Our Story; Our Church
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MAY-JUNE 2017 MAY-JUNE Our story; our church Comment: a pilgrim’s progress at high school PAGE 4 A changing world, a changing church and a new generation PAGE 6 A student in My cathedral life: Focus on: What’s On: search of a growing up The Coastal plan your church 16 18 Group 30 time out 36 FIVE DAYS WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER TEENAGERS, WORSHIPPING GOD, HEARING FROM HIS WORD, PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND ENJOYING CAFES, LIVE MUSIC, SPORTS, FILMS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS! week b week c 19 - 23 AUGUST 25 - 29 AUGUST PETERBOROUGH PETERBOROUGH www.soulsurvivor.com �SOULSURVIVORUK �SOULSURVIVORGB SOULSURVIVORUK � SOULSURVIVORUK e. [email protected] t. 0303 333 1 333 a. Soul Survivor, Unit 16 Paramount Ind. Est. Sandown Road, Watford, Herts. WD24 7XA, UK. Charity No. 1080720. Company No. 03991111. 2017_A4_AD.indd 1 16/03/2017 11:38 From the Editor Contents THE MAGAZINE | MAY – JUNE 2017 Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 COMMENT: a pilgrim's progress Matthew 18:3 his is a special edition of The In our main feature, Jamie takes a look Magazine written (almost!) at the big questions young people are completely by young people. asking today, contrasting their questions We brainstormed ideas on a and struggles with those their parents January evening, while we met to eat or grandparents had (pg 6). Anna pizza and contribute our suggestions. shares a part of her story of faith and WeT decided to write this issue from a the struggles she has had with being young person’s perspective of what a Christian in school (pg 4). Florence church and the Christian faith is like, or writes of her journey to confirmation 6 FEATURE: could be like, to help adults understand (pg 10), Jack of his vocation (pg 14) better how to relate to the youth in their and Cole has penned a story about a A changing world, church and lives. friendship with God (pg 40). a changing church I go out with my parents and a small team We hope you enjoy reading this issue & a new generation each Saturday in Dereham, praying for and that it inspires you to befriend, the town and the people and sharing the support and disciple the youth in gospel. We meet a lot of young people your church and witness to the young who have barely heard about Jesus people you see regularly, maybe your before. Some ask us questions: “What children, grandchildren, pupils or happens after you die? Where do you neighbours, so that they can share the 11 REVIEWS: multi-media write- go?” One girl told us: “No one has ever Good News with their friends and in ups by young people told me about Jesus before.” turn disciple them. Many teenagers and young adults are God bless you! 12 A photo journey around a church hungry for purpose, happiness and fulfilment, but who is there to tell them 15 ONE DAY: Charlotte Snell – that everything they seek is found Youth MP in Jesus? One common view is that Christianity is boring and full of rules; but Elizabeth Milne (aged 15) 17 SOUL SPACE: What is love? the truth is that following Jesus is the most exciting journey ever! 23 Comings & Goings Bishop Graham says: “God calls the young to be witnesses to him as the story of our 24 Help with youth work: local salvation unfolds” (pg 5). Young people charities supporting churches and children are very important in the Kingdom of God. The Church has a huge 26 Interfaith visit in King’s Lynn responsibility in raising and discipling the FIVE DAYS WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER TEENAGERS, WORSHIPPING GOD, next generation of Christ-followers. 32 Out & About: happenings HEARING FROM HIS WORD, PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND ENJOYING CAFES, across the Diocese The Magazine design: LIVE MUSIC, SPORTS, FILMS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS! Get in touch Adept Design www.adeptdesign.co.uk 01603 882348 (Editor) Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily [email protected] those of the Diocese and the acceptance of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement. Diocesan House, 109 Dereham Road, Easton, Norwich NR9 5ES Cover photo: Some of the young people who have contributed to this issue. Photos supplied + © Paul Hurst www.dioceseofnorwich.org/magazine The Twelve week b week c facebook.com/dioceseofnorwich 19 - 23 AUGUST 25 - 29 AUGUST @DioceseNorwich Towers PETERBOROUGH PETERBOROUGH 34 Festival The next issue (deadline Monday 15 May) focusses on world mission. 