Connecting You Spring 2023

Connecting

you

Spring 2023

IN THIS EDITION

Seeing faith flourish in Wales

The need for Jesus in a post-pandemic world Janine’s story – from the 95 to Mission Enabler S-You: Your supporter stories 46783 Connecting You MAM 2023 stg6 AW.indd 1

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Contents 4

‘God thinks you’re awesome as you are’

Faith Guides Lox and Ruth share an update on how some of the young people they’ve connected with are now following Jesus.

people sense there is more to life’ 10 ‘Young Discover why Faith Guides Beth and Daisy think young people are open to hearing about Jesus in a post-pandemic world.

kids saw hope and a future – and 16 ‘Those they responded’

Janine Parkinson shares her faith story and why she’s now an SU Mission Enabler, helping today’s young people discover Jesus for themselves.

22 S-You SU has played a huge part in the lives of Ron and Ann Lewis.

Read their supporter story.

Did you know?

Scripture Union England and Wales is one of over 130 SU International movements, active in around 120 countries – helping to bring the Bible to life and share God’s love right around the globe. Each SU movement has its own focus and individual ministries but shares the same aims and beliefs.

Find out more at su.org.uk/international More about Scripture Union Scripture Union is a Christian charity, providing opportunities for children and young people to explore the Bible, respond to Jesus and grow in faith.

With an estimated 95% of under-18s in England and Wales not part of a church, we help churches to step out and take the good news to them in exciting and culturally relevant ways. Visit www.scriptureunion.org.uk to find out more. story for Connecting You, or a suggestion on how we could improve our service to you, please contact the editor: eddien@scriptureunion.org.uk

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Connecting You is Scripture Union’s supporter and prayer magazine, keeping you up to date with what God is doing through the work you support.

For general enquiries Tel: 01908 856000 Fax: 01908 856111 Email: info@scriptureunion.org.uk www.scriptureunion.org.uk

Connecting You magazine is also available online at: www.su.org.uk/connectingyou. If you have a

Published by Scripture Union, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 ODF

www.scriptureunion.org.uk © Scripture Union 2023 Registered Charity 213422 Limited Company 00039828 Registered in England and Wales

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Life-transforming truth “ You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Dear friends, It’s such a joy to share with you another season of Connecting You. We are so grateful for your partnership in the gospel and hope that the stories and daily prayer points in this edition will guide and inspire you as you continue to pray for God’s mission here at Scripture Union.

The common theme that runs through each of these stories is the way in which God’s unchanging truth brings transformation and healing in the lives of those who hear and seek to live by it. I vividly recall the impact on my fledgling teenage faith when, as an assistant leader at SU camp, I not only saw young lives transformed through the truth they were encouraged to find in Scripture, but my life was transformed through the witness of older leaders who prayerfully opened their Bibles, expecting to be spoken to, and determined that it would shape their lives.

‘Truth’ can be so confusing in today’s world, with so many different voices, and Pilate’s response to Jesus’ statement that he came to proclaim the truth – ‘What is truth?’ (John 18:38) – suggests that perhaps in some ways this has always been the case.

But we also know that the truth that Jesus brings really is the truth.

As he said, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32). When Jesus says this, he is encouraging his followers to truly become his disciples by living out his teaching.

This is our prayer for the children and young people who discover Jesus thanks to their Faith Guides who draw alongside them; that they would not only hear the truth, but would hold to it and become disciples, and in doing so be set free.

Myles MacBean, National Director

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‘God thinks you’re awesome as you are’ In the Winter 2021 edition of Connecting You, we introduced you to Lox and Ruth Busisa, pastors of LifePoint Church Pembrokeshire which is located on a deprived estate in Haverfordwest. Through your support, SU trained them as Faith Guides and helped them start connecting with young people. A year later, some of those young people have decided to follow Jesus.

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RUTH & LOX BASISA During the pandemic, SU helped Lox and Ruth to start making connections with young people in the community through sports ministry in the local park. LifePoint also gave out food parcels and supported the community in other ways too. On Sundays, they would have a short vibrant service, Church in the Park, open to all. ‘That’s when we first met Sammi and two of her children, Ali and Ethan,’ says Lox. ‘We got to know them and that autumn, when we started a Friday group to connect with local teenagers, Ali and Ethan were among the ten young people who joined, and later they made a commitment to follow Jesus. So did their mum, and the three of them were baptised a few weeks ago!

