Lately our staff team has been thinking a lot about next year and how we want to keep developing the ministry. Obviously it is going to make a big difference having our new Women’s and Families Minister, Kat Cowell with us, together with her husband Nigel who will be a student minister. These will assist the new focus on small Bible study groups.
But today I want to highlight our plans for youth. In 2019, our youth group (called Youth) will be moving to Friday nights, 7-9 pm. We are also moving our evening service a little earlier (to 6 pm, as of Feb 2019) and designing it especially as a place for Year 6 and up to gather (with others of all ages) for fellowship, prayer, song, and hearing God’s word – plus dinner once a month!
Friday night Youth is for games, hanging out, Bible talk and discussion groups. It will be different from church, so that it’s worth coming to both Fridays and Sunday evenings.
Sunday morning church is still a great option for youth, and we know this will suit some families. We won’t be having a separate Youth Bible study as part of Sunday School, so high schoolers can choose to tag along with Sunday School, or to join in the main church gathering.
As well as all this, we’ll be kicking off a new after school Kids’ Club for years K-6 on Wednesday afternoons.
In brief, I’m preaching through the book of Malachi today and through Advent, during which our gospel readings will track through the lead-up to Jesus’ birth in Luke’s lengthy first chapter. This evening’s 6.30 pm service is Choral Evensong: I hope to see you there.