Christmas in Belfast

Well I promised to be better about writing blogs but I am falling miserably. I siad I would write next about SN@G the youth group but I have decided to postpone it and talk about Christmas here in side.For the most part Britain celebrates Christmas like they do in the states but every thing is just slightly differnt. It like waking up in your own room but every thing is moved two inches to the left.

The Christmas corals have ether a differnt tune than I am used to or different words so I am usaly confused. In the end they give me the same worm feeling of Christmas. Starting with Cold wheather, it snowed the sunday befor Christmas. Like churches in the states they all celebrate Christmas differently. Grenville has a Nativity service on the 4th sunday of advent. We perpared for this for a month with extra rehusale on Friday nights and during sunday school. It was very cute and the kids worked hard to luern there lines and songs. I may have made a guest aperinse.

That same night Gernville has a Carols by Candlelight services. It was beautiful we read the nine scriptures and carols I got to read Isaiah9. The only word that triped my up was Zeal but luckily Jan taught me how to say Zeal my frist year at Hollins, so I did ok. The services was lovely and reminded me of Hollins wight gift serves.

A Chrsitmas eve services is not traditional in prodstent churches here. Gernville doesn't have one. but my Friend Lindys church does so I went to there 11;30PM carols services. she gave the message. It is traditional for churches to have a Christmas morning services. On Christmas moring the familys come to church and the kids bring there new toys. We sang 3 carols and I gave a childern's talk.

My Christmas was really nice. Sally and I decorated the house with decorations we found up stares so no fear we had a tree. Christmas eve I was invited to Peter and Alsa house Alsa is Swedish and they celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve. She cooked a traditonal Swedish Christmas meal. With smoked salmon and potatoes and anchovies and lots of other alsome stuff. I really enjoy spending time with there family and feel very at home around them. After the party I came home and talked to my parents, Rachel, and Meredith on the phone. I will not lie this made me very home sick I missed my family and my cloes friends and St. Andrews a lot on christmas eve. On Christmas morning I was over whelmed by things to open but it was not the gifts that where incredible it was the fact that I really have made so meny wonderful friends here. I felt loved and was fluded with kind faces and hugs I was not lonely at all for Christmas I have such a wonderful church family here in Belfast. Christmas day I went with Peter and family to his sisters' house for a traditional Christmas turkey dinner. Than on Boxing day which is the day after Christmas I went to another familys houes from church and had a great day and another turkey dinner. Needless to say I am any thing but lonely or hungry.

I hope you all had a wonderful blessed Christmas full of Gods love and grace. Have a happy new years

In Christ

patricia

Girls Brigade

Well there is not really any thing like what is commonly known as GB in the states. The closest thing would be girl scouts. It a christen organization I have add a brief history from there web site.

The Girls’ Brigade was formed in July 1965 by the union of 3 organisations ...
The Girls’ Brigade (formed in Ireland in 1893)
The Girls’ Guildry(formed in Scotland in 1900)
The Girls’ Life Brigade(formed in England in 1902)
All 3 organisations were designed to provide weekday activities for members of Sunday Schools and Churches. As these 3 organisations grew and developed they extending into many countries around the world.

In 1965, the 3 organisations merged to form the Girls’ Brigade as we know it today, now operating in 61 countries and islands around the world. Apart of my job and weekly routine is being a leader of the 241st company ant Garnerville. I have to say I have never been apart of any thing like it other than the few times I went to Newton’s on Ayr’s GB in Scotland a few years age. The girls and leaders where uniforms; and have two big formal events a year. The enrolment ceremony and end of year display, at the display they get badges they earned. On a Tuesday the explores come first there are 6 of them they are aged 4 to around 8. We colour, dance some, play traffic lights, duck duck gooses. Some times they do projects like back biscuits (cookies) or paint. Than the older Girls come I am in charger of teaching scripter’s to the Jrs they are aged 8 to 10. I love this I lead a very similar Bible study to ones I would lead at camp. We play games that help lead us in discussion after the stories and I like the girls. I also am helping get a play and a dance together for there big end of the year display. We start getting ready for that after Christmas.

Last Sunday was our enrolment serves. Peter asked me to help him plan the serves which was really exciting. We used the idea of a cloud of witness that yes the girls are members of the GB but that they are apart of a huge support network that God gives us. We had the girls do an egg on the spoon races up and down the aisles and each side of the church was to cheer a team on. This was to show that there are lots of people cheering us on where we are wining or losing. Peter lead that then I gave a message on three woman who are apart of our cloud of witnesses. I read a story on St Brigit, Harriet Tubman and last I ask one of or church member Evelyn to answer a few questions for me. Evelyn did so well and the girls sang there song really well.