‘Last summer, we invited them to come on SLAM, a short sportsbased residential on the Gower in South Wales, organised by Jack (SU Mission Enabler, Jack Newbould) for Faith Guides and their young people.

We took a group of young people at different stages of the faith journey, including Ali and Ethan. Over several days we shared the gospel and our own testimonies of God’s goodness.’

The three of them were baptised a few weeks ago!

Exploring faith together

Ali and Ethan also come to Lox and Ruth’s Wednesday evening youth group which is more of a Grow Community. ‘There’s greater spiritual content than in the Friday group,’ says Ruth. ‘We have worship, Bible study and prayer, which they love – they are amazed they can speak to God and he hears!

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These young people are really open to exploring faith ‘We use the SU Rooted journals to spark discussion. These young people are really open to exploring faith and they have lots of questions which is great. It means they’re really into it! Most of them don’t have church backgrounds and what’s in the Bible may differ from what they’ve been taught at school.’

Lox adds, ‘Yes – at school there can be many opinions and young people get confused about what is right and what is wrong. They are astonished that our views always stay the same, even if our view as Christians doesn’t align with popular opinion.

live up to some sort of unrealistic expectation messes them up.

‘Recently I spoke to our Wednesday group on Psalm 139. I explained how the Bible says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that God thinks they’re awesome as they are. He doesn’t look at their makeup, their hair, how they dress or their social media ratings. He sees through all those layers and loves them anyway, with a love that doesn’t change.

‘You could sense the relief from them. To know that God loves them, whatever their popularity rating, is something very unique and precious for them to be aware of and to hold onto, especially in these times of so much change.’

‘That consistency can really speak positively to young people.

For example, their popularity is everything – how many views you get on TikTok, how many likes you get on Instagram. But it’s dependent on getting your clothes, makeup, hair, and so on, right, in line with the latest trends which can change overnight.

That constant need to compete and

You can help multiply mission It’s only thanks to your generous gifts and prayers that SU can support and train Faith Guides like Lox and Ruth. Your support ensures that children like Ali and Ethan get the chance to discover that Jesus loves them along with opportunities to grow in their faith. If you can give a gift to enable vital work like this, please donate online at su.org.uk/donate. Thank you!

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WEEK BEGINNING FEBRUARY 26

Prayers

Please pray for all Faith Guides and the children and young people with whom they are sharing Jesus’ message of hope.

Sunday 26

Praise God for raising up Faith Guides like Lox and Ruth and for their inspiring and faithful commitment to sharing Jesus with children and young people who feel so lost in a post-pandemic world.

Monday 27

Praise God our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) and Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Please pray that children and young people across the country will grasp that truth for themselves.

Tuesday 28

In today’s world, with social media and personal opinion having so much influence, young people struggle to know what truth is.

Praise God for the faithful witness of Lox and Ruth in helping young people to know the truth that will set them free (John 8:31).

Wednesday 1

Please ask God to draw new young Christians close to him, including Ali and Ethan, and help them to grow in faith and understanding.

Thursday 2

Please ask God to speak to the hearts of Christians across the UK, that many more will be moved to share the hope that Jesus offers with the next generation who are so in need of hearing that message.

Friday 3

Ask God to help every child and young person to have the opportunity to hear about Jesus in a way that they will be able to understand, even if they have no church background or knowledge of the Bible.

Saturday 4

Please pray for God to guide Scripture Union’s content developers, so that they make it possible for children and young people without church backgrounds to understand and grasp the amazing message of Jesus.

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 5

Sunday 5

Last year SU Ghana decided to develop a National Youth Development Centre and campsite to celebrate 70 years of camping ministry. Thank God for the purchase of a 14-acre plot of land and pray for the resources to develop it.

Monday 6

Wayne Dixon and volunteers from Local Mission Partner Christian Connections in Schools (Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead), will be visiting around 40 schools between 6 and 16 March to present Easter Cracked. Pray for the schools and the ten churches involved.

Tuesday 7

Supporter Care Assistant John Cartwright asks us to pray for the smooth running of all the different systems that we use – phone, computer and delivery systems – so that we can offer the best possible service to our supporters.

Wednesday 8

Please pray for the Mission Events team and for the volunteer holiday booking secretaries as they work together to implement a new holiday booking system for the summer. Pray that the implementation process will go smoothly, and that people will quickly adjust to the new system.

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Thursday 9

Give thanks for all the Grow Communities and emerging Grow Communities and the children and young people who attend them and are growing in their relationship with God. Pray for those who lead them and that SU will be able to provide them with the appropriate support.

