Mark Tiddy’s Blog & Website - Thoughts of a Christian Youth Worker & Musician

ok I’m getting pretty bad at this updating business, to be honest I’m just not finding much time to do so. I think I’m gonna write a letter to park back at home sometime (so if your a park person reading this I will eventually send a letter!), this week I’ve been to letton hall with CROPS twice yearly event for young people, there was about 60 teenagers from peterborough and it was a good week (well tues till thurs) had worship, some great talks from matt and was a good laugh, I also lead a seminar in CU’s with josh which went well I think, however this means this week I need to upload pics, put video online and sort out the recorded talks for people to download! yay!

so keep on checking www.crops.org.uk

I also have the talk for the point in november to finish doing but that shouldn’t be so bad.

Prayer Points
That I get all things done
that I squeeze God in somewhere
that I manage to get out of bed earlier!

Well basically I’m in a routine now so apart from bonus events and amazing things I’l post a standard timetime on my page www.marktiddy.name

However this week has been slightly different, today was a bit odd cos it’s my birthday but doesn’t hugely feel like it, I’v had cards and few people up here know but I spent most the day planning a seminar for letton hall next week on CU’s and I have a week of video editing to look forward to…

yesterday me and a load of guys from CROPs went to Letton Hall to film the cluedo scenes for our murder mystery at Letton next week, it’s gonna be a fun video to watch, I was cameraman! We used lots of costumes and fake blood! yay!

Dont think anything else to add really, am going to Cat’s baptism up in Nottingham sunday night which should be good and I spent part of this afternoon learning “What the world will never take” by UNITED on guitar.

Finally I think i’l update my blog, I jus keep being busy and forgetting etc, sorry!

Firstly the careforce conference, last monday to thursday all careforce volunteers had a conference at Quinta Hall which is near shrewsberry which is near wales! It was a chance to meet the volunteers from all over the country both national and international, we had four talks on the book of Mark over tuesday and wednesday by a guy whose name I’ve forgotton, he had some pretty good points however it was a bit of a rush-through the book. There was also some worship and I got the chance to play the bongos which I havn’t done before it really hurts hands though! Because there were enough musicians though there were too bands which gave me the chance to worship without playing anything! yay!

On the wednesday night the international volunteers led over an hour and a half of worship, it was quite inspiring, I think we have so much to learn from them because they really do give it their all in worship and don’t care how they look, it’s so focused on God!

This week it’s been back at Peterborough which is good, have been up at CROPS doing various things, I spent last night planning for youth alpha and for Survival which starts on friday.

Prayer Points
Survival - that we will get a good number of both church and non-church kids and that people will step forward and offer to help lead so we can use the church rather than tims.

Youth Alpha - the plan is to hopefully make it a weekly cell group for them so prayer that that is both what they and God want would be good, also growth of the group from 3 would be great.

Also I have now moved to permanant residents with a different church family, but am settling in fine

Having said I’d blog more looks like I’ve come to the end of the week and not! though I have been pretty busy this week, monday was pretty empty but MADD4Jesus in the evening was cool, tuesday I thought was gonna be empty after my meeting with Tim but finally CROPS called back so i spent the day in their offices and am now involved in some of their stuff, and will be going to letton with them in october half term along with helping with “The Point” both admin side of things and the actualy event, the point is basically a youth worship event for all youth accross the city and happens monthly with worship, teaching and games. The rest of the week has been pretty normal toddler co etc, and iv popped into CROPS offices a fair bit to do stuff which is keeping me busy! yay!!! thursday was the alpha supper which was good, although not huge amounts of people doing the alpha course still 20 which i suppose is good.

Ok this weeks events are all going into one blog because I’m slacking on the old blog front!

Last sunday was great, the drums went down really well and I havn’t heard of any complaints, everyone at the Church is really cool and friendly and I think il fit in well.
Once again this week hasn’t been hugely eventful, perhaps a little fuller tho than last, Monday evening was my first “MADD4Jesus” which is the kids drama group, currently all girls tho, it was quite cool I watched to get a rough idea of what they do, it was a combination of songs, dancing and a couple of games, this week I’m leading a game, it should be fun!

