Thursday 11th of March 2010

Church Calendar

14.03.2010 09:30 - 11:00
9.30am Celebration
14.03.2010 11:30 - 13:00
11.30am Celebration
16.03.2010 19:30 - 21:30
Directors' Meeting
19.03.2010
'LOVE BICESTER' - Life Songs Youth Event
19.03.2010
'LOVE BICESTER' - Comedy Evening with Jimmy Cricket

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Dave's

Dave's blog

Dave is this years (and previous years) Highway Summer Camp Manager! Here on the website he writes a blog about preparation and thoughts of this years Summer camp! Yay!
Camp/Love Bicester 2010
Monday, 22 February 2010 05:53
Hi All,

As I awoke to snow this morning , the third morning in a row, my thoughts immediately went to this years Highway Summer Camp. NOT.

However later on today, and after several prompts from Susie, I realised that I had indeed neglected the blog and should rectify that asap. So here I am in front of the computer with a blank page.

Firstly we have now pretty much set the theme for this years camp and, although I can't reveal it today, as we still have to decide on the artwork, it follows logically from the other camps. Can anyone remember the previous 3 years themes? I can.
Once the artwork is approved we can start to publicise the event and Susie is working hard to pin us down on colours, text and of course program of events.
My role is to coordinate the event and as such I don't really do much more than make sure the teams have the right equipment, space and resource to make the weekend fun, inspirational and well fed. Ruth heads up the catering again this year and I'm sure it will be up to the same quality and quantity as last years.
At this stage the Admin team start to kick in producing flyers and handouts and getting ready to receive bookings and, on that front, I think that the on-line system worked reasonably well last year. If you have any comments on that please post them here. However we will improve on the on-line format of the booking form to make it even easier to understand and use.

As per normal the Camp will be the last weekend of August, 27th-30th. It may even include the bank holiday like last year but I'm not sure on that point.
Look out on this blog only for the Camp 2010 flyer.

Now for Love Bicester.

I'm really excited about Love Bicester as there are so many events going on that can really attract our "not yet Christian" (NYC) friends and put them in front of the Lord. All of the events are listed on the back of the Highway newsletter each week so please have a good look and decide who and to what you will invite them to. There are a few I'm particularly looking forward to, "The God Debate" (commonly known in the team as "grill a Christian") where Michael Green (http://www.theocca.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=45) will debate with an atheist and "Robots, Avatars and Humans a practical demonstration and discussion about Artificial Intelligence in Robots. And yes there will be a Robot there to see!!!
I'm sure the Rugby Dinner will appeal to all the sport loving men in Highway but it is open to all, including women, and features Jonathan Webb (ex England International full back). And no he is NOT the one that Lomu ran over during the 1995 RWC. That was Mike Catt!!! If they had invited a Scottish rugby player I may have gone to that.

As Highway's representative on the Love Bicester Task Force I see first hand the level of commitment and work that all are putting into this 10 day mission and the team from Oxford, headed by Michael Green, are very impressed by how well the 9 churches involved are working together.
Of course we can't do it alone and we need help from members of all churches to help facilitate the events. We have a good core of people in Highway who have already signed up to help but we can always use more! If you feel you can help please contact me asap.

In particular Highway have responsibility for the Film Night, Cafe Youth and the Youth Rally and these will take a certain number of people to support so please help.

Must sign off now as I am meeting the Sehlstedts to look at the new flyer for the Camp.

Blessings DG
 
Highway Camp 2010
Monday, 02 November 2009 00:00
Hi All,

We are underway with the planning for the 2010 Highway Summer Camp. On the 20th October we had the team debrief meeting where we talked about the 2009 camp and the good stuff that came out of it. It was great to meet again with the team leaders. We also looked at areas of improvement with a change in the format for the on-line booking being the most needed.
We all agreed that the Velocity event on the Saturday was a real highlight with a real turnout of friends new to Highway. Well done to the whole team involved.
Everyone on the catering team was glad that we had, at last, resolved the electric cutouts so prevalent in previous camps.
The next 2010 camp meeting will happen before the end of November after Andy and I meet to review the teams and the finance. So be prepared to be involved in the best Highway Summer Camp yet in 2010.

It's going to be a busy year next year as we change as we move forward as a church and participate in more outreach. Many different projects are being developed and coordinated with Andrew Peace helping to facilitate many of your good ideas. Please support with whatever resource you have be it time, helping hands or prayer.

I'm going to end with a test - Can anyone decipher this anagram below:-

Treble Voices

Its something not unfamiliar to you and its going both challenging and exciting for us all!!

Please post your answers in the comments section at the bottom of this blog.

I may even give a price to the first right answer!!!!!!

