you Connecting
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Meet Nic, an SU Revealing Jesus Pioneer
Read about Nic Findlay’s journey to faith and how that’s led her to helping today’s non-churchgoing young people discover Jesus, just as she did.
10
A welcome breakthrough
Faith Guide Rachel Stirland explains how an apparently backward step has revolutionised how her church in Cromer does mission with the 95.
Sport speaks of Jesus to young Syrians
Discover how regular football sessions helped young refugees discover Jesus.
Meeting God on the mountainside
See how Faith Guides Paul and Robyn Smethurst are helping families encounter Jesus at a remote chapel a thousand feet up a Welsh mountain.
Did you know?
We rely on 1,250 amazing volunteers to make our summer events possible. If you are already involved, thank you so much for the huge impact you make. If you’re not, you will find loads of opportunities at su.org.uk/volunteer
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 per cent 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
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. Connecting You magazine is also available online at: www.su.org.uk/connectingyou. If you have a
For general enquiries Tel: 01908 856000 Fax: 01908 856111 Email: info@scriptureunion.org.uk www.scriptureunion.org.uk
Published by Scripture Union, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 ODF
Good news for everyone, everywhere!
‘My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than
by
where
a church has already been started
someone else’ (Romans 15:20, NLT).
In Romans, perhaps the greatest theological essay ever, the apostle Paul starts by sharing what the good news of Jesus is and finishes with an unswerving challenge to share it with everyone, everywhere. And he really does mean everyone and everywhere! Early Christians were surprised to be told to share the gospel with Gentiles as well as Jews. Today, God is calling us to Reveal Jesus to refugees on a Tyneside estate, farming families up a Welsh mountain, children with special needs at a community lunch in Norfolk and beyond, as you’ll read in this edition of Connecting You!
Once, I had the opportunity to Reveal Jesus while I was involved in shooting a video to help young people understand the Bible better. We were between takes and as I sat down on a wall for a rest, a young guy came and sat next to me. He was curious
to know what we were doing, so I told him. He turned to me and said, ‘You know, I’ve thought about becoming a Christian – could you tell me more about it?’
So, the good news of Jesus is for all people in all places. And it’s all-powerful – it’s as fresh and transformational today as it was in the early days of the church. If Jesus is shining through you, don’t be surprised if young people, so many of whom are searching for hope, ask you why they see hope in you. We need to be ready in all times and all places to reveal Jesus wherever we find ourselves!
God bless,
Dave Newton National Director, Scripture Union England
and Wales
Meet Nic, an SU Revealing
Jesus Pioneer
Nic Findlay didn’t grow up in a Christian family. Now, she not only knows Jesus for herself, but helps to reveal him to a new generation! She tells us more of her journey and shares why a Bible passage from John inspires her.
I know it’s possible for a young person without church connections to fall in love with Jesus and have their lives transformed – because that’s what happened to me! I really wasn’t interested in God, but two persistent school friends kept inviting me to church youth group events. I went to the socials… then the Bible studies… but still felt Jesus was for ‘other people’. Eventually I realised he was for me too, and at 16 I decided to follow him.
At university I joined the Christian Union. It was quite traditional and focused on theology and scripture, whereas the church I attended was missional and charismatic. The combination gave me a great grounding and helped my faith to flourish.
God gave me a heart for those on the margins. My soon-to-be husband and I shared food, coffee
I still felt Jesus was for
‘other people’.
and faith with a group of homeless in our local park. It set a pattern for connecting with people beyond the church and sharing God’s love with them. I went into teaching – my job was to get kids through exams – but many were from vulnerable families, and I longed to be able to give them more support and to share my faith.
Bringing together experience and passion
Then God opened the door for me to do just that! My husband and I moved to a social housing estate near Cambridge, then to one in Liverpool, where I was able to do youth and community work. I was in my element, and it taught me much about young people, their concerns, and how irrelevant they felt church was to them. Then, a couple of years ago I became an SU Revealing Jesus Pioneer, which used my experience and passion to
He has revealed God to us. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. No one has ever seen God. John 1:18 (NLT)
Reveal Jesus to children and young people outside the church. I still do youth and community work too, so I get to wrestle with the same issues as the Faith Guides I support, which then helps me support them better!
