Youth Alpha

  Don't i look happy! Im beside Laura who was with YFCNI for 3 years and now woerks for the local church in Killyleagh. Jamie is in the United jersey. Rebecca and Natasha are in the middle holding hands. 

Killyleagh Youth Apha 2006

  So here is the crew. They were really not to happy about getting their picture taken - well some of them weren't. It is an interesting dynamic and completely different from Dromore. You have to be really adaptable to how the young people feel and what is going on that day. I think one of the best things about this tho is that we eat together before the talk. Now I know why Jesus spent time in peoples homes, around the dinner table, chatting and enjoying company. Nowadays its not really the norm for anyone to sit round a table and talk without the TV on, never mind young people diuscussing their week. Great stuff! 

Toby - the German

  So I've had this guy Tobias from Germany stay with me for 2 months. He is over on work placement, helping out YFC with business and finance stuff.
It's interesting living with people. I've lived with quite a few people and it reveals a lot about myself - mainly that I am selfish and stubborn! 

Slieve Donard

  Here I am with my wee sis and her 2 dogs. Mac (Black) and Maddy (the other one). People are scared of them but they are great. They are so strong and fast and it is amazing the differnce to when they are inside and when they get out. Mac is so timid and good. Maddy is mad (heece the name!) So this is like the 3rd time Ive climbed Donard and I forgot how hard it was. Im getting old! It was such a clear day so we were able to see Scrabo and the Isle of Man and even whales! (not the country) well it was 2 black things in the water that some guy said were whales but they could have been submarines....anyway now I know why people belive God dwelt in the mountains and that in the Old Testament people attributed the presence of God to a mountain. There is something sacred and amazing about mountains. It makes me feel small in one way but overwhelmed in another that Creator God knows and loves me. Amazing! 

Small group

This was my small group for the week. We met every morning after breakfast to talk, read and pray thru some Bible notes. I tried to go deeper with these guys, rather than just read thru the notes. We had a great look at Matthew 23, and the guys were shocked at how Jesus spoke to the Pharisees. Its important to read the Bible, but if it aint impacting the way we live then whats the point? Simon shared how Jewish boys of his age would have been able to recite the whole Old Testament, and yet we struggled to find Ezekiel!

Back row: Paul and me/I
Front row: Sammy, Simon and Stevie

Whats interesting is that I used to teach Paul when I was at Slemish College in Ballymena. He was in my first football team. Really skillful player but was small in Year 10 but now has sprouted up. Paul got constantly slagged because of his accent. We needed subtitles when interviewing him in our 'Soccer PM' show ever night. This was loosely based on the Saturday morning TV show 'Soccer AM' - we even had soccerettes! Instead of having a 'talk' each night we watched video clips and each coach got interviewed about their life. We wanted to share how living as a follower of Jesus was in all areas of our lives.

Sammy reminded me a lot of myself when I was younger - fast, an eye for goal and ginger...

Simon woul ask questions and had a lot of offer the group in terms of his thoughts and what he had heard before. He is a great player but it was class to see him pass to younger players and include those who werent as good as him. Hopefully he will become a leader on the camp in the future

Stevie was a real pro. He always was well groomed and enjoyed golf. He also was interested in Ruth-Anne Morgan and old friend from school, who was on the Adventure Camp and staying in the same place as us. 

Baptist Youth Soccer Coaches 06

Don't we look like footballers?! Well I had so much fun on this camp. I went with the intention of finding out how to run a football camp but ended up really enjoying myself. I suppose at the start I was like a spy...but I ended up joining the enemy...if you can call Baptist Youth the enemy! It was good to get back involved in Baptist Youth circles again. The last Baptist Youth camp I done/did was over 10 year ago. I felt old and noone really new me so that was good. I have preconceptions that people from Baptist Youth maybe just remember me being a young, immature, badtempered cheeky slabber. And what has changed I hear you say?? Newtownbreda always had a bad name as being too competitive at Baptist Youth Sports, and the fact that we always won didnt help either!

It was cool cos I met Dave Ramsey, who is now head of Baptist Youth, and we both used to compete against eachother in football, to put it nicely. He is from Carrick Baptist, which were largerly represented at the Soccer Camp.

So the picture from l to r: (top row) Ashley "Stato" from Armagh, Sammy "Midfield General" Chambers from Carrick, Charlie "The Ref" Pollock from Carrick, Matt "Techie" from Loughall. (Sitting) Josh "about to turn pro" from Ballycraigy (?), Steve "the gaffer" Couiller from Monkstown, me and Paul "the foreigner" from Glenarm (?) 

YFC Select

  The morning after the night before. My feet were sore from wearing stupid looking, tho cool, trainers at the wedding, so I started myself on the bench - just to bleed the youngsters. My experience from Championship Manager would serve me well. We passed and moved to the Liverpool groove. Kevin "Bull Terrier" Maxwell hammered in the first from at least 30 yards. Elliot curled a free kick into the top corner for number 2. The skillful Lawson made it 3, before setting up Gordon for 4-0 with a cheeky corner kick. Patterson came off the bench to increase the lead after good link up play from Cowan and Gordon down the right. no one could catch the ginga ninja, who calmly finished a great team move thru the keepers legs.

