More Thoughts

There's some good discussion around at the moment around the value and role of employed youth workers as i posted about here. There have been a few responses and further questions that come from this. To see perhaps different views or maybe just like minded people grappling with questions look at Pete, Jon and Andy.

I'm thinking hard around this stuff and have done for some time. I'm currently grappling with thoughts around community learning, community developing and trying to respond to differing needs of people.

It seems to me that there are people with valid questions and thoughts but not many that can actually show how this outworking might look. Are there examples out there of people who integrate successfully children, young people, adults, OAP's, people with learning difficulties, singles, families, homosexuals, hetrosexuals and the list goes on. Is it appropriate to have different times of teaching that engage with different groups but then have times together where we are 'all age'. Hmm not sure where i m going with this.

If there are any people who have worked through these issues and have come out the other end with something which models authentic community please do let me know. If not i will continue to push on with Merton's words that encourage me greatly:

"My Lord God, i have no idea where i am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do i really know myself, and the fact that i think i am following Your will does not mean that i am actually doing so.
But i believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And i hope i have that desire in all i am doing.
I hope that i will never do anything apart from that desire.
And i know that, if i do this, You will lead me by the right road, though i may know nothing about it.
Therefore i will trust You always though i may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Thoughts in Solitude