Palm Sunday Message to our churches from youth worker, Jonathan Grimwood: Thank you for your continual support of the churches together youth project (4D) whether that be through prayer, financial support or by volunteering. It seems the whole team are being immersed in all the opportunities which emerge as the youth project grows and develops. The last year has seen Lite Bite start and a grant for funding come in for a week-long project in the High School (watch this space). Youth Alpha and its follow up 'Beta Max' are going well with our young people wanting it to happen every week! We will launch a new regular youth service/event on 21st April called 'Ignight' at the community centre. @mosphere, Rock Solid and the high school lunch club 'The Crux' are also bearing fruit so exciting times ahead!
This year we are hoping to take a group of young people away to a National Youth Camp called Newday from 1st - 6th August. Newday is similar to Soul Survivor or Spring Harvest, but geared especially for young people. It is an exciting opportunity for young people to grow closer to God, and this year it will be held at the Norfolk Showground!
Newday will provide an experience way beyond our resources, but one we can be a part of. With top speakers every day and opportunities to respond to the gospel for the first time, this really is an important part of 4D's vision: to compliment our mission throughout the rest of the year. The buzzing atmosphere when thousands of other young people are worshipping God is a humbling experience and a huge witness to them that God is alive and relevant to their lives as teenagers. There is even a skate park and late night gigs each day!
However, I have found that the cost of events like this can be a barrier which prevents some parents being able to send their children, even though they want to come themselves. Why would a non-Christian parent set aside money for a Christian camp when they already have endless letters from school asking for money for school trips, and on top of that family breaks / holidays are already stretching their over-stretched finances?
Newday will cost each young person £70 each for the week, and on top of that we also have to feed them! We will, of course, ask parents to help with the costs, but we are also looking to financially support at least half the cost for each young person.
If you are able to give any amount it would be greatly appreciated. As a team we really believe this is a great opportunity. Can you help?
£10 will pay for 1 young person for a day at Newday.
£30 will enable 1 young person to go to Newday for a week.
£50 will cover food costs for 2 young people for a week at Newday. Please contact Johny (07717744630) or Julian (493225) or the Rector if more information is required. Thank you.
1st February 2009 YOUTH WORK - 3 2 1 you are invited to Launchpad! Why... and what is it?
In Norwich there are loads of youth events filled with excitement, worship and fun. We don’t live in Norwich so we plan to start an event geared up especially for you here on our patch, right on your doorstep every 2 months. A chance to encounter God for yourself, mingle in our extended free time and have fun. Launchpad is a taster for the event we hope to launch in Poringland Community Centre on Tuesday February 10th 8:30pm till 9:45pm. We will be looking for your opinions and you have a chance to be on one of the teams. A guaranteed fun night... make sure you don’t miss it!
R.S.V.P: jgrimwood@norwichyfc.co.uk NYFC Fundraising - The annual Celebration Sing-along takes place on February 21 at Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Street, Norwich at 7.30pm. Event organiser Margaret Smith says, “Last year we had some 100 singers, 25 orchestra and an audience of about 100 and it proved to be a really uplifting event. This year's event promises to be just as enjoyable and worthwhile and an opportunity for outreach to those who would not normally enter a church or hear words of Scripture.” The programme will include Faure’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, a short instrumental item, one or two other anthems, and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus for everyone to enjoy. Everybody is welcome to either join in as part of the choir or relax as the audience. There will be one rehearsal for anyone who wants to form the basis of a ‘choral society’ for the event – Monday February 9 at Holy Trinity Church at 7.30 pm. There is an instrumental rehearsal too on Monday February 16 at 7.30pm. If you can’t rehearse, don’t worry – just come! The evening is free and there will be a retiring collection for audience and participants for the work of Norwich Youth For Christ. For more information contact Margaret Smith on 01603 453010
25th January 2009 Johny’s report… youth work update: “We are currently organising a youth service event to take place every two months to be held in Poringland Community Centre during the evening. We are excited about this. Our vision is that this will encourage and grow the young people who have become Christians, and for them to build links with the local congregations (through the volunteers we have there) and also to be a place for them to invite their not yet Christian friends along. While there are a number of events like this happening in the city, there isn’t anything specifically like this in our community. I am applying for a grant to cover hall hire and to buy lighting equipment. So far we have some musicians who have said they could help but we really need volunteers for help to set up, pray behind the scenes, then pack down for each of the events. This would only be five times per year so if you feel you could help please contact me (01603-620678 / 07717744630). We have booked the Community Centre for Tuesday 10th February 7:30-10:30pm to have a low key version of the event to which we plan to ask as many Christian young people to come as possible. We will then ask for their opinions and input. We also hope to incorporate these young people into teams which consist of them helping out with tickets, welcoming, non-alcoholic cocktail bar, etc. In our last meeting we realised the importance of building on a core group of young Christians to begin with. Our hope is also to network with other villages surrounding Poringland. If you know any Christian young people please let them know about the 10th February, as numbers attract numbers, and the more Christian young people there are, the more they can feel encouraged by each other, support each other and make new friends. This could be a fantastic opportunity for them to grow in their faith locally with other young people as a supplement expression of church. And please be assured it is not in any way intended to replace church or the benefits of mixing regularly with all other Christians young and old.”