I was also given a leaders uniform on Sunday I have never worn a uniform before and I was unsure about it. But the gift of the uniform made me feel as if I was apart of something. And now on a Tuesday I have a polo with my initials monogrammed on it as a reminder that I am also a member of the cloud of witness God has given me at Garnerville.

Love, Patricia

Fit me in Somewhere

Today I got letters from kids in the WOW (Worship on Wednesday) at First Presbyterian Church in Lake City, FL Also this week I got a beautiful card from the Love circle at my home church St. Andrews. The Love cercal has always been kind to me they sent me cards the whole time I was at Hollins. I was so excited to seen one slip throw my letter box. I also have gotten letters from my family, Sally teased me about the existents of a Halloween card. Also some of my close friends have send amazing care packages filled with every thing from instant Irish accent spray to spelt pretzels my new favourite snack food. (Wheat free)

Each letter and email and face book note has been I reminder that I am in no way alone. When I first stood at the front of St Andrews and said that I was going to N. Ireland. I had no idea that some many people would stand behind me. You all are the biggest part of this Journey. That is way I am very sorry I have not been keeping up with my blog post. So I am going to do a series of them this week.



For the first I would like to talk about the N. Ireland YAVs fall retreat. All ten of us pilled in to the Garnerville mini bus, and drove the 3 hours to Donegal Ireland. It was my first time in southern Ireland (the part that is not Britain). We stayed in a house of Lack Elis next to the blue stack mountains. It felt a little bet like Hollins which made me feel at home.

During the retreat we did many things for the most part we just enjoyed the company of each other, because we are so spared out that we really don’t see each other that often. One day we went on a hike up pilgrims path. We also visited the little town of Donegal and took a trip to a very cold beach.

One of my favourite parts of the trip was that each of the four house was asked to lead a worship why we where there. This was my favourite because so many people are so musical talented it turned into a jamming sessions. I even lead a few songs. Below is a poem I read. Sally and I based our worship time around it.

Fit me In Somewhere
By Gerard Kelly

Fit me in somewhere

In this giant jigsaw, God,
Somewhere in this work of art
You’re working,
Select a space my shape can fill
And with a puzzle maker’s skill
Let my contours find their fit without contortion.

Teach me which patch I am, God,
In the cosmic quilt you’re quilting.
Show me where my square of selfhood is of use.
Let the colourful complexities
Of the pattern that is me
Find their purpose in the placement that you choose.

Show me my position, God,
in this group photograph.
Stand me where you want me to stand.
Put me next to whom you will.
Make me stand, for good or ill,
Precisely in the place your plan demands.

Tell me what I am, God
in this body you are building:
a tongue to taste,
a nerve to serve,
an ear to hear.
Give me grace
to not be, gracefully,
the parts I am not called to be
and to play with elegance
the roles I’m given.

Fit me in somewhere
In the gint jigsaw, God,
Somewhere in this work of art you’re working.
Weave your wondrous tapestry
Until the twisted, tangled threads of me,
Surrendered to your artistry,
Form an image that is beautiful to see.

I like the idea that we are all just peaces in a puzzle and we all have some where we fit. And we can fit with out changing our selves. I also like knowing that we are not meant to do every thing. Some times we will not be cast. But there is still a part for us. We just have to keep auditions till we find our part in the play.

Love Patricia

P.S. next blog coming soon on the girls barraged, to be followed by a blog on SN@G youth group.

Dancing on my own

Well it is hard to believe I have been here a month and a half. It seems short to me but a few of the church members have said really only a month and a half it feels longer. I would say that I have getting very used to them being around as well. I really love the church people every one from the friendly lunch club that meets every fourth night for the older member, to the childsplay play group for mothers and toddlers.

This church seems to have such a sense of hummer about every thing they do and I feel that I will learn so much from them as well as be teased endlessly. I came here honestly because I not sure what I am meant to be. Or what God wants from me so in a lot of ways this is a year of discernment. I have not figured that out yet at all. I have discovered that I am happy both working in the church and dancing but I am not happy at all only with one in fact I begin to resent the other. If I am only in the church not dancing hurts mentally and physical and I just mop around and am very unhappy. That is how I spent the first few weeks here. Dance is where I feel a seans of self. It’s who I am and how I learn about the world. But only dancing and not reaching out to the community and all Gods people also makes me feel just as worthless.

