urban saints scotland newsletter summer 11

Summer 2011

NEWS

URBAN SAINTS SCOTLAND NEWS SUMMER 2011 [1]

SCOTLAND

What Urban SaintS meanS to me?

1. I was a Crusader *cough* 20 odd years ago as a teenager in Paisley and for the last four years I have been using the excellent material as a leader in my church's "Quest" group which is our name for bible class. 2. Warm chocolate Brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - mmmm 3. A question I ask myself most

Sunday mornings as I drag myself out of bed!! My own children are now teenagers and I know how

important it is that they have a group where they can more fully explore their burgeoning faith in an atmosphere of fellowship and mutual respect. 4. Australia - if someone could hide all the creepy crawlies! I would also pop to Tasmania to visit my friend who works for Scripture Union. 5. In the summer of 1984 I was a cook at a camp on the banks of Loch Lomond. It was my first experience of tent living and cooking.I always smile when I remember dropping a whole oven tray of sausages onto the grass on the "kitchen". We simply picked then up washed them and popped them back in the oven to reheat - Yuck! 6. I would love there to be a way for the film clips that are so often used with the lesson plans to be available to show via your website so I can avoid my weekly facebook begging session for DVDs. We also feel truely blessed as a group to be using your material and I would hope that more groups would start using it. I also pray my group may be even busier and filled with Christ-led young people!

1.how many years have you been connected with Urban Saints/Crusaders?

3.Why are you still involved?

2.What is your favourite dessert?

4.if you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

5.briefly describe one special memory relating to Urban Saints/Crusaders

6.Describe one thing about Urban Saints that might look different in three

years time? (You won’t be judged on accuracy! Feel free to dream a little here)

Caron McPhersonLeader at Paisley Sherwood

1. Since 1999 2. Tiramisu, eton mess, chocolate mousse - do I have to pick one?! 3. Good times, great friends, answered prayers 4. Somewhere I can see the northern lights from. 5. Watching kids turn in to leaders, and learning from them. Followed by

losing my glasses in the loch at camp - a chance to walk by faith and not by sight! 6. That each group would have the comfort and challenge of home for all who come along, whether longstanding or new to the group.

1. At least 7 years

2. Favourite desert? The Sahara! Oh, dessert? Banoffee pie!

3. I like the organisation and feel it is getting places, plus it’s a fabulous way to encourage kids to enter God’s kingdom.

4. Lakewood in Colorado. We link there with a missions team that gets reciprocated and have developed great friends.

5. Swimming in the pond at Whithaugh Park at Spree in the Borders amongst the ducklings and frog spawn!

6. That the number of churches and groups supported in Scotland would be much greater; that’s the hope!

Sarah GottsLeader at Edinburgh Footprin

ts

Ed De Blieck - Youth Worker at Lenzi Union parish & SLT Member

SUMMER 2011

Thanks for your ongoing prayer for our group. We have seen God at work in a special way. 2 more YFers became church members this year. Almost all of our senior group members have now publicly professed faith. We have started a monthly discipleship group for the 4th-6th years in addition to our weekly meetings - it is on our hearts to see this group of lads and lassies as spiritually prepared as they can be by the time they leave school. So once a month we split the group into older and younger.

We are beginning to think ahead to summer 2012 and whether a major gallivant is possible again (we took a group to Nepal in 2009 - it was a brilliant time and really helped every participant in his/her spiritual journey). We also had the Challenger Bus visit last summer - a really helpful time. The youth have spontaneously started a prayer group in school which is flourishing. A youth alpha has started alongside an adult alpha course (January - Easter) - the younger YF members plus a couple of new ones are attending.

Finally, our leadership team is developing - Peggy now leads the younger teens once a month and Seonaid has taken over the treasurer role, so we

The youth work department at Jordanhill Parish Church in Glasgow’s west end has enjoyed a great partnership with Urban Saints and its Energize programme over the last few years.

We use the Energize material across a wide spectrum of groups and activities within our ministry.

We organise a group in Jordanhill Primary school called JAM (Jesus And Me) for primary 5-7’s which has between 15-40 children attending each week and we find that the energize material has been great in taking culturally relevant topics and exploring them from a Christian perspective for this young group.

Our main teenage program at JPC is called Time Out, and comes into contact with around 40 young people on a regular basis, again we use the energize syllabus to help us formulate a programme from term to term. It has been a great blessing to have such a diverse resource available and one that allows us to be very flexible as we deliver a Christ centred program week on week.

