Connecting You | March - May 2015

Our BIGGEST ever mission project: Guardians of Ancora

Hearing God speak: Introducing Explore Together

Inside this edition:

Volunteering: You can make a difference in 2015

in prayer and action with Scripture Union March – May 2015

connecting you

22181 Connecting You MAM 2015 AW (154x220).indd 1 02/02/2015 11:17

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Connecting You is the supporter and prayer magazine of Scripture Union England and Wales produced four times a year, bringing together news, features and comments from key volunteers and staff . We aim to keep you in touch with what God is doing through the work you support.

Connecting You magazine is also available online at: www.scriptureunion.org.uk/prayer. If you have a story for Connecting You, or a suggestion on how we could improve our service to you, please contact the editor at the address to the right.

Published by Scripture Union207–209 Queensway, Bletchley,Milton Keynes, MK2 2EB.

Design and print by Yeomansyeomansmarketing.co.uk

For general enquiriesTel: 01908 856000Fax: 01908 [email protected]© Scripture Union 2014Registered Charity 213422Limited Company 39828Registered in England and Wales

Our BIGGEST ever mission project: Guardians of Ancora

Hearing God speak: Introducing Explore Together

Inside this edition:

Volunteering: Make a difference in 2015

in prayer and action with Scripture Union March – May 2015

connecting you


Contents Welcomefrom National Director Tim Hastie-Smith

Volunteering 2015 You can make a huge diff erence to children and young people this year by giving time to SU

Explore Together Read about our exciting new tool to get children and adults hearing from God through the Bible

Guardians of Ancora We reveal SU’s biggest ever mission project, Guardians of Ancora, destined to bring the Bible to life in amazing ways for 8s to 11s

Moving with the times How, 15 years on, It’s Your Move is still changing lives

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4

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20 Just the Ticket! Meet Emily Finch, former SU placement student, whose new project aims to share the gospel through a double decker bus

Noticeboard News and ideas for how you can get involved in our mission to reach more children and young people with the good news of Jesus

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How, 15 years on, It’s Your Moveis still changing lives

1

YOUR GUIDE TO MOVING

TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

So, you’re about to move to secondary school? You’ve

probably got loads of thoughts going round and round in

your head! Stuff like:

If so, you’re holding the right book! It’s Your Move is

your fun and friendly guide to moving to secondary

school. Inside these pages, you’ll discover lots of advice,

together with stories of real people who have already

made the move! As well as all that, there are poems and

stories, puzzles and jokes, plus space to make this book

your very own. So, what are you waiting for?

What will the

lessons (and the

teachers!) be like?

How am I going

to get there? Will anyone

like me?

How can I stop myself

from getting lost?

Will anyone tell

me where the

toilets are?!

Don’t worry,

you’re not on

your own!So grab your pens

and PE kit, cos

it’s your move!

www.scriptureunion.org.uk

9 7 8 1 8 4 4 2 7 8 8 7 9

ISBN 978 1 84427 887 9


A community in missionWelcome to your copy of Connecting You

As you receive this edition of Connecting You, we’ll be making the fi nal arrangements for our ‘Community in mission’ conference taking place in Peterborough on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 March. We’ll be meeting as volunteers,

local ministry partners, trustees, affi liates, supporters and staff past and present to thank God for all he’s done through Scripture Union and to look to him for what’s to come.

This is the fi rst time we’ve attempted a conference on this scale for many years and I’m really expectant about all God is going to do among us. Here’s why.

First, it’s all about being together, and when believers are together like this, God is with us in a special way. We’ll catch a glimpse of the scale of all God is doing around England and Wales, celebrate the past, and anticipate all that’s to come. It’s going to be a special time, a rare time, a little taste of heaven. But it won’t last long – and that’s good and right. Christians don’t belong in endless events and conferences; they belong out in the world.

And that leads me naturally to the second reason I’m excited: this is a conference primarily about mission. Our speakers, our seminar themes and our special guests have all been chosen because they are concerned with sharing the good news of Jesus and seeing his kingdom come – especially

among children and young people. I’m thrilled that we will also be hosting representatives from all of our partner movements from the Former Soviet Republics and we’ll have opportunities to interact with them and hear their valuable perspectives.

If you’re already booked in to be part of ‘A community in mission’, I’m looking forward to seeing you there. If you’re not, but you live within driving distance of Peterborough, I’d love to invite you to join us for a very special event on the Friday evening. We’re calling it ‘Reaching and Discipling the Next Generation’ and it’s going to be a memorable night of celebration, testimony and vision. Leading us in sung worship will be popular singer-songwriter Lou Fellingham, and we’ll hear messages from Romance Academy’s Rachel Gardner and our President, Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler. See the back cover of this edition of Connecting You for more details. We’d love to see you there. There’s no booking needed – just turn up on the night.

If you can’t get along, keep an eye on our website on March 13 and 14 as we will be live-blogging the keynote addresses and posting pictures from around the event.

Tim Hastie-SmithNational Director

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My mum sent me off to my fi rst SU holiday camp – it was Footlights and I was 8 or 9. I loved it so much I wanted to go every year. When summer came around, I was desperate to go back!

It was on camp that I fi rst decided to give my life to God – I think I was 11. But not long after that a lot of things in my life changed, including my mum and dad splitting up. I found things very diffi cult for a long time. I’ll never forget one evening on camp, sitting outside on the grass listening to one of the leaders sharing her testimony. She talked about how she’d discovered God not only as a ‘big person up in the sky somewhere’ but as a Father to everyone. That was a really profound moment for me, as I realised God can be my Dad and he will never desert me. When I was a little older, on SU’s Curtains Up holiday, I decided I wanted to get baptised.

The Curtains Up holiday was also where I fi rst realised that performing could be something I could use for God – and even something that I might be able to do as a career. The leaders were so encouraging and gave me a lot of confi dence to go forward in the profession. It’s a hard industry to break into but they gave me the courage to audition for drama school and I got a place at PPA in Guildford.

This Christmas I landed the title role in a production of Cinderella at the Radlett Centre – my fi rst professional theatre role. It was so much fun but a big learning curve for me and very hard work. I keep thinking back to how on Curtains Up our leaders encouraged us to prioritise time for reading the Bible and praying, even in the middle of a hectic schedule. And while I was working, I had the opportunity to share my faith in natural ways – again, remembering the things I’d learned from my leaders on SU holidays.

SU holidays played such a big part in my journey and my faith that I decided to apply to be a volunteer leader two years ago. I wanted to keep going back – partly to keep in touch with the people who had impacted my life so much, but partly also because I’ve been through a lot of stuff , and I know that I can help other girls and hopefully inspire them, too.hopefully inspire them, too.

Thanks to Scripture Union holidays, actress and musical theatre student Beccy, 19, discovered a love for performing – and for God. It’s no wonder she now loves to serve as an SU volunteer!

S-You: Beccy Lane


Give a little - Get a lot!Beccy gained so much from volunteering with Scripture Union – and you can too. We’re looking for all sorts of people, to help in all sorts of ways. Here are just some of the ways you can give your time to volunteer with SU in 2015.

Discover all the opportunities to serve at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/countmein and fi nd out what’s happening locally to you at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/regions

HolidaysAsk a child or young person what the best thing was about their SU Holiday and most will reply the same way – the leaders! Volunteering on an SU holiday is not just about making things run smoothly, it’s about modelling a life of faith in Jesus and showing young people you care. We think there is no better way to spend a week of the summer.

MissionsWe fi nd one of the best ways of growing in our faith is by sharing it with others. Join one of our evangelistic missions this summer – running holiday clubs in parks or crazy games on beaches – and discover how thrilling it is to share the good news of Jesus. Even if you don’t feel like you’ve got much to off er, give a week to God and see what he does with it.

