Last week we got back from the Edgehill Pathfinder venture. We’d stayed in a boarding school in Devon with our kids, a brilliant bunch of leaders and 65 11-14 year olds. We had loads of fun (3 wonderful beach trips, fantastic crafts, excellent games and some lively humour, which included the consumption of delights such as oven-baked tarantula). We made lots of friends (even us mummies who were caring for kids whilst the dads led activities). And we heard the gospel told afresh. The Queen, the Joker and the Engineer were old enough to attend the sessions alongside the Pathfinders for the first time this year and they (aswell as their teenage friends) were gripped by the lively and faithful teaching.
The head honcho, Tim Ambrose posted this thanksgiving prayer letter on his blog last week:
The Vicar's Wife 
Very impressed with the Down Under theme (it is, after all, God’s own..), but it’s my national duty to advise that Tasmania was left off the map. That’s like telling the Scottish Vicar that he’s English.
And you can’t simply dangle the “oven-baked taratula” comment without explanation!
That sounds and looks brilliant.
My wife and I decided this week that we simply have to get back in to the camp/venture habit. We felt we needed to pull out for a while after our first child was born.
Going as a family with activities to occupy the younger children sounds like a brilliant idea.
Dear Vicars Wife,
Good evening!
After browsing your posts I notice we have a few things in common…. CPAS venture leading, a like of Mark Driscoll and both with a site in WordPress, not to mention the good Lord Himself! Now that I’m at home with my lovely 5 month old infant I am fast becoming a fan of your site.
I decided you are my kind of gal but I have an ulterior motive… I want to tell you about my fair trade business, Martha Evatt bags. You can see my site at http://www.marthaevatt.com. You can read all about the business but in short I have a background in the supply of fashion accessories to the high street, struck out on my own, designed and sourced a range of bags from a phenomenal Christian refuge in India and now sell them at different events.
I also know another vicar’s wife who holds bag parties at her house (a bit like a tupperware party but no tupperware) I am not sure where you are based in the country (I’m in Leicester) but wonder if a bag party would be appropriate or of interest in your congregation especially as Christmas approaches? Sometimes I go and give a talk about the bags in different places, sometimes I just send stock to a seller and they go for it and I give them commission.
So, in short – are you up for it? Something that would work in your church? If so, do contact thru the website!
Hello all. I think the oven baked tarantula may require a separate blog post, Alex. Although you may be surprised to know that it cost £14 from Selfridges.
PeterB – don’t suppose you’d like to join the team on a P’finder venture in Devon would you?
Welcome to the Vicarage Martha. Your bags look lovely. I’m not sure a bag party would work in our small inner city church, but perhaps other blog readers would be interested.
If you read around the blog a bit you’ll get a flavour of life here. My friend from the parish who always carries glamorous bags buys them in charity shops for less than £5, which is very ethical!