Friday 10

Please pray for the Easter Activity sessions which Local Mission Partner Impact Bedford has booked with schools over the last two weeks of March. Pray that both the staff and children will be impacted by the Easter story as they encounter it from a fresh perspective.

Saturday 11

Zoraida Ali-Smith, PA to the Director of Mobilisation, is working on updating the SU archive, and needs volunteers to help her; pray that they will be found. Pray too for Zoraida as she finalises plans for the SU retreat in May.

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 12

Sunday 12

Please pray that the National Annual General Meeting of SU Uganda which will be held next Saturday will be successful and fruitful, bringing renewed vision and energy.

Monday 13

Pray for the children who this Easter will receive a copy of Jesus Died for Me? (or the Welsh edition Bu Farw Iesu Drosof Fi?). Pray too for those who give out the copies that they will continue to journey with the children as they explore faith.

Tuesday 14

Please pray that recently appointed Mission Enabler Pete Croall will be able to build good relationships with those working in Hertfordshire, Essex and Berkshire, so that through these partnerships more children and young people will connect with Jesus.

Wednesday 15

Local Mission Partner Thrive Youth Ministries is working with churches across Warwickshire and Coventry on their ‘Manifesto for 21st Century Youthwork’. Pray for the team as they encourage and inspire churches

with new initiatives to reach out and disciple young people in a way that is relevant to this generation.

Thursday 16

Please join us in thanking God for the new members of staff who have joined the team in the north region. Please pray for them as they continue to settle in and for wisdom as they seek to increase engagement with Revealing Jesus across the region.

Friday 17

Amplify is a 12-month programme that aims to equip young people for evangelism; their second residential of the year takes place this weekend. Please pray that the young people will be inspired and excited as they meet together and share their experiences and that God will be working in their lives to build them up in their ministry.

Saturday 18

Give thanks for those who volunteer their time to serve on SU Council and help the movement think through issues in ministry and the context in which we work. Pray that as they meet today, they will have God’s wisdom and insight.

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‘Young people sense there is more to life’ Faith Guides Beth and Daisy run an incredibly successful children and youth programme – but they still really value the support they get from SU. They explain why, and why they think the young people they’re in contact with are open to hearing about Jesus in a post-pandemic world.

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and why, and what kind of approach you need for the different stages of young people’s faith journeys.’

BETH & DAISY SU Mission Enabler Pete Croall supports Beth and Daisy, who are based in the neighbouring Berkshire villages of Binfield and Warfield near Bracknell. He says, ‘I went to visit one Friday evening when they had ALL STARZ for primary age children and RELENTLESS for teens, about 90 in total, mostly from non-church backgrounds. These particular groups are mainly about connecting, but Beth and Daisy are starting to explore faith with them as well.

There’s clearly something really special going on here.’

Beth and Daisy also hold two other weekday evening groups including a Bible study group for 25 youngsters.

Around 80 children and young people come to Sunday services too.

They are clearly doing fantastically well, so what value do Beth and Daisy get from being Faith Guides and having a relationship with SU? ‘It’s great to have that network of people to reach out to and bounce ideas off,’ says Daisy, youth pastor at Binfield All Saints with St Mark’s.

‘You can get stuck in your own way of doing things and it’s good to be inspired to try new things.’ Beth, the Children, Youth and Families Pastor at Warfield Church, adds, ‘It’s also helpful to know what might not work

What do they see going on with young people post-pandemic?

‘They’ve ended up with a very unbalanced view of the world and are full of anger,’ says Daisy. ‘During lockdowns, social media became their safe space. But the way that social media works, it pulls them into communities of others with the same views and reinforces their beliefs. So we’ve been trying to get them out of the online echo chamber at our groups, to not be so black and white.’

Beth concurs. ‘They get their information from YouTube or Facebook, but they just take it at face value without questioning its validity. They are also swift to judge.

For example, if a young person identifies as transgender and a peer uses the wrong pronoun, they get shunned – or in their language, “cancelled”.’

Finding an interest in faith

How do these young people feel about faith? ‘I’d say that they sense there is something more to life and they’re quite open on the whole,’ says Daisy. ‘They’re confused about a lot of issues and there are so many deep things going on with them.

Some of them are asking for prayer

There’s clearly something really special going on here

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I’d say that they sense there is something more to life when they come to Friday evening groups if they’re going through a tough time.’

‘They know it’s our faith which drives us to genuinely care about them,’ Beth says. ‘We and our volunteers know all their names and what’s going on in their lives. We offer

them a safe space, but we make sure it’s their space by asking them what they want to talk about and what activities they want to do.’