AbroadWant to see some more of the world, have your faith stretched and your prejudices challenged? Then get your name down for one of our Frontline trips to Hungary. In summer 2015, we’re looking for young people age 16 and over (under-18s must be accompanied by an adult) to help us run holiday clubs for four weeks. You’ll be immersed in Hungarian culture, but you don’t need language skills – just a big heart for kids.

LocallyWherever you live in England and Wales there is likely to be an event run by a Scripture Union

local ministry partner somewhere near you. This could be helping out on a Lifepath, where children explore the Christian faith through a historical fi gure. Or it could be assisting at a regular X:site worship event for 8 to 11s. In both cases volunteers are vital to creating an environment where the gospel can be shared eff ectively.

UNDER 18? Young people aged 16 and 17 can apply to volunteer with Scripture Union as junior team members. Most volunteering opportunities have this option and it’s a great way to build up experience in leading others. You’ll need parental consent when you apply.

running holiday clubs in parks or crazy games local ministry partner somewhere near you. This could be helping out on a Lifepath, where children explore the Christian faith through a historical fi gure. Or it could be assisting at a regular X:site worship event for 8 to 11s. In both cases volunteers are vital to creating an

with Scripture Union as junior team members. Most volunteering opportunities have this option and it’s a great way to build up experience in leading others. You’ll need parental consent when you apply.

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Albert Einstein defi ned insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting diff erent results,’ says Scripture Union’s Lianne Sem ans Smith. ‘But that’s exactly what we felt we were doing with children’s ministry.’

Lianne, a Church and Community Development Worker with our South East regional team, is the co-creator (with Lee Herdman) of a new tool which is transforming Bible engagement for children and adults alike. It began as the two friends looked for better ways to bring the Word of God alive to the groups they were leading – mixed age, mixed ability; some with Christian parents, some without.

‘I think it’s fair to say we were both frustrated with the way we had been doing children’s ministry,’ Lianne explains. ‘In our professional careers, we had decades of teaching theory about child development and learning styles, and we had seen with our own eyes the diff erence it makes when children begin “owning their learning”. But when it came to church children’s work, we were off ering the same old

stuff : teaching that is led from the front and managed by the leaders.

‘The light-bulb moment came when we asked the question: what if we tried applying these ideas in church?’

Lianne and Lee began experimenting with new ideas and models in their home churches. What emerged was a tool to help everyone engage with God’s Word in a powerful new way. They named it Explore Together.

A simple ideaSessions begin with the presentation of a Bible passage and up to four open questions for everyone to explore. This is followed by a time of focused exploration in six ‘zones’, developed from research carried out into the diff erent ways people learn. Finally, everyone has an opportunity to share what God has said to them in a supportive small group environment.

It worked amazingly well: helping to build community by including everyone; forming and stretching faith as people listened to God and put what they had learned into words.

‘What we discovered wasn’t groundbreaking – in fact it was comforting in its simplicity,’ confesses Lianne. ‘It didn’t require us to do much more than create a safe environment where God’s voice could be heard and to step back and trust him to speak.’

Discover Explore Together for yourselfThis April, Explore Together: The Journey explains the theoretical and biblical bases for Explore Together and lays out the practical ways to run sessions wherever you are. Available April 2015, priced £6.99.An accompanying Resource book provides full plans for 12 Explore Together sessions, along with tips for writing and developing your own. The resource also includes a unique code that allows access to extra downloadable resources. Available April 2015, priced £8.99.

Trusting God to speakWhen SU’s Lianne Semans Smith decided to try something new to engage children with the Bible, something amazing happened.

www.scriptureunion.org.uk/shop

Resource Book

12 sessions to help you and your church engage with the Bible as an inclusive, authentic and creative community

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Lianne Semans Smith & Lee Herdman

Resource Book

12 sessions to help you and your 12 sessions to help you and your church engage with the Bible as an inclusive, authentic and creative community

Lianne Semans Smith & Lee HerdmanHearing from God and learning from each other

The Journey

Lianne Semans Smith & Lee Herdman


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SUNDAY 1Thank God for the precious and abundant treasure that lies within the pages of the Bible and that we have the freedom to explore it.

MONDAY 2As churches become familiar with Explore Together, pray that more communities will learn to hear from God and be encouraged as they recognise they can learn so much from each other.

TUESDAY 3Pray that Explore Together will help to forge relationships across generations, growing and strengthening the faith of all who are involved in it.

WEDNESDAY 4Thank God for the way that he has enabled Explore Together to develop and grow as a tool which helps people of all ages and backgrounds to listen and learn from him.

THURSDAY 5Pray for the success of the new Explore Together printed resources and that God will use them to breathe new life into churches and their ministries across all ages.

FRIDAY 6Ask God that Explore Together would lead to families growing closer and that conversations started in church would continue and deepen at home.

SATURDAY 7Please pray that news about Explore Together spreads rapidly so that more communities can be blessed through this inspiring method of Bible discovery.

Week beginning March 1Trying it outLianne and Lee went public with Explore Together at Spring Harvest in 2009: ‘Lee and I knew it worked well within our group settings and we trusted the theories enough to introduce it to the programme. So, with 450 8- to 11-year-olds and a team of 60 volunteers we did! We knew that it could work brilliantly but we were slightly nervous that it could also end in chaos…’

After presenting a Bible passage and sending the children and team off to the diff erent zones, Lianne and Lee prayed backstage. God answered dramatically: ‘The power of the Holy Spirit moved in that chilly venue every night that week as the children and the team heard from God and learned from each other. The results were inspiring: for many there that week, Explore Together had been their highlight.’

Taking it widerOne of Lianne’s team at Skegness, Daniel Mosby, remembers it well. ‘I was amazed to see how fantastically well it worked,’ he says. ‘Every single child was completely engaged. At the end, my group shared profound things they had learned about God. I instantly knew I had to try it at home.’

Daniel has used Explore Together in his home church in Keighley, West Yorkshire, ever since: ‘At church I’ve used it in groups anywhere from four kids to a couple of hundred. But its particular value is in how it can be used by children and adults together. All-age services are particularly hard to get right – you tend to fi nd either adults forced to do a children’s activity, or children sat at the back colouring in. But using Explore Together, everyone is genuinely involved.’

‘Like anything new, it can feel risky at fi rst,’ comments Lianne. ‘It’s very simple and as a leader you can worry that you haven’t prepared enough or that maybe the children won’t get anything out of it. But they always do.’

Trying it out Week beginning March 1


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Prayers – week beginning March 8

Sunday 8Every day this week volunteer Marjory Francis and Lisa Jones (pictured), Development Worker in the South East Region, will be leading a prayer event in Folkestone Primary Academy. Please pray that as children in every class from reception to year 6 engage in prayer activities in the specially prepared space they will discover something of what God can be to them and how they can meet with him themselves.

Thursday 12Please pray for the administrative team within our Publishing department. They have been through a period of change and recently welcomed the arrival of Hannah Strachan as the new Publishing Support Assistant. Pray especially for Marion Zebedee-Topham, their new manager, that she may guide and lead eff ectively, enabling the team to grow in confi dence and make the best use of the gifts God has given them in this vital supporting role.

Monday 9The young people involved in the 10:2 leadership training programme will be spending their second week at Moorlands College studying Theology on the Elivate Course. Pray that this will equip them to serve God more eff ectively during their time with Scripture Union and beyond. Pray, too, for wisdom for the SU Cymru steering group as it meets today to seek God’s direction for future work in Wales.

