you Connecting Autumn
‘It’s like we’re living in a revival!’
Discover how Faith Guide Carolyn had a bit of a culture shock when she left her village setting and started sharing Jesus in a city estate.
‘So, What Next?’
Find out about our great new resource to help new young Christians take their next steps on their faith journey.
Equipped to serve
Eleanor was one of over 180 young leaders helping on our events last summer. Read her story and learn more about our new development programme to help young leaders grow in confidence.
Long-held values
We recently set out to explore and define our values as a movement, leading to six ‘new’ values that were, in fact, far from new or revolutionary…
Research reveals some surprises!
We share two key findings from our latest research report looking at what influences non-Christian young people aged 7–15 and how they’d seek out information about faith. 25
Did you know?
We have recently added a glossary to the Connecting You page on our website, providing information on some of the perhaps unfamiliar SU-specific terms that we use within the articles and prayers in these magazines. We hope this will help you get even more out of Connecting You. Find the glossary and other extras at su.org.uk/connectingyou.
More about Scripture Union
Scripture Union is a Christian charity, providing opportunities for children and young people to explore the Bible, respond to Jesus and grow in faith. With an estimated 95% of under-18s in England and Wales not part of a church, we help churches to step out and take the good news to them in exciting and culturally relevant ways. Visit www.scriptureunion.org.uk to find out more.
story for Connecting You, or a suggestion on how we could improve our service to you, please contact the editor: eddien@scriptureunion.org.uk
Connecting You is Scripture Union’s supporter and prayer magazine, keeping you up to date with what God is doing through the work you support. Connecting You magazine is also available online at: www.su.org.uk/connectingyou. If you have a
For general enquiries Tel: 01908 856000 Fax: 01908 856111 Email: info@scriptureunion.org.uk www.scriptureunion.org.uk
Published by Scripture Union, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 ODF
Confidence in the call
‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’ Jonah 3:1 NIV
When God called Jonah to tell Ninevah, a huge pagan city despised by the Israelites, that they were about to be overthrown, Jonah fled in the opposite direction.
Perhaps he didn’t want the Ninevites to have a chance to experience God’s mercy. I wonder too if he was worried what sort of reception he would get, as someone from an enemy nation issuing threats from a God the Ninevites didn’t follow.
Of course, eventually Jonah does obey God. And, incredibly, the Ninevites listen and repent and God spares them.
Today, God is calling all of us who follow Jesus to reveal him to the 95% of children and young people who have little or no knowledge of him. But many churches focus solely on the few children and young people of families already in their midst. Do they too fear an indifferent or even hostile reception from those beyond the church walls? Or do they simply not know where to start?
Jonah was surprised by how ready the Ninevites were to hear and
respond to his message. And we and our 400+ Faith Guides have been surprised and delighted by how receptive children and young people beyond the church walls have been to Jesus. Yes, there are indeed challenges, but hostility and indifference to the good news are seldom amongst them!
Please pray that every follower of Jesus will be obedient to the call and have the confidence to reveal Jesus to the next generation. And ask God to bless each of us with the imagination to push beyond the familiar routes, so that every child and young person has the opportunity to encounter God who so loves them.
God bless
Dave Newton National Director
PS don’t miss the Mission Report in the centre of the magazine, detailing just some of the things your support helped to enable during the last financial year.
‘It’s like we’re living in a revival!’
Faith Guide and youth worker Carolyn Terry had been working with church children in a village setting. So, when God called her to a Southampton inner city estate to share Jesus with young people who knew nothing of him, it was a culture shock! And she certainly never expected to encounter such a spiritual hunger.
Carolyn says, ‘When I joined Holy Trinity Church and Weston Church Youth Project just after lockdown in January 2021, there were no children or young people here. So, we set up two after school groups for primary and secondary age. I wasn’t even sure anyone would turn up, but we got five for one group and six for the other.
‘Now, our primary group has 25 children, so many that we’ve had to break it into three groups and rotate them around the activities (15 minutes each on faith, craft connected to the faith talk and games).
‘The children said, “We haven’t got Bibles at home – we want to learn to read the Bible!” So I asked our church for help and, despite it
We’re not church people but my daughter keeps on about this Jesus!
not being a wealthy parish, they donated funds to buy 30 Bibles. The children are reading them between sessions and ask lots of questions. They talk to their families about faith too – one mum told me, “We’re not church people but my daughter keeps on about this Jesus!”
