Partners Winter 2018

Partners taking good news relevantly to every young person in Bath

Winter 2018

Assistant Director Writes My wife often tells me that I can be quite grumpy, which is a challenge to me! I always promise to improve, but we are all human and sometimes the grumpy Dave Joyce does appear. In his first letter, Peter emphasises the point that as Christians we should be joyful as we have received salvation for our souls (1 Peter 1:8).

Therefore, as a Christian I believe we should show this joy through our interactions with everyone we meet, whether it be children, young people or adults.

Towards the end of the winter term the St Gregory’s discussion group dynamic began to shift as three more year 11 boys started to show up. The school has an annual tradition of a football match between a year 11 team and a teacher/

staff team. This year I was invited to play! So, the last few discussion groups were filled with more friendly banter between the Year 11 boys, myself and Matthew Robinson (Lay Chaplin at St Gregory’s). The game showed so much joy as both the staff and students were very competitive, but also very encouraging towards each other. Also, the game of football has now taken the relationships between myself and the students to

Giving hope and a future for years to come In our last Partners issue James wrote about how leaving a legacy in your will for Bath Youth for Christ to continue the work among young people can make a huge difference. In this issue we have enclosed our flyer about legacies called ‘Giving Hope and a Future’. This insert gives more information on why legacies are important, how to make one to Bath Youth for Christ and what difference it can make. Please do have a read of the enclosed flyer and get in touch if you have questions.

If receiving Partners by email you can click the link for the legacy flyer in the email you received.

a new place where there is more respect and honesty with each other. So maybe Peter was on to something with this joy thing?!!! Which means I need to be more joyous at home as I have received salvation through Jesus Christ.

Dave Joyce

Christmas Assemblies

In a survey, Christmas spending in 2016 hit record breaking highs - the UK alone spent £77.6 billion on gifts. How crazy is this!!!

I’m sure we all loved the gifts that we received. Okay, maybe most of them?

We were privileged to present our Christmas assembly to all year groups in Ralph Allen and St Marks at the end of last year. Over 1200 young people heard our Christmas assembly.

We challenged the young people to think about what Christmas time meant and looked like to them, as well as how it may look for other people around

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the world; those who have very little, or can’t afford to give gifts at Christmas, and where a Christmas dinner is just a dream. We encouraged young people to think of others who are less advantaged and privileged than we are here in the UK. On this theme, a video clip contrasted Bath at Christmas time with life for a family in Mexico. We are planning to take 60 young people to Mexico in 2019 to help build a house for a family living in poverty, and the assemblies provided the opportunity to get the word out about the trip.

Encouragingly several young people and teaching staff

responded to the opportunity to be part of the mission trip to Mexico at the end of the assembly. We feel really passionate that the trip will be an eye opener for so many young people and has the potential to change their perspective on life.

Most importantly we hope the young people caught the message of joy and love.

Jesus came to bring hope – and we are called to live out that message and bring hope to others. In Psalm 9:18 it says, “But the needy will not be ignored forever; the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed”...

Bath Community Academy Lunchtime Group Back in March 2017 I started working with a group of Year 9's, all of whom have various degrees of additional needs; including difficulty processing, unawareness of social and emotional boundaries, difficulty relating to others. I have continued to meet with these pupils as well as a few others, with the help of Steve Moore, the NESB youth worker. With the news

of BCA closing at the end of this academic year, it was clear that these young people in particular may struggle with the transition.

When I first worked with the group last year I honestly felt a little out of my depth, but through getting to know them more I've come to realise that, no matter the personality or background, every young person needs to be encouraged and

have someone speaking positivity into their lives and circumstances. Throughout the remainder of BCA's final year we will make sure we stay with this group of young people and support them in any way we can.

Chris Porter

Accompanying in St Andrews

It has been great to be able to get into a new school to launch the amazing project that is Accompanying. It is always such a joy to journey with young people and to see them transfer into their new secondary schools is a great privilege. This year we are fortunate to be working with four amazing year 6’s, some who are crazy about sports, others love making their own videos to put on

YouTube as well as having many more interests.

‘We did, of course, make sure to embrace the full Christmas spirit - making decorations for our Youth for Christ tree at the Central URC festival and Christmas cards for friends and family.