Friday 13Please pray for the Community in mission Conference running over the next two days in Peterborough which is drawing together SU staff , local ministry partners and event leaders. Please pray that the sense of SU as a community in mission can be strengthened as we draw closer to God both individually and corporately. Pray, too, for the Council meeting which follows on Sunday.

Tuesday 10During March, budgets for 2015 are being prepared for presentation to the Board at the end of the month. This routine task is key if we are to be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. Pray that those involved will have wisdom and vision, at the same time thanking God for his goodness in meeting our needs through many faithful supporters.

Saturday 14X:site brings together children from churches across their local area – encouraging them in their faith and helping them to enjoy being part of the wider Christian community. Today there are events in Wyre, Saff ron Walden and Keyworth and next Saturday in Gloucester. Pray that many children will attend and that these events will give them a positive experience of God. Pray for the teams that they will have wisdom and enthusiasm and will communicate their faith in appealing ways.

Wednesday 11This week, one of the North West volunteers, Chris, will be speaking with the Scripture Union team in Armenia developing links between the two movements. Pray for the ongoing work in Armenia including the regular youth group meetings in Yerevan and especially for the development of some new emerging leaders following the International Youth Camp last summer.

Please pray that as children in every

them in their faith and helping them to enjoy


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Sunday 15Many Easter events for schools organised by Scripture Union staff and local ministry partners will take place over the next few days. Christian Connections in Schools (Slough), Impact Trust (Bedford) and GenR8 (Cambridge) are among those with events this week. Pray that children, many of whom know nothing of the Easter story, will understand something of God’s love for the world shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Thursday 19When asked at Bristol children’s event, The Max, to make a heart out of clay to remind him of God’s love, Ben said. ‘Can I make a volcano?’ When the leader asked why, Ben replied that he thought God’s love was like a volcano and, like the lava, God’s love spilled out to everyone. Pray that as the children gather again on Saturday they will learn more of how God can help them live and share his love with others.

Monday 16Pray for the Scripture Union International Executive as they meet in France today and tomorrow. Pray particularly for wisdom as they continue to oversee changes in the structure of SU globally. Pray also for inspiration as they seek to develop strategies for fund development.

Friday 20Lisa Jones, Development Worker in the South East, will be meeting today with our partners in Stream including Schoolswork.co.uk, Spinnaker, London City Mission, CRIBs and Children’s Workshop to plan the next Stream schools ministry conference in May. This is aimed at volunteers and paid schools workers in London and the South East. They ask for wisdom as they plan the programme, look for speakers who will inspire and inform and create time for networking and exchanging ideas.

Tuesday 17The Global Children’s Forum is a worldwide collaborative community with a vision that every child might have an opportunity to meet and follow Jesus, to be nurtured in the love of God and to be all that he intends. Over the next four days a small group is meeting in Dubai to pray and seek God’s guidance for the next two years.

Saturday 21EPIC is a fun, multimedia event for children aged 7-11, run by a team of 31 volunteers from 6 churches in the East Devon/Dorset border area and aiming to help children discover that they are loved by God. Thank God for the 59 children who came along to the launch event, and pray that even more would come along to today’s event in Seaton. Pray, too, for the similar X:site events in Swindon, Carlisle, Cheltenham and Gloucester.

Wednesday 18During March and April the Publishing admin team will be uploading the LightLive content for July-September 2015. Pray for an uninterrupted time and for good health to enable this essential work to be done and that through these resources many churches will be encouraged and equipped to reach children and young people with the good news of Jesus.

of Jesus.


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Sunday 22Please pray for Scripture Union movements in those countries where Ebola has taken so many lives, and in those neighbouring countries where there is a lot of fear. A former staff worker asks us to pray but also says, ‘I would wish that the SU family celebrate the miraculous recoveries of thousands who have been discharged from the Ebola Treatment Centres…Join us in praying against the fear that is fuelling the stigmatisation both in West Africa and globally.’

Thursday 26The North East and Yorkshire team have been running a series of training events called ‘3D: Faith in the real world’, providing an opportunity to explore how what we do at home, church and school can work together to ensure that children and young people encounter, trust and live for Jesus. The final one takes place today in Boston Spa. Pray that those who come will find new ways of helping young people to live for Jesus in a complex world.

Monday 23The South Midlands Hub will be meeting in Cheltenham today. Staff, local ministry partners, affiliates, 10:2 students and volunteers will gather to think and pray about future Scripture Union ministry in the area. Pray that God will help them to understand his concerns and that they may see his way for the future. Friday 27

Local ministry partner, Christians in Schools Trust in Stockport, will be meeting tomorrow to pray for their work within the schools in the Stockport area and particularly their Easter Project for 2015. We join them in praying that as a result many children will understand the meaning of Easter and its significance for them.

Tuesday 24The leadership team and the regional team leaders are meeting to look at the direction of the movement, particularly in relation to regional teams and networks, and to explore ways in which our mission and values are consistently owned and lived out. Pray that they may know God’s leading and wisdom during this key day.

Saturday 28Pray for the Scripture Union team who will be serving at Spring Harvest which starts today – Alan Charter on the event leadership team, Margaret Lilley running 5-7s work at Minehead during weeks 2 and 3 (April 2-10), Lianne Semans Smith and Andy Saunders leading all-age activities during week 3 (April 6-10) and for Lianne as she leads a workshop on Explore Together (see pp 6,7).

Wednesday 25Today’s Board meeting will focus on annual objectives, budgets and financial policies. Thank God for the experience and skill represented by the members of the leadership team and the volunteer members as trustees who freely give their time. Ask God to guide them as they look to the future, seeking to use all that he has given in the most effective ways.


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Prayers – week beginning March 29 Easter Week

Sunday 29 Palm SundayThis Sunday, as we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem, let us rejoice again in the wonder of God’s saving action in Christ and pray for all those around the world, especially children and young people, who have not yet understood that Jesus has come ‘in the name of the Lord’ (Mark 11:9).

Thursday 2After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet his challenge to them was to serve others just as he had served them. Pray that all who work with Scripture Union may prove to be, as the International Aims put it, ‘servants of a world in need’ and that they may encourage all those they work with to become mature disciples and eff ective servants.

Monday 30This Easter week as we refl ect on Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem we remember all activities designed to help others see the signifi cance of his death and resurrection. Especially we pray for Sarah Smart as she leads ‘Why Easter?’ events in Kingsdown today and Canterbury tomorrow, asking that God will speak to many.

Friday 3 Good FridayWe pause today to remember that God ‘has shown us his holy love in giving Jesus Christ, his only Son, for us, while through our sinfulness and guilt, we were subject to his wrath and condemnation; and has shown his grace by putting sinners right with himself when they place their trust in his Son.’ (Scripture Union Statement of Belief ). Give thanks to God for ‘his indescribable gift’ (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Tuesday 31As we see the increasing opposition to Jesus, we remember that he foretold opposition for his followers and we pray for all those around the world, especially those within the Scripture Union family, who work in environments where they cannot express faith openly. In one restricted country in West Asia a good team of committee, volunteers and staff is in place and a training event is taking place about now. Pray that it will be an encouragement to the team.

Saturday 4Telling God’s good news to children, young people and families is at the heart of Scripture Union’s calling. Pray for all who will be doing that at this special time of year and especially for the X:site Keighley holiday club which takes place next week. Pray that the team will have the energy they need to run the event all day, that there will be a good turnout of children and that the good news of Jesus will come across clearly.