Young people really want someone they can trust and talk to, particularly if they don’t have a safe adult in their lives. So, it’s not surprising that they will push your limits to see if you reject them or if they can trust you to have their backs. One Faith Guide I coach initially had some real trials with the young people she was connecting with. But when I returned recently, it was a joy to see the children hanging on her every word as she shared how Jesus helps her in her life.
One of my favourite Bible passages
I’ve always loved John 1:14-18. It explains that if you know what Jesus is like, you know what God is
Your local SU team
like, even if you’ve never seen him. And we’re always trying to Reveal Jesus so that young people can see how beautiful and compelling he is! Secondly, it says that Jesus is full of grace and truth – he says things to the disciples that can be challenging, even shocking, but he is also deeply compassionate and forgiving. Having lived in communities with complex issues for a long time, I’ve learned you need that balance. It’s not loving to never call out bad behaviour, but, if we do that, we need to do it in such a way that the young person knows that we – and God – still love them unconditionally!
Having lived in communities with complex issues for a long time, I’ve learned you need that balance.
Our Revealing Jesus pioneers and Mission Enablers, like Nic, are ready and waiting to support churches across England and Wales in their outreach. Get connected with your local SU team at su.org.uk/local and find out how they can support you, or how you can support their vital work with your gifts and prayers.
Prayers
WEEK BEGINNING MAY 25
Please pray for Nic and other SU staff as they Reveal Jesus to children and young people who don’t yet know him.
Sunday 25
Read and reflect on John 1:14-18, the passage of scripture that Nic shared. Give thanks to God that because Jesus came to us in the flesh, he was able to clearly reveal to us the heart of God the Father.
Monday 26
Ask God to help all those Revealing Jesus to children and young people to balance the need for both grace and truth as Jesus did, so that the next generation might develop strong, enduring faith.
Tuesday 27
Praise God for Nic’s amazing journey of faith. Although she didn’t grow up knowing Jesus, she now follows him and helps him to be revealed to other young people with no church connections.
Wednesday 28
The first step of Nic’s faith journey came through her persistent
schoolfriends inviting her to their church youth club. Give thanks to God for all young Christians who invite their peers to ‘come and see’ Jesus for themselves.
Thursday 29
Praise God for giving Nic a heart for the vulnerable, the opportunities to serve them and the gifts with which to reveal Jesus to them ‘in grace and truth’.
Friday 30
Give thanks to God for all our Revealing Jesus Pioneers – Nic Findlay, Ian Kent, Kate Doogan, Sarah Bowey and Ruth Anderson.
Saturday 31
Ask God to help SU staff, Faith Guides and volunteers as they seek to Reveal Jesus to children and young people and help them understand the relevance of faith in today’s world.
Prayers
Sunday 1
The Global Team coordinates the work of Scripture Union International. Pray for wisdom and inspiration in all their discussions as they meet in Greece from Tuesday to Thursday this week.
Monday 2
Ask God to bless the work of Fi Messenger and volunteers at Mission Partner Archway Trust. They work in Northamptonshire village schools, running craft clubs, prayer spaces, holiday clubs and toddler groups. Pray particularly for their Church of England Flourish pilot, setting up a worshipping community in Hartwell school with children as leaders.
Tuesday 3
Zoraida Ali-Smith, PA to the Director of Mobilisation, asks us to pray for the safeguarding team as they work closely with holiday and event leaders during the summer to ensure that children, young people, volunteers and staff are kept safe as we share the good news of Jesus.
Wednesday 4
Mission Partner MAST in Matlock give thanks for the positive feedback received from schools where Chloe and Hannah, their two school visitors, lead Collective Worship and Walk
WEEK
BEGINNING
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Through the Bible. Pray that the Christian literature they are giving to pupils will be read and cherished.
Thursday 5
We have been looking for a new Director of Mission Resources, a key role heading up the production of resources to equip churches for their ministry to the 95. Pray that the person appointed will settle into the role and work well with the Mission Resources team.
Friday 6
Pray for Mission Partner GenR8 as they take their summer assembly ‘Peer Pressure’ on tour to 100 primary schools in Cambridgeshire and North Herts. They will use the story of Daniel to illustrate how making good choices and doing the right thing is not always easy.