‘Our youth group has grown to 19. We do an hour of games and activities, then we give the young people the option to stay for pizza and a faith session. Usually some do stay, but yesterday it was 17 which was amazing. One lad said, “I’m not into this God stuff – I’m leaving. Who’s coming with me?” When nobody followed him, he came back!
CAROLYN
The impact of camps
‘Each summer, five churches including ours get together to hold a camp for their youth. It’s called Dynamic Camp and is held near Romsey. Last year out of 80 kids in total, we brought 16. Their parents know it’s Christian but let them come because we massively subsidise the cost and often it’s their only holiday. One thing that really surprised my group was how many others their age at camp were Christians – they’d just not really met other Christians their age and it had quite an impact!
Five lads, including a couple of ours, decided at camp to follow Jesus. Back home, we tried doing Youth Alpha with them, but it was way beyond their understanding. However, they’re coming on camp again this summer, along with lots of new kids. And I’m working with Jenni, my SU Mission Enabler, to organise some activities starting
in September that I think will work much better.
‘Jenni really understands our situation. She’s great at finding me resources geared to kids with no church background – they can be really hard to find. I love the SU Faith Guide gatherings too. This can be quite a lonely job at times, so it’s good to be with people in the same situation!
Five
lads, including a couple of ours, decided at camp to follow Jesus.
What is a Faith Guide?
‘Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong! It’s hard when you’re working with children and young people with so little understanding about Jesus. But we keep trying new things, we keep praying. Honestly, we can’t believe how God has blessed this; it’s like we’re living in a revival!’
Faith Guides like Carolyn are the real heroes of our Revealing Jesus strategy. These ordinary individuals are the ones out there, actively connecting with and journeying into faith with nonchurchgoing children and young people in their communities. Visit su.org.uk/revealingjesus to find out more and see how we could support you in this vital role.
Prayers
WEEK BEGINNING AUG 25
Please pray for all those who are Faith Guides, and the Scripture Union Mission Enablers who support them.
Sunday 25
Please pray for all the young people, including Carolyn’s group, that are at Dynamic Camp at Romsey right now (24–27 August). Ask God to reveal himself to them and help them understand more of his love for them.
Monday 26
Ask God to continue to bless the efforts of those involved in the work at Holy Trinity Church and Western Youth Project. Pray that many more children and young people will encounter Jesus for themselves.
Tuesday 27
As the young people return home from Dynamic camp and other events this summer, please pray that God will help them continue to grow in faith. Pray particularly for those whose families are unsupportive of their faith journey.
Wednesday 28
Please ask God to grant rest to Carolyn and the leaders of the other
churches who put so much into running Dynamic Camp and renew their strength as they prepare for follow-up activities.
Thursday 29
Give thanks to God for Carolyn and Jenni, and for all Faith Guides and Mission Enablers across the country, as they work so hard to reveal Jesus to children and young people.
Friday 30
Please pray that many of the young people in Carolyn’s youth group will come to Holy Trinity Church Weston’s new monthly Trinity Youth Group to learn from the Bible, share breakfast together and worship Jesus.
Saturday 31
Please pray that many, many children from Weston estate will come to the Light Party that Carolyn plans to hold on 3 November at Holy Trinity Church. Ask God to help them see and understand the amazing light and life that they can find only in him.
Prayers
Sunday 1
Pray for the Scripture Union Global Board who will be meeting during the week 9–14 September in Athens. Pray for insightful conversations and for wise and godly decisions to be made.
Monday 2
Pray for Mission Partner ACTIOS worker Jennifer Musson who expects to be in seven St Neots’ schools this month with regular collective worship and Open the Book assemblies. Pray too that God will provide more trustees and that they will keep their eyes on Jesus.
Tuesday 3
Please pray for Director of Mission Development, Richard Shaw, as he reviews Scripture Union’s mission activity to the 95 this summer with the Mission Development Leadership team. Pray, too, for his preparations for the Amplify Young Evangelist Academy in October.
Wednesday 4
Please pray for all the children and young people who encountered God on our holidays and missions this summer as they go back to school. As they settle into new classes and schools, please pray that they will find the support
that they need to continue growing in faith.
Thursday 5
WEEK BEGINNING SEP 1
Please pray for the Development Hub as they finalise a new edition of It’s Your Move. Please pray that the final checks will ensure an excellent production, that relationships with the printers would be smooth and that this resource will continue to reach thousands of children as they prepare for secondary school.