So this is what I am doing to help calm some of these feeling. Out side of my work as a volunteer I have joined the Dance Resource Base this is a kind of dance union. This group help me to find class in the area I take a contemporary class (modern, if I said I wanted to take a modern class here I would end up in a hip hop class which Kristina would find funny) I take a profchions class on Wednesday nights they only people in the class are the Maiden Voyage company members (this is a locale contemporary company the name comes after a ships fist voyage the Titanic set sail on if Maiden voyage and sank it was left about 5 min walk for the studio). The class is a good class and for 2 hours I feel like my self. The DRB will keep me up to date on shows in town I have a ticket to see DV8 this Thursday.

I also could rent space cheep. I don’t need space because the church hall is huge and it free for me to rehearse in. It has a wooden flour because it an old bad mitten court. I improv in church last Sunday and working in the old bad mitten curt was a good place to rehearse. I have started a new project it still in the research stage and I will ask my friend Maddi to come in and rehearse with me soon she went to ADF a few summer ago.

We are starting a dance group at the church I have employed one of the youth who also loves dance to help we hope to get started next week. I also have found was to bring dance to the community’s I am working in a primary school. Later this year we will be putting on a show down town with the local Catholic primary school as a way to try and integrate the two community’s Just having family’s sit together from a Loyalist and Unionist back ground in the same theatre watching they kids in perform is a huge brake throw and goes to show that art can and will make a difference in this messed up world.

At the same school I teach and dance class every Friday and it is probably my favourite out of all of the dance things I am doing. The kids are actually enjoying it and improving. I teach a regular class with a worm up, than we go across the flour, we work on a combination, and we end with working on imrprov skills throw games. These kids out side of school have a ruff home life and some people really turn there noise at them but I Love teaching to kids like this there is such a seen of award when the improve and enjoy dancing the clap and carry on. I hope to have some of my friends come a play live music so the can experience that was well. This is different than kids who have every thing they don’t value it as much.

It also Hollins Fall dance concert this week!! So Merde to all involved. And I hope that if you can that you get out to see the work

Love and peace

deaming together

Well I have been getting in to the swing of things. Gernville is literally a church on the Hill. You can look out over the lock and she the mountains on the other side. Also it is right next to a cow pasture. I have falling in love with this Church Family. The members a busy with the goings on of the church from Sunday services to fellowship groups and doing things for the community. I feel very lucky to be places there.

I get along with Peter fantastically he is working to help church’s in east Belfast write a mission stamen on how each church is mission oriented. The presbytery is asking all the church to write one. He took me to a workshop that he was running that help people from different church come up with ideas for there stamen or more importantly look at the missions they are already involved in or areas that could use there help.

My job was to hand out nametags a table number that split up church member and had them sit with other churches. The workshop was set up coffee style . It was really interesting to me because I got to here about what other churches in the area where doing about here about some of the mission work in the area. It was interesting to see big and small church dreaming together.

Time Table

This week was my first full week of work. I work in a Garnerville Prysbtern Church and in the welfare housing estate called Knocknagoney. It is a unionist (protestant) neighbourhood. Its an area where the kids and youth just don’t have a lot to do and not very many resource. I work in the community centre and in the primary school which is like elementary school. I will be helping the school join with a neighbouring catholic school in January to put on a play together as part of trying to integrate the kid from unionist and loyalist family’s. Below is my time table and of big things that will go all year and how they went this week. I do a lot of other things for the church as well and am busy most of the time.

Sunday:

church at 11:30 (I teach the P2-P3 Sunday school class. They are 5 and 6 years old. I had 3 kids in the class we share the same room as the preschool class. I share with another teacher we each take two weeks the brake for two weeks. I was told that I was not starting till next week but it turned out that the other teacher is on holiday (vacation) so I taught on Sunday last min. It was fine I am quick on my feet. The kids are so little they didn’t notices.)

Lunch so far I have been invited to lunch at a different family’s house every week

SN@G; which does mean making out but also means Sunday night at Garnerville. It’s the youth group. Last Sunday we had an opening welcome back BBQ where I was tricked in to mooing in a game called the moo game. They have about 5 volunteers who lead youth.

Mondays:

10:30-3 usually have a meeting in the City with the rest of the YAVs and Doug.

8:30pm bowling with some of the church members this is not really part of my job. But I like the people the have been meeting for 25 years and the bowling ally no longer charges them.

Tuesday:

9 to 12am Help with Childsplay it’s a free play group the church puts on for people in the community. Care giver and toddlers come and just play and chat and eat pancakes.

