Parachute and Staff+Families

Just back from a packed week or so that started down near Hamilton, in Mystery Creek, at the big music festival Parachute. Myself and a group of students went down to man the TSCF stand as part of the global expo and to take in a bit of what goes on in Parachute Music Festival!
It is safe to say I have never been hotter or dustier in my life. Scots are not made for desert conditions... It was a really great opportunity to get a bit of a taster of this world: to have good conversations, meet new people and old, experience some great gigs and bake in the boiling NZ sun.
A couple of highlights for me - a seminar on why students so often lose their faith and to see the number of people for whom this was a concern. To hear the second of three solutions to this given as to find community on campus; to seek out a campus group. Absolutely. Was also great to see the servant heartedness of the students who came to help with the stand - in such temperatures! It was interesting to see them wrestling with how we can best relate to this bunch of Kiwis, envisioning people to mission on campus.

Went from Parachute on to the first conference for the year with all the TSCF crew and their families - at the beach about 3hrs from Auckland. It really was a lot of fun this year - benefitted from great teaching and discussion on Colossians; brill conversations with sound and encouraging colleagues; time in the sun and the sea and some quality opporunities to work out what God has in store for campuses this year.
It was the greatest privilege to hear from a couple of wise experienced souls a couple of the nights. It is difficult to quantify how encouraging, supportive, challenging it is to be journeying with TSCF alongside folk like Paul Windsor - what a privilege to hear something of his story: his influences, lessons, growth and convictions and the way that grace impacts his attitude to all challenges he encounters. Its all change quite soon in the Windsor household so am sure they'd appreciate your prayers if you're that way inclined....