Wednesday 1Peter, despite his best intentions, failed when the pressure became too great. Pray for all those who fi nd that the pressure from those around them makes it hard for them to live the distinctive and faithful lives that Christ looks for. Pray especially for young people who face many varied pressures. Give thanks for the Sticky Faith events that have equipped many churches to help young people build a lasting faith.

their trust in his

fi nd that the pressure from those


Scripture Union’s BIGGEST ever mission project Scripture Union’s BIGGEST ever mission project Scripture Union’s BIGGEST ever mission project

Bringing the Bible to life for children and young people has always been at the heart of Scripture Union’s mission and devising new and exciting opportunities to help children discover the Bible in relevant ways is not exactly a new concept for us. But over the last three years we’ve been working on something diff erent, something brand new and groundbreaking and we’re unbelievably excited that the outcome of that project, which until now has been code-named ‘Project CUBE’, is nearly ready to be unveiled. With your support, we will be able to make the fi nal touches needed to launch this amazing mission opportunity in just a few short months.

Welcome to our World

Introducing Guardians of AncoraGuardians of Ancora is a compelling, immersive experience for 8- to 11-year-olds that will bring the Bible to the digital world they’re already inhabiting. It will be available as a free app for tablet devices such as an iPad but it’s much more than an app or a ‘computer game’ – it’s a fun-fi lled virtual world children can enter to experience Bible stories and get to know God for themselves. We believe it could be the way children engage with the Bible for years to come and thanks to your support we’re able to lead the way in this exciting new mission fi eld.

We can’t wait for you to experience the game in all its interactive glory, and you should be able to very soon, but for now we hope the stunning visuals over the next few pages will help bring the game to life and get you excited for this amazing opportunity on the horizon.

Meet the teamA project of this size and scale – literally one of the largest single projects Scripture Union has ever undertaken – has required a team of dedicated and talented people, both inside and outside of SU. We asked just some of that team for their views on this epic project and spoke to some of the children fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Ancora in development.

Introducing Guardians of Ancora

A groundbreaking game

that will enable millions of children

to discover the riches of the Bible

This summer, with your support, we will launch our most ambitious mission project ever: Guardians of Ancora

Bible for years to come and thanks to your support we’re able to lead the way in this exciting new mission fi eld.

We can’t wait for you to experience the game in all its interactive glory, and you should be able to very soon, but for

The images and artwork depicted show work in progress and are not stills from the fi nal game.



Terry Clutterham, Project Director

‘Guardians of Ancora responds to two key realities we know from our work with 8 to 11s and backed up by independent research. Firstly, while people in the UK today still have a high respect for the Bible and probably have one in their homes, very few are opening it and discovering what it means for their lives. They see it as the role of the church and schools to explain it – but don’t feel they’re doing a very good job.

‘Secondly, the way children learn today has changed dramatically. This generation doesn’t do “here’s a text in a book – let’s learn from it”. Children today are “digital natives”, more comfortable with screens and tablets than books. Everything in school is child-centred, asking them to be imaginative and take initiative for their own learning. Ancora is powerful because it harnesses this dynamic, placing 8 to 11s in the middle of a fi ctional world in which they discover the true world of the Bible.’

Boy, age 10‘I don’t really like learning from books. I like learning from any technical devices – computers and iPads. It’s the best and most fun way to learn.’

Maggie Barfi eld, Product Developer

‘We know children love playing games and enjoy playing in virtual worlds. We want to capture that enjoyment and give them an experience where they are totally immersed not only in a virtual

world environment but a biblical environment.

‘Within the virtual world we have a whole backstory that children become part of. They live as guardians of the city and

their challenge is to fi nd the stories that have been lost. When you’ve completed a quest, your reward is unlocking a Bible story that you can play through interactively.

‘They can choose their own route through the activities and the experience. It’s very child-centred not only in it development and its planning but in how it will be used.’

Terry Clutterham, Project Director

‘Guardians of Ancorawork with 8 to 11s and backed up by independent research. Firstly, while people in the UK today still have a high respect for the Bible and probably have one in their homes, very few are opening it and discovering what it means for their lives. They see it as the role of the church and schools to explain it – but don’t feel they’re doing a very good job.

Girl, age 9‘Even though the game I played wasn’t fi nished, it was really good. I was lucky enough to see some of the characters. They looked really cool and trendy. Some looked like superheroes!’

responds to two key realities we know from our work with 8 to 11s and backed up by independent research. Firstly, while people in the UK today still have a high respect for the Bible and probably have one in their homes, very few are opening it and discovering what it means for their lives. They see it as the role of the church and schools to explain it – but don’t feel they’re

‘Secondly, the way children learn today has changed dramatically. This generation doesn’t do “here’s a text in a book – let’s learn from it”. Children today are “digital natives”, more comfortable with screens and tablets than books. Everything in school is child-centred,

is powerful because it harnesses this dynamic, placing 8 to 11s in the middle of a fi ctional world in which

Maggie Barfi eld, Product Developer

‘We know children love playing games and enjoy playing in virtual worlds. We want to capture that enjoyment and give them an experience where they are totally immersed not only in a virtual

world environment but a biblical environment.

‘Within the virtual world we have a whole backstory that children become part of. They live as guardians of the city and

their challenge is to fi nd the stories that have been lost. When you’ve completed a quest, your reward is unlocking a Bible story that you can play through interactively.

‘They can choose their own route through the activities and the experience. It’s very child-centred not only in it development and its planning but in how it will be used.’


Matt Fisher (Dubit), Technical Lead

‘As a company, we specialise in children’s game and research for kids, working with some of the very best designers, developers, artists, researchers and producers in the industry. There are two reasons it’s fantastic to have worked on this project – it’s aiming to do something a bit diff erent and more meaningful, and the technology is really cutting edge. It’s been a very exciting project to work on.

‘Particularly crucial to the development of Ancora has been user-testing. At every stage, whenever we’ve made a bit of the game or the story, we brought kids in

to interact with it and see how they play it and what really engaged them. Then we took all of that knowledge and poured it back into the development.’

to interact with it and see how they play it and what really engaged them. Then we took all of that knowledge and poured it back into the development.’

Rob Powys-Smith (Christian Research), Research Project Manager

‘In summer 2014, we ran 12 research studies involving children and parents with a diverse range of church experience in 4 UK cities. What we learned showed us that not only is Ancora exactly what 8 to 11s are looking for, but also that this game has the potential to off er us an unprecedented insight into the way children engage with the Bible and how spiritual formation happens in that age group.

‘Through the study, we’ve been able to identify faith metrics to measure what impact an encounter with the Bible is

having on a child. We are weaving those into the game and follow-on activities so we can assess how children are interacting and growing. This will provide the basis for the largest ever longitudinal study of the faith development of 8- to 11-year-olds, helping to inform every other Bible engagement strategy in the future.’


‘In summer 2014, we ran 12 research studies involving children and parents with a diverse range of church experience in 4 UK cities. What we learned showed us that not only is looking for, but also that this game has the potential to off er us an unprecedented insight into the way children engage with the Bible and how spiritual formation happens in that age group.



‘In summer 2014, we ran 12 research studies involving children and parents with a diverse range of church experience in 4 UK cities. What we learned

exactly what 8 to 11s are looking for, but also that this game has the potential to off er us an unprecedented insight into the way children


having on a child. We are weaving those into the game and follow-on activities so we can assess how children are interacting and growing. This will provide the basis for the largest ever longitudinal study of the faith development of 8- to 11-year-

Girl, age 11‘Personally I struggle with reading the Bible because it’s so many words and all in really small writing. This is better because you’re having fun but learning at the same time.’

to interact with it and see how they play it and what really


And now we need you to join the team, too. We want all the treasures of Ancora to be enjoyed for free by every 8- to 11-year-old, opening a window on the Bible to millions of children. Please, if you can, join with us in prayer and giving to help make that a reality.


