by Matt Keegan
Sunday 20th, July 2008 saw 10 riders from Harvey and Donnybrook tackle some of the toughest, muddiest and down right dirtiest terrain that the south west town of Balingup could throw at us.
After meeting at Brett Lawtie’s house at 9:00am we set off to the tourist town of Balingup to tackle some of the trails I had mapped out the week before. Those accompanying myself for the day were Andrew Eyre and his sons Jason and Nathan, Brett Lawtie and daughter Brittany and family friend Josh Watts, Dean Lawtie and Shaun and Harley Radovan.
We arrived at our destination with the clouds still covering the hill tops and valleys making a picturesque setting for slinging mud and having fun. The silence of atmosphere was broken as all 10 bikes were started and warmed up. Then at 10:15am it was on for good and old.
Not long into the ride the mud was flying with bikes and riders being covered from head to toe. Unfortunately the slippery conditions meant there were going to be some spectacular “kick offs”. Shortly into the ride Brittany’s bike suffered a flat tyre and retired her from the rest of the ride, she is to be commended for mixing it up the big boys though and I’m sure we have not seen the last of her. Josh also retired at this time and the pair of them limped the bike home.
With some riders just warming up and others asking when they could go home we pressed on over the next set of hills with heights of over 200 meters above sea level we were literally riding in the clouds with fantastic views to boot. After a long and grueling “Man From Snowy River” down hill, we lost another of our riders to fatigue and Dean left us after swapping mounts with Shaun.
A lengthy break later, we then moved on into the pines and some of the nastiest terrain. This terrain did not leave one rider on their bike for the rest off the ride, with some specky “kick offs” and true mate-ship to help each other up and over all sorts it was a day of riding to remember with everyone returning home safely.
So if you have a bike and no where to ride or you just want to come out for some fun keep watching WACMEN for up and coming rides or send me your details to matanika@netserv.net.au and I’ll email or text you with info on upcoming rides.
Hope to see you on the trails,
Matt.Read full post...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thrills, Spills and Muddy Hills
Opportunities for Ministry within WACMen
With the recent influx of activity, WACMEN is gearing up for Easter Camp and alot of other events planned for next year. We are including here a list of available voluntary positions for all subscribers to apply for.
This is your chance to become a part of the WACMEN team in an exciting ministry that has heaps of opportunity for helping others and building God’s Kingdom.
We envisage that all spots will be filled eventually but they are not limited to positions listed below. There is plenty of scope within each job description in which you may find an assistant type role that suits you rather than taking the lead.
We can cater for your particular interest and welcome any supportive ideas where you think you can help out (cooks and bottle washers included).
CURRENT AVAILABLE POSITIONS
These are all the core positions to date and may require assistants within each role later as WACMEN grows. Applicants may apply for any listed above. Please contact us by email, telling us why you feel you would like to fill any of the above along with your qualifications and experience. We will assess each application and be in touch with you regarding the outcome. All applications to be sent by email to donga1@westnet.com.au
Read full post...
The WACMen Engine
What fuelled the Men’s Movement in the US was when a few churches recognised the absence of men in church and followed that up with a ministry targeting male only needs. In the 1990s, Promise Keepers stumbled across the idea of the century by bringing men together in environments where they already felt comfortable: football stadiums. These churches sought to bring the church to men and not the traditional way where men are invited to the church. From these humble beginnings a small revolution was started that has now spilled into the UK and Australian churches. Organisations like Promise Keepers, Church for Men, Band of Brothers and Forge to name a few have emerged as catalysts for a movement that is now coming to a church near you whether you like it or not!
The strength of the movement lies in the fact that it resonates with many men who for a long time have felt that something was not quite right within traditional church culture and its’ view of typical male behaviour. Local churches experimented and men found something alluring about being invited to Men’s Breakfasts’ and midweek meetings. Many attended these exclusively male events with a sense of trepidation, curiosity and yes – guilt. Some men’s meetings missed the mark and consequently had poor attendance because they leaned towards a “men need to get in touch with their feminine side” theme. Other meetings however, were a huge success as men were given back the right to express themselves as males among a band of brothers who understood their struggles and kept rock solid confidences - unlike your average church meeting. Well run men’s events are greatly appreciated and well received wherever they are held and are now beginning to catch on in most churches. The thing about the Men’s Movement is that it is a grass roots movement because it started that way.
