CEYC Core Group Meeting, Coventry

Report by Beverley Joseph

On Saturday 8th October 2011, the Church of England Youth Council’s Core Group met in Coventry’s Holy Trinity Centre to discuss and finalise upcoming events, with the most anticipated being its National annual Residential meeting (18th - 20th November).

There were updates on recent meetings such as the Board of Education meeting that was held in Church House on Tuesday 8th of October. A representative from Core Group will be attending the Methodist Youth Conference '3generate' 4th-6th Nov.

Maggie Swinson, Chair of Synod joined us for the morning to share stories of her experience of chairing Synod meetings for over 10 years. “...Be aware of quirky personalities...be ‘eyes open’ for people trying to cut each other off....” being some of Maggie’s most heartfelt advice. Her creative skills led the Core group in a small exercise where each one was to pull off character roles such as “going way off topic” and “talking too much”- The moral of the exercise of course being to come together & discuss counter actions by a ‘good’ Chair to overcome such issues.

The most exciting project on the agenda is perhaps the initial planning by CEYC of the “Positivity Campaign”. This is envisaged to be a campaign to promote a positive message about young people in the church to the wider church, and to give hope & inspiration to young people and the whole church. We hope this would be a means of joy and life to what is often thought of as dry & lifeless! Inspirations were drawn from such New Testament Scripture as , John 14:19, “…because I live, you also will live…”, John 15:5-8, “I am the vine you are the branches…If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be my disciples” and Philippians 2:4-5, “…in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should not only look to your own interests, but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus.”

An overall great meeting!