Sunday 5Before the planned launch in the summer, the product enters what is known as the ‘open beta phase’ where more people get involved in testing and commenting on the app. Please pray that this process will be highly eff ective and help make the launch product as good as possible.

Monday 6Because of the cutting edge technology and the high standards expected by our audience, Guardians of Ancora has required signifi cant fi nancial investment and will continue to require a stream of funding for the next few years. Please pray for new funders to step forward.

Tuesday 7Guardians of Ancora began as a project for children in the UK, but our hope and belief is that it will fi re the imagination of children all around the world. Please pray that the global SU family will see this game as a powerful tool for children in their countries and get behind it.

Wednesday 8Thank God for the outstanding team of creative and technical minds he assembled to make Guardians of Ancora a reality. Please pray for vision, energy and protection over them as they complete the fi nal stages of the project’s development.

Thursday 9We are so excited about what Guardians of Ancora will help us to learn about the ways children engage with the Bible, and to get a clearer picture of what growing in God looks like for this age group. Please pray our research fi ndings can inform and strengthen our future ministry.

Friday 10This year the project team, especially Terry Clutterham and Maggie Barfi eld, will travel widely around the UK and abroad sharing the vision of Guardians of Ancora to all kinds of audiences. Pray for a multiplying eff ect from their presentations and that word really does spread.

Saturday 11Pray for every child who will encounter Guardians of Ancora this year and beyond – that they will immediately connect with it, love it and share it with friends. Pray that it becomes a powerful and eff ective way for children and young people to engage with the stories of the Bible and, ultimately, to meet with God.

Please pray for the

project

Donate online at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/guardians and help us reach millions of children with the good news of Jesus through Guardians of Ancora.

Would you give to help us bring the Bible to life for millions of 8 –11s?We have invested a substantial amount of money in developing this mission so far but we still need support to build more Bible play modules, develop animations of Bible stories and devise faith supporting activities – all the things that will bring Ancora and the riches of the Bible to life. We’re almost ready to open the gates of Ancora and invite the world to come and play. ‘Open beta’ testing is planned for April ahead of a public launch this summer, but there’s still much to be done and we need your support to ensure this opportunity isn’t missed.

If you’ve already given to help bring Ancora to life, thank you. But if not there’s still time to give. Your generous gift will help to provide a God-centred digital experience to millions of 8- to 11-year- olds.

and help

Would you give to help us bring the Bible to life for millions of 8 –11s?We have invested a substantial amount of money in developing this mission so far but we still need support to build more Bible play modules, develop animations of Bible stories and devise

and the riches of the Bible to life. and invite the world to come and play. ‘Open beta’

testing is planned for April ahead of a public launch this summer, but there’s still much to be done

to life, thank you. But if not there’s still time to give. Your generous gift will help to provide a God-centred digital experience to millions of 8- to


Guardians ofPlease pray for the Guardians ofGuardians of


1616

Prayers – week beginning April 12

Sunday 12The East Anglia Schools Workers Forum which meets tomorrow in Bury St Edmunds brings together schools workers from the East Region, many working with local ministry partners. Pray that as they share ideas and experience there will be a real sense of mutual support and of meeting with God and that they will go away with new ideas to use in their ministry.

Thursday 16During April the fi nance team will be working hard to pull together the annual accounts in preparation for the audit, ensuring that the fi gures are accurate, that all the background paperwork is in place and that we comply with accounting standards. Pray for them, that they may have the ability to concentrate on the detail and that they will not encounter any problems.

Monday 13Planning will be taking place this week for the new Sports Holiday, One-Two, which the North East Region will be running this summer. This represents part of the growing commitment to using sports as a way of reaching children and young people. Pray for the team as they make plans and that children will hear about the holiday and choose to come away for a weekend of sports coaching and an opportunity to learn more about God. Friday 17

Today Scripture Union, Urban Saints and South West Youth Ministries will be working together on a Sticky Faith training event in Collumpton, Devon looking at ways of helping young people develop a life-long faith. Pray that many churches in the area will catch the vision and that this training will inspire and stimulate those who come, so that they apply what they’ve learnt, leading to much fruit in the lives of children and young people.

Tuesday 14Hannah Legge, Development Worker in the Midlands Region, will be running a training day for the BMS world mission gap year participants who have returned from their placement abroad. The aim is to equip them to share what they have experienced and learned during their service overseas. Pray that Hannah will be able to encourage and instil confi dence in them so that they can share their stories with children and young people in schools and churches across the country.

Saturday 18Dan Harris, Regional Development Worker in the East Region, is leading a seminar for children’s workers at the New Wine regional training day in Leicester, inspiring and equipping leaders to help children and young people to grow in their relationship with God. He asks us to pray that as a result more children and young people might develop a relationship with God that really has an impact on their daily lives.

Wednesday 15Scripture Union Mauritius is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. They ask us to join with them and write, ‘Thank the Lord for his faithfulness and provision throughout the years and for all the staff and volunteers who have been and are a part of this ministry. To God be the glory and honour for the great things he has done.’

training day in Leicester, inspiring and equipping

Tuesday 14


1717

Prayers – week beginning April 19

Sunday 19Scripture Union in Vanuatu ask us to join them in praising God for last October’s Boys’ Camp when 35 young men had a great time of fellowship, learning and fun together over the weekend, exploring the theme of ‘God’s Warriors’. Pray for the continued impact on all of them. Please pray also about the possibility of developing the camp site at Pango Point.

Thursday 23Our National Director, Tim Hastie-Smith, is in Nairobi until Sunday with leaders from African Scripture Union movements to consider a new way of working as the present regional structure is winding down. Pray that they will see clear ways forward. He then goes to Kathmandu to meet with SU South Asia national leaders. As well as praying for God’s guidance, pray for safety in travel and for physical, emotional and spiritual freshness in a busy schedule.

Monday 20Thank God for the community in mission conference which took place last month and for all those who were inspired and refreshed by it. On Wednesday there will be a meeting to review this year’s conference and plan for next year. These conferences are an important time, bringing together the Scripture Union family to hear from God. Pray that the planning team will be guided by God to the right theme, programme and speakers.

Friday 24The South West Region are holding a North Devon fundraising dinner with auction and entertainment tomorrow evening. Pray that the fi nal arrangements will come together, all will go smoothly, that God will be honoured and that those who come will be informed and enthused about the work of SU in the region and give generously.

Tuesday 21The leadership team will be spending today off site to pray and refl ect together following the conference in March and the Board meeting at which annual objectives and budgets were agreed. Please pray that God will guide their thinking about how to grow the mission community that is SU and pursue the hopes, aspirations and commitments arising from these two gatherings.

Saturday 25This weekend local ministry partner PSALMS, supported by SU Development Worker, Steve Hutchinson, will be running Pulse, a simple, aff ordable weekend away for children in years 5 and 6 from the Painswick and Stroud area. They have a day at an activity centre, then stay Saturday night in a Methodist Church, with opportunities for worship, crafts and group time. Ask God to make this a very special time for the children who come as they discover more about Jesus.

Wednesday 22Scripture Union has for many years provided speakers and workshop leaders for the annual Youth Work conference which draws together youth workers from across the country. Tomorrow the planning group which includes Richard Shaw, Regional Team Leader in the South East Region, will be meeting. Ask God to guide their thinking and enable them to produce a conference which will inspire and equip.