Pete concludes, ‘It was clear to me when I visited these Friday evening groups that the young people from the 95 do feel at ease there. They are inviting their friends along and the groups are growing rapidly. Please do pray for them on their journey to discover more about the God who loves them.’

Pray for the 95 Please pray for this great work in Binfield and Warfield, that Beth and Daisy will be able to help these young people find and grow in faith. Please also take time to pray for the 95 right across England and Wales, many of whom are facing real struggles in life. Pray that they will discover the love and hope of Jesus for themselves.

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Prayers Sunday 19

Pray for the Scripture Union Global Board who will be meeting in Taiwan next weekend. Pray for fruitful conversations and decisions.

The Board will also be spending some time with SU Taiwan. Pray that these meetings will be of mutual encouragement.

Monday 20

Thank God for our Bible Reading Guide editors Emlyn and ‘Tricia Williams (Daily Bread) and Sally Nelson (Encounter with God), as the work they do helps so many to engage with the Bible. Ask for God’s direction and blessing as they work with writers.

Tuesday 21

Pray that God will help south west Support Worker Tracy Jassal to foster good relationships between Faith Guides, Faith Guide churches, Local Mission Partners and supporters, who are key to growing the Revealing Jesus framework.

Wednesday 22

Please pray for Local Mission Partner YoYo as, in collaboration with schools and churches, they share the Easter story with thousands of children and young people in York over the coming weeks. Pray that the creative, interactive activities will really bring

the Christian faith alive.

Thursday 23

Pray for the leaders of the Easter and spring holidays as they enter the last couple of weeks of preparation.

Pray also for the children and young people who will be going on the holidays that they will not be anxious about going away but excited and ready to hear from the Lord.

Friday 24

Give thanks for our supporters, for their love and passion for SU and its ministry to the 95. Please also pray for God’s guidance on their lives as they continue to serve and give in so many ways.

Saturday 25

Development Hub team member Maggie Barfield has been both enlightened and challenged while working on the Be More Micah Faith Guide resources about social justice, the environment and racial justice. Please pray for Maggie as she develops the material and seeks to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

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WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 19

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 26

Sunday 26

Praise the Lord for the new Bible engagement resource called Family Quest produced by SU in Englishspeaking Canada. Pray that this engaging, interactive, experiential activity will connect parents and children with the Bible and each other.

Monday 27

Pray that volunteers and youth workers will reconnect with Local Mission Partner Bridgebuilder, for the Guardians of Ancora clubs to be received well in the schools and for a greater connection in secondary schools across Milton Keynes.

Tuesday 28

As we enter the new financial year, please pray for wisdom and clarity of vision as we seek to navigate turbulent economic times in our society. Pray that our recent experience will help to refine the Revealing Jesus framework to provide better help to local churches and volunteers as they journey alongside the 95.

Wednesday 29

Pray for Sports and Faith Hub Coordinator Ruth Anderson. Pray for wisdom and creativity as she sets about the task of inspiring, training and equipping people to lead sports and fitness 14

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ministry with the 95 at the local level, as a way of helping children and young people connect with Jesus.

Thursday 30

The South West team will be involved in youth and children’s work at SPREE near Exeter in June. Pray for them as they prepare and for the Faith Guides planning to take groups from their communities. Pray that children and young people might respond to the love of God.

Friday 31

Please pray for the small team of people who will be providing safeguarding support to the Easter holidays. Pray that they will be equipped with wisdom and care for everyone that they work with over the next few weeks.

Saturday 1

Pray for Local Mission Partner COINS and for the Easter Eggsplored event for the Year 6 children of Newbury.

Pray for enthusiastic, faith-filled and capable volunteers. Pray also for the pop-up cafés in schools as the trust seeks to rebuild and strengthen relationships with schools.

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 2

Sunday 2

Pray for SU India as they train directors for the Vacation Bible Schools which will take place all around India. Pray too that they will be able to find more people to work in unreached states.

Monday 3

Pray for Local Mission Partner Engage as they share the Christian message in educational settings in the Woking area. This includes Prayer Clubs and detached playground work in primary schools and Prayer Spaces, and mentoring and wellbeing work in secondary schools.

Tuesday 4

Heidi Beckham, Mission Events Coordinator, asks us to pray that more of the 95 will book on our holidays, and that families who may not be able to afford it with the high cost of living will hear about and make use of SU’s Holiday Fund.