Tuesday morning I met with Tim, we are talking about starting a club on friday evenings for the 11-14 year olds which although there arn’t many it has potential to grow, I think initially it will be at Tims but prayer for getting 2 more leaders so we could use the church and their table tennis and pool table would be cool, don’t think it’l be starting for a week of two though

Wednesday was youth alpha day and it was pretty cool, the hour and a half of youth alpha in the evening was good and although it’s only a small group it’l be great to be involved with, thursday was again not very eventful just prayer for the alpha course in the evening and fridays was my second toddler and co which was cool, then I went to Graham and Janes for a meal and to discuss something for the sunday school which we sorted, we got 3 songs and a game then when they split up I’m leading the older group which should be good and I get to drum tomorrow yay!!!

Prayer Points
Leaders for the 11-14 thing that will hopefully start
CROPS contacting me about working with them this week
That I learn songs so I can lead songtime at Toddler and Co sometimes
That God wud make it so i can sing so I can do the above without sounding terrible!

ok well the first week, or rather days up to my day off are done and although I started writing this on Saturday (day off) it’s now sunday afternoon, I guess that’s good because it gives me more to blog about.

Since Tuesday a fair bit but not that much has happened, following meeting of Tim i roughly know what I’m doing, more will be picking up in the next week or so which is good.

Wednesday evening was the training for the Alpha Course, looks like being an Alpha helper is gonna be easy, according the Nicky Gumball on the videos the helper stays quiet! easy!

Thursday was the Toddler and Co team meeting and prayer then I had the rest of the day free, perhaps the most exciting day this week would have been friday, in the morning me and Tim went to meet the guys at CROPS, which is the group that works with schools and youth events in Peterborough, whom I’m gonna be quite involved with for, what looks like 3 days a week and perhaps involved in the Saturday evening youth event which happens monthly which they’re hoping to restart which would be good, however cos the guys at crops are new they have to work out what they’re doing before contacting me! Friday was also the end of the Toddlers thing which was kinda cool for what I was there fore.

Saturday was overly quite good, I thought it would be a boring day but spent a lot of the day on the phone to Caroline but got a nice surprise call from Ben and Laura who were stopping off at Peterborough on the way home from Scotland so that was nice, in the evening I went to a “FUSE” event at the salvation army where a band were playing, they wern’t too bad, kinda indie rock I guess, there was also a little bit of worship and some silly games.

Today was pretty good at church, most people I spoke to after complimented the drumming which was nice, and I met quite a few people, am also now leading one of the groups next sunday during the sunday school bit which is cool cos it gives me something to plan for, now all I need is an office in the church and a church key! I think I only want the office to make me feel important! hehe!

Prayer Points
- that crops contact me soon cos I really wanna get stuck in
- That the week will be busier
- That no-one moans about the drums

Also a yay to Ben and Laura cos they made me and caroline realise there is a direct train to Peterborugh that doesn’t go via london! yay!!!

Yesterday I drove up to Peterborough to begin my year out. I arrived about four having stopped off to take a few photos along the way. Last night I went to the band practice with my drums, the church has never had the drummer but for a first practice the band sounded pretty good with drums, lets just see how the congregation take it on sunday at both morning and evening service!

Today I’m meeting Tim about 11 to sort out what I’m doing etc plus we’re joining the OAP lunch club to get free food! hehe!!! I think this evening I’m also doing alpha training to help lead the proper alpha course, should be fun!

I think that’s all I need to blog for now tho

Prayer Requests

That I settle down and sort out timetable quickly
That when I change living arrangements at the end of the month it’l be quick and easy
that car remains reliable and low maintanance whilst I’m here
That the old car gets sold at home before October when tax expires

(the last request isn’t overly important I just put it there)