The Converginator’s Corner

Today we “bump in” to the NCYC09 main venue, MLC in Kew. Some of us have been working there in the NCYC HQ for the past week, but today we get to set up all the spaces we’re going to use: the main hall where fantastic worship and whole convention gatherings will be held, venues for Bible studies and electives, the festival and nightlife spaces, and all the other spaces that we’ll use. ‘Splurge’ is where you can get all the fantastic new NCYC09 merchandise: TWO brand-new t-shirt designs, new dog-tags (now you can finally have the trio), and mugs, mugs, and lugamugs!

People have begun travelling from around the country and overseas, or are packing their bags ready to depart. Amie Dural arrived from the Philippines on Monday night, Robyn Whitaker is back in town from Chicago where she’s studying, Shane is beginning to pack his bags (or make his own, like his clothes), Doddy has driven over from Balaklava to help us out, the Cape York mob arrived yesterday afternoon, and a big mob from Elcho Island (off the north coast of the Northern Territory, in Arnhem Land) have made it to Darwin, the first leg in their long and complex journey to NCYC09.

Everything is starting to Converge!

All the NCYC09 team are pretty excited that the years of planning and millions of emails and hundreds of late nights are coming together, and we’re really delighted that you’re coming to join the excitement!

We’ll see you tomorrow at Genazzano school for registration, then after you’ve been to your accommodation communities to find your sleeping quarters and relax, catch the NCYC09 buses to MLC for dinner and our opening worship. Aunty Joy Murphy will welcome us on behalf of the traditional custodians of these lands, the Wurundjeri people, and we’ll start the awesomeness that is NCYC09!

I went shopping with my sneaker-collector friend Doddy on the weekend, and we had a great couple of hours in the Footlocker outlet store in Nunawading. The stuff he knows about sneakers is phe-nom-e-nal.

I got these fantastic almost-NCYC-design sneakers for a bargain at under $64. They’re by Adidas with subtle but light-reflective triples stripes down the side. Some sports dude’s name is signed across the instep; I’m sure he’s huge in stature as well as name.

Reminds me just a little of my first pair of Rome sneakers back when I was a keen teenager. The difference in technology in the past 20 years is pretty phenomenal.

Now I’m looking forward to the next release of NCYC09 tshirts with great new designs - I can hardly wait until convention!

Every year around the world the generous efforts of volunteers are recognised on 5 December. That’s today!

The staff in the NCYC09 office - Kim, Mick, our interns Loz, James, Tee, Joss, Amy and Rob, as well as me - would like to express our sincere thanks to all the great volunteers offering so much effort and time and imagination and creativity and money and all the other things that bring NCYC together.

Tomorrow at our final All Teams Day at MLC we’re providing lunch as a small symbol of that thanks to all our volunteers.

Volunteers do almost everything for NCYC, and many staff and ministers of the Uniting Church also volunteer their time in addition to their paid roles.
It’s nearly NCYC, there are lots of volunteers convenging, and that’s exciting: woohoo!

“Get on and catch the wave, be a part of the 2009 National Gathering NEW WAVE through Listening / Talking together / Celebrating in music, singing and dancing / Discovering current realities and future possibilities / Naming priorities in worship, witness and service for a 21st century Church in multicultural and multi-faith Australia”

February 10th - 12th 2009 at Alexandra Park Conference Centre, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

This will be a fantastic experience to be part of, and a great chance to catch up with all the new friends you meet at NCYC09!

Download the “New Wave” brochure

This Saturday night is ‘Nearly NCYC’, and there’s lots of fun going on at MLC in Kew.

Join us for a site tour from 1pm by our two lovely tour guides Kim and Kellie, then a fun intro to NCYC09 from Drew and our Interns at 2pm. Training for Chaplains, Community Leaders, and Small Group Leaders will follow. If you’re a delegate who wants to help out at convention and have heaps of fun at the same time, make sure you keep an eye out for Jen and the team of ‘Marks’.

Then it’s dinner time (bring $5) followed by singing with the NCYC09 Band, and worship led by the NCYC09 Worship team. Watch out for the mystery speaker who thinks goats are better than sheep

We want you to be part of the building excitement for NCYC09, so Converge on MLC and share in all the fun.

It’s nearly NCYC: woo hoo!

It was my birthday last week, and the team of staff & interns in the NCYC09 office gave me an energising gift: a bag full of drinks. We’ll see if any are left before the start of NCYC09 …

Our little girl was born in the middle of NCYC07. She’s nearly two now.
This morning she came in to see me, waving goodbye with a “Bye Dad”, wearing a small backpack and a with handbag over her arm.

“Off to the shops?” I asked.

“Work, Dad” she replied.

We see ourselves reflected in our children.

I’m really excited that all the work everyone has been doing for the past two years is coming to fruition: NCYC09 is nearly here! It’s going to be a fantastic week of celebration, worship, community and fun with the young people of our church, from across Australia and overseas.

It’s time to finalise your registration payment, select Bible study and Submersion streams, and check your travel arrangements.

We’re all working hard to ensure everything is ready to host you, and we’re really looking forward to meeting you in Melbourne on January 3rd! And if you’ve got any friends who aren’t already registered, do them a favour and get them signed up!

Rev Hohaia (Uncle Joe) and (Aunty) Dawn Matthews and family have lost virtually all their posessions in the manse fire caused by an electrical fault. Their open door and generous hospitality meant that their family is about 10 adults and 2 children, and virtually all their personal stuff has gone. Hohaia is the Congress minister in Port Augusta.
The best practical help at this stage is probably money. Donations can be sent to the South Australia Synod Office, GPO Box 2145, Adelaide, SA, 5001, and marked for the Matthews Family. Cheques should be made payable to “Hohaia Matthews”.

More info can be found on the SA Synod website, including contact details for sending messages to the family.

More info about the Congress in South Australia is online.
Your prayers for the family will also uphold them.

Last Saturday morning the Congress manse in Port Augusta burnt down while Rev Hohaia and Dawn Matthews were running a fundraiser on a local beach. Nobody was injured, but Aunty Dawn and Uncle Joe and their large family lost everything in the fire.

Imagine losing all your family photos, musical instruments, clothes, all the other things that surround your life, prompt your memories, make you feel at home.  That home and everything in it are gone, and the site is being buldozed today.
Spare a prayer for the family, who are key leaders in the Congress in Port Augusta and South Australia, and do great work wtih the indigenous people in Port Augusta.

And if you’re able to make a donation I’ll be getting details today so that we can send some practical financial support in what must be a devastating time.

I’ve been sick for days with some stomach bug that wouldn’t leave me, but I’m tired of lying about and am feeling a lot better, so I’m back on deck and starting to hear about all the good things that have been happening while I’ve been out of the loop.

A few weeks back I took a photo of some of the sources of energy that I’ve been trialling …

There’s a story for another time about Berocca and why it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to seek sponsorship from Bayer.

But another source of energy for me is the NCYC09 Management Committee, where key directions and policy are set and reports are circulated of all the great things being planned for Melbourne in January.

If you’ve not yet registered for all the fun then it’s not too late, but let us know quickly! http://ncyc.org.au/registration/