SNASS weekend - the real story!!

On friday night SNASS headed off to the North Coast for our annual weekend away. We were staying at Sheep Island View Hostel in Ballintoy. We arrived without an hitches and settled in to the accomodation.

Our theme for the weekend was FREEDOM and our speaker Hollie led the first session getting us to do some word association around freedom and there were some interesting ideas that came out. Some recurring ideas were that of chains being broken, release, running through fields, birds flying and eh...nakedness (thanks for that one Jules ;) )

Worship was led throughout the weekend by or resident SNASS band, who are so good at creating an atmosphere of worship and praise leading us into God's presence as we offer our song of praise to Him.

Our activity for the evening was to recreate a famous movie in a different genre with a specific prop. An example was Cool Runnings, filmed as a musical using a saucepan. There were definitely some interesting and very amusing results. My favourite had to be The Lion King filmed as a horror...certainly an interesting take on the Disney film!!!

Then it was time for bed and apparently for my music collection to be ripped apart - thanks for that Jules and Michael. At least I had Pete to back me up with some things!! What can I say I have a wide range of tastes!

Saturday started all too early...granted earlier for some....

The oldest and the two youngest (also the cutest!!) SNASSers who were at the weekend!! Sorry Pete but I couldn't resist.

Events soon got underway and SNASS hit Ballintoy with an interesting Photo treasure hunt and 'Egg dropping' competition at the harbour. There was an evil forfeit thought up by Jules for those teams whose egg was broken on contact with the tarmac!!

A bowl filled with soup...flour and strategically placed jam...containing 4 mini mars bars which were to be found by memebers of the losing teams. Great fun for those watching...but not so much fun for those having to do it...hehe!!!

Our first 'victim'!!!...delightful

The last victim...and what the mixture looked like after 4 people had been rooting around in it!!!...Yum!!

But don't worry our 3rd challenger found something a little tastier to eat not long afterwards!

While the crew had been out, Jo and I had stayed behind to try and get dinner ready...cooking for 28 people ain't that easy...

I don't actually have any pictures of Hollie speaking but she did help to clear up the saucepans...a true servant!!!!

Saturday night began with a further session on Freedom and a panel to answer questions posed by the young people. This gave a chance for a few of the leaders to talk a little bit about their own christian experience and how they cope with issues which the young people are facing. Also showing that even though they are leaders they also have to face these issues and the young people aren't on their own.

Saturday night seen the airing of mine and Helen's big quiz with a difference, including a play dough round, a sports round, a picture round - guess the 'baby' leader and a music round with a difference.

The star of the night had to be Steve and his 33 press ups in 30 seconds helping his team to victory.

The night was rounded up by a late night walk to the park and then a round of Mafia...a game I always beleive brings out a persons true self...hehe!!

Making friends with the Hostel's statue!!




Jules monkeying around!!!

I had a short sharp intro to motherhood on Sunday morning when Jo appeared in our room at 3.15am saying her and Pete had to go to casualty (nothing serious and everyone was ok!)...so could I look after the boys until they got back. So I got some back up in the form of Julie and we went in and slept in their room with the 2 boys. The first thing I did before I went back to sleep was to pray that they were so worn out from their busy day with their 'big friends' that they would lie in a little later than their 5.30am saturday morning!! And well they did...till 6.30!! Amazingly both boys awoke with a giggle and a smile on their face, not too bothered about the 2 strange girls they woke up to find in their room. Although it was a little disconcerting when the older pointed at me in my bed and said daddy!!! But we got nappies changed (well Julie did!) when we eventually worked out which one went on which child, without any problems...hehe...well just a bit of a close call!!!! Then we headed off to get breakfast and bobo! At this point we had to try and remember Pete's hurried instructions for making a bottle, and once it was made we discovered they were actually back so parental supervision was handed back to them. But I reckon Julie and I made a fair attempt!!

Just before lunch on Sunday we all piled in to the mini bus and headed off to the beach for a quick walk and a time to take in the peace, chat, take some more pictures and even play some rugby!

We tried to get a jumping shot...not very successfully...but eventually got one of Julie...better than nothing I guess!!

All in all it was a great weekend which everyone enjoyed, good fellowship and teaching, great worship and praise, much banter and many many laughs. They are a great group of young people and leaders and it was my privilege to be able to share with them this weekend and every week on a sunday night.