It was hard to motivate the team at half time with thoughts turning to the England v Paraguay game. Crown Jesus Ministries started the second half strong and their pressure payed off when some random guy scored with an attempted cross. A la Ronaldinho or that thug from West Ham.

The impressive Steve "The Cat" McCreedy was on top form with a couple of world class saves and showed skill and composure to entertain the onlooking crowd. Patterson could have scored more but his obvious lack of match practise showed.

Stephen "Shifty" Dallas wrapped up the scoring with a Frank "Deflection" Lampard type goal which apparently he is still ranting and raving about.

Team from l to r back row: Mark "Curious George" Stirling (Ballysillan YFC), Me, Andy Masters (Dromore YFC), Alan Cowan, Thomas Elliot (both Donaghadee YFC), Stephen Dallas (Monkstown YFC). Front row l to r: Pete Thompson (Ballysillan YFC), Steve McCreedy (Dromore YFC), Steve Collier (Monkstown YFC), Kevin Maxwell, Steven Lawson (both Dromore YFC), John Gordon (Y1 Kilmakee) 

The decision is yours...

  Heaven! A picture paints a thousand words...Rachel, Karen, Me, Claire and Lynda 

Best men

  Me, Dave and Alan. We look good. Not very traditional having two Best men but when were we ever traditional?! I think Dave didnt want to offend either of us. I was just honoured to be involved in this big day. Definately a privilege to take part and get a suit payed for you and a free meal. And Dave trusted me to say anything I wanted about him and his many many girlfriends that he had led up the garden path. It was an emotional day, saying goodbye to my old housemate. Wasn't so much a goodbye, rather see you in a couple of weeks mate. I bid you adieu... 

World Cup Boxer Shorts

  We will be making a calendar! Oh yes its true! What a day. FRIDAY 9TH JUNE 2006. It was hot and we were hot! It was such a fun day, we had so much craic... 

The bride and groom

  It wasn't my idea! I was happy to just let things go, but Dave was disappointed and he has a lot of enemies...Dave and Heather get married this week. Im not surprised but Dave is in love and not freaked out about it which is good for Heather! More photos to come of the wedding 

Smile

  we have this thing about not liking our own smiles but I think this one is pretty good! 

Granny Cowan

  Yesterday, Mon 15 May 2006 it was my Granny's 76th birthday so we went out to Gilnahirk Golf Club for a meal with the family. We go out quite a lot with the family and if I'm really honest its wierd not having someone. I want to share these experiences with someone. I really love my family and love being with them but there is something missing or someone missing. Another thing I really miss not having my other grandparents in my life. Both Granny and Granda Patterson are dead as is Granda Cowan. So Granny is my only grandparent left and since I'm the only male grandchild on the Cowan side I get spoiled. Granny said I looked a little 'pudgie' yesterday then I said I got my hair cut and she was like 'Oh thats what it is!' What chance do I have if my own Granny thinks I'm 'pudgie'... 

Reunion

  from left to right - Phil, Me, Kelly, Nikki, Ginge, Rachel ,Darren, Jennifer, Gemma, DEEdee, Carrie and Miriam 

Friends

  from left to right - Me, Phil, Carrie, Miriam, Kelly 

I'm famous!

  This was on the front page of a newspaper on the day we flew from Jo'burg to Durbs (I dont say Durban cos I've been there and hence have the privilege of calling it Durbs...)When I got on the plane some of the stewarts thought that this was me and started giggling like little school girls. When the paper was passed round the aircraft, right enough everyone thought it was me, but I dont go streaking unless its with my man, Blue and Frank the Tank! 

Me and the wife

  Here we are hand in hand. It was great to see Phil in South Africa and understand him more with the people he met and experiences he ....experienced. I have never seen Phil so happy. We argue and fight a lot but Phil is amazing. He has such a heart for people. He helps me on my journey by asking me to explain myself and asking me the hard questions. He's not what ud call a conventional or traditional Christian but thats what I love about him. He has hang ups with the Church, which we all do, but I see a real need to have a place were you can grow, discuss and encourage one another. This normally doesnt happen in the Sunday service. Phil is one of the most spiritual guys I know. My desire for him is to find a female version of me! We both have a lot to give and we both have our own houses so I'm just putting that out there in case anyone wants to google us.... 

Youth for Christ South Africa

  Miriam and myself with the YFCSA team. It was great meeting these people and feeling some sort of connection 

Oh dear

  So we were out for a long walk and decided to play 'Who's line is it anyway?' I think I actually scared some of the local kids... 

On Safari

  This was on my birthday last year. We got up at like 5am and it was so cold and started to rain. We didnt see many animals and people complained a lot but we had some laughs. This is Darren making the face, consequently making everyone laugh