so DO NOT skip reading this essential article!
Hi Church Family, with Covid restrictions easing, I want to tell you about some incredible youth plans that you most definitely don’t want to miss hearing about – so you can be fully informed & will be able to commit the young people of our church & community to God in prayer.
As a result of what you hear, you may wish you yourself were involved in all the exciting things happening, & so feel free to contact me & find out how YOU can get involved further with the young people.
(1) Youth Study Groups
We are now meeting in-person & this term we are applying the Good News of Jesus to social justice issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Racism, Abortion & Sex Trafficking etc.
As part of this, some of us will be raising money for Tearfund by undertaking the Mean Bean Challenge – living of a measly ration of Rice & Beans for 5 days. For more information or to support us, check out: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/CBCYouthGroup
We will also be finishing our year long journey in Witness Training, helping to equip & empower young people to be God’s witnesses among their peers.
(2) Youth Away Day
After the Church on the Farm (6th June), the young people will be staying on for an away day – creating time to hang out & re-build friendships, making up for lost time due to Covid. The Day will culminate in a youth service with various elements led by different young people.
(3) Summer Camp
We are currently exploring two opportunities…
- DTI Camp (replacing Soul Survivor) a 4-day camp held in Nottingham to enable young people to come together & grow their relationships with each other & God. [30th July – 2nd August]
- Summer Camp A weekend away for the older youth (14+) in Cornwall. [6-8th August]
(4) New Horizons
- We are currently trying to organise a gathering for those finishing sixth form or college to give them a good send off before they explore new horizons.
- Two of our young leaders are currently making applications for an AIM Community Outreach Week – Reaching out from a church in the midlands situated in a community of people from a North African background. Activities will include a children’s holiday club – games, crafts. A community artwork challenge. A women’s group to run alongside the children’s activities – crafts & practicing English. There will also be sports activities for teenagers in the evenings.
- Year 6’s face a big few months as they finish off in primary school & transition to secondary school as well as being eligible to tap into youth ministry. I am hoping to meet with the year 6’s of Corsham Primary, by taking part in the schools Careers Week – explaining something of what I do, why & who can come. This presents opportunities to raise the profile of youth ministry.
(5) Baptism Classes
We are about to begin some baptism classes to help a couple young people think through baptism.
(6) Detached Youth Work
With schools work & outreach into the community campus still problematic, we are exploring possibilities around outreach to young people in Corsham. We’re looking at clothing & branding that will identify us – as we meet with young people where they are at & build ministry in the margins to young people unconnected with church life.
Well hopefully, that gives you plenty of prayer fuel as we look forward to what is to come in youth ministry in the coming months. If you would like to look back, & be encouraged on some of the ministry that has already taken place in lockdown, please check out this article: https://www.webnetwork.org.uk/encouragements-in-lockdown-young-people/
As I wrap up, let me leave you with some bullet points of how you could pray for us:
- Please pray that all we programme would serve our goals: to REACH young people – introducing them to Jesus, to BUILD young people up in Him, and to SEND young people out as witnesses for Jesus in a broken & hurting world.
- Please pray for the young people, particularly the year 6’s & year 13’s as they transition into new environments. Pray that they may remain rooted & established in God as they make their transition.
- Please pray for the young people as they reconnect with their Christian peers in person. Pray that relationships would deepen & grow with each other & God.
- Please pray for wisdom & sensitivity to the youth team as they navigate young people through restrictions lifting.
- God to change hearts & lives of young people in our church & community.
- That young people will see more clearly the beauty of the Good News of Jesus and how it applies to all of life. Please pray that the Good News will direct & shape how we campaign when it comes to social justice issues, and that we would have courage to respond as God would have call us to, whether popular or counter cultural.