Wednesday 5

Our new holiday booking system went live earlier in the year to improve the booking experience for parents and guests. Pray for both the holiday and digital solutions teams as they work with volunteers to fix any remaining

bugs and training requirements so that this investment can benefit the movement for years to come.

Thursday 6

The Kestrels sailing holiday starts this weekend. Please pray for Mary and Phil as they lead it, for great sailing conditions, and for the young people to have a fantastic and safe experience, and to grow in their faith.

Friday 7

Pray for Local Mission Partner FACCTS in Fleet as they plan to run a Youth Alpha Course through the summer term. Pray that many children from the CUs that they have been running will come with their friends to meet Jesus and to join a church youth group.

Saturday 8

Some of the Faith Guides with whom Mission Enabler Chris Eales works in the south west have faced unexpected challenges. Pray that their passionate enthusiasm will continue. Pray for the Go Wild holiday to which Faith Guides will come with their groups to explore Christian faith in an outdoor context.

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‘Those kids saw hope and a future – and they responded.’

Janine Parkinson joined SU as a Mission Enabler in 2021.

Although not from a Christian family, she found faith. She shares her story and how, with your support, she is now helping today’s young people without church backgrounds to discover Jesus for themselves.

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Janine was the classic teenage rebel. ‘I hung out with an IndyCar racing crowd, drank Janine too much, Parkinson truanted from school, got into debt. I reached the point where I felt I had nothing left to live for. One night I went to my bedroom intending to take my own life. But we had a Christian lodger who knocked on my door and said, “The Lord has told me you’re going to do something stupid.

Can I pray for you?” He prayed and I felt the burden lift.

‘I asked God to show me that he was real; over the following week he did just that! Money miraculously appeared in my bank account to pay off my bills. At night in my dreams I heard words of comfort from the Lord which later I discovered were in the Bible. My lodger and his Christian friends showed me grace and love

I realised that this was what my life was all about like I’d never known. So, I gave my life to Jesus.

‘I learned about God, experienced the Holy Spirit, started reading the Bible and realised that this was what my life was all about. I quit my job as a clerk and went to work for a Christian youth organisation.

I later became a youth pastor and now I’m a Mission Enabler with SU! Many youth workers feel daunted about reaching the 95% of children and young people who aren’t in church. But I was one of the 95 so I know how important it is, and I’ve a real connection and passion to help them.’

Opening doors

Recently, SU partnered with The

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Message Trust as their bands OTC and Amongst Wolves ran a weeklong mission at five Derbyshire secondary schools. They led lessons on self-worth, held lunchtime concerts and invited the students to an end-of-mission concert.

Janine, there representing SU, says, ‘It was phenomenal, hearing around 1,000 young people sing along to songs about hope and love. When OTC asked who wanted to follow Jesus, over half responded! I prayed with some girls, gave them a Bible and invited them to the follow-up youth meeting.

ultimately unsatisfying and they’ve got a real identity crisis. So it’s quite easy to speak their language – “I’ve got something you can be passionate about which will change your life.” The gospel is the answer; it’s the reason for them to live. And at that concert, those kids saw hope and a future that they wanted, and so they responded. It blew me away! I drove home in silent wonder that this is happening, that God is really moving in the lives of a generation that doesn’t know him – but wants to. And he’s calling us to be his hands and feet in doing that.

‘My role was to bring together local youth leaders and train them ahead of the mission to do that follow-up.

During the mission, they’d gone into the schools alongside the bands to start building relationships with the teachers and students. Now, the schools are actively inviting those youth leaders in, asking them for help with lunch and afterschool clubs. Two schools have opened up to having a Christian Union!

‘Young people have a deep and unmet need that only God can fulfil.

Their lives are busier than ever but

You can enable more mission!

What a privilege!’

SU Mission Enablers like Janine enable mission right across England and Wales, by supporting churches with training, resources, ideas and much more. But they can only provide that help and guidance, and open the door to faith for even more children and young people, with your support. If you would like to make a donation to further SU’s work, please visit su.org.uk/donate.

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WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 9

Prayers

This Easter, please pray for our Mission Enablers and those we partner with, so that the next generation can hear Jesus’ wonderful message of hope!

Sunday 9

This Easter Sunday, praise God for raising Jesus from the dead, and for the hope that offers to each one of us! Please pray that all connected to SU are able to share the good news effectively with every child and young person in our nation, so that they too may know that hope and God’s purpose for their lives.

