I want to tell you about the wonderful group of girls I get to

hang out with.  These great youth and I created a program 3 years ago at All Saints’, Collingwood Ontario called “Girls Night Out”. It’s a program geared to girls aged 12-18 where they can come and talk about issues that affect their everyday lives. We talk about school, parents, bullies, boys, peer pressure and sooooo much more. We gab, gossip, eat and learn. No boys allowed!

What makes this program so awesome? The girls.  Over the last 3 years we have worked together to find how this program can benefit them the most from within the Church. Their input is invaluable and is ever-changing. I learn so much from them and I hope they learn a thing or 2 from me as well that will help them along the sometimes difficult journey through high school.

We spend the first 30-45 minutes on time that allows girls to come in a talk to me and their peers (I am a trained counsellor so don’t panic) on issues affecting their lives. They have a space to talk without interruption and get some neutral input that can perhaps help them through the tough space they are in. After that, the floor is open to anything and everything they want to discuss. And trust me, its’ anything and everything!

These young adults are so awesome and their honesty is great. They accept my “aged” status and laugh at my shocked looks when I learn some new fascinating teenage trend, ideal, word or issue.  They tell me about movies they’ve seen, things going on in their lives, issues with peers, issues with families, friends and boys. We talk about feelings, thoughts, and actions in both the positive and the negative sense. Between the texts, emails and Facebook notifications we carry on our evening in a fashion that works for all of us.

The girls created this program. They tailored it to work for them and for their friends. I couldn’t ask for a greater group of girls who are willing to listen, accept some neutral yet often hard questions and to respect our discussions. They each come from various backgrounds, lifestyles and issues but each one of them brings a wealth of good things to the group. They are not all brought up in the church, but are willing to be challenged and be part of the church setting.  It is so important to meet our youth where their lives are and for us as leaders to be relevant. We need to actually hear what they are saying and experiencing. Girls Night Out is a great opportunity to do just that.

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Sunday is No-Tobacco Day.

Did you know:

• 19% of Canadians (15 years or older) were current smokers in 2007 – unchanged compared to 2006 and 2005.
• More men smoke than women.
• Smoking rates for youth have decreased in recent years with 15% of them (15-19 years old) currently smoking in 2007. Still, this smoking rate remains way too high.

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Ever since Jacob fell in love with Rachel in the Book of Genesis, the victory of beauty over wits has raged on and on.  Jacob ended up marrying Leah, but Genesis tells us that it was Rachel who was more beautiful, Jacob was deceived by the girls' father into first marrying Leah.  You can read more about that, in the preceding article submitted by Susan Moore, of the Church of the Ascension, in Mount Pearl, NL.

Of course, in Biblical times it wasn't so unusual for a man to have several wives and Jacob was married to Rachel as well. But that is a debate for another time.

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A sermon based on Genesis 29:21-35 – submitted by Susan Moore, Coordinator of Youth and Young Families, The Parish of the Ascension, Mount Pearl, NL.

Page One – Brokenness in the Biblical World.

Leah was unloved.  There is nothing more detrimental to one's heart than being rejected, not being loved in return.  So it is with Leah.  Her father arranged her marriage to Jacob, a man who worked seven years to secure her younger sister's hand.  He didn't want her.  But her father Laban wanted Leah married first, as was the custom, and sent her, most likely veiled, to the marriage bed.  But Leah was unloved.  How it must have hurt her when Jacob's shock was apparent in the morning.  He wasn't attracted, and he wasn't grateful, for it was Rachel that he loved.

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allison Life Issues, Social Issues, Stories and Articles body image, love and respect

Pop culture has a significant impact on youth, the way we see ourselves, the way we interact with each other and with God, on many aspects of our lives.  Over the next week or so I will be posting a series of articles exploring this concept.  The first article will be a sermon written by Susan Moore, Coordinator of Youth and Young Families at the Parish of the Ascension, Mount Pearl, NL, it was inspired by the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29.  The other two pieces will explore the pop culture phenomenon and how it distracts us from our faith.

You will notice that body image is a prevailing theme through this series, and that is certainly intentional.  In my opinion pop culture has b

een very detrimental to how we see ourselves, and to be honest, the skinny girls on tv and in magazines freak me out.  So I wanted to take a closer look at some pop culture examples and how they distract us from our faith.  I hope that you will come along on the journey and let me know what you think, these articles are just one writer's opinion (well, two writers, I won't speak for Susan, she can do that herself).  If you disagree with me, let me know, if you have a story to share, we'd love to hear it.

Check back soon, Susan's sermon is up first.

Celebrate bodies!

allison Social Issues, Stories and Articles body image, love and respect, pop culture