Energize has also been used in helping us prepare for school assemblies, Junior church on a Sunday morning, season specific services and even in classes within a school environment.

Please pray for the youth work at Jordanhill, pray that God would help all our programmes, events and activities stay true to the Gospel as we seek to build God’s kingdom in the west end of the city.

Urban Saints have been members of YouthLink for many years, and see this as an important link into wider youth work and volunteering practice in Scotland. As the national agency for youth work, YouthLink brings together over 100 voluntary youth work organisations and local authority youth work service providers and agencies to express the views and aspirations of the youth work sector in Scotland. YouthLink offers Urban Saints great opportunities to network, be resourced and be kept up to date, and in return we contribute through YouthLink to help shape government policies and society’s understanding on youth work.

YoUthlink

“If you aim for nothing, chances are you’ll succeed every time!” is a great quote that has helped Urban Saints prayerfully shape its goals and plans for the future.

Our big goal, if we dare to dream it, is that by 2020 we’ll see 2 million radical children and young people living like Jesus in the world; sharing the good news through words and actions in their every day lives, planting faith communities (churches) supported by adult mentors, helping others live like Jesus, growing year on year in their relationship with God, and transforming their nation.

Our goals for the next 3 years are condensed to five “Growing” statements:

GrowinG deeper: Matt 28:18-20“a MoveMent of Jesus followers”

Serve over 1,100 groups/ churches with a generational* outreach and disciple-making toolkit of experiences**, resources, training and support, helping them in their work with children and young people.* from 5 to 25 year olds** experiences include weekly groups, events, holidays, community projects, and training programmes.

GrowinG toGether: psalM 133“a MoveMent of co-workers”

Envision and equip over 300 communities* where at least 3 churches are working together to develop and implement a strategy to reach and disciple the children and young people in their locality, so that they in turn may be a catalyst to mobilize the church to reach every

GroWinG oUr GoalS they in turn may be a catalyst to mobilize the church to reach every household with the Father’s love and power.* a community could be a town/ village/cluster etc.

GrowinG louder: 2 tiMothy 2:2“a MoveMent of baton carriers”

Develop a movement of 3,900 emerging leaders (children and young people) who are committed to make disciples of at least three people.

GrowinG wider: acts 1:8“a MoveMent of Global Missionaries”

Serve the global church by (a) enabling over 1,200 young people to experience an overseas community project, and (b) providing resources, training and support for indigenous mission (particularly in developing nations).

GrowinG stronGer: philipp. 1:3-6“a MoveMent of partners”

To mobilize 5,000 passionate prayer and financial supporters, enabling the work to grow and thrive.

Those with a keen eye will notice that we have made a subtle yet significant shift in a few places to support and work with “the church”, where for many years Crusaders worked where the church didn’t. This is in recognition of the changing times we live in as well as the greater need within the church for all we offer in terms of resources, support, encouragement and training. What an exciting journey God has us on!

ask that you please continue to pray for us - Teens and leaders (Angus, Gordon, Peggy and Seonaid).- church of scotland yf, tarbert, harris

URBAN SAINTS SCOTLAND NEWS SUMMER 2011 [3]

Spree in the Highlands is a brand new holiday landing this September as a weekend of wild adventure and fun, combining a huge range of activities, great food and some challenging talks about God and the di�erence between light and dark chocolate!If you are aged over 8 but less than 108, this is the perfect event for you to come to with the rest of your group. We won’t make you wash dishes or go to bed at 8pm, but we promise you’ll have riotous fun!Spree in the Highlands is run at Abernethy Nethybridge, a fantastic outdoor adventure centre set in acres of woods just north of Aviemore. North means closer to the North Pole where Santa lives, in case you weren’t sure!

Activities include a zip wire, abseiling, king swing, adventure course, dry slope skiing, crafts, kayaking, nose picking, swimming, football, climbing and much more. Opportunities also exist for older teenagers aged 16 or older to step into leadership through our Service Crew, which help make all of Spree run smoothly (and get to boss people around!).Check out the website for further information and application forms, as well as price details, starting at £69 per person if your group leader books in before 31 May. Talk to your leader today!

Go to www.urbansaints.org/spreescotland or telephone Urban Saints Scotland on 0141 331 2400 for further information. And you thought nothing good would ever happen again once school’s gone back after the summer!

WHERE CAN YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS GO FOR THE MOST AMAZING WEEKEND YOU’LL EVER HAVE WITHIN THE HIGHLANDS? SPREE!













