We did an alternative Halloween event at Gorleston Baptist Church working with Unite Norfolk. The wonderful Matt Williamson of last year’s Taste fame was part of the organisation of it…really good to see him, although still doesn’t look right without the hair! We set up one end of the hall and Unite set up the other end, hanging black material around the entire room – looked quite good!!
The evening consisted of extreme games run by Unite, 2 sets from Taste and Diversion running a game and performing ‘What’s It Worth’.
The games that Unite did were horrendous!! One involved a paddling pool filled with porridge, pieces of carrot and sweets and the kids had to get the carrot and sweets out with their mouths – that one was called Vomit Spit. Another was a large sheet of plastic on the floor covered in ketchup, mustard, mushy peas and relish and the kids had to push a fish across it using only their nose. They had protective suits on, but the zip didn’t work and the ketchup etc soaked through onto their clothes. The smell of the fish was disgusting and that and a combination of eating far too many sweets meant I felt very sick!! I was almost speechless as I was trying to present!
It was a good night, lots of fun although didn’t get home til 2.30am!

We spent a week in Hawkwell Baptist Church running an activities week for age 11-18yr olds. Most of them were young people from the church and their friends. We had about 25 for the week. We spent the mornings split into Songwriting and Drama streams and then the afternoons chilling out playing pool, air hockey, guitar hero and chatting. Taste had 16 people in their Songwriting stream and spent the week writing and recording a track called ‘Face to Face’. Diversion had 7 girls: Becky, Becca, Jessie, Bailie, Grace, Dani and Chloe. I was initially a bit worried about a group of girls (having been at an all girls school, i know the arguments that occur!!) but they were amazing! The brief I gave them was to come up with a piece of Theatre In Education to perform to their friends on the Friday night. So we spent the first 3 days establishing the theme, message, plot, characters and technical stuff. We workshopped ideas and techniques and played games on creating stories and impovisation. The girls worked so well together and were really focussed and enthusiastic. The final piece was brilliant!!! The Drama Team names was ‘Herd Wot?’ (Anagram of ‘The Word’, the name of their youh group), with the tagline ‘The Word In Disguise’. The piece was called ‘Do you know who you are talking to?’ and was on the dangers of social networking – meeting people online. It included a news report with CCTV footage – filmed and edited during the week, and an MSN conversation on the big screen. I was SO impressed with the quality of the piece and the performance gave me goosebumps! On the Friday night we put on an event which including Taste songs, Street Tuff from Diversion and the two performances from the young people. It was a really great night, with lots of people and lots of positive comments!

We have since heard that 2 of the young people, previously not part of the church have expressed interest as a direct result of the activities week which is fantastic. I really hope and pray that the relationships built up and conversations had have a lasting impact on the young people and really enthuse them to get stuck in with God.

So the end of the first week.

It has taken some adjusting to but it’s great! We’ve spent the week in the office rehearsing, having training sessions, times of Bible study and prayer, as well as scheduling in personal time to pray and reflect.
Taste have been learning songs and Diversion have been re-writing and learning All About Abi.
We’ve bonded really quickly as a team, spending Weds and Thurs (Happy Birthday Ben!!!) evening together socially has really helped. I’m very excited to have another girl on team, me and Becca have already had a good girlie chat over coffee in the Bistro! We’re starting to create our own ‘in jokes’ as a team…but us second years can’t help boring the first years with stories and jokes from last year (we miss you guys!).
See the beautiful new team on my CIO Team page.

**So today in PTO (personal time out) we were looking at Romans 12. 20mins so isn’t long enough to process all that is in it! The bit that really got me was verse 10 – in the NIV it goes something like this ‘Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.’ What does it mean to be devoted? How do I do that? In my every day life, how do I consistently honour everyone else above myself?**

First day back of Year 2.

So it all started badly when I arrive to find Becca sat in MY chair at MY desk. I have now dealt with my issues and all is fine!

No, seriously it’s been a great day. The shiny new Check It Out team under the leadership of Joy and Andy Clark is:

Taste (The Band):
Becca Ceaser: Vocals
Jack Harrison: Bass
Sam La Roche: DJ
Andy Keel: Drummer
Claire Parry: Vocals
Andy Clark: Guitar

Diversion (New working title for the drama side of things…comments welcome!)
Ben Read
Laura Bayliss

So today was a day of introductions, begins of rehearsals and farewell to Mike who is moving on from Viz-A-Viz.
It’s very strange without the other boys, but its also very exciting to be working with new people and create new things. I have good feelings!