Monday 10

Please pray for all the young people whose lives were touched by the Derbyshire mission. Pray particularly for those who responded to the invitation to follow Jesus and for their faith to grow and flourish.

Tuesday 11

Please pray for the youth workers that Janine trained. Ask God to help them share the good news boldly and in language that young people without church backgrounds will truly understand, and journey with them towards faith.

Wednesday 12

Praise God for opening the way for youth workers in Derbyshire to develop

relationships with local schools. Ask him to inspire and bless them as they set up lunch and afterschool clubs and Christian Unions, and bring others alongside them to support them in this vital work.

Thursday 13

Give thanks to God for SU Mission Enablers including Janine, Pete and Jack who feature in this edition of Connecting You. Please ask him to bless their ministry and all they do to help the next generation encounter Jesus.

Friday 14

Praise God that although Janine did not come from a Christian family, she came to faith and now shares that faith with young people in similar situations.

Saturday 15

Give thanks for our partnerships with churches and other mission organisations including The Message Trust. Ask God to bless our work together so the next generation can hear, explore and respond to the good news of Jesus and grow in faith.

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 16

Sunday 16

In some countries where SU works, we cannot share detailed news because of sensitivities. In one, some of the team members are feeling the spiritual darkness. Please pray for God’s protection for them and their families and for open doors to share the good news of Jesus, even though this can be dangerous.

Monday 17

Central region Mission Enabler Matt Farley asks for prayer for Faith Guides working in schools. Pray that they might be able to bridge the gap between schools work and wider church work and know what the practical steps might be in their situations.

Be More Micah – Environment is a new Faith Guide collection, for those working with young people aged 14–18. Pray for the Development Hub team as they put the final touches to the resources, and that the materials will work well for the 95.

Please pray for Local Mission Partner Christian Initiative to Schools and their ministry to schools in Letchworth Garden City and District. Pray specifically for their School Worker, Christopher Baker, 20

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Thursday 20

The GW Tracks mountain biking holiday finished last weekend. Please pray for the young people as they go back to school, that they will hold onto the truths that they have learned and be encouraged to keep following Jesus.

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as he takes assemblies, lessons and lunchtime clubs and offers pastoral care to both staff and pupils.

Pray for a growing sense of community amongst Faith Guides.

Pray that as they share their stories, they will be able to affirm and encourage one another.

Saturday 22

Creative Developer Esther CalvertJordan thanks God for his wisdom in guiding the development of the Showtime collection of resources.

Pray for her as she explores more ways in which young people can be equipped to reach their peers with the good news of Jesus.

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 23

Sunday 23

Join Scripture Union Ecuador in praying for new doors to open as they face some challenging times in ministry. Pray that the Floor Ball programme will reach more young people in the community.

Monday 24

Please pray for the South East regional team as they work with Faith Guides on pioneering new mission across the region. Pray that those missions would lead to more children and young people having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Local Mission Partners, Faith Guides and numerous volunteer children’s workers and leaders who are running clubs in schools, churches and community venues.

Thursday 27

Please pray for wisdom for Mission Enabler Geoff Brown as he seeks to equip Christian young people to reach their friends with the good news of Jesus through initiatives like Shine in Schools.

Friday 28 Tuesday 25

Please pray for Local Mission Partner SUMT on the Isle of Man as they look ahead to the busy summer term. With so much to fit in, including additional It’s Your Move and Lifepath pre-visit lessons, please pray that the team remain healthy and that God would bless their many activities.

Wednesday 26

Give thanks for children like Riley, Aimee and Divine who love going to Guardians of Ancora after-school clubs where, to quote Riley, ‘You get to play a game and find out about Jesus.’ Pray for the work of

The first of our two holidays for families with children who are adopted or fostered takes place this weekend. Pray that it will be a time of real encouragement for the families who attend. Pray also for the leaders, that they will have the wisdom and sensitivity that they need to support those who come.

Saturday 29

Local Mission Partner BSYW in Blackpool are thankful the school doors and the hearts of thousands of children have remained open to the message of hope and love that they bring. Please pray for this work to continue and grow.

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S-You Today’s children and young people without church connections are only able to learn about Jesus thanks to faithful supporters like Ron and Ann Lewis. We hear what part SU has played in their own lives and why they support us.

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Ron met SU evangelist Dai Lewis (no relation) at the Greystones beach mission, County Wicklow, way back in 1955 – Dai would visit Ron’s parents to enjoy lavish Irish hospitality! Later, Ron moved to England and met and married Ann, and their four sons attended SU’s Longbarn camp which Dai had started. ‘Dai told stories round the campfire, many of which featured a boy called Gus,’ Ron recalls. ‘Subsequently SU published those stories as books.’