In the coming months we will begin to look at preparation for the move to secondary school,

including visits to new schools and using the “It’s your Move” booklet, which through activities helps encourage the young people to start thinking about and preparing for the move.

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Southdown Breakfast Club Roundhill Breakfast Club has been going strong since November 2015. Without the committed team of lovely volunteers from the local churches in Southdown St. Barnabas, Sladebrook Evangelical & Horizon Methodist – the project could not happen. Our aim is to run a breakfast club twice a week within school term providing free toast, tea, hot chocolate (plus mince pies at Christmas time!) to primary and secondary school children on their way to school.

Over the years we have got to know so many people

in the community. We now know lots of children, but we have also had the wonderful opportunity to meet and greet parents on the school run. One Dad in particular has become a regular! In the early days he would come in every day with his son, grab some toast and go. We offered him a coffee one day, since when he always returns for a brew and a chat after dropping his son at school. There have been a number of occasions when other parents have popped in for a coffee on their way back and have obviously appreciated the

opportunity to talk. This excites me, not only is this project serving children and young people of the area, we are really getting to know and connect with parents, the wider family, the wider story, the bigger picture.

People connecting, sharing and caring for one another is what community is all about!

Chris Porter

Christmas Tree Festival This year Bath Youth for Christ was invited to display a Christmas Tree at the United Reformed Church Christmas festival on Argyle Street, held at the beginning of December. The tree was then transferred to its next destination, St Philips and St James Church in Odd Down for another festival at the end of December. The purpose of these festivals is to allow local charities to promote their work, with the hope that local people will be encouraged to find out more and maybe decide to get involved in some

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way. The decorations on our tree were designed

by Scott Joyce and made by year 6 students in our Accompanying project at several schools across Bath.

One of the children with whom Sam Packer works visited the festival twice, once with her Mum & then back again with her Dad! Here is the comment from one of her parents - “I was so impressed and it was a really lovely thing, the Youth for Christ tree was amazing.

It was totally gorgeous & very uplifting for all of us”.

Showcase In October, Bath Youth for Christ held a showcase of our work at St Luke’s Church. The evening was an opportunity for Partners and supporters of Bath Youth for Christ to see, through film and interviews, the range of projects we deliver across Bath. The event focused on

several projects including Plant House, Accompanying, Arise, South Africa mission trip, Mexico Mission trip and the City Centre work.

Motus also performed to the Stormzy track ‘Blinded by your Grace’, which they did exceptionally well.

The evening was well

represented with people from a variety of Churches and Christian organisations.

Feedback from those attending the evening was very positive with lots of people saying just how much they enjoyed, and were encouraged by, the evening.

New Trustee We are excited to welcome Jenny Clarke onto the board of Trustees. Here Jenny tells us a bit about herself.

I live in Bath with my husband, David and work as a learning support mentor at St.Gregory’s school. I love my job! I am passionate

about young people and want to help them discover their dreams and encourage them in all they want to achieve! I consider it an honour to be coming on board as part of the Youth for Christ team and I'm excited to get started.

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Prayer Focus January > 1st-7th

Thank God for the opportunity to celebrate Christmas and for the rest experienced by staff and trustees. Thank God for the opportunity to be with staff and trustees from other Youth for Christ centres at the annual conference in January.

8th-14th

Pray for the Peer Mentoring Scheme launching in Hayesfield in mid-January, that it would be of value to both mentors and mentees. Thank God for the opportunity to deliver the Shine programme in Hayesfield and pray that we will be able to extend it into Ralph Allen School.

15th–21st

Please pray for some more children to come to Going Bananas, for their families to hear of God through the club and for the children to know & understand God’s love for them. Pray for the Life Academy group at Weston All Saints Church.

22nd-31st Thank God for the relaunch of lunchtime discussion group in Ralph Allen.

Pray for thriving relationships between Bath Youth for Christ and local churches as we seek to work together to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the young people of this city.

February > 1st-7th

Pray for the work in Kingswood School, that there would be opportunity for Dave & Rich to build meaningful relationships with the young people. Please keep Wendy and Luke Steeds in your prayers, as they continue to work life out since Jeremy’s death.