Saturday 7
Pray for Sarah Howard-Smith, Support Worker for the north region, as she supports the team in the early stages of planning some face-to-face Faith Guide training. Pray for her too as she prepares to co-lead the Edale Holiday.
Prayers
Sunday 8
Scripture Union Zimbabwe held a national teachers’ camp last month. Pray that this will have a lasting impact and that it will strengthen the work of SU in schools.
Monday 9
Please pray for All Together camp taking place next weekend. This camp is specifically for families who adopt or foster children. Pray that the families would have a chance to relax and connect with others and for Steve and Judy Hutchinson as they lead the event.
Tuesday 10
Pray for Neil Jackson (Mission Enabler, North team) as he leads the Launchpad Faith Guide Holiday at the end of July, and for co-leader, Sarah Fell (Faith Guide), who is leading for the first time. Pray for good numbers and that this will be a significant time in their faith journey.
Wednesday 11
Pray for the Revealing Jesus conference (taking place tomorrow,
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8
Friday and Saturday), that will bring together SU staff, volunteers, Faith Guides and Mission Partners. Ask God to bless this special time and pray that many will be fired up, refreshed and better equipped to Reveal Jesus to the 95.
Thursday 12
Thank God for all who faithfully support the mission of SU with their love, commitment, generosity and prayers. Pray that God will encourage and bless them with the knowledge that they are contributing to sharing Jesus with the 95.
Friday 13
Pray that Mission Partner The Youth Net in Stafford will be led by God as they start to look forward to and plan for the next academic year.
Saturday 14
Lisa Jones (Mission Enabler in the south) is planning an autumn outdoor activity holiday for Faith Guides and the children they are working with. Pray that the children will not be anxious about staying away from home as some were last year and pray that the team will be bold in sharing Jesus’ love with them during the holiday.
A welcome breakthrough
Faith Guide Rachel Stirland explains how an apparently backward step has revolutionised how her church in Cromer does mission with the 95.
Each Monday after school, Rachel’s church hosted a meal for local families.
A Sunday School-style session followed, but the children (many with Special Educational Needs) would not settle or engage, and understandably the church team felt defeated.
Rachel, who recently retired to Cromer, became a Faith Guide and took over running the group. With help from Matt Farley (SU Mission Enabler), she realised the cause of the issues. ‘Faith and church were completely alien to these children, and we’d gone straight to “Explore”. They just weren’t ready! So, we went back a stage to “Connect” and focused on building relationships with them.
‘We started setting up crafts and games at the back of the church and we’d get to know each other as they played. I’d take the teenagers to
another room and we’d just chat, and they started opening up. Afterwards, I’d invite them to join me in the church to pray. Initially reluctant, they now enjoy praying with me.
We’d
gone straight to
“Explore”. They just weren’t ready!
‘One teenager said a boy at school was constantly annoying her. We prayed about it together and two days later she says he stopped. Yet last year this same girl had said she was “sick of hearing about that Jesus bloke”. Another teen in the group had a friend who, like her, has mental health issues, and she told him “You need to find Jesus!”
‘We have a signing-in book, and I write an encouraging phrase at the top. One week I wrote “Smile, Jesus loves you!” and one of the children had written “And we love Jesus too!”
‘Using the Revealing Jesus framework has made a huge difference in a short time – it really works.’
Pray for Faith Guides, like Rachel, as they dedicate time to really connecting with children and young people.
RACHEL
Prayers
Sunday 15
Pray for SU Northern Ireland’s Base Camp training weekend which takes place next weekend praying that the young leaders will be eager to learn, grow in their gifts, and be empowered to share the good news of Jesus this summer and beyond.
Monday 16
Last month, the North team ran schools work training evenings across the region. Pray that people will want to take this further (with online coaching in schools work or the Introduction to Schools Ministry course), resulting in schools ministry reaching into more schools.
Tuesday 17
Pray for Dom Conidi, Regional Mission Team Leader in the central region. Ask that God will give him discernment and inspiration for equipping and enabling churches to respond to the rapidly increasing spiritual openness of the youngest generations.
Wednesday 18
As Keefe Owen, Mission Enabler in Wales, travels around north and mid Wales, he sees many churches who have the desire to
WEEK BEGINNING JUNE
15
reach the 95 but lack people with enough time. Pray for a fresh wave of volunteers and workers who will engage with children and young people through whole-life discipleship.
