Narnia tops childhood favourites

The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis has topped a BBC Parenting survey of favourite books from childhood that parents most wanted to share with their children.

Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, and The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton completed the list. (www.ananova.com)

Sister Wendy networks with the clubbers

Wendy Sanderson is not your typical clubber. Her title - Sister Wendy - gives it away. But she isn't a nun, either.

Newly graduated from the Church Army's Wilson Carlisle College of Evangelism, she's project team leader for Club Network, a pioneering venture that could affect every club in Wales' capital city Cardiff. The project will recruit and train teams of volunteers, who will be available to advise and support vulnerable clubbers.

"It's not about training people to be counsellors," said Wendy. "Team members will simply be there to listen, offer advice in a non-judgmental way. Each team will be based permanently in a club, so it's important that they gain credibility both with the punters and also club management."

Links will be made with agencies able to offer specialist support, and Wendy vows: "We are not going in to shut down the culture. We are going to work with club staff and management."

She continues: "Where would Jesus be in the 21st century? He'd be in the clubs (with my generation), helping marginalised young people. He wouldn't Bible-bash and nor will we. We will support, listen, and advise, showing the love of Jesus in a practical way."

Info: 0798 514 5726.

Youth outreach Down Under packs 'em out

An evangelistic youth meeting in Australia proved so popular that many Christians left to make room for un-churched teens.

Hunter Harvest - Youth Jam at the Entertainment Center in Newcastle drew 6,500 in the main auditorium, with an overflow of 1,000 and an estimated 2,500 listening from outside. Many had been invited by fellow students as well as the special SWAT (Students With A Testimony) Team who visited schools and spoke to young people in the streets and shopping centres.

A four-minute segment was shown from Mel Gibson's forthcoming film on the life of Christ, The Passion, graphically portraying the flogging and the Golgotha scenes. There were also musical performances by Switchfoot, Steve Grace and The Lads.

Pastor Guy Laurie spoke on the prodigal son and more than 1,000 people responded to his invitation. There were security concerns over the size of the crowd, and when Pastor Laurie stepped out to view the situation, an usher warned him that he might not be allowed back in. (ASSIST)

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