8th-15th

For the new young homeless drop-in initiative in Hay Hill Baptist Church, that young people will attend and those working with them would have wisdom in how to help them.

16th–22nd

Please pray for the Shaping Church to Disciple Young People and the learning community which is due to start in the next couple of weeks. For Bath Youth for Christ trustees and in particular our new trustee Jenny Clarke

23rd-28th

Pray for the success of the Clothes Swap fundraising event on 23rd. Thank God for the provision of finances and pray for favour with grant applications.

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March > 1st-7th

For the new Accompanying Hub in Twerton run by St. Michael’s Church and established Accompanying Hub of Regenerate in Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

Pray for Katie & Rich in the Half Marathon.

8th-14th

For continued favour and more opportunities to work in schools. For wisdom in decision making – Director and Trustees in particular. For wisdom as we consider how we might develop links with the young men who were involved in the football hub several years ago.

15th–21st

Pray for staff members – James, Dave, Kat, Katie, Sam, Sam, Chris, Lisa, Rich – that they continue to find favour in all they do, and experience success.

Pray for opportunities to reach young people with the good news we celebrate at this time of year.

22nd-31st

Pray for a restful break for both staff and young people over the Easter holidays.

April > 1st – 7th

Pray for the continued success of the Breakfast Club in Southdown and the opportunity to build relationships within the community, especially with young people and their parents/carers.

8th – 14th

Pray for the children involved in the Accompanying Project as they start to think and prepare for their move to Secondary Schools. Thank God for those who give financially to Bath Youth for Christ – individuals, churches, grant making bodies, other organisations.

15th – 21st

Pray for the Youth Worker Meetings in the city that it would be an encouragement for those involved and relationships would be strengthened, to enable them to impact the young people of the city.

22nd – 30th Pray for the young people involved in the Motus Dance Academy and for Sam and Chris as they seek to reach them with the gospel. Pray for the young people in the BCA discussion group and for Chris and Steve as they seek to help them transition to new schools.

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Way back in the summer holidays, when the days were long & the temperature slightly warmer, Serena Stanton – Youth Worker at St John’s Batheaston - several church members and myself ran ‘Going Bananas’, a

Scripture Union Holiday Club, which focussed on Bible characters who ‘went bananas’ for God, such as Noah & Jonah. Following the success of this event, we decided to set up the ‘Going Bananas Club’. We meet the children in Batheaston

Young men in the den – 11-18 lads Nerf War group Around six months ago I asked myself how to best bring young men in to study the Bible and talk about the things that affect them in our times. The answer we came up with was Nerf Wars! Once a month we pack Hay Hill Church with around twelve young lads, and their Nerf guns. The name is inspired by a picture I had years ago of Daniel in the lion’s den with the lions represented as they are in 1 Peter 5:8 - “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. The young people in the den, surrounded by an enemy that longs

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to trip them up. So we meet and we talk about all the things that can be challenges and issues for young men.

We have discussed subjects that are real for them such as, other faiths, bullying, internet safety, parties and much more and considered what the Bible may have to say about these issues.

The young people adore the group, an excuse to throw responsibility to the side and engage in some energetic fun with friends. Since the group began we have seen four new young people join, invited by their friends. It has proved to a great opportunity to disciple these young people.

Rich McDade

Primary School every Monday afternoon & walk up to the Methodist Church in Northend for an hour of fun - games, songs, a Bible story and craft, drinks & snacks. We have been so encouraged by the children requesting prayer for friends and family (usually health related), especially as we have seen some answered!

We currently have about six regulars who are always enthusiastic and make our Mondays lots of fun!

Sam Packer

Remembering Jeremy In early November I walked a route I had not done for several years. It is a short but significant journey for me. I left my parked car and walked up the side of Sladebrook Evangelical Church, opened a familiar door into the side of the church and up the narrow stairs to the upper room.

This is a journey that I made countless times with Jeremy Steeds and the Team Ask football boys every Wednesday afternoon over an eight-year period between 2006 and 2014.