12-1 meeting with Peter he is my supervisor and the minster of Garnerville.

6:30-8:30 girls brigade I don’t even know really how to explain this. It like girl scouts but not at all. There are almost 30 girls who attended. I will be teaching dance with them.

Thursday:

2:30-5pm I work in an after schools club at the Knocknagoney community centre. My first big project helping kids make butterfly masks for the butterfly parade in Oct. I will also be teaching dance there

8:30 fellowship group, It a group of church members most of them are closers to my age and I don’t lead any thing I just participate.

Friday

9am school assembly at Knocknagoney Primary school about once a moth I help with the schools assemble. I give a small talk.

2-3pm every Friday I teach a dance class at the Primary school they told me that I would only get 6 or 7 kids on a Friday. Close to 30 showed up. I think it going to be my favourite time of the week but I am going to have to find a way to work with such a big number.

Saturday= DAY off (today I meet up with other YAVs at the Market in the City)

with not for

Well all 9 Belfast young adult volunteers have made it here safely. We got her last Monday and moving right into our house. Sally my housemate and I, live in a small but cute little house. It is close to the Titanic quarter of Belfast. It’s also close to where C.S. Lewis grow up. Its one of the poorer areas of town it is in a loyalist part of town which means there are Meany union jack flags flying everywhere left over from the bonfires in July but it is very safe. There is a cinema near my house and some shops and a cafe.

My group of Young Adult Volunteers is probably the loudest group that was at orientation. Almost every one is in the performing arts in some way or has been in youth ministry. So we are all very out going. We also are very musical we sing where ever we go and there are four guitars here between all of us. There are five girls and four boys.

Sense we got here on Tuesday the YAVs and Doug Backer (my site coordinator) have been riding around together in a minibus. We have gone to visit all of the places we are going to work for the next year. We all work in a Church but many people are also working in community outreach centers. We have spent a lot of time talking about the idea of doing serves with people instead of for people. When you do something for someone often the person who feels the best afterwards is the person who is doing not the person receiving. So the goal of the YAV and the places we are working in, are trying to work with the people that it serves. I think this is a hard thing to learn, its essay to give money or old clothing but giving time listening to someone. When are schedule are filled with meetings, rehearsals, classes, fencing, church meeting, dinners to cook and what ever else fill up are time.

A lot of churches we visited here have become aware that most of the people attending there services drive in to church and are not the people who live right out side of there doors. Many of them have started to reach out to these communities. This does not mean evangels they are not trying to find new members to fill seats or hit people over the head with the Bible. The churches reach out with out ever bring up faith with the idea that God values all people and so they want people to know they value them to. Many places have opened after school drop in or help people figure out how to get welfare benefits they have play group for young mother or grandparents raising kids. Looking back I don’t really know the people out side the doors of where I have lived either. So I am struggling with these questions and I challenge you to do the same.

Who lives in your community? Who is out side the door? On the other side of the foodlions check out? What school do there kids go to? Where are they from? Listen to them.

How can you work with them to show them you value them like God does?

In Christ

P.S. these are pic of me at a place called Scrabo tower and sally infront of our houes

I am leaving on a jet plane

Well this is the first of my post and it is in good timing because I leave for Belfast N. Ireland tomorrow. I feel like I should worn everyone now that I am not going to go to great length to fix my spelling other then running my Trishines throw spell cheek. Also my goal is to write a monthly new letter so this will be updated about ones a month.

I have spent the last week in Stony Point New York at orientation. The class we have been taking have been long and tiring but the worship has been amazing we use music from around the world because we are all going around the world. There are 68 young adult volunteers all together going every where from Atlanta GA to India.

1. 
   Some thing we talked about in small group that I thought I would share with you where three things we made sure to bring and three things we had to leave behind. (We where not allowed to name people or I probably would have!)
   Things I made sure to bring A Journal Rachel made me. She collaged the inside and there is a letter in the back that I am not allowed to read until I am out of the USA. ( I haven’t decided it the airplane counts yet.) Rachel also gave me lots of sticky notes so I can start a prayer wall in my flat (apartment) like the one I had in my dorm room.
2. My dance making Journal all the notes from every dance I have made are in it. I have promised my self to make two dances by Christmas.
3. A set of Daisy earrings from Meredith.
   

Things I had to leave behind

1. A blanket I had become very attached to that is Rachel’s

2. My dance making Box

3. The tea cup Ashley gave me when I was a sophomore

Till next time love and peace