Thursday 19
Join Sharon Esnard, Director of Finance and Services, in giving thanks as she approaches her one-year anniversary of joining the SU staff team. Pray that God will give her wisdom in decisions that she needs to make and that as we finalise our year end audit things will run smoothly.
Friday 20
Please pray for the Mission Events team as they work in the background doing all the tasks that are needed to enable volunteers to serve this summer, so that children and young people can enjoy fantastic missions and events.
Saturday 21
Pray for Local Mission Partners who work in schools; this term is full of sessions helping children to prepare for the move into secondary education. Pray for conversations with schools as new groups and activities are planned for September.
Prayers
Sunday 22
Pray that there would be open doors for SU Papua New Guinea to reach the 22 provinces, many accessible only by air or sea. Pray for the establishment of strong volunteer bases in the regions.
Monday 23
Pray for Mission Enabler Lucy Pearson as she supports Faith Guides who are leading Rooted retreats in their communities, and coordinates Rooted training events across England and Wales. Pray that many of the 95 will be enabled to explore Christian faith at their own pace as a result.
Tuesday 24
WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 22
in partnership at different festivals and events. Please pray that the many thousands of young people and children who attend will encounter Jesus through these activities.
Thursday 26
Pray for a child or young person who doesn’t yet know Jesus – a family member, perhaps, or someone you know of. Pray for opportunities for them to be introduced to Jesus and ask God to work powerfully in their lives.
Friday 27
Summer provides great opportunities for churches to connect with children and young people through sport. Please pray that all those planning to use our sports resource packs will be equipped and inspired and that many more children and young people will hear about Jesus as a result.
Wednesday 25
Pray for Director of Mission Richard Shaw as he oversees the planning for a busy summer of residentials and missions, working
Mission Partner Beverley Schools Christian Trust requests prayers for governance and vision as they reach into secondary schools to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Pray for trustees and a potential new worker as they explore plans for primary schools in the 2025–26 school year.
Saturday 28
In the light of the Revealing Jesus conference earlier this month, pray that we can increase the level of mission as we seek to equip the church to Reveal Jesus to the 95. Pray for the impact of four major initiatives: Regional Mission, Mission Resources, Residentials and Mission Partners.
Prayers
Sunday 29
Pray that God will open doors for SU India to conduct missions in schools, that more children may be reached, and for the success of VBS programmes and director training across the country this summer.
Monday 30
Several of our Local Mission Partners in Wales are looking for workers to partner with local schools and churches to Reveal Jesus in their context. Please pray that the right people would be forthcoming and that the Lord would provide workers at this time.
Tuesday 1
We have worked hard to update many of our systems recently to improve communication with our supporters and to improve our efficiency and effectiveness. Pray for the team as we focus on getting the best use from that work through ongoing support and training.
Wednesday 2
Pray for Hannah Batchelor of Mission Partner Living Stones Educational Trust (Manchester), developing the work of Homework Club, trusting God to open doors and to connect children and families with the local church. Ask the Lord of the harvest to provide more workers.
Thursday 3
WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 29
Pray for our missions and holiday leaders as they begin the countdown to the summer. Pray for the teams, for effective training and support, for creativity in planning, and for sensitivity as they prepare to share the good news with the children and young people.
Friday 4
Mission Partner Festive has recruited a full-time Student Connect Worker, Hannah, who is pioneering in-person training events around the country for young people leading CUs in sixth-forms and colleges. Pray for open doors and a generation of 16to 18-year-olds equipped and stirred for gospel mission.
Saturday 5
Thank God for the opportunities that It’s Your Move provides for making connections with schools and for helping pupils as they transition to secondary school. Pray that, as churches and Mission Partners take copies into schools and do presentations, many Year 6 children will see the difference that Jesus can make.
Prayers
Sunday 6
Pray for a revitalising of SU work in Brazil. Pray for wisdom in identifying and inviting associates and board members for a General Assembly (last held 33 years ago) to name a transitional board of directors.
Monday 7
Gill Russell, Senior Data Manager, asks us to pray that we can comply with the requirements of significant changes in the UK’s data protection regulations in a timely manner, ensuring continued protection of our supporters’ privacy while giving them the best possible experience in the way we connect with them.