18

When it fi rst appeared in 2001, It’s Your Move caused a small revolution in primary schools. At last there was the perfect resource for helping y ear 6 pupils make the sometimes scary transition to secondary school. Best of all, the vast majority of copies were given as gifts by local churches and delivered alongside special lessons which opened up exciting new opportunities for the gospel in schools.

Now It’s Your Move is entering its 15th year and has a brand new edition rolling off the presses in time for the summer term.

What’s behind this little book’s enduring appeal? To fi nd out, we chatted with primary schools worker Jo Hargrave, who has been running It’s Your Move visits since 2003 as part of her work with the Stort Valley Schools Trust, an SU local ministry partner.

As a primary schools worker, the summer term must be a busy one for you?It is! This year we visited 27 diff erent primary schools to deliver It’s Your Move sessions to a total of 813 children in the Stort Valley area (along the border of Hertfordshire and Essex). Of course this wasn’t all me – it’s only possible thanks to a brilliant team of volunteers.

Moving with the timesScripture Union’s vision is to introduce children to Jesus and to bring the Bible to life, and your support allows us to be involved in exciting initiatives to help meet children in relevant ways. Much of this work takes place in the school setting, and It’s Your Move really is a schools work success story.

Describe a typical session in a school for us.A session usually lasts around an hour but it always feels like less! Using the structure of the book as a guide, we start with conversations about what children might miss about their current school and what they are looking forward to about moving up. Then we open up the story of Joseph from Genesis using drama, in order to help the children grapple with some of the emotional issues such as feeling out of your depth. At the end of the session we present the children with a copy of the book, along with details about Christian groups in the high school they will be attending.

Purchase It’s Your MoveNew edition available now priced £3.50 or £20 for a pack of ten.

Order online at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/shop or call our team on 01908 856 006.

1

YOUR GUIDE TO MOVING

TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

So, you’re about to move to secondary school? You’ve

probably got loads of thoughts going round and round in

your head! Stuff like:

If so, you’re holding the right book! It’s Your Move is

your fun and friendly guide to moving to secondary

school. Inside these pages, you’ll discover lots of advice,

together with stories of real people who have already

made the move! As well as all that, there are poems and

stories, puzzles and jokes, plus space to make this book

your very own. So, what are you waiting for?

What will the

lessons (and the

teachers!) be like?

How am I going

to get there? Will anyone

like me?

How can I stop myself

from getting lost?

Will anyone tell

me where the

toilets are?!

Don’t worry,

you’re not on

your own!So grab your pens

and PE kit, cos

it’s your move!


9 7 8 1 8 4 4 2 7 8 8 7 9

ISBN 978 1 84427 887 9

‘It’s not just the children who are transitioning, it’s me too’ Jo Hargrave


19

‘You have made a huge, HUGE difference to this one family. Thank you’ Headteacher

You also share personal testimonies don’t you?Yes, and sometimes these are the most powerful times of all. This year my own testimony had a profound eff ect on one little boy. It seemed to unearth a deep sadness which we felt we should speak to the Head about. To cut a long story short, this created the fi rst opportunity for this child to share his feelings of worry and being overwhelmed about going to secondary school and meant he could get the extra support he needed. The Head contacted us again at the end of term to say, ‘You do all these visits and I know you are all so busy but you have made a huge, HUGE diff erence to this one family. Thank you.’

With 27 schools to visit, you must be exhausted by the holidays…Yes, it takes every last ounce of juice to get to the end! Of course it’s not just the children who are transitioning, it’s me too. I’ve got to know many of these kids well and I’m very fond of them. It feels like I’m letting them go – but that’s why I care so much that we get the transition right.

SUNDAY 26Thank God for the extraordinary reach of this little book over the last 15 years and the diff erence it has made in countless young lives.

MONDAY 27Please pray for all SU local ministry partners planning It’s Your Move lessons and presentations this summer term.

TUESDAY 28Volunteers are an essential part of a successful It’s Your Move lesson. Please pray for lots of enthusiastic people to step forward to help.

WEDNESDAY 29Pray It’s Your Move helps plant seeds that lead to future opportunities for the gospel and life-changing responses in due season.

THURSDAY 30Lots of young people will read It’s Your Move again over the summer, preparing for secondary school. Pray it will help bring peace and hope.

FRIDAY 1Thank God for a simple idea which has impacted so many lives. Please ask him for lots more powerful ideas to arise naturally from our ministry.

SATURDAY 2Ask God that more churches and schools workers around the country will discover and start to use It’s Your Move in the coming years.

Week beginning April 26

transition right.


20

There aren’t many young women who count among their worldly possessions a 10-metre-long double-decker bus. But Emily Finch is one of them. The story of how she came to own it is one of passion for God and for young people – a passion ignited by Scripture Union.

For Emily it all began on an ‘Action Abroad’ gap year placement organised by SU England and Wales in 2010. Just 18, she travelled to the other side of the world to serve with SU in Western Australia on schools ministry and youth camps.

‘It was an intense time of growing, learning to depend on God and having my heart broken for children and young people,’ remembers Emily. ‘My time out there was when I first realised that youth work was what I wanted to do with my life.’

It meant that when she returned to begin a degree at university, she found her heart was no longer in her degree subject: ‘For the whole of my first year at uni, I knew I should be doing youth work! I was confused.’

Just the Ticket!

She may only be 23, but her passion for young people led her to spend all her savings on a double-decker bus. We met up with SU placement student Emily Finch to find out what drives her.

New directionIt was in a conversation with SU’s North East Regional Team Leader, John Stephenson, that the way forward became clearer: ‘I told John, “I feel like God’s calling me to youth work, but I don’t feel like I should give up the chance to do a degree.” And John said, “Well, why don’t you do a degree in Christian youth ministry and work with us at the same time?”’

‘There are a lot of young people in villages, and someone needs to reach out to them’


21

The next year, Emily embarked on a degree in Christian Youth Work at St John’s College, Nottingham. For her first placement, Emily started right where she was, in the seaside town of Filey where she’d grown up. She knew how little there was for young people in the town, so she decided to do something about it. Supported and encouraged by John and the SU team, she started church youth groups and outreach events. One saw 150 kids from the local secondary school coming into church for the first time. Bible study groups were launched and young people began growing in their new faith.

A perfect ideaBut it was another placement which started her on the road towards her current project. ‘I was working alongside churches in the small towns and villages on the outskirts of York. Small churches don’t tend to be so well resourced, and people can be quite isolated. But there are a lot of young people in these places, and someone needs to reach out to them.’

It was while praying about how to reach them that the idea of a bus came to her: ‘When you think about it, it’s perfect. A bus is mobile – it can move from place to place. It’s a good space for youth work, and could be a big attraction for young people. I couldn’t get it off my mind.’

When she heard of a local church which had its own youth bus, she wasted no time: ‘I was really

cheeky – I went straight in and said, “I know this is really rude but I feel God’s telling me to buy your bus!” The guy looked surprised and said, “How did you know we were selling it?” Of course I had no idea!’

The church had purchased the bus several years ago and fitted it out for use as a youth bus. But it was no longer in use, and the church had decided to sell it. Taking a massive step of faith, Emily bought the bus with her own savings, supported by Scripture Union.

The Bus Stop‘I want to make the bus a resource for smaller churches, especially those who have small numbers of young people, or none at all,’ says Emily. ‘I want to help them get something started for young people where they are, whether that’s a youth group or a Youth Alpha.’

Starting this spring, Emily will offer the bus to churches, raising support through donations to her new charity, The Bus Stop. She is in the process of becoming a Scripture Union local ministry partner. But first there are a few bridges to cross: getting the bus repainted and refurbished, recruiting volunteers to assist her in each location and – crucially – learning to drive the bus herself!

