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I’m thrilled to spread the news that a new CEO is heading to Youthworks. Zac Veron, currently the senior minister at St George North Anglican Churche, has had loads of experience in growing ministries, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he weaves his magic (so to speak) over Youthworks in the coming years.

For full details of the appointment, including comments from Zac and others, read this press release or this article from your.sydneyanglicans.net.

I’ve got to confess that I didnt’t really get very excited about the Earth Hour that turned off the power across Sydney last Saturday night. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m keen to see our world preserved from the impending sauna we face unless we stop our CO2 omissions and other factors leading to global warming. But, I’m not really sure that the stunt on Saturday night will make a difference.

Part of the reason behind my Gen X scepticism is that I expect that many of the participants in this event will probably make few, if any, changes to the way they live and work. People, generally, have grown too accustomed to their creature comforts. We want our air conditioning, the ’stand by’ on the photocopier, and every other energy-hungry perk we can utilise. We’re happy to wear the t-shirt, but will we really sacrifice our pleasures?

Now I might really sound like a child of the ‘greed-is-good’ 80s, but I think that the only way we will really stop people wasting electricity is if there is a financial incentive. We need to charge businesses and individuals more for power, and probably sign onto a form of carbon credit system. Obviously we will need to protect the poor through means-tested discounted electricity, but if we made power more expensive then perhaps people might naturally start to buy solar hot water heating, and choose to live in houses with eaves and thick walls instead of paper-thin houses that require huge air conditioners.

Earth Hour had some use. It provided education and awareness. But without ongoing financial ‘encouragement’, I suspect most of the citizens of our self-centred world will continue to suck the energy from the grid, whether or not they bought an ‘Earth Hour’ t-shirt.

Yes, I’ve finally made it into the big league. Forget the Sydney Morning Herald. Forget 103.2 FM. Forget sydneyanglicans.net. Yes, I’ve finally scored an interview with ‘On The Poddy!’

After the Gen Y conference on Saturday, Dave, Dan and Bron Downes grabbed me, dragged me to a cafe, and with the lure of a strong latte, hit me with scores of penetrating questions.

To have a listen to this great podcast from Dave Miers and the gang from Central Coast Evangelical Church, click here.

And, if you really want to make Dave’s week/month/year/life, subscribe to the podcast from iTunes, and help him achieve his aim in life to score a number one spot in the iTunes charts.

Join us for course 8 of the Youthworks Youth Ministry Certificate at Moore Theological College, Newtown. To register email andrews@youthworks.net or phone 0438 614 286.