Tuesday 8
Pray for the children and young people who will be going on an SU holiday this summer. Pray they would be excited about the time away and be ready to connect with each other, with the event leaders and with Jesus.
Wednesday 9
Please pray for Michelle Newstead (Content Administrator in the Mission Resources team) as she tracks stock, liaises with printers and ensures our resources are available across various platforms, so that the maximum number of users will benefit and be able to share Jesus effectively with the 95.
Thursday 10
WEEK BEGINNING
JULY 6
Our newly updated Daily Bread and Encounter with God apps have been well received by our users. Please pray that more people will connect with God’s Word through these apps.
Friday 11
Thank God for the opportunities Mission Partner Brentwood Schools Christian Worker Trust has to take It’s Your Move lessons in primary schools, supporting Year 6 pupils with their move to secondary school. Pray for the pupils as they each receive a copy of It’s Your Move, thanks to sponsorship by local churches.
Saturday 12
Pray for Eddie Nock, SU’s Senior Communications and Marketing Manager. He asks for creativity, inspiration and focus as he develops communications aimed at introducing new people to Scripture Union’s work.
Prayers WEEK
BEGINNING
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Sunday 13
Pray for wisdom and creativity for SU Finland as they prepare and promote the Christian family calendar of weekly Bible stories and activities. Pray too that all the young people in Finland who will receive the Who is Jesus? magazine at confirmations may encounter Jesus this summer.
Monday 14
Please pray for the newly formed south region as they prepare for the summer programme. Ask God for wisdom and unity as they work together to inspire and equip churches to reach the 95, especially as they establish new connections and deepen existing partnerships.
Tuesday 15
Mission Partner ACTS in Thanet thank God for Abi Jameson (Primary Facilitator) and Charlotte BannarMartin (Volunteer Co-ordinator), and for Rhodri Walters (Project Manager) who has the role of exploring activities and supporting the secondary schools. Pray for their plans and fundraising to employ a Secondary School Facilitator.
Wednesday 16
Pray for freelance editor Alex Taylor as he works with the Mission Resources team on resources to enable people to be guided by the Revealing Jesus framework as they share the good news of Jesus. Pray
that he will know God’s wisdom and creativity.
Thursday 17
Mark Oliver, Sports Mission Team Leader, asks us to pray that the new Holy Ground initiative (see page 16) would result in many churches taking up the invitation to adopt a space in their communities to connect with the 95 through sport and games. Pray too for a wide and effective use of the new Half-Time video resource.
Friday 18
Pray for the SU Board of Trustees as they meet today. Among other agenda items members will be approving the Trustees’ Annual Report. Give thanks for all that report represents of God’s faithfulness and the ministry of the movement.
Saturday 19
Please pray for Submerge – our first holiday of the summer – which begins tomorrow. Pray that great conversations will take place with the young people on this holiday and for safety and fun across the summer.
Sport speaks of Jesus to young Syrians
Faith Guide Barry Watkin and SU’s Mark Oliver explain how starting regular football sessions gave them the means to connect with young refugees and Reveal Jesus to them.
In 2017, a group of families fleeing war-torn Syria moved onto an estate in the Tyneside village of Rowlands Gill. Members of Strathmore Road Methodist Church were keen to befriend and support the newcomers to settle in. Although the Syrians spoke almost no English, the church soon established that their children loved football.
So, a group of local Christians, including Mark Oliver (who now leads SU’s Mission Through Sports Team) started organising weekly football matches for local children, including the young Syrians. Mark recalls, ‘We played on a scruffy patch of grass in the middle of the estate. It became “Holy Ground”, a place where we used sport to connect with the children, build relationship and reveal God’s love to them. It also helped the Syrian lads to integrate - back then, football was the only language we shared!’
From Connect to Explore
By 2023 when Barry joined the church as Youth and Community Outreach Pioneer, the young Syrians were teenagers fluent in Geordie! Barry and Mark felt it was time to start exploring faith with them. Barry says, ‘We invited them down to church after football to learn more about Jesus through a pilot sporty version of Rooted. Even when football stopped for winter, the lads
continued coming to Rooted. We’ve had some great conversations about faith over pizza.’
Back then, football was the only language we shared!