Many of you will have heard the very sad news that Jeremy Steeds, husband to Wendy and Dad to Luke died in October 2017. This was a

huge shock to all of us who knew Jeremy. Some of us at Bath Youth for Christ have worked closely with Jeremy on different projects, and in the last few years he was a great asset to our trustee board. We will miss him greatly.

On this day I was at Sladebrook at the request of the boys with whom we had spent so many years sharing life, faith and football anecdotes.

Now in their mid-twenties, they have been deeply affected by Jeremy’s death.

Seven of them came to his funeral and some asked to meet at the church to remember Jeremy by sharing memories. Steve

Moore and myself gathered with four of the lads, shared food and a drink (just like the old times). Steve, who had worked with us on the football project, led a reflection with the group, we all shared memories of Jeremy and finished with a prayer. It was fantastic to share time with these men, share memories and hear how much they appreciated Jeremy’s input into their lives and valued the community of which they were a part. Steve and I both left with a little challenge about how we might continue to walk with these, now, young men!

James Vaughton

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Cl ot he s S wa p

boots, accessories, jewellery, handbags etc. (drop off items from 6pm)

Friday 23rd February 2018 7-9pm, entrance fee £6.50 which includes a glass of Prosecco

Any clothes left over at the end of the evening will be donated to local charity shops

@ St Luke’s Church Centre, Wellsway, Bath

Please bring at least three items of good quality clothing - washed and ready to wear - including shoes,

Any questions - ring Sam Packer on 07909 702 401

Shaping Church to Disciple Young People We are really excited to share that in partnership with the Diocese of Bath & Wells and Bath Deanery we will be starting a learning community with staff and volunteer groups from

different churches in Bath.

The aim of this is to work with local churches to help them shape their youth work to more effectively disciple young people. A bigger update will follow our

day event on Saturday 24th February. Please pray for this and if you are thinking it may be of interest to you and your church you can find out more at bathyfc.co.uk or please email james@bathyfc.co.uk

The Bath Beat 2018 Youth for Christ? I signed up last year, had a great day out with friends and raised some money as well!

Could you consider signing up for this walking/running event out of the city of Bath and into the surrounding countryside on 21st April 2018, and raise some funds for the work of Bath

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There is a choice of distances 12.5, 17, 21 and 26.5 mile routes. Lovely scenery and refreshments on the way – drinks, cakes and other food – make this a very doable and enjoyable event. Why not think of making it a family day out.

One comment from a previous year says it all:

The best long distance walking (optional running) event in the South West! This event is made memorable

by its strangely inverse relationship between bargain entry fees and the large quantity of food available at the checkpoints!

You won’t go hungry on this one. Great scenery and organisation.

If you are interested, please contact Lisa Hawkins at the office or email admin@bathyfc.co.uk

Bath Half Marathon Running really isn’t my thing!! I initially really struggled with the training, and have been seen hobbling and limping around the office many a time from sore and stiff muscles. However, I’m now starting to really push myself to increase my miles in preparation, and feeling more confident. I have always wanted to be able to say I ran a half marathon

so doing it to raise money for Youth for Christ was a perfect reason to sign up!

Katie Little I used to be a good runner.

Used to! I have really enjoyed pushing myself to reach new distances and challenges, it is a very rewarding and enjoyable activity… if a little sore on the lungs, legs and mind.

I strive to reach 10k by

Christmas and then 20k by March.

Rich McDade Sponsorship of Katie & Rich will help support the work we do with so many young people in our city and it will keep them running on the day. Please do come to cheer and encourage them on March 4th! To donate please go to our MyDonate.

Final Word…

It was a full Youth for Christ conference this year, with lots of teaching, seminars, meeting others, hearing stories of transformation and talk of branding change (we will be revealing more in the next few months).

There was a lot to take away, however if I could condense it into one question it would be HOW WELL DO I KNOW JESUS? (not… how much do I know about Jesus?).

It was striking how, during informal conversations as well as within the Bible teaching, that a theme

of the importance of us followers really knowing Jesus was clear, if we are to share Jesus and invite others to follow him too.

It may sound obvious, but I would encourage you, at the beginning of this year, to consider this question.

We are doing so at Youth for Christ in Bath as we go about our work to see the lives of young people transformed by Jesus.

James Vaughton

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