The Real Nicole.

So with the trantition of many new young people into my youth group, i decided to write up the values and in that the vision of what kind of community my youth group will aim to be as we get new people in.  this is what ive come up with... Being a part of youth group is an exciting thing and can be lots of fun, but in order to make it fun for everyone (adults included, because if the adults aren’t having fun, they will stop coming and there won’t be any youth group) there are a few rules we need to try and remember.  ·          All belong and are welcome to attend youth group.   This means that you can bring your friends who are youth aged (Yr7-Yr12) and it also means that we don’t discriminate against or bully those who are attending. ·          We use language which is inclusive and will not offend others. This means we consider what we say and how we say it and don’t use swear ...

The last few weeks at youth group I've started to transition year 6's from the local primary school I work at into youth group. These last few weeks I've noticed something. I seem to be thinking differently to most people in the room at youth group.  I love 10-14year olds. And I love having them at youth group. They are probably some of my favourite people.  It's fascinating really,  year 6s tend to think they are the most important person in the room, they aren't aware that things have been operating before them and will in the future. Other youth hate them, they label them twelvies and are annoyed by their bouncy, loud and energetic attitudes. Other adults get tired by them, they seem to want to have a conversation with them and this of course doesn't happen in a mature way.    Me? Why do I love them so much?  I love them because their energy can be turned into evangelism, their loudness can be turned into leadership and their bouncing can be ...

Earlier this year, a statement went viral, schools and teachers all over the world were asking their students to complete the sentence "I wish my Teacher knew...." Teachers were getting powerful responses about the lack of resources students had, how their parents weren't present and how their self esteem affected how they learned or contributed. There is so much I wish the students at school where I chaplain would tell me or their class teacher. I wish they would tell us if they haven't got food, that they didn't do their homework because their parents didn't know how to do it so couldn't assist them, that things are really hard from them at home with their responsibilities at home they are always worried. Personal life impacts how people learn and there are some students who battle so much internally and in their personal life just to attend each day of school. There was so much I wish I told my teachers when I was at school, that I was trying ...

Social media and limited characters for bios has forced us to create an identity in as little characters or words as possible. I often do this with I am statements and statements or words about things I love.  Facebook says:  I am... 22 I am... christian I am.. Known as Muggles, Nicolee-ole, The Mugginator, Miamle and Muggers I am... a Leader, a Youth Pastor, PCW and a Dreamer i am... a friend and a Daugther I am... learning from my mistakes I am... studying a Bachelor of Ministry I am... a child of God Loves God Loves People Loves grapes Loves stationary Loves boardgames Loves teaching and leading young people Loves reading Loves friends Loves good food Loves my church Loves studying Loves worshipping a great God Instagram says: Daughter, youth pastor, Chaplain (PCW), student, friend, dreamer, follower of Christ, born to make a difference Twitter says: Jesus. Community. Laughing. Boardgames. Youth Pastor. Bachelor of Ministry Student. But is this who I really am? Or is t...

One thing I've really struggled with since being Is Naracoorte is making friends. Don't get me wrong I've got some mates. But every week at church it's a real struggle to know who I should sit with. I pray that youth will come and not have their family with them to sit with. Often I sit alone. It's not nice. A few years ago I wrote for the New Times (Uniting Church SA magazine) about being a young adult in church and not being treated as an adult because its the church you grew up in and older members of church don't really realise you have grown up because they remember you as a kid. I thought when I moved churches and started in leadership I would be treated as an adult. But I still find that difficult in my new context. Not because people are horrible but I think because the age gap is big. Most of the church congregation is 40 years old and older. In fact I think there are maybe 5 people aged 20-40 in the congregation. Then there are youth.  Now these ot...

Well we are in 2015 now. How did that happen?!? I don't know about you, but i realised i was an adult and not as young as i thought i was this last year when i realised that there were kids in high school born in the 2000s, The kids transitioning into primary school for 2015 were all born in 2010. And i have actually be out of high school for 4 whole years now! 2014 was an incredibly big year for me.  The 1st of Feb marks one year since I arrived here in Naracoorte. What a year! Golly gosh, where do i even start?! These  last 12 months have been such an adventure and challenge  for me as I stepped out in faith and moved to Nadacoorte  to  work as the youth pastor and work in the lives of the young people in this region. When I'm real honest I would say that this last year has been the toughest year if my life. But I wouldn't change it. I have learnt so much. I think I moved here thinking I knew everything and that I was going to be able to change the wor...

I was asked to speak at a Church in Naracoorte in December about how i had been called and ended up in Naracoorte.  I also shared this similar story/message to the campers and leaders at CE Camp. Hello my name is Nicole Mugford, I’m 22 years old and I have grown up in the north eastern suburbs of Adelaide until moved to Naracoorte in February when I began working as the Youth pastor at the Uniting church and more recently in the second semester as Christian Pastoral Support Worker at Naracoorte Primary School. I'll tell you more about my roles later but first let me tell you a bit about my journey to getting here and how God has paved the way for me.  I don’t really have a testimony of a life of sin and turning from it, but I don’t have a story of faithfully growing up in a Christian home either.  My family have had a connection with church for a long time but not regular attenders.  After being invited to a kids club during primary school, my mum built conn...