Last autumn, Mark and Barry took the Rooted group on an SU Faith Guide holiday to Seahouses. Barry says, ‘They’d never been away from their families overnight before, but because their parents knew and trusted us, they were happy to let them come.
‘The lads had a go at crazy golf for the first time and loved it! Then we went to Bamburgh to play Brazilian football on the beach. It was low tide, and with the light of the setting sun on the wet sand and the castle, it was amazing. At dusk, we sat round a fire and shared a bit about our faith journeys. On the Sunday after another game of football we had fish and chips together.
BARRY
‘The lads said it had been the best day of their lives.’
Reaching out respectfully
How do Mark and Barry Reveal Jesus whilst remaining respectful of the boys being Muslim? Mark observes, ‘Muslims recognise Jesus as a prophet, and we’re respectfully sharing why we see him as God’s son and the ultimate role model – how he included the marginalised, spoke out against injustice, valued women. We’re helping the lads get a sense of the worth they have in God’s sight and to develop integrity, self-esteem and a strong positive identity. We’ll also be developing their leadership
skills by helping them run football sessions for younger kids.
‘We don’t know if they’ll ever get to “respond” but we will play our part and leave the rest in God’s hands because he knows and loves these young men. He has called us to do this, and we know that his Word doesn’t return to him empty.’
We’re helping the lads get a sense of the worth they have in God’s sight.
‘Holy
Ground’ is a great way to connect!
Mark and Barry used a patch of grass on the housing estate as ‘Holy Ground’, a place to play sport and active games, socialise and build relationships with children and young people not in church. Why not find a community space near you and create your own ‘Holy Ground’? Contact Sarah Bowey from our Mission Through Sports Team to find out more – scan the QR code or visit su.org.uk/holyground.
Prayers
WEEK BEGINNING JULY 20
Please pray for Barry and all Faith Guides and SU staff using sport and physical games to Reveal Jesus to children and young people not in church.
Sunday 20
Give thanks to God that sport is proving to be such an effective means of sharing God’s love with children and young people not in church.
Monday 21
As the summer holidays begin, please pray that many churches will be inspired to adopt a local community space and make it ‘Holy Ground’, a place to build connections with young people not in church through the language of sport.
Tuesday 22
Ask God to bless the young Syrians as they explore faith, discover more about Jesus as God’s son, and what that might mean for them. Pray that Jesus might be revealed to them in a powerful way!
Wednesday 23
Pray for Mark, Barry and others Revealing Jesus in the sensitive
context of young people of other faiths. Ask God to give them great wisdom and grace.
Thursday 24
Give thanks to God for Barry and all Faith Guides across the country – it is such a joy to hear how God is Revealing Jesus to a new generation through them!
Friday 25
Ask God to bless, refresh and inspire the SU Mission Through Sports Team as they support Faith Guides using sport to connect and journey with children and young people.
Saturday 26
Please pray for Faith Guides planning to use Half Time, a new SU sports-themed video series which helps young people to explore Mark’s Gospel, in the new school year. Find out more at www.su.org.uk/halftime.
Prayers
Sunday 27
Give thanks for the publication by SU Timor Leste of The Beginner’s Bible in the Tetun language and pray that it may bring joy and understanding of the Bible to many. Pray for other resources in production to help children grow in faith and knowledge.
Monday 28
The summer event season is underway! Pray this week for Great Wood Experience, The Maze, Serve Enfield mission and Longbarn 1. Pray for the young people, the event leaders and for good weather.
Tuesday 29
Praise God for the Wales staff team and their passion and love to reach a new generation of children. Pray for guidance and wisdom for Sian Ifan as she continues to support the team in her role as Support Worker for Wales, especially in balancing her role at SU and her teaching job.
Wednesday 30
Pray that as Mission Partner Faith in Schools reach out to serve Muslim schools in Newham, they may find others to support them with their Christianity lessons and in other ways. Pray for them as they try to reconnect
with three schools they have worked with in the past.
Thursday 31
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The Central team will be providing a catering village at Dreaming the Impossible, a national youth event which runs 2–7 August. This will provide training for leaders and space for young people to reflect. Pray that this will result in life-giving encounters with Jesus.