DATE: 16 - 18 September 2011

LOCATION: Abernethy Nethybridge

TELEPHONE: 0141 331 2400

EMAIL: [email protected]

WWW.URBANSAINTS.ORG/SPREESCOTLAND

IN THE HIGHLANDS



TELEPHONE: 0141 331 2400



IN THE HIGHLANDS



TELEPHONE: 0141 331 2400



IN THE HIGHLANDS



TELEPHONE: 0141 331 2400



IN THE HIGHLANDS

Building on the success of each previous year, Skye Spree this September is expecting to draw over 100 young people and leaders from groups all across the Western Isles for the most energetic 24 hours ever seen. Started in 2008 as a day event, Skye Spree has grown to having people arrive on a Friday evening and be greeted by a giant BBQ and activities, then camping overnight in Uig. Saturday packs in a full programme of football, crating, inflatable games, climbing, archery, karts, crafts and much more. A message explaining who Jesus is and how He can change our lives will cap off the day, before people head home by car, minibus or ferry. A team of people from the local area work with a number of people

travelling up from the central belt (or in 2011 one from near Luton!) to make sure this becomes the best day of the year for all those that attend!

For many years, Urban Saints has delivered some of the best training in youth ministry available in the UK. in 2011, we faced a new challenge concerning training. a decision was made a year earlier that for the time being, training would be organized on a regional level, rather than as part of a UK wide multi-city tour. in May this year, Urban Saints in Scotland ran their first national training event, an afternoon in Stirling prior to the Annual Gathering celebration meal. 35 leaders from all across Scotland, including Orkney, gathered to learn and be encouraged in sessions from Lorne Campbell, the Ministry Development, Director for Urban Saints as well as from Charlie Morris.

training leaders

With great anticipation, our first ever Spree in the Highlands is now only a few weeks away! Run in partnership with Abernethy Trust and the Abernethy Presbytery, over 120 young people and their leaders from churches and youth groups across Scotland will gather for a weekend of fun, activities and will hear about Jesus in a relevant and challenging way. Groups are coming from as far away as Lenzie or North Connel near Oban, as well as from the Nethybridge area right next to the centre! Activities including kayaking, a king swing, inflatables, mountain bikes, crafts and abseiling are sure to promise a fabulous weekend for all!

look oUt for a SeConD traininG event thiS Year, perhapS in YoUr toWn or reGion!

Spree in the highlands

Skye Spree

do you have itchy feet? would you like to put them to work in serving others? have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend time in a country quite unlike scotland? are you good at working with other people? do you think God might be calling you to leadership or mission work? do you know a young person who is up to a challenge in their faith and life? would your local group value an opportunity to share new challenges away from home?

If you have answered “yes!” to any of these questions God may be calling you to being involved in Urban Saints’ Overseas Action activities rebuild & respond. You can join respond as a leader or assistant leader (age is no barrier here!), a prayer or financial supporter or as a team member, alone or with some friends.

rebuild 2012 will travel to South Africa in July 2012. There will be opportunities for meeting local people and sharing in practical work such as house building and children’s activities. REBUILD primarily offers a way for local groups to travel abroad together. Leaders should contact the Glasgow Office for more information or check out www.urbansaints.org/rebuild

respond Romania offers young people the opportunity to grow in faith as young leaders as they step out of their comfort zone to lead and be involved in preparing and leading children’s Holiday Club work at Camp Sunlight on the Black Sea Delta, Eastern Romania. The trip to Donavatu will be for around 10 days from early July and will cost around £750.

respond Rwanda will work in partnership with Scripture Union Rwanda and will be mainly based in Kigali. RESPOND will work with SU at Children’s Holiday Clubs and with local young people as they share their faith in schools and churches. They may also be time for some practical work. RESPOND Rwanda will travel in mid July for 3 – 4 weeks, participants must be at least 16 years old at date of travel.

If you or anyone you know is interested in talking further please contact Charlie at the earliest opportunity. The Overseas Action Team would be glad to share more directly with group leaders or with groups of young people as appropriate, give us a call!

overseas action

In 2009, our voting members decided to close Combruith, our outdoor centre in

Perthshire, as times had changed and running a centre was no longer core to our goals. It has been for sale for around twelve months with little significant interest. Rather than let this process drag on too long, the Scottish Leadership Team (SLT) have also been discussing leasing the centre. An agreement has been reached to lease the centre to Comrie Croft, a company who run a hostel just outside the village of Comrie. Lease papers are being finalised as we go to print, and will mean the centre is being well used again whilst removing the financial burden from Urban Saints.

