a year for clarity...

Yesterday was a good day.  We were blessed to be able share with our home church a little of what we believe this year holds for us. Then in our evening service Trav got to interview a couple of our awesome team members: Mel Hamilton (from Sydney) and Rosie Fricker (from Perth).  He was pretty excited about having our church family hear a little bit about what God is doing through the YMA network in other parts of the country.

The day was topped off with a great turnout at Junktion for our vision supper - so many great conversations, and such an encouragement as we head into 2013. (See panoramic shot below)

There are two important questions we (YMA) are answering as we journey forward in clarity this year:

WHAT DO WE SEE? "We see a TRANSFORMATION MOVEMENT in every school community."

WHAT DO WE DO? "We will CHAMPION existing movement builders; be a CATALYST for spiritual transformation; and COACH emerging movement builders."

If you missed our vision day yesterday and want to know more, or how you can support the work of YMA further, drop us a line :)

NSW team...

Over the last few days I've spent some time with our Sydney team who held their retreat in preparation for working in 9 schools throughout NSW (with the possibility of adding a tenth school in the coming weeks).

I've come away extremely encouraged by the depth of expertise that our team brings to serving young people in schools. Our team leader carries with him over 15 years experience as a local school presence, and a strong DNA of love for students and awareness of how God might be working in the school community context.

I'm also excited by the responsibility YMA is taking up nationally to foster the vision conversation of seeing "a transformation movement in every school community."

The more I talk with others, the more I'm becoming convinced that we have a great opportunity to:
CHAMPION others who carry a similar vision
Be a CATALYST for transformation ourselves, and
COACH those who want to build this kind of movement.

2013 is a year marked for clarity for me, and after this trip I'm already beginning to see things a little more clearly.

"10 years ago ..."

After seven weeks of Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with between 6 and 15 primary school students - running games, prepping afternoon tea, and telling stories - it was clear that God is at work in this school.

Our ASAP (After School Activity Program) team have consistently served the school, without any overt "Christian content" - we've simply been turning up and meeting a need.  Trusting that God is already at work because He opened up the opportunity.  And it is true - He is working.

On the last week of the program, a Mum came up to me and said, "I used to go to your church 10 years ago.  My 6 year old son would call himself a Christian, but my partner doesn't like us going to church."

I listened and then pointed out that two of our team run the kids program at our church, and should her circumstances change, she'd be welcome to bring her son along.

A week later, I also received word that the principal was asking another member of the governing council about what drives us to come and serve the school in this way - He, a Christian, was able to share that our motivation was to serve people as Jesus served people.  This was an exciting outcome for this person to be able to have a gospel conversation.

Amongst the lessons learned over the last seven weeks, the stand out for me is that God is already at work in people's lives, and sometimes it's just a matter of us turning up to discover how that's true.

vetamorphus retreat

Here's an insight into our "splash of mission" with some senior high students at their "vetamorphus" retreat this weekend.

an unexpected mission space

Yesterday we held YMA's 3rd Great Race as a fundraiser to help with the running costs of our office space.


This event has been very successful among participants and volunteers, although it is a mountainous logistical effort  - and the funds that come in, while very helpful, require far more effort than the likes of some other fundraising initiatives. So, my mindset was that yesterday's event should be the final one.


But I noticed some things that are causing me to reconsider:

1. THIS EVENT IS UNIQUE - I know of no other not-for-profit who is doing something like this and, thanks to the calibre of our volunteer network, managing to pull it off.
2. IT IS PROVIDING GREAT EXPOSURE FOR YMA TO  THOSE OUTSIDE OUR NORMAL CHURCH NETWORKS  - people who are entirely unfamiliar with us are participating and becoming exposed to who YMA is and what we're about.
3. PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW JESUS ARE BROUGHT INTO A REALLY POSITIVE SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FOLLOWING JESUS  - which makes for some great opportunties in overcoming typical barriers.

When I stood up for the final presentation in Brighton Surf Club at the end of the day, I realised something.  Where else outside of church buildings do I get to share that "YMA is a network of people around Australia who have been impacted by the story of Jesus, and who are looking to find creative ways of serving school communities."?

This, for me, was an unexpected mission space ... volunteers serving without an agenda ... participants enjoying creation and recreation ... both being introduced to the notion that transformation can come through God's story.

 We're now praying through what's next with the YMA Great Race.

official opening & leadership summit

Today was a nice little marker for Pixi's project "junktion" where we officially opened the store (see video of ribbon cutting ceremony below).

This morning we saw a full house in the shop including the local council mayor, and our friend and supporter David Speirs (who is the deputy mayor).  We were also privileged to have a good number of friends, family and customers attend - thanks to all!

Trav is attending Campus Crusade's biennual Oceania Leadership Summit this week (9-14 Sept) at Merroo Christian Centre in NSW.  We would love for you to pray for the prayer session he is running on Monday night, good engagement with the sessions, and positive opportunities to connect with other CCCA leaders.

As with other times, we would value your prayer support for Pix and the boys for the time Trav is away.  Thanks!

do the junktion

As you can see, Elijah (one of our local church interns) had the floor in Junktion this week.  He is one of a group of five interns who come to the YMA office each Friday for discipleship and ministry input.

This has been an encouraging addition to our opportunities over the last few weeks.  With the opening of Junktion, it seems that a hub for community has naturally emerged - with one of the outcomes being the addition of Richard Sharp (Youth For Christ's National Transform Manager) to the use of our office space.  Both Richard and Trav are enjoying being able to coach the interns.

We're also grateful for the opportunity Trav had to be in Sydney for the most recent YMA national team meeting (although he nearly missed his plane on the return trip) ... we're looking forward to rolling out a new vision and strategy in the next few months - particularly with the new chaplains who have come onto team in Sydney.

Trav and Jackson enjoyed Jack's adventure camp with school over the past couple of days. Jackson particularly enjoyed the bouldering wall.

Pix is super-encouraged by the steady flow of customers in the first four weeks Junktion's operation.  We have seen enough turnover for the set-up costs to be covered (with the help of the local council grant), and are now looking forward to seeing how we might be able to use the income generated for national YMA projects and local community engagement.

Small steps of faith are reaping some encouraging stories of God's kingdom emerging in our local suburb, and in the national movement of YMA :)