Friday 1
Pray for beach missions running this summer at Minnis Bay, Abersoch, Nefyn, Criccieth, Sutton on Sea and Perranporth. Pray for strong connections with the local churches and that they would bless the communities in which they are serving.
Saturday 2
Join Sarah Davison, Research and Innovation Lead, in praying that as thousands of children and young people game online during the school holidays, they will rest and relax. Pray that as churches catch SU’s vision to engage with them in the digital world, they will discover something about the love of Jesus.
Prayers
Sunday 3
Thank God for the workshops for teachers on mental health and well-being organised by SU Eswatini. Pray that these will build them up as they work with children and young people and enable them to provide more effective support.
Monday 4
Pray for Mission Partner Regeneration:Harrow as August is a slow month with the schools on summer break. Pray for rest for the team and for guidance as they plan new ways to serve God, the schools, and local churches in the upcoming term.
Tuesday 5
Please pray for Tanya Pencheva as she looks after administration for the Mission Resources team and for the Bible reading guides and apps. Please pray for wisdom on how to provide fast and accurate support to the new members of the team, including a new Mission Resources Director.
Wednesday 6
Pray for holidays happening this week – Great Dayz, Activ8, Lagger 1 and Spot/Make the
WEEK BEGINNING AUG 3
Difference. Pray for the young leaders who are serving on those events, that they would grow in their faith as they see God at work during the week.
Thursday 7
April–June 2026 Bible reading guides go to press in the next week. Pray for the staff as they make final corrections to the publications and thank God that material written so far in advance often speaks so relevantly to the readers.
Friday 8
Pray for Mission Partner The Lighthouse Project (Crawley) as the trustees enter a period of transition. Thank God for the trustees who are stepping down after years of serving faithfully and pray that the new trustees would follow God’s lead as they oversee the work.
Saturday 9
More holidays to pray for: The Real Thing, LiveWires, Longbarn 3, Lagger 2 and two Faith Guide holidays - High Tide, based in Southampton and another at the Limitless Festival. Pray for each event, for their leaders and guests, asking that God would break in and speak to all who are involved.
Meeting God on the mountainside
In a remote chapel a thousand feet up in the Black Mountains (Y Mynydd Du), families are encountering Jesus! Faith Guides Paul and Robyn Smethurst tell us more.
The small Welsh borders town of Talgarth was once a Christian stronghold. Fifth-century King Brychan, based here, spread the gospel throughout the region. In 1735, local man Howell Harris had a remarkable conversion here and went on to help lead a major Welsh revival.
More recently, there has been decline. After the town’s Baptist church closed, Paul (Baptist Union Missional Minister for Breconshire) and Robyn moved here in 2023 to explore new ways of sharing Jesus with the community.
They found an opportunity in Pen yr Heol, a tiny chapel high in the mountains above Talgarth, accessed via a steep single-track lane. Here, a few people continued to meet for monthly services. Paul says, ‘There was a fringe community of families either with a relative in the regular congregation or simply an affinity with the location. That was our starting point.’
With the help of Scripture Union (initially John Settatree and more recently Mission Enabler Jack Newbould), Paul and Robyn started
monthly meet-ups for these families, adapting SU Go Wild! resources to their needs. Fun outdoor activities (building a bug hotel, constructing shelters in the graveyard, making a Nativity scene) are interwoven with faith and scripture. ‘We began with four families who invited others and it’s grown to nine families,’ says Paul. ‘A remarkable sense of camaraderie has developed. They’re very committed – numbers fluctuate during lambing or harvest as most are farmers, but they stay connected on our WhatsApp group.
‘A remote mountain chapel isn’t the most logical place to do mission! In really bad weather we have to relocate to a village hall lower down. But God has led us to do this, he is blessing it and we can sense this is becoming a Grow community. It’s a wonderful privilege to be a part of it.’
Visit su.org.uk/wales to find out more about work in Wales and how you can partner in gospel opportunities like this. Please pray for our small team – Jack, Rhian, Keefe and Sian – as they work hard to inspire and equip churches in projects like this one and beyond.
Paul & Robyn
Prayers
Sunday 10
Pray for SU Lithuania’s leadership as they look to grow and develop the movement in their country. Ask God to give them wisdom, strength, and unity as they move forward.