I recently attended a Chaplain training weekend in Perth as a part of my state school chaplain responsibilities. I car pooled with a young upcoming Church of Christ pastor/chaplain who is finishing his theology degree this year. We struck up a conversation about denominational similarities and I discovered he was a convert to the Men’s Movement. We agreed on every point and he said he sees the same things as described in literature about the issues surrounding men as vital to a growing church. Needless to say he is now a happy subscriber to WACMEN adding to the growing number of men from other faiths who like what we are saying and doing.
This story was repeated at the venue the next day as I spoke with a wide range of denominational chaplains who were either aware of or already involved in men’s activities in their local churches. One seminar was offered among our choices as specifically dealing with Men and the problems facing boys. The bottom line here is that this issue regarding men and church has permeated most denominations fuelling men’s groups that are popping up all over the place. As the dots are connected, the demand for services from networks like WACMEN will only increase and opportunities to serve will become greater.
Even Promise Keepers are changing their original tactics of large gatherings. The revised vision statement reads: "Impacting churches to transform their cities by equipping leaders to disciple men in the masculine context." They are recognizing what God is already doing. "We've left the stadiums and we're going to the churches," says the leadership. – Christianity Today
So the engine of WACMEN or any men’s movement for that matter is deep down in the basement of your local church community. Local men with a vision to increasing God’s Kingdom by introducing changes that revive the masculine spirit provide fuel for the pistons that make the engine run. Starting a group that aims to give men permission to be men and rediscover their true God-given masculinity will do more for your church than any bible based seminar on the market I know.
The good news is that there is a momentum building at the local level in our state churches. Even now I am receiving calls from men who want to do something in their church but don’t know where to start. Demand is already telling me that the engine is turning over. Getting the message out there to the local churches has been a bit tough. One response from one pastor I received when I asked him to promote WACMEN with his local men was “I’m retiring”. I hope and pray we can all see the value of WACMEN until we can get to Camp next year – then I estimate we will see a big jump in activity.
Anyone wanting to start a local Men’s group should contact us by email at donga1@westnet.com.au and we will send you some basic stuff to get you started. We are planning to have a speaker at Camp next year with information along these lines as well.Read full post...
Working Beyond Our Limits with Julian Krieg
Have you ever had the experience of trying to explain to someone that they are working a piece of equipment beyond its limits?
One of my mates has been trying to get a bit more power out of his vehicle lately. He has fitted a Turbo, extractors, gas injection on his diesel etc and doing this has definitely increased his power significantly, but at a cost. His vehicle cooling system couldn’t cope, his warranty is gone and now he has a broken crankshaft.
Perhaps you have returned something under Warranty and been asked “What were you doing when it broke” and been told in no uncertain terms that “This piece of equipment was never designed to do that!’’ and therefore the warranty claim is not going to be met.
This type of thing happens all the time with cars, tractors farm equipment kitchen appliances and all manner of things right down to the clothes we wear and we generally accept that misuse or abuse leads to equipment failure.
Perhaps we should step back and say to ourselves what am I doing to myself that alters my life balance and puts me at risk in balancing my lifestyle. Does this sound a bit like what my mate has done to his vehicle?
It doesn’t matter how old or young you are if you force yourself to operate at a level that is above your optimum performance range for extended periods of time you will experience premature failure of one of your wellbeing systems, either physical or mental. I guess the answer is easier said than done but we need to take stock from time to time that we are operating within our limitations.
We also need to prepare for the season ahead and consider our fitness as well as our machines. It is important to take stock and develop appropriate strategies now to avoid problems at a critical time later. Like machines, we often consider pushing ourselves way beyond the limits. Are we working too hard, eating and exercising enough, maintaining a balanced social lifestyle as well as the needs of our partners and children?
It is important that we put as much effort into looking after ourselves as we put into looking after our toys. There is a saying that “We often don’t value something until we lose it” take steps now to ensure you look after yourself. If we burn the candle at both ends, either working playing or partying it will catch up with us. Take care to keep a good balance and prepare for the season ahead. – JulianRead full post...