35 Resources: Thy Kingdom Come, Refugee Week & more www.soulsurvivor.com To advertise in The Magazine please contact Sally on �SOULSURVIVORUK �SOULSURVIVORGB SOULSURVIVORUK � SOULSURVIVORUK 01603 882322 or email [email protected] 40 By your side: a story e. [email protected] t. 0303 333 1 333 a. Soul Survivor, Unit 16 Paramount Ind. Est. Sandown Road, Watford, Herts. WD24 7XA, UK. Charity No. 1080720. Company No. 03991111. 3 2017_A4_AD.indd 1 16/03/2017 11:38 A pilgrim’s progress in high school he world is becoming a scary I did get used to it unfortunately and It was impossible. I didn’t know how to place for young people. With swearing seemed to pass off as a ‘cool’ handle it and I honestly couldn’t have everything going on – Brexit, thing to do. Everyone did it because they done it without my mum and dad. They a new Prime Minister, tuition didn’t care about what others thought really helped me to focus even when the fees rising – it is even more difficult for and they didn’t care about their parents going got tough. They were always there those with a Christian faith (I have learnt finding out so what was the problem? I to comfort me in times of trouble and fromT experience!). Within the halls of thought long and hard about that and always showed the same compassion high school, Christian teenagers seriously came to the conclusion that it really that God shows me. struggle to find somewhere to hide doesn’t matter if I swear, my parents Not many people know how hard not from the pressures of it all. Since the won’t know… I started swearing after going with the flow is. It has been UK population has slowly been turning that, because individuality isn’t a bad hard but by the end of this term, I will away from the truth, it has become much thing, is it? Well, apparently it was. As have finished my five years. The most harder for the Christian youth to actually soon as I started, I lost my individuality. I important thing that has kept me going maintain their faith. I have experienced was just following the crowd. Only then is faith. Faith that he has given me and this in ways I never thought I would. did I realise how much I was drifting from faith that he gives to everyone who seeks God and what I’d always believed. I was a little year seven student – excited for him. about starting the big school – and the I wish I could find a time on the bus school looked so massive. The halls were when I wasn’t being questioned massive, the grounds were massive, even about what I believe. They would ask the teachers looked terrifyingly tall. All I unrealistic questions like: “If God was had was a map of the school. As I settled in tied down and so were your parents the first few days, lots of class mates began and you could only save one…”, they to find their voice. They would shout and refused to believe me if I was even close swear in class and being me (an innocent to saying God. They would make jokes Christian girl who had never heard a and share atheist quotes on Facebook Anna is 15, has a passion for swear word in her life before), I was totally for me to see. They’d ridicule the other film and drama, loves surfing and is currently doing her shocked by it. How could someone Christians about believing in some ‘Big GCSEs at Diss High School. possibly say such atrocities in class?! guy in the sky’. She attends Burston Chapel. If God was tied down and so were your parents and you could only save one… 4 God calls the young n our recent Diocesan culture of power politics. ‘Blessed are the Pilgrimage to the Holy poor for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs’ Land, our Palestinian guide reminds us that those with the least in reminded us that 2,000 this life are specially favoured by God. years ago the usual age for betrothal Those of us mature in years and was fourteen. So Mary would probably faith sometimes forget the radical Ohave been a young teenager when edge of the gospel and the way it she gave birth to Jesus. Paintings of should provoke us to rethink our the nativity and even crib figures often priorities. That’s why I always find depict Joseph as an older man though encounters with teenagers in it is not at all unlikely that he was a school refreshing because I am teenager too. We have very little idea often asked questions people how old the disciples were but James of my own age rarely think to and John still had parents alive (and in ask their bishop. For example, their father Zebedee’s case still working in one sixth-form group I was as a fisherman) so they may well have asked what I thought I was been teenagers also.