Monday 11
Pray for the children in primary schools who are taking part in Rooted sessions run by Faith Guides, and for Rooted conversation spaces launching in secondary schools. Ask that these may open up many opportunities for children and young people to discover Jesus.
Tuesday 12
Pray for Racheal Chapman as she continues to embed herself into the Central team as their Support Worker. Ask that she’d be a real blessing as she supports the Mission Enablers and team leaders in their ministry with Faith Guides and Local Mission Partners, and as she continues with everyday behindthe-scenes work such as email communications, prayer newsletters and data entry.
Wednesday 13
Please join the fundraising team in praying that we may be good stewards of the finances we have been blessed with, and that we may have the confidence and courage to
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pray boldly expecting God to provide ‘even more than we ask or imagine’.
Thursday 14
Pray for the holidays taking place this week – The Track, Kazoo, Wide Open and Longbarn 4. Pray for our Faith Guide holiday at Edale. Pray that leaders will have wisdom and enthusiasm, and that their conversations would encourage all to discover more about faith in Jesus.
Friday 15
Pray that God will enable Assistant Accountant Susannah Quinn to gain understanding as she studies Managing Account Techniques. Pray for energy and wisdom as she supports other departments with payment requests at this time, particularly the Mission Events team. Pray that God will multiply the resources we have.
Saturday 16
Give thanks for the news that many of the youngest generations are seeking more of God and his Word, and even turning up at churches. Pray for churches to be ready for these ‘turner uppers’.
Prayers
Sunday 17
Pray that the SU centenary celebrations in Switzerland, both German-speaking and Frenchspeaking, will not only be filled with gratitude but will also ignite a renewed passion for the Bible among Christians in Switzerland and draw more children and young people to Jesus.
Monday 18
Join the SU Cymru/Wales team in giving thanks for the long-standing work of beach missions in Criccieth, Nefyn and Abersoch which have recently finished for this year. Pray that those who attended will continue to think about what they heard.
Tuesday 19
Join Karen Quinney, Mission Events Coordinator (Teams), in praising God for all the volunteers who have made the summer holidays possible and in praying for those who are currently serving on holidays, asking that they might have energy and strength.
Wednesday 20
Pray for the final two events of the summer – Escape and Mallards. Pray that God will speak powerfully. Pray
that all the event leaders and volunteers who have served so well over the summer will be refreshed as they reflect on the opportunities they have had to Reveal Jesus to children and young people.
Thursday 21
Pray for Mission Partner Wildfire Youth Project working across Winchester. Pray for the different projects and events that they run in schools, with young people and churches. Pray for their workers, Ellie and Adam, and their many partner youth workers.
Friday 22
Pray for Gifts Administrator Allison Highton, asking for speed and efficiency as she processes donations from supporters and wisdom as she reconciles the gift account at the end of each month.
Saturday 23
Pray for the editors of Scripture Union’s Bible reading guides, Sally Nash and Sally Nelson, and for all the writers as they seek to help the readers explore God’s Word. Pray that they may be led by God as they seek to apply the truths of the Bible to life in the 21st century.
Praise God for answering our prayers!
We give thanks to God for the privilege of prayer, in the sure confidence that God always answers them –even though we may not always know the outcome.
You might recall that in the last edition of Connecting You we featured the story of Faith Guide Fiona who has been Revealing Jesus to children and young people in the small Cambridgeshire village of Guilden Morden.
Jane Smith read that story and contacted us with a really encouraging message for us to pass on to Fiona. We’re delighted that Jane has said that we can share it with you too:
Dear Fiona,
My heart skipped a beat, learning of your activities in Guilden Morden. It’s a few years now since she died, but my Godmother Genesta Harris was a lay reader working out of Steeple Morden among the Shingay churches. She visited schools and churches and will have prayed much for gospel opportunities in the area.
I see your work as God’s answers and am very excited to see it happening. May he richly bless your ministry and guide and protect the work of discipling the new believers.
Blessings
Jane Smith
If you have an SU story to share, or encouragements like Jane’s, please email our editor, Eddie Nock on eddien@scriptureunion.org.uk.
Jane, thank you so much!
Praise God for answering Genesta’s prayers – and thank you to all our supporters who so faithfully pray for Jesus to be revealed to children and young people. We trust that God will answer them in his perfect timing.