Ron and Ann helped found a church which they hosted initially in their Sussex home and then at a local school. Ron says, ‘Several times Dai came to lead services for children. Such was his gift for presenting the gospel that parents also hung on his every word and some came to faith. When Dai died in 2016, Bishop Paul Butler (who had come to know Dai through Longbarn) spoke movingly at his memorial which was held there.’

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful truths in your Word for me

So it’s marvellous that SU have managed to move with the times; they’re bang up to date!

Guides – Ron and I still do. One of the earliest rhymes they rooted in me is based on Psalm 118: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful truths in your Word for me”.

‘These days many youngsters don’t even know basic Bible stories.

They’re under so much pressure.

So it’s marvellous that SU have managed to move with the times; they’re bang up to date! And these new Faith Guides getting alongside those children to bring the hope that Jesus offers – that’s so needed, it’s something we’re passionate about and why we continue to support SU.’ Read and reflect on 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 13 to 18 – Ron’s favourite Bible passage – on the sure hope we can have of being with the Lord in eternity.

Ann grew up in Dorset. Her parents encouraged her and her three siblings to read the Bible from an early age. ‘I used SU Bible Reading

If you’d like to share your S-You story in an upcoming edition – what SU means to you and why you support us – please send a quick email to connectingyou@scriptureunion.org.uk.

www.scriptureunion.org.uk

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 30

Sunday 30

Pray for the SU ministry in Papua New Guinea as the movement tries to identify volunteers and schoolteachers who will carry on the work in schools across the whole country.

Monday 1

has moved online between January and July while their schools worker Jane Webber is on maternity leave. Please pray for her and her baby and that God’s Word will continue to reach their school communities through resources on YouTube.

Thursday 4

Showtime is a series of resources enabling Faith Guides to use performing arts as a means of helping children to learn about Jesus.

Please pray for wisdom and creativity as new material is developed to supplement the programme.

Tuesday 2

Pray for Trust Fundraiser Nozipho Dube as she continues to nurture connections with trusts and family trusts in the current fundraising climate. May she have the boldness to approach new grant opportunities and wisdom as she collaborates with different SU teams to create proposals.

Wednesday 3

Local Mission Partner The Oswestry Schools Christian Worker Project 24

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Pray for the SU Board consisting of Trustees and Leadership Team as they meet today, asking for discernment and wisdom as they consider the movement plan for 2023–24 looking at the best ways to progress the Revealing Jesus strategy.

Friday 5

Please pray for the workers of Local Mission Partner CICS: Chris, Joan, Nancy, Sarah and Sophie; for students they mentor who are sitting important exams; for the Trust as they seek, through consultation with schools, and in partnership with other local Christian organisations, to discern God’s way forward in Calderdale schools.

Saturday 6

Pray for Sports Mission Pioneer Holly Phipps and her volunteer team in Sheffield as they set up an afterschool sports club for girls in Fir Vale. Pray that they would have opportunities to encourage these girls to worship God through their sport as they share the good news with them.

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Prayers Sunday 7

Please pray for 14 young leaders to register for the Leadership Lab International TRANSFORM programme run by SU Global which will take place this summer.

Monday 8

Pray that God will give vision to Faith Guides to start new Grow Communities around the country and that the 95 will come with open hearts to these Grow Communities to connect and hear the good news.

Tuesday 9

Eddie Howlett, Faith Guide Community Coordinator and Revealing Jesus Pioneer, asks us to pray for the planning and the team involved in new partnerships with the DTI and Limitless summer festivals. Pray for volunteer recruitment and for the final stages of planning for the SU holidays taking place at these festivals.

Wednesday 10

Thursday 11

WEEK BEGINNING MAY 7

Many Year 6 pupils are getting ready to move to secondary school in the autumn, and It’s Your Move has been produced to help them make the transition. Pray for churches and other groups who go into schools to hand out copies and talk about the difference Jesus can make.

Friday 12

Please pray for the work of Local Mission Partner C4E as they work in schools and colleges in the Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea area. Pray especially for their high school lunch time club, Chat, which is led by the project worker Sarah.

Saturday 13

Please pray for the Rooted retreat day coming up in a school in Warrington where we will be working with students exploring themes such as resilience, anxiety, friendships and how they come hand in hand with faith.