Be Blessed

Love Dave G
 
Post Camp Blues
Monday, 21 September 2009 00:00
Well that's it for this year's Highway camp. What a weekend!!!
How did we manage to fit everything into the few days we were all togther?
From Stojan to Springs Dance Company, from Velocity to Yooforia and from
Godzone to Mike Biddulph (XLP) we packed a lot in not forgeting the Climbing wall,
volleyball, Big Barn Cafe etc.

From a practical point of view all went well with the exception of a glitch on the
video recording of the camp activities. Saying that, we have some good footage,
although not as much as we wanted, and this will appear in some form in the future.
So keep looking on the Highway web site, www.highway.org.uk


I personally was encouraged by the numbers of children attending the Velocity event
on Saturday afternoon and the positive comments from those involved, both children
and parents. The event seemed to embody the spirit of the weekend, lively, fun and
Jesus centered. There will be more Velocity events throughout this coming year.

The Springs Dance Company proved popular with children and grown ups alike
and it was fun watching the sessions. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for you
all, I didn't take part as I was filling up the water for the hand basins in the toilets
at the time. Not as enjoyable but equally as important.

I was amazed by the number of helpers we had for set up (Thursday/Friday) and
tear down (Monday). This was a real blessing on Monday as we were pretty much
done by lunchtime. We did need sometime during the next week to get the portacabin
ready for worship team practice on the Thursday but overall we were more efficient
than last year!!

You will be pleased to know that we will have a Camp debrief meeting in the next
couple of weeks and we will be asking for feedback from all those at the camp as we
did last year. We might change the format for receiving your feedback as I would
like to get it via the web site but will need to discuss this with S&J first. Look out
for this on the web site: www.highway.org.uk

Not sure what I will do for the next year now although I'm sure there will be the 1st
2010 Camp meeting within the next couple of months and we will have Love Bicester
in the Spring 2010 to coordinate with all the churches in Bicester so there will be plenty
to do.

That just leaves me to say a huge THANK YOU to all that made this camp possible i.e.
everybody that came, helped or just enjoyed.

DG
 
Less than 2 weeks left!
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 00:00
Hi All,

With the camp less than 2 weeks away things are really hotting up. It seems as though everything I do revolves around the camp.
Yesterday I chased the marquee company to confirm pricing for the extra blackout needed to see the projector in a white tent, discussed the signage, fire procedure, security needs and parking for day visitors and Peter, Berny (thanks to both for their help) and I walked the whole site confirming layout and discussing the how to risk assess the different areas. Wow!! Busy day

This is also the same for all the other teams involved as they fine tune the program/tasks for their area.

A good example of this is the work involving your children. The children's groups are being overseen by Julie this year and this group have spent the last months creating the "Jesus centered" workshops to entertain your children at the camp (don't tell the kids but it also teaches them as well!!!). The kids workers at the camp do a fantastic job, as do all who are working at the camp, but as they look after our children during some of the seminars they miss the they speakers and worship on some sessions. So please bless them at every opportunity.

One of the hardest working teams at the camp is the catering team. They prepare, cook and serve 8 meals to around 230 people over the 4 days and please take the opportunity to bless them also as you go about the camp. Can you imagine chopping carrots for that many people!!!

In the next days I will highlight some of the other teams and the work they put in to make this years camp all you want it to be.

Be blessed

Dave
 
Countdown, 43 days left!
Friday, 17 July 2009 00:00
Hi All,

Summer holidays are nearly on us now and we have only 43 days until the start of the camp.
Wow doesn't time fly when you're having fun!!!! It only seems weeks ago when we had the first real meeting in January to pray for guidence for this years theme which as you all know is "Sent". For me being "Sent" means being driven to talk about my faith to whoever I meet in my daily life. I recently spent some time in South Africa looking at a new opportunity and met several people during the course of the week who were Christians. The one I spent the most time with had not attended his church in over a year as he had gone through a tough time personally. We found some common ground in our circumstances and I mentioned that my faith had helped me though my difficulties and he started to talk about going back to church again.

This really reminded me that for the camp "Sent" means reaching out to our family, friends and colleagues who are lost or are still to know the Lord and invite them to this years camp. Putting them in His presence and let Lord take over is our hope for the weekend.

On a more pratical note my job in the next week is to plan the set up tasks for the camp including the decoration of the Barn. I am still looking for willing hands for the Thursday (eve) and Friday 27th-28th July to help. If this is you you can mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or let Julie know at the Highway office.

We had the second to last formal meeting for the camp on Tuesday this week and Lovisa has been working hard to turn Jo's barn into the centre of our camp activities. We will have a community corner where all the Highway connections with missions across the world will be highlighted and a chill zone where you can relax in the Lords presence.

The catering team have probably the least to do of all the teams at this time but from the day they start shopping until the camp is over they are definately the busiest and any chance you have over the weekend to help and support them would be greatly appreciated. Or you can just praise their culinary skills after each meal.

That's all for now!!

/Dave
 
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