Wiltshire
Partners taking good news relevantly to every young person in Wiltshire
Autumn 2017
Do you like surprises? Some of us don’t and some of us like to think we do, but it probably depends on the surprise.
I wonder how David felt when he was dragged off the hills and Samuel the Prophet anointed him? I wonder how Esther felt when she was plucked from obscurity to be the wife of a foreign king? I wonder how Rahab felt when Israelites showed up at her place? I wonder how Peter felt when called to follow Jesus, or Paul when Jesus blinded him on the road to Damascus? I would imagine there was some surprise. I do my best to know what may happen next in life. I consider, I ask for guidance to enlighten
me, I plan, I pray and sometimes I get an inkling of a sense of the direction God may be taking me, personally or within YFC. However, more often than not I am surprised. We thought hard about where we might find a new office, we emailed out, we asked around and God provided our office in John of Gaunt School. We made a connection with a guy in Cape Town and ten years later we’ve helped establish a project out there working in a tough community run by local people and then this summer we took young people, one of whom is from Trowbridge, on mission there. All were surprises.
I am beginning to see that knowing what God has in store is a bit like Lucy taking the first steps into the Wardrobe. She feels the coats, and then a blast of icy air, but there is so much more - it’s Narnia. As we know there is so much more, so many surprises if we are willing to take those first steps. So the challenge to YFC is to continue to step into the wardrobe (as it were), but not to do so expecting to know all that will happen. We can’t, Narnia would blow our minds. We are so thankful to God for the surprises. Please pray that we will continue to be open to how he may surprise us in the coming year.
Wiltshire YFC Showcase APRIL 2018 Our Showcase events provide an opportunity to find out a little bit more about what we do, with stories from projects and awards celebrating our work with young people. We are planning to hold this event next Spring. We hope to confirm a date very soon and will let you know details as soon as possible.
James Vaughton
Pop-up cafes The summer was a busy time for the Wiltshire YFC Team but a great chance to get out and about in the county and join with some local churches and volunteers. Steve and Dan ran Pop-Up Youth Café events in Trowbridge and Devizes with another one planned for Calne later in the year. The summer events enabled conversations, activities and prayer with people of all ages. An opportunity to encourage and support young people dealing with exam results, personal challenges and some of life’s bigger questions. It
was also a chance to have a bit of fun, relax, have a drink and doughnut and encourage young people in the area. It was great to see young people from last years’ events and those we see through some of our schools work as well as some new faces. Here is a quote from one mum who came across us:
‘We met you on the green in Devizes today. I just wanted to say a massive thank you.
Although my children were too young, you made us very welcome and my daughter in particular loved being around the other children! My son has autism so we find it a bit stressful going to busy parks etc, but all the workers and teens were SO lovely and it’s actually restored my faith to believe we can attend social events! It was very welcome to have some company today!! Thank you very much!’ Lucy
New work in St. Laurence School Over the last six months Dan has been working with Fergus Stewart, Head Teacher at St Laurence School, to build up the relationship with the school and consider how Wiltshire YFC can serve the community. Following this we are hopeful that in the coming weeks and months we will be starting a group
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for young Christians as well as mentoring. St Laurence have been developing an area called ‘The Breathing Space’ and the hope is to make use of this sanctuary within the school. The finishing touches are being made to the new area and once complete we hope that the work can begin. We are very grateful to the churches in Bradford on
Avon who are specifically supporting this venture. Please pray that the work is established and for Dan as he begins to form a group and start mentoring. Encouragingly we are already in the school as Annie and James Vaughton have been delivering the Accompanying Project supporting pupils moving to secondary school this term.
Prayer Event As some of you will remember we held a week of prayer for young people and youth work in Wiltshire during June in Trowbridge, Devizes and Bradford on Avon. Whilst these were mixed in terms of attendance, we were encouraged on the whole. It was great to be part of the 24/7 prayer event in Devizes, and in Bradford on Avon we had a small group of young people come along to pray around stations in Bearfield Church. Following this we were joined by folk from five different churches to pray for young people.
Wiltshire YFC’s new office We are incredibly grateful to St Thomas’ and Holy Trinity for providing an office for the first few years’ of Wiltshire YFC, but over the last six
of a new office for Wiltshire YFC and it is great to be able to share a picture of our new space in John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge.
months it has become clear that we needed a little more space. In our last Partners newsletter we wrote about the possibility
It is light and airy and such a privilege to have our base in a local school. The school staff, from maintenance to teachers
and the office team have been very welcoming. We are already working in the school delivering mentoring and we are hopeful that our presence will provide further opportunities to be a Christian witness among students and staff.
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Prayer points for Wiltshire OCTOBER> • Please pray for Steve and his family. Steve’s Dad is suffering from Mylofibrosis and has been in hospital. • Thank God for our office in John of Gaunt School and pray that we will have opportunities to reach the young people and staff. • Pray for secondary schools in which we currently work - John of Gaunt, Lavington, Clarendon and St. Laurence • Pray for the young people with whom we worked in the Accompanying Project, that they would transition well into their new secondary schools. • Thank God for the safe delivery of Benjamin Webb, a second son for Dan and Rach, and brother for James. Pray for strength and energy as they adapt to the change in their family life.