Pray too for the launch of new Rooted retreats in other parts of the country.

The SU Wales team are working on a pilot project to develop an all-age model of Revealing Jesus in a rural setting. This will include a number of outdoor contexts with individual churches and groups of churches working together. Pray that they will be able to develop clear principles and learn how to work out Revealing Jesus in rural and remote settings. www.scriptureunion.org.uk

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING MAY 14

Sunday 14

Pray for SU Portugal as they prepare for 12 Kids Games and summer camps which will be attended by about 400 children and led by over 80 volunteers who serve alongside the staff in both their camp centres. Pray that the children will grow in faith.

Monday 15

Appeals and Legacies Manager Kathy Brooks asks us to pray that all those reading Connecting You today will encounter God in a new and deeper way as they pray for the work of SU.

Guides they are supporting and equipping to reach the 95. Pray particularly for their work to develop and plan Faith Guide holidays for this year.

Thursday 18

Pray for the work of Local Mission Partner Gobaith Môn in the secondary schools in Anglesey and openness from the students to hear and receive the good news.

Friday 19

We have recently focused on improving the security of our IT network and equipment across the movement. Pray for the accreditation work as we seek Cyber Essentials status, and for the team as they take on the ongoing maintenance and checks that seek to protect our network, equipment and data against a rising tide of cyber threats.

Pray for Kate Doogan as she continues to settle into her role as a Revealing Jesus Pioneer, asking that she will be able to connect with churches in the Merseyside area and help them reach the 95. Pray especially for her preparation for her first Rooted retreat at the end of June.

Wednesday 17

Saturday 20

Tuesday 16

Pray for Faith Guide Maria in the central region as she continues her detached work, Reignite, in several estates in Milton Keynes; pray for support from volunteers as they approach the summer and numbers increase.

Pray for the team in the central region as they look to increase the number of churches and Faith 26

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Prayers

WEEK BEGINNING MAY 21

Sunday 21

Pray for Bruce Lockhart, SU Scotland’s Missions Development Manager, as he seeks to grow SU missions in partnership with churches, and that a newly written holiday club resource will help many churches engage with their local community.

Monday 22

Pray for the fundraising team, that God will use them to grow support for the movement. Pray that God will continue to bless us financially so that more children and young people may hear the good news.

Tuesday 23

With six languages and active partner organisations in more than 30 countries, please pray for the mission of the Guardians of Ancora app. Around half the new players come to the game because friends have invited them – praise God that they are so excited about an app that lets them explore the life of Jesus.

Wednesday 24

May is the time of year when volunteers sign up to serve on the summer holiday and mission teams.

Give thanks that so many people give of their time to share the good news with children and young

people on our events and pray that all of our holidays and missions will have full teams this summer.

Thursday 25

Pray for Local Mission Partner Living Stones Educational Trust as they share the love of God by supporting children, families and schools in Newton Heath in Manchester, working holistically to help raise educational attainment and resilience.

Friday 26

Stephen Vis asks for prayer for wisdom and guidance for the wide variety of issues that he needs to handle in his role as Director of Finance and Services, and that he may trust in God’s provision for resources, staff and volunteers so that more may hear about God’s love.

Saturday 27

Pray for churches and groups preparing to run The Restoration Station holiday THE club this summer.

STATION Ask God’s blessing on the STATION practical details and that he will be preparing the hearts of the children to be introduced to Jesus the Restorer.

THE

This exciting new holiday club from Scripture Union is designed to help you reach out to the 95% of children and young people in your communi ty who aren’t in church.

At The Restoration Station children will be introduced to Jesus as a restorer.

Using key stories from John’s Gospel, the children will discover how Jesus is the master craftsman who heals and restores. Each day they will be given the opportunity to explore who Jesus is and respond to him in appropriate ways.

Including three half-day session outlines (with an additional two sessions of material online), The Restoration Station also covers themes of fear, feeling broken on the inside and how God can be both a rock and a shelter.

www.scriptureunion.org.uk

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Includes photocopiable resources and

www.scriptureunion.org.uk

ISBN 978 1 78506 915 4

9 781785 069154

FREE

extras online

A Scripture Union holiday club programme. Great new ideas, inspired by experience.

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Fun-packed, faith-filled Christian holidays for 8-to 18-year-olds

Book online:

su.org.uk/ holidays

What are YOU doing this summmer?

We’re looking for volunteers to join our holiday teams.

So, if you want to have the time of your life while helping children grow closer to Jesus, sign up today:

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