Partners’ Newsletter Spring 2019 Director writes As you have read or watched elsewhere, I will Networks, meaning the Christian voice is be moving on from the role of Director at being heard in places it was not. In the last Bath and Wiltshire Youth for Christ in the four years a lot has happened, and we are Spring. Inevitably, such a moment has thankful to God for all he has done. Thank you provoked me to reflect on the journey for the part you have played in that journey. Wiltshire Youth for Christ has been on since its launch in late 2014. Please can I take this opportunity to encourage you to continue to pray for, give Schools in which there was little or no to and volunteer in the work of Wiltshire Christian input now have weekly engagement Youth for Christ, so the growing momentum through mentoring, faith-discussion groups, continues, and lives will be transformed for assemblies, Christian Unions and more. Young years to come. Please can I specifically ask people can enjoy drop-in youth projects and that you pray for Steve and Dan during this the opportunity to explore life and faith. In time of change and that God will reveal his the last four years we have trained over 100 plans for Wiltshire Youth for Christ in the people as volunteer youth workers and / or coming months. mentors. That is 100 local volunteers better equipped to serve young people in their God’s peace and strength church and community. That is amazing! to you. Wiltshire Youth for Christ has a very positive James Vaughton relationship with local Area Boards and Youth Wise guides for Wiltshire Youth for Christ Wiltshire Youth for Christ works because of lots of people. You hear about Dan, Steve and James, but the reality is there is a host of volunteers and supporters who make this work happen. One such group is our Advisory Group. Catherine Haddow, Rev. Barry Blackford, Alison Bennett and Rev. Keith Brindle are our wise guides. Three times per year the team meets with this group to review the work and look ahead. It is a really significant role and means that local people help shape the work of Wiltshire Youth for Christ. We are on the lookout for one or two new members so if listening and asking good questions, with a heart for the mission of Jesus is something you are interested in, then please email [email protected] to get the ball rolling. We don’t have a picture of the group, they are too ‘secret service!’ 2 Loving our neighbour “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbour as yourself.” This profound truth told by Jesus and repeated by Paul in Galatians 5 reminds us of the importance of loving those people who are close to us – not simply our next-door neighbours, but also the people with whom we work, who live out their daily joys and struggles separately, but alongside us in ours. Of course, this can be difficult as I’m sure we already know! In a school context, this act of loving your neighbour can be just as difficult to young Christians. “How do I demonstrate love to those who bully my friend? Who are nothing like me? Who don’t seem worthy of my time? Who are younger than me?” At St Laurence School Christian Union, we are exploring some key themes this term such as fear, forgiveness and rejection, considering how we respond to these challenges in our own lives and in turn, how we can love others who face these issues too. Equipping Volunteers to help young people Our secondary school mentoring project youth worker at Christchurch in Warminster continues to gather momentum with new has been developing mentoring work at mentors joining the team in the last few Kingdown School with the support of months. In January we ran another training Wiltshire Youth for Christ and has about 10 day, with a full-house of 15 people, many volunteers regularly meeting with young from the Warminster area. Chris Scorah, the people in that school. Here are a couple of quotes from trainee mentors who attended the training: “I’ve been in education a long time and I was just so surprised how much I learned, and it has excited and enabled me to work with the young people. Prior to the training, I was quite nervous, but now feel well equipped.” Janet “I thoroughly enjoyed the day and had a lot of fun. I learned a lot about technique and was particular interested in the colour energy test.” Margaret 3 Building community in the Wellsprings Benefice The Wellsprings benefice includes Potterne, welcome guests and serve at tables. One Worton, Marston, Seend, Bulkington and young lady wowed guests with her amazing Poulshot. Steve was busy over Christmas singing, adding to a wonderful evening. Steve with assemblies and school services. He also shared updates on the work he is doing and led the Crib Service at St Mary’s Church, presented a “Special Community Award” Potterne on Christmas Eve. This year included to a local young person who has overcome a specially recorded personal message to challenges and been involved in the life of the the congregation from a Palestinian Christian youth club and village. family living in Jerusalem. The Community Garden in Potterne is also continuing to Despite so much going on we continue to grow into a well-used space for an annual look at ways to support local churches and Community Carol evening, which in 2018 communities connecting with young people. took place on 21st December. Despite the Steve is working with the Devizes Area Board colder weather, members of the church gave and Local Youth Network to explore new a warm welcome and hot drink/mince pie to and exciting ways to come alongside young help lift sprits. Young and young at heart sang people. Watch this space carols out in the open, for what is becoming a memorable village Christmas tradition. On Saturday 26th January over 90 guests joined Potterne Youth Centre Committee members and a team of teenagers to celebrate Burns Night with a 3-course meal at the Potterne Village Hall. This annual fundraising event helps cover costs of running the youth centre facility in the village. Steve organises a team of young people to 4 Prayer points for Wiltshire February> April> • Please pray for wisdom and God’s • Pray for the Accompanying Project timing in moving forward with new work delivered by Annie and Dan in projects this year. Fitzmaurice School in Bradford on Avon and by Melksham Team Ministry • Thank God for the GSUS Live mission, in Melksham providing opportunity to share the gospel with over 3,400 students. Pray • Thank God for his provision for Wiltshire for its impact to continue as Dan and Youth for Christ Steve plan and start to deliver follow-up projects. • Please pray for ongoing relations with schools and churches. To overcome • Thank God for the volunteer mentors, challenges and see opportunities to give those who are new and those who have hope and love. been mentoring for a number of years. • Pray for Steve and his family living in the rural area. For wisdom, resources and May> renewed vision to carry on this ministry serving the young people and church • Pray for the Christian Union in St. across the area. Laurence School. • Pray for Connect Mentoring work in Lavington School, St. Laurence School, March> John of Gaunt School and Clarendon Academy. Please pray for the volunteer • Please pray for Youth Stream, our mentor team and the young people weekly discipleship group for young we mentor. people, that we see growth not just in breadth but depth this term. • Please pray that the lives of young people we work with will be changed • Pray for Dan Webb and his family. by Jesus. • Pray for the Potterne Youth Club and • Please pray for all those outside of in particular for the vulnerable young the church networks that are in areas people who attend every week, and of leadership or authority. The local Steve as he works with them Council, Police, Parish Council, School staff and other organisations who we • Pray for James as he leaves Youth for can work with and be a witness to God’s Christ and takes up his new role. Ask love and grace in unity. God for wisdom in the recruitment process for a new Director. 5 GSUS Live tours six secondary schools in Wiltshire 2018 ended on a high for the Wiltshire Youth Gospel many times through these sessions.” for Christ team with the arrival of the GSUS We are very thankful to an amazing group Live Tour that visited six secondary schools of volunteers which included 12 volunteer across the county. We worked in partnership presenters from different local churches with Counties Evangelists, local youth and a team six riggers who managed all the workers, church volunteers and school staff location set up and pack downs of the unit. to engage with 6 secondary schools across 4 towns. The reception from students and staff was fantastic. Young people loved the way the The mobile classroom unit provided a session ran, as they got to use the multimedia multimedia computer suite as the core of to explore the lives of the young people the hardware. The unit takes up to 32 pupils and we would then finish each session by for a 45 to 60 minute lesson in which they sharing the Christian story and a time of open can investigate Jesus’ teachings through questions.