Although Emily is clearly a gifted youth worker and pioneer leader, she is quick to give credit to the Scripture Union team who supported her every step of the way: ‘I feel I’ve been massively nurtured by SU. John Stephenson has really taken me under his wing and helped me become a leader, giving me more responsibility and encouraging me step by step. They put trust in me when I was so young, always believed in me. I wouldn’t be the leader I am now without SU and the opportunities they’ve given me.’

Thank you!Your kind gifts towards our work allow us to play our part in training and supporting passionate youth and children’s workers like Emily. You can give a gift towards Scripture Union’s work at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/donate or if you’d like to find out more about The Bus Stop, or you can offer help in any way, please contact Emily by email at [email protected].


22

Prayers – week beginning May 3

Sunday 3This weekend Steve and Judy Hutchinson are leading the Family Bible Holiday at Great Wood. This is designed so that families with children up to the age of 11 can engage together in a range of activities including crafts, games and walks, all centred on the Bible. Thank God for the impact in previous years and pray that again families may discover more of God’s love for them.

Thursday 7Scripture Union in Northern Ireland ask us to remember their new Outreach Ministry Leader who has recently started: for a smooth transition and eff ective leadership of the Camps and Missions team during this busy time as they continue to prepare for summer 2015.

Friday 8The Big Night Out, a youth event run as a partnership between several diff erent organisations, including SU (North East and Yorkshire) takes place tomorrow afternoon and evening at Lightwater Valley Theme Park. Please pray for fi ne weather, for a good turnout, for a clear, but appropriately pitched presentation of the Christian message by the band ‘Cenacle’ and for good conversations between young people and their leaders, both during the event and afterwards.

Tuesday 5For many holiday and mission teams this is an important time of year as they prepare for activities in the summer. Teams are still being recruited and some will have gaps. Pray that God will bring the right volunteers to fi ll these gaps and that teams will form good relationships that will enable them to work harmoniously in the summer.

Saturday 9X:site events aim to provide an opportunity for children to come together from churches across their region and to invite friends with no church background. Today there are events in Wyre, Carlisle, Keyworth and Sheffi eld; next Saturday in North East (Newcastle), Halifax, Keighley, Teesside, Saff ron Walden and Swindon. Pray that teams will have energy and vision and will provide a positive example and that the children who come will understand more of Jesus’ love for them.

Wednesday 6Sticky Faith events presented by Scripture Union in partnership with Urban Saints are continuing to have an impact on the churches’ ministry to young people. Pray for the event tonight in Shrewsbury: ask that those who attend will understand better how they can help young people to develop a lasting faith and pray for young people growing up in a world where there are many challenges to faith in Jesus. Pray, too, for the North West Region who will be running one event every month in Greater Manchester.

vision and will provide

Monday 4Over the Bank Holiday weekend, staff from the North West Region have been delivering workshops at Landmark 2015, a New Wine event in Lancaster. Please pray that those who attended will go away today renewed and refreshed by these workshops and go on to have more fruitful ministries as a result.


23


Sunday 10In Costa Rica, Arturo Molina, Scripture Union’s National Director, and the Board report that the movement is going through a fi nancial crisis, but say that they are looking forward to a great camp season and important growth in the distribution of the Spanish Bible notes. Please pray for wisdom for Arturo and the Board, as important decisions need to be made to overcome the present situation.

Thursday 14Christian Connections in School is a local ministry partner formed in April 2013 to support the work of former staff member, Wayne Dixon, and his work in schools in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead in partnership with local churches. He aims to make Jesus known in primary and secondary schools through a broad spectrum of work, including assemblies and lessons, supporting Christian groups, large scale events and residential trips.

Monday 11Over the next two days there is a rare opportunity for the regional team leaders to take an extended time together residentially. Pray that their hearts will be open to God’s leading, with a shared sense of his priorities as they look at future regional and national strategy.

Friday 15The Walk, Kent, takes place this weekend, giving groups of children an opportunity to come away with their leaders. Pray for Sarah Smart, Sam Fowler (pictured) and Matt Ager as they lead this, that they and group leaders will fi nd opportunities to share Jesus and that the children who come will take steps forward in their relationship with God and their friendships with each other. The Walk, Essex, takes place from 29-31 May.

Tuesday 12Partnerships between regional teams in England and Wales and Scripture Union movements in other parts of the world are a great source of mutual encouragement and stimulation. The South West region have special links with South Africa and are planning a trip in late June when they will be helping to lead holiday clubs in townships and a residential holiday. Much prayer is needed for all the preparations and communications beforehand.

Saturday 16Give thanks for the way in which Scripture Union publications have been used, not only in England and Wales, but also in many other parts of the world, both in English and translation. The key task of managing our relationships with other publishers falls to Rosemary North. Pray for her on the sabbatical she’ll be taking this year, that this may be a time of refreshment and renewal.

Wednesday 13Thank God for the many children and young people who have been reached through holiday club resources over the years. Pray for churches preparing to use this year’s material, Polar

Explorers, during the summer, asking that once again it will enable many children and young people to hear the message of Jesus, to experience his love and respond to him.

Explorerssummer, asking that once again it will enable many children and young people to hear the message of Jesus, to experience his love and respond to him.

groups of children

children who come will take steps forward in


24


Sunday 17This week a Lifepath about the life of John Bunyan takes place at Elstow Abbey, Bedford. A number of local school groups will come and engage with the story of Bunyan and Pilgrim’s Progress. Most will have little knowledge of Christian faith. Pray that as they engage in various activities they will see more of what God wants for their lives.

Thursday 21Please pray for the Bible Adventure project for schools in Latvia, undertaken by Scripture Union in cooperation with the Latvian Bible Society. Pray for the volunteers who will lead it, Eva Meldere and Edvarts Pāvulēns. The Latvian Bible Society started this project three years ago and it went well, but stopped because of lack of resources. Now the time has come to revive it, ask God to keep it going and to give many a new understanding of, and love for, the Bible as a result.

Friday 22Lianne Smith, (Development Worker in South East Region) will be taking Explore Together to the Children’s venue (Awesome) at Cliff Festival this weekend and will also be leading an Explore Together training session (see pp 6,7). Please pray that the children in the venue will encounter God in a powerful way and that they will grow in their love for him and his word.

Tuesday 19Lisa Jones and Sarah Smart, Development Workers in the South East, are members of the Kent Ecumenical Youth and Children’s Offi cers group. Together the group will be planning the next Toolbox conference in November 2015 called ‘What are we waiting for?’ which aims to encourage volunteer and paid youth and children’s workers in their ministry through keynote talks, workshops and resources. Please pray for them as they bring all of this together.

Wednesday 20Scripture Union’s published resources have been of great benefi t to many over the years, but in a rapidly changing world developing the publishing ministry presents major challenges. Pray for wisdom as an in-depth review of publishing plans, priorities, progress and fi nances takes place today, involving some members of the leadership team and several trustees. It is followed by a Board meeting focusing on Bible engagement and international strategy.

A number of local school groups will come and

Monday 18The South East team will be representing Scripture Union at the Christian Resources Exhibition in London this week helping visitors to engage with our products and getting them excited about developing new ministries. At the Youth focus day on Thursday, there will be workshops helping youth workers in their ministry. Please pray for lots of new contacts, stimulating conversations and that people go away inspired. Saturday 23

The local ministry partner, in:School Primary Schools Project, in Swindon, became associated with Scripture Union in November 2011. It also works in association with Swindon Youth for Christ and has one worker, Abi Corry, who pursues the ministry through a range of activities including school assemblies, RE lessons, Christmas and Easter events, after-school clubs, and classroom support as well as helping churches to support and connect with their local primary schools.


