DRY
Diocesan Centre
24 London Street
Londonderry
BT48 6RQ

tel: 02871 262440
e: dry@igntie.cd

Sitting Ducks Weekend 2008 01.06.08 // entry 007 | write up by Claire Hinchliff

Rightio, well the weekend... first off, all those who couldn't make it - you missed a fan-dabi-tastic weekend! The Corrymeela Centre is a great place and all the staff were totally wonderful and very enthusiastic about everything.

Adrian McCartney and our very own Neville gave the talks over the weekend, with Adrian speaking on the Saturday sessions and Neville on the Sunday session. The entire feeling of the sessions were quite light and it made it easier for the topics covered to reach out to many of the new and younger groups attending the weekend, with the topics covered being faith, prayer and action. Adrian gave the chance for people to write their own prayers and to begin their own personal relationship with God, for many this would be something new to them. On the Sunday, Neville showed us the importance of telling people how special they are and what they really mean to us. Oooooo, and we can't forget the worship over the weekend either!! This was fab as always, with it being led by Ciara Miller and Emma Gordon this year. They have an amazing talent for getting every one up and singing, with some dancing and actions :D

Saturday afternoon was spent on the beach playing games in all of our teams, and there were a lot of laughs as you saw everyone trying to fit through a hula-hoop, run up and down the beach in wellies carrying a cup of sand, or trying to build a human pyramid (which inevitably collapsed). Apart from it being a little windy and cold if you stood still for two long, it was loads of fun. At the end of the games the points were totalled up and the winning team for the games was...and now I have to admit that I've forgotten - oops!!

The highlight of the Saturday was most definitely the Talent Show. I don't think that anyone expected so many of the young people to have so many hidden talents. The opening ventriloquist performance had everyone in stitches and that most certainly set the standard for the rest of the evening. I definitely enjoyed seeing Neville and Wendy drinking those lovely concoctions created by the audience...I'm sure Neville won't be forgetting how he felt the rest of the weekend!! And of course, there was Scott's astounding (ahem) magic performance and Ciara's serenading song. At the end everyone was herded outside to watch a mini pyrotechnic display (quite nearly a failure) created by yours truly in her kitchen...totally safe!

There are sooo many moments that stick in my head - like playing on the slide with Neville and Junior (dangerous, video in video section under 'DUCK!!'), seeing people revise/do homeworks at night (weirdo's), watching people trying to walk on stilts (totally hilarious) and so many more. All of these fantastic memories could not have happened without the wonderful, and slightly insane DRY.

Thanks for reading - Claire

Confirmation Weekend 2008 01.06.08 // entry 006 | write up

Coming soon

'Tools of the Trade'Training day 002# 01.03.08 // entry 005 | report about event

Hello again, well this tools of the trade day was a very small affair, but never the less the teaching and Sharon Hamill's determination to proceed with an excellent training and thinking day worked extrememly well. I would like to thank Archdeacon Donard McLen for the use of his wonderful halls and parking facility. Sharon again was great at helping use understand that no matter what resources there are out there that us, (being volunteers, youth workers, clergy, and those who work with young people all round), are the best tool that a church could have.

- Shaun

COLD event 28.03.08 // entry 004

This was a great night which only a few of our leaders attended, thank you to those who made it. It was a night where I (Shaun) got to know the leaders working in the diocese a little better. With a really expensive sit down meal (domino's pizza) and of course no expense spared on the champaigne (Ribena) we chatted and got to know each other a at the start of the night before going up to our groovy council chamber with massive projected BUZZ game. This was great craic as we tried out the new BUZZ which is for 12 years olds based on the key stage 2 11+ questions. Needless to say brianiacs Vistor Fails and team partner Ruth Cowan won by miles, cause the rest of us were thick. We then took time to prayed for all our Sitting Duck groups, young people and each other. This was a nice time togther as we don't often get to pray as a a group. After all was said and done people just chilled out, played jenga, reheated some pizza and chatted long into the night. So next time you hear of a COLD event thats basically it!

- Shaun

'Tools of the Trade'Training day 001# 01.03.08 // entry 003 | report about event

Excellent! We had our first 'Tools of the Trade' training day for leaders was last night, which went brilliantly, and again I want to thank all those who attended on such an awful wintery night. God always shows me up because I never think there will be as many as He sends. I think i'm repeatedly learning to have more faith in him. The night was hosted by Sharon Hamill from CIYD who spoke brilliantley. We firstly participated on how we should structure our meetings but most of all she got us thinking about how what we should use material wise within our youthwork. She revealled the vast amount of materials that are on the market to date and also what is relevant for the age groups we are working with. It was a great night of chat, information and banter and hopefully when we do it in Castledawson Parish Hall on 16th May we will have the same response. It would be great to see you there.

- Shaun

Okay some massive news! 17.02.08 // entry 002

Alright, some might question my place within reality and some may want to resort to a police restraining order because of my oddness and wierd ways; but contray to popular belief i am not the evil, weird, awkward person which some of you, who have gotten to know mw over the years, may have understood me to be.
My reasoning for the elaborate start to this entry is to get you excited and frustrated with what i am about to say - I, SHAUN MCCORMICK, AM GOING TO BE A DADDY! HOW GROOVY IS THAT, AND I AM TOLD I NEED TO GROW UP?? YEAH RIGHT! ANYWAY WE GOT SCANS A WHILE AGO AND I WILL BE PUTTING A FEW UP HERE SHORTLY.

- Shaun

What's this about 'Blog Roll'? 21.01.08 // entry 001

This section of the site will be like a diary entry for DRY to tell you how things are going. It will contain funny things that have happened throughout the year, things that are helpful, things that are informative and the plain stupid. If you are not careful and you do something extremely stupid then you might be mentioned here too. Keep an eye out, it'll not be updated on a regular basis but only when we think something is relevant. We'll not be posting up silly things like the weather, mind you Irish people don't talk about much else, but things that are related to youthwork, the diocese and God! - take it easy!

- Shaun