This week has been pretty fun. I think I'm getting into the swing of this internship a little more. I guess any change of lifestyle takes some getting used to.

I'm really enjoying spending time with my new smallgroup. On Saturday night a group of us went out in Bristol - ended up at an R'n'B club called The Level, which, I have to admit isn't the greatest club I've ever been to, but it was fun.

I'm looking for Bristol's equivalent of the Toucan Club - a live music venue specialising in funk. Any suggestions?

On Thursday I'm heading up to Nottingham for Doing the Stuff, which should be great.

Q. In our society, is it the case that the more people a Church "employs" (work in exchange for money), the harder it is to mobilise the membership (in every-member-ministry)? Is there an element of 'why should I do it when (fill in blank) is paid to do it?'

Apologies for a very slack week of blogging. Things have been real busy and have gone from fun to homesick to fun again in the course of a few days.

Wednesday night Mark, Zoe and my Mum and Dad came over ready for the Vineyard South West Regional day - for people planting churches in that area. It was great to see them and have some catch-up time though, as usual, it didn't last long enough.

In the evening I started a Fusion small group at 419 Gloucester Rd. It was fun hanging out, looking at what we are about as a group, eating Jaffa Cakes, and hanging out some more.

Friday night our new band got together to practise, jam and prepare some songs for Sunday morning. It was really good fun - they're a great bunch and I'm sure we'll have a really enjoyable year.

Saturday was downtime, a chance to do very little and really enjoy just being.

Yesterday after the morning service we went to The Wellington on Gloucester Road for their Sunday roast. I had the veggie option which included a quarter of a butternut squash with melted cheese and tomato slices. Very tasty. Don't you just love root vegetables!

This weekend was a blast. We've had Mike Turrigiano over from NYC Vineyard teaching some Vineyard basics: in the moment ministry, praying for people, Kingdom of God.

Friday night was all the BV leaders together for some training (inc. 'clinic' time). Saturday a load of us went to Winchester for a leaders day for Vineyards in the South - was great to see some old friends and meet some new ones. Finally on Sunday Mike spoke some more on the Kingdom and worldview etc. All in all a great few days.

the blackspot sneaker is here...

On Monday night Mark came over and we ate roasted vegetables and talked for hours. It was great to catch up on everything that is going on in Cardiff and to hear what God has been up to in the lives of my friends.

Last night was Alpha - we ate great food and hung out with some new friends. Anne, a lady in Bristol Vineyard, bakes great cakes and last night we got to taste her carrot cake. mmmmm.

Following the auditions on Sunday I've been put in a band with Rachel, who was the first sung worship leader at Cardiff Vineyard, which should be great fun. In fact if it wasn't for her leaving Cardiff when she graduated I may never have started using the guitar in worship.

Sarah-Lou is now blogging...

Yesterday was pretty crazy, doing various studenty things. At 4.30pm I was at Bristol CU's search for a church event, which involved around 50 students (and me!) crammed into a small room hearing from other students about the churches they are part of.

I've never heard the word "sound" used so many times. It got me thinking how sad it would be if the only words we could think of to describe our communities were that they were "sound." I might be completely off the mark here, but when I read about the New Testament church I don't get the sense that the attraction in their community was the fact that they were doctrinally correct. It seems that what was far more appealing was the fact that they embodied the Kingdom.

I'm not saying that good doctrine is wrong, but when it's the only emphasis in your community it might be time to worry.