The SLT felt it was right to review the lease held for Tweedsmuir, applying the same rationale as behind the decision to sell Combruith. We are approximately halfway through a long term lease for this outdoor centre with the Scottish Borders Council. After much discussion and deliberation with the Council, the SLT has decided to terminate the lease, and hand the centre back over. Plans are now in place to close the centre at the end of August and hand the property over once our cleaning and clear out are completed.

Whilst Urban Saints believes strongly in the value and importance of taking groups away on residentials, we feel that running, managing and maintaining centres is not what we are called to. No doubt many readers will have fond memories of these centres which we’d love to hear about from you.

You may regularly read our Scotland News and hopefully be encouraged by what God is up to through the ministry. You may even wonder what it would be like to see this first hand. Here is your chance to support and help us beyond giving money or praying, which are always vital in themselves.

Are you an organised and methodical person with a spare hour a fortnight or month? Could you come in to the Glasgow office and help us by converting our old files into electronic images? All equipment and training will be provided, and there’s free tea or coffee available as well!

Do you regularly keep in touch with friends with letters and cards? We could use your help one day a month in Glasgow to compile packages of information and updates to mail out to all our busy group leaders. There would be some copying, printing, sorting and stuffing envelopes involved, as well as some tea or coffee and a blether!

contact the Glasgow office on 0141 331 2400 to chat further.

I would like to make a donation towards the work of Urban Saints Scotland:

Holidays and Sprees Staffing Costs Overseas Action (including Respond & ReBuild) Other

name [print]

address

post code

signature i enclose a cheque for £ Please make cheques payable to Urban Saints Scotland

Getting involved: financially

As a UK taxpayer please register me as a Gift Aid donor & reclaim tax on my gifts.

Please tick this box and sign on the signature line to the rightRegistered Charity No SC039313

Urban Saints Scotland, Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0ADTel: 0141 331 2400 Email: [email protected] Web: www.urbansaints.org/scotlandUrban Saints is the operating name of The Crusaders’ Union, a registered charity in England and Wales (223798) and Scotland (SCO39313)

Update on finances

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www.twitter.com/urbansaints_sco

USE OUR WEBSITE SCOTLAND

www.facebook.com/urbansaintsscotland

www.urbansaints.org/scotland

OUR ON-LINE COMMUNITY

Urban Saints in Scotland entered 2011 looking at some financial challenges as we had drawn significantly on reserves during 2010. Our two outdoor centres had started to cost more to run than bookings were covering, and we invested large sums of money to refurbish and expand the office as well as support Skye Spree. We also noticed that our donations from supporters just like you were decreasing slowly.

To address this, a small team was formed to put together a business plan and look at ways to develop income. We have been very fortunate and blessed by grants from The Souter Charitable Trust, Youthlink, the Scottish Government, the Bellahouston Bequest Fund and the Ardbarrow Trust. We also appreciate every single pound donated by individual people and families, knowing the sacrifice this often means in harsh economic times.

With Tweedsmuir closing and Combruith being leased out by the end of this year, the drain on our resources from these centres will stop. But we still need your help! Even £5 a month is a huge benefit and blessing to us, and will enable the work to continue and the care for young people and the good news of Jesus to spread throughout Scotland.

Following Spree in the Highlands (16 – 18 Sept) and Skye Spree (23 – 24 Sept), we are still considering running some more training sessions before the year ends.

Our plans for 2012 at this stage will include encouraging groups to go on ReBuild Mexico at Easter, having our annual gathering and training in May, Spree in the Borders (15 – 17 June), Respond trip to Romania in early July, Respond trip to Rwanda leaving mid July and ReBuild South Africa also leaving mid July.

In addition to these events, Urban Saints Scotland will be involved in supporting Getting Your Kids through church without them ending up hating God tour in November, Deep Impact in January and a number of other opportunities to resource and support youth and children’s ministry.

check out www.urbansaints.org/scotland for any further updates.

i wonder if i could...

This declaration confirms my wish for Urban Saints to treat all donations I have

made for this tax year and the six years prior to the year of this declaration (but

no earlier than 6 April 2000) and all donations I make from the date of this

declaration until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. I understand that I

must pay an amount of Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax in the relevant tax year

at least equal to any tax reclaimed by Urban Saints in that year.

Notes:1. You can cancel this declaration at any time by notifying Urban Saints.

2. If in the future your circumstances change and you no longer pay tax on

your income and capital gains equal to the tax that the charity reclaims, you can cancel

your declaration.

3. Please notify Urban Saints if you change your name or address.

donor’s siGnature:date:

urban saints scotland newsletter summer 11

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