Categories: uncategorized
Date: 05 October 2007 18:32:15
So, Friday is here, and I'm about an hour away from The Big Scary Thing.
As I've mentioned a few times around here, I'm involved in the youth work at my church. Part of what I've been doing is a youth cell group (i.e. like a house group / Bible study type affair, but specifically for the yoofs), which I've been involved in for about 18 months. The group has had four leaders, though in truth it probably doesn't need that many, as the group are all now 16-18 year olds who are pretty sorted with God (or at least make it look like they are). Meanwhile, another youth cell has been meeting at the same time, with a bunch of guys who are 13-17 years old, the split being differentiated more by friendship groups than age.
Well, at the start of September we got a new influx of year 7s (11-year-olds, for those unfamiliar with or confused by the current British school system), and they joined the younger cell. And apparently, it was chaos. The wide age and maturity range, coupled with the sheer number of people in the group now, just made it impossible for my friends who were running it. To cut a long story short, the younger cell is going to split in two, the new year 7s and one or two others at the younger end of the age spectrum are going to become a new group, and I'm going to be one of the leaders of said group.
So why so scary? Well, partly because I have less experience of working with the younger end of yoof, and feel less confident of my leadership therein (there may be a chicken/egg style correlation between these two points). And partly because I know this involves properly having to lead a group, not make up the numbers and hang out with "the kids", as I'm sure they'd hate to be called. But God's made it very clear He wants me to do this, and I can't say He's let me down up until now, so I'm guessing it's all going to be fine.
And I'm well excited about it now; still a bit nervous too, mind, but I'm rather looking forward to it all. I will add more to this post when I return a bit later...
Bring.
It.
On.
...
EDIT: Now back home, it went really well. I was keen to give them space to talk rather than butting in, which I'm aware I can do sometimes - as a result, I could barely get a word in edgeways around them! They're very loud and excitable but lovely and funny too. I think I'm going to enjoy this... :D