25


Sunday 24The Urdd Eisteddfod taking place in Caerphilly this week is a yearly festival that celebrates the culture and talents of the young people of Wales and attracts around 90,000 visitors every year. Pray for the outreach work conducted by the Wales Region that the interactions with children, young people and families communicate Jesus’ love and will bear fruit.

Thursday 28Gobaith Môn which roughly means Hope for Anglesey is a new Scripture Union local ministry partner initiated by a group of church leaders on Anglesey, representing various denominations and groupings, both Welsh and English speaking. The recently appointed worker, Joe Moreno, works both in schools and churches across Anglesey, covering RE and PSE topics in a creative and innovative way. Monday 25

The South West team are planning a new residential for 8- to12-year-olds based on a Wild Outdoors theme to be held in late July at Great Wood. Please pray that they will be able to get through the huge amount of preparation needed, that they will be able to recruit an eff ective team and that many will attend the holiday and experience a growing relationship with Jesus.

Friday 29Scripture Union Pakistan praise God for the appointment of new staff in the Karachi Offi ce and for the successful ministry throughout 2014 in spite of the insurgency in the country; pray for political stability. Pray, too, for new staff needed in Lahore and Rawalpindi, for the correct people to be found. Pray too for the preparation of Bible notes for Vacation Bible School in the summer.

Tuesday 26Today the auditors begin their work on the accounts. Pray for good communication between the staff team and the external auditors and that the auditors will gain a good understanding of Scripture Union’s ministry. Pray, too, that all will go smoothly and that the accounts will be given a clean bill of health.

Saturday 30Give thanks for the increased take-up of WordLive. Pray for users of WordLive and of the printed Bible reading guides that they may fi nd the materials a continued source of challenge, encouragement and a means to grow in Christ. Pray for writers and editors as they work on the material, that they may know the inspiration of the Spirit.

Wednesday 27Give thanks for the ministry of SchoolsLive which off ers a wide range of online resources to Christian groups in schools. Please pray for its continued growth and development, in particular for those who write and edit the materials. Please pray that more people would catch a vision for running Christian groups in schools and would discover SchoolsLive as a tool to help them.

The South West team are planning


26

Noticeboard

Twenty years of cracking Easter for kidsThis year, local ministry partner Wayne Dixon will celebrate 20 years since his fi rst ‘Easter Cracked’ schools presentation for year 6 pupils from schools in the Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead area. In that time, Wayne estimates they have reached an amazing 12,000 pupils with the good news of Jesus at Easter.

And it’s gone further than even Wayne could have dreamed: in 2015 Easter Cracked will be run in over 50 locations nationwide, from Alloa to Altrincham, West Drayton to Wokingham.

‘The idea is that the children come to the church and spend 90 minutes fi nding out the real meaning of Easter in a fun, enjoyable and informative way,’ says Wayne. ‘We have been blown away by how well it has gone and the

Welcoming schools into churchEvery year tens of thousands of Key Stage 2 pupils visit their local church building as part of their RE curriculum. Now Scripture Union has created a fantastic resource to help church leaders make the most of this valuable opportunity to communicate the heart of the Christian faith in a sensitive and school-friendly way.

It’s Your Church is a colourful 16-page A4 booklet introducing the children to the church as both a building and as a community of people. It puts children in the fun role of TV reporters working on a feature on the church as part of a TV news programme. The booklet has the feel of a reporter’s notebook, allowing children to scribble notes, questions, comments and their own thoughts.

It’s been written by SU experts Ro Willoughby and Simon Barker, with input from Kathryn Wright, RE Advisor for the Norwich Diocese.

It’s Your Church can be purchased as a single copy, but most will be sold in packs of 30 along with helpful supplementary material for church leaders and teachers.

More details at www.scriptureunion.org.uk/itsyourchurch

More news and ways to get involved from Scripture Union in England and Wales

positive feedback from staff and children. As a secondary schools worker I’m often having chats with teenagers who can remember their visit to the church, and the positive impression it made on them.’

If you’re interested in fi nding out more about running Easter Cracked in your local schools, contact your regional development worker via www.scriptureunion.org.uk/regions.

Television presenter’s notebook

Television programme:

It’s yourchurch

Presenter:Add your name here

From:Name the TV station (school) you are making this programme for

A programme based on:Add the name of the church here

IYC AW.indd 1

12/08/2014 16:40

A Bible Friends Bible story

Meet Jesus again in

The Christmas Bible Storybook

Luke 24:1–16,36; John 20:16; 21:4–7

www.scriptureuni

on.org.uk

ËxHSLIOEy272921zISBN 978 1 84427 292 1

£3.99

Early

Years

Mary in a garden

Peter and John

Friends out walking

And, most of all, Jesus!

Open

to meet


Our Easter Shop is open-- come on in!

27

To help you fi nd exactly the right book to guide you through Lent, celebrate Easter or reach out at Easter time, we’ve put together a special Easter Shop on our website.

ComicBibleEaster.indd 1 6/10/10 16:41:27

Check it out: www.scriptureunion.org.uk/easterbooks

Our Easter Shop is open

guide you through Lent, celebrate Easter or reach out at Easter time, we’ve put together

and everything your church might need for Easter

New material and Scripture Union favourites

Combining years of Scripture Union experience with exciting new ideas, this book will give you almost everything you need to get the most out of Easter.


£11.999 7 8 1 8 4 4 2 7 7 1 4 8

ISBN 978 1 84427 714 8

Songs

Group activitiesEventsDrama

Craft

StoriesAll-age worship

Theme games Short talks

MeditationsCreative prayer ideas

Quizzes and puzzles

Need more ideas for other times of celebration? Try…

MEC Cover AW.indd 1

14/08/2012 10:35

There really is something for everyone: Titles include Morning (Julie Sharp’s moving retelling of the Easter story), fun board books for little hands, Bible study guides for personal or small group use and much, much more.

A Bible Friends Bible story

Meet Jesus again in

The Christmas Bible Storybook

Luke 24:1–16,36; John 20:16; 21:4–7

www.scriptureuni

on.org.uk

ËxHSLIOEy272921zISBN 978 1 84427 292 1

£3.99

Early

Years

Mary in a garden

Peter and John

Friends out walking

And, most of all, Jesus!

Open

to meet


REACHING AND DISCIPLING THE

NEXT GENERATIONCOME AND JOIN WITH SCRIPTURE UNION

FOR A CELEBRATORY EVENING OF INSPIRING

STORIES, WORSHIP AND BIBLE

Lou Fellingham, Rachel Gardner & Rt Rev Paul Butler

FREE

ENTRY

NEXT GENERATION

FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2015 7:30PM KINGSGATECOMMUNITY CHURCH,PETERBOROUGH

With special guests including...With special guests including...

Your invitation to celebrate with Scripture Union:Do you have a passion for sharing the gospel with the next generation and seeing children and young people meeting with God in exciting ways? Do you long for children to discover Jesus and to grow in their relationship with him? We do – that’s what Scripture Union is all about – and we’d love you to join us as we celebrate all God has done through SU, and look to him for what’s to come. If you share our passion you won’t want to miss this exciting evening of inspring SU stories, praise and worship. See you there!

KingsGate Centre, Peterborough2 Staplee Way, Parnwell, Peterborough PE1 4YT

Where:

Friday 13 March 2015, 7:30 – 9:30pm

Cost: Free entry – No ticket needed, just turn up. There will be an opportunity to support SU’s mission during the evening

When:

Free entry – No ticket needed, There will be an

JUST TURN UP


Documents

Connecting You | March - May 2015