehearsal
• Nativity performance