Or How to promote the work done by Canterbury Christian schools work trust
What is a Church Representative? Around two or three years ago, as a trust we recognized the desire in people to support us by promoting the Trust in their churches all year round and not just on the one Sunday a year that the Trust is able to visit. The voluntary position of CHURCH REPRESENTATIVE was born! At present we have a group of 5-6 reps. the aim is to have a Church Rep. in each church that supports us to ‘fly the flag’ for us when we are not visiting.
so what does this exciting role require?
More than anything for you to be passionate about the work we do, so please ask any questions of us to find out more! Hand out our newsletter each term, or flag up that it is online if that is a better way for your church. Make sure our poster (which we will give you) is in a place where it can be seen and let us know if and when you need a replacement Pray and if you can, encourage others to pray with you Encourage your church to pray for us If possible have an Annual Visit into a school with either Heather or Louise to get an eyewitness account of what goes on. Where possible help us in how we can best serve your church when we visit.
we are so thankful for all you do, so in return…
We will contact you regularly (but not so much as to make it a burden on you!) Email you prayer points Encourage and support you in your role Listen to any ideas you have or your church has in partnering with us in schools
Thank you so much for your support
…a little more about CCSWT, our vision and our strategy Developing Partnerships “By your love for one another people will see me” CCSWT has a vision to see local churches helping society to flourish and also seeing the benefits in secular organisations to transform communities. We look to partner with Churches, Schools, Youth teams, National schoolswork, local ministries and secular agencies. By developing partnerships we can show unity and pool skills and resources. Young people receive the gospel in many ways, so we are giving them many doors that lead to Jesus. Developing partnerships means; connecting with these agencies, praying with them, finding common ground, and extending our work together where we can. It’s about diffusing pride and one-up-manship it’s about putting Jesus and the extension of his kingdom first. It’s about showing the world our love for each other Churches: At the moment they support us financially and prayerfully, but what the vision is, is to see the churches really connecting with community through the school. One way of doing this is Training Churches to Mentor under CATALYST MENTORING, ‘transformation without compromise’. One of the ways we partner with churches is through YOU! Youth/Children’s Teams: There are 15 secondary schools in our area and even more primary schools. We’d love local churches to partner with us in schools because we believe this is then a relationship built route for children and young people to enter into church life. Kidz Klub: Heather has already been working with Jane, as secondary work we are looking into how we can support those who are now too old to be part of Kidz Klub Eximo: Our secondary schools worker is working with Sophie and Maya from Eximo which is a locally based performing arts company. We are looking to create workshops out of their performance ‘Deep End’ and book ‘Date my Life’. Belleville: Locally based front women of the band Belleville, Emily Yates has written a mentoring workshop to be taken into schools. The workshop focuses on developing emotional literacy through writing songs. New Generation: This is a nationally based schoolswork organisation that focuses on encouraging and equipping peer led Christian groups (NGgroups) in secondary school. We are working them in providing training days and resources for the leaders.
Of course we’re not expecting you to remember all that, but it we wanted to give you some idea of who we are partnered with.
Discipling Christians A very important work for CCSWT has always been to support Christians in schools: children, youth and teachers. A traditional way of outworking this has through Christian Union (or such like group) which we continue to do. However we also do it through mentoring the young people, equipping and encouraging them. We do this through youth groups visits, training days, coffee shop meet ups, one to ones, prayer nights and more… This is not a replacement to church or youth group, we are passionate about local church and young people’s involvement in it. Our discipling is specifically catered to equip them with character building tools for inside school and is in joint thinking with their youthworkers. At present we do not run any groups for dscipling Christians in primary schools but this is something we are looking into.
Demonstrating Christianity The workshops that we are writing with Belleville and Eximo are one way of giving schools something new from us that in a very subtle way will demonstrate our faith through culturally relevant methods. We are also very excited about the birth of CATALYST Mentoring Scheme. This is akin to CAST Maidstone’s scheme of bringing church into schools by providing mentors from local churches in secondary schools. We are hoping to apply for grant from The Children’s Society early 2012 so as to professionally train those interested in getting involved. A more obvious way we demonstrate Christianity is through setting up creative prayer rooms in schools, taking assemblies and lesson, all of which are facets of our primary and secondary work. All have had fantastic feedback from both staff and pupil alike. In the final term of year six our secondary and primary schoolsworkers work together on providing a transition lesson through use of Scripture Union’s book: It’s Your Move. We would love to give each child in year six a copy of this book but it is far too much of an expense for us.
Could you motivate your church to fundraise to sponsor some of these books to go into your local school?
Of course we don’t expect you to remember all this! Our vision is:
PRAYER September: Please pray for those returning to or beginning at a new school. Pray for our workers as they regain contact with schools October: Kent Test. mentoring November: Pray for assemblies. Pray for safety December: Pray for Christmas opportunities for the gospel January: Staff rooms and pray for lessons February: Pray for stamina in our workers and team work to be strengthened March: Pray for funding and vision, and school governors April: Easter pray for Christian teachers and staff May: pray as heather approaches schools for IYM June: pray for those taking exams, depression July: prayer for a safe summer Aug: rest for us
Fundraise Some Church Representatives like to look for small ways they can raise some money for us. Margaret at TEC organised a plant sale one Sunday, but you could have a go at cake sales or coffee mornings whatever takes your fancy really! This is not something we expect from you but are very thankful if you choose to do: Your money could go towards: Christian Union Outreach into Schools It’s Your Move books for schools Mentors to be sent into schools Whatever you want to do, let us know we can try and help! ‌And much more
The Canterbury Christian Schools Work Trust ~ Registered Charity No. 1020166 Trustees: Mr P Gregory, Rev E Harmer, Mrs P Woods, Mr J Way (Chairman) Schools Workers: Heather Ratcliffe (primary) & Louise Funnell (secondary). Treasurer & Trustee: Mrs M White