NOVEMBER> • The Accompanying Project starting in two Melksham primary schools in November/ December • Pray for the Connect Mentoring training on 25th November 2017 • Pray for the staff team and their families – James, Steve and Dan. • For the developing plans of a new youth gathering – a joined up vision with other youth workers in the area • Pray for more volunteers to come forward to help sustain Potterne Youth Club and for opportunities to develop activities and projects
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DECEMBER> • For strong relationships to be built between young people at Youth Stream and for new people to feel welcomed • Pray for the preparation to go into St Laurence School to deliver mentoring and start up a Christian Union. • Pray that relationships with both existing and new mentees at John of Gaunt develop, grow and are transformative. • Pray for Steve as he delivers assemblies in schools this month, and for the children and staff to be impacted by the message of Christmas. • Pray for staff and families over the Christmas period that they will have a restful and refreshing time.
JANUARY> • Pray for staff at the National YFC Conference in the first week of January. Pray that the team would be strengthened through this time away and that they would be reenvisioned for the work in Wiltshire. • Pray for help and discernment whilst planning and leading youth stream sessions. • Prayer for developing new staff links at Clarendon Academy in Trowbridge. • Pray for the continued link with schools, for more assembly and Collective Worship opportunities. • Pray for an increase in the church’s desire to get to know and love their neighbours throughout the community and for opportunities to build relationships. • Thank God for the Wiltshire YFC Advisory group – Keith Brindle, Alison Bennett, Barry Blackford and Catherine Haddow. Pray that they would bring support and wisdom to the team.
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Mission trip to Cape Town About a year ago we began to dream about the idea of a mission trip to Cape Town, to work with Pinnacle Youth Outreach (PYO), a charity supported by Bath YFC. We recruited a team of four young people and three adults and on 29th June we flew to Cape Town. The main focus of the time was a holiday club for 150 5 to 16 year olds. A full programme each day included singing, breakfast (1500 bowls of porridge served in the week), outdoor games, bible classes and finishing with serving lunch to lots of hungry children. There were lots of amazing moments; playing with the children, running an evening soup-run, hearing the stories of local old people during a visit to a sheltered home, eating good food, the view from the top of Table Mountain, watching penguins play in the sea and being immersed in the local culture with God’s people. We asked Frances (from Youth Stream) to reflect on the trip, “I loved the amount of time we got to spend with local people, all the enthusiasm from
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the kids throughout the day, especially during the singing and dancing. Table Mountain was a highlight. I found leaving really hard. At times the sessions were a little chaotic and the kids were very loud. I saw God at work in the way the children were so loving to us and welcoming.” Molly reflected that, “The experience taught me to be grateful for what I have and
not take it for granted. The children were so content with what they had, even just a piece of string to play cat’s cradle. Many of the people we met had experienced loss, but were so thankful to God for what and who they did have. I find when
things go wrong I tend to focus on the negatives, but I’m now going to try to be a true Capetonian and remember all the joys and blessings in life.” Before leaving, the PYO and UK team led the Sunday service and enjoyed a meal with our hosts. Ben, Naomi, Molly and Frances all wanted to stay longer and our Elsiesriver friends waved us off saying “see you again.” During the trip we saw God at work in us and others, and we are grateful for his provision and protection. We are very grateful for your support and ask that you would pray as we consider how things move forward from here. Several would like to return, so we are sure another chapter in this story will be written…
Potterne Community Garden
Steve recently presented an initiative to help celebrate Gardeners World and the BBC Points West Anniversaries by supporting a Community Gardening Project. Steve believes the project has great
potential and despite some challenges in the past, this has presented some amazing opportunities to help be a catalyst to bring people together and form a stronger community. Steve and members of the local church have spoken to some other members of the community young and old, which has sparked great support and enthusiasm we are hopping that this is going to help make the project a great success. This project
looks to bring together residents, the primary school, youth centre, church and other groups working together to create a unique space for the benefit of all. Its proved to be an exciting and memorable project that will leave a lasting and fruitful legacy. The space offers a place for personal reflection, communal gatherings and a chance to get our hands dirty together watching things grow and relationships flourish.
Do you have a heart for young people? Could you be a role model and encourager? Perhaps Connect Mentoring could be for you. We are running our second training session for new mentors to equip people like you to support young people. We are working in John of Gaunt and Clarendon schools and will soon be working in St Laurence School.
Whether you are interested in joining our volunteer mentoring team or want to be better equipped to mentor young people in your church or community, the training could be for you. It is taking place on Saturday 25th November at St Thomas’ Church Hall,
9am-4pm . If you would like to find out more or book a place then please do email dan@wiltshireyfc.org. uk or look at our website www.wiltshireyfc.org.uk/ mentoringtraining/ to find out more and book a place.
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