Friday 6
Pray for the work of Mission Partner Future Vision in Sudbury as they offer clubs, Open the Book and chaplaincy in local schools. Pray for the trustees in their leadership role and for the workers and volunteers sharing the good news of Jesus with children and young people.
Saturday 7
Pray for Keefe
Owen in our Wales team, as he leads Exploring Christianity through Mountain Biking with New Life Church, Llanfair Caereinion. This will take place at Coed Y Brenin on September 21 or 28, depending on the weather, helping young people explore the Bible alongside riding bikes.
Prayers
Sunday 8
SU Slovakia is one of the organisers of the National Slovak conference for Children’s Workers to be held 20–21 September. This is an important event for networking, building relationships, learning new skills and for being spiritually encouraged. Pray for good numbers to attend the workshops so that children’s ministry in Slovakia will grow.
Monday 9
Pray that as people move on from working in the schools team of Mission Partner Brighton and Hove City Mission, God will be preparing someone to join the team in September to help Asha continue serving schools in the area.
Tuesday 10
With the everincreasing speed of change in Information Technology, Database Manager Gill Russell asks us to pray for wisdom and knowledge in planning data and IT strategies, so that we can make the most efficient use of new technology to support the digital infrastructure within the movement.
Wednesday 11
Pray for Faith Guide Liz Boland in Preston. The vicar of her church is retiring, and she is anxious to find
WEEK BEGINNING SEP 8
Thursday 12
ways of keeping the work with the 95 going against the background of changes in the parish.
Thank God for our supporters who bless us with their love, prayer, time and money. Pray that they too will be blessed in return.
Friday 13
Please pray for Sharon Esnard, recently appointed as SU’s Director of Finance and Services. Give thanks for her appointment and pray that she will quickly find her feet in this important role.
Saturday 14
Pray for wisdom and guidance for Sian Ifan, Support Worker for SU Wales, as she supports the Wales team. Join her in giving thanks for those with whom she communicates through SU and pray that God will continue to encourage her in her work.
‘So, What Next?’
Getting to grips with what it means to be a Christian can be a challenge for any young person and particularly those with no church background. Through your support, SU has collaborated with New Wine’s Luminosity youth team to create a new resource called So, What Next? to help young people after they’ve responded to Jesus.
We’ve introduced you to Faith Guide Joel Barwick in previous issues of Connecting You. Passionate about revealing Jesus to young people, Joel is the youth pastor at St Thomas’ in Newcastle. He’s also involved with New Wine’s annual Luminosity youth event (at which Scripture Union gives talks and runs workshops and activities as part of a wider partnership with New Wine).
Joel says, ‘Every year, hundreds of young people at Luminosity decide to follow Jesus, including some from the 95. Making that commitment is a huge moment in their lives! However, Luminosity only lasts a week. After that, these new Christians are back home and on their own. We don’t want young people’s faith to depend on festivals, but on Jesus and knowing him every day.
‘So, we wanted to give them something to take home which would help them navigate faith, but we couldn’t find anything suitable. Existing resources tend to presume a level of knowledge about faith that some of these young people don’t have. And that’s why we developed our own.’
A joint venture
So, What Next? was written by a Luminosity team of Joel, Lee Kirkby (Head of Luminosity), Brogan Hume (theological input) and Alicia Young (youth practitioner). All have extensive experience of working with young people including those not in church. Written in contemporary jargon-free language, the book consists of 15
We don’t want young people’s faith to depend on festivals, but on Jesus and knowing him every day.
Revealing Jesus stage
An ideal resource for young people at the Respond stage of their Faith journey.
JOEL
Bible-based explorations on who God is, who the young person is and who they are becoming in following Jesus. It ends with an invitation to become part of a community of Christians to help them grow in their understanding of Jesus.
SU published the book, jointly designing it with the Luminosity Team. Richard Shaw, SU’s Director of Mission Development, says, ‘So, What Next? was not created just for use at Luminosity; it can be used by Christians of any denomination who are helping young people with or without church connections to explore faith.
‘At some point in that relationship, some of these young people will start to demonstrate a deeper level of interest in knowing more. They may or may not have decided to follow Jesus but they’re asking more questions, showing more
And
then I got home,
and thought, “What do I do now
commitment, or perhaps they’ve started using the word “we” when talking about Christians or the church. When that time comes, So, What Next? is the ideal resource to give them.’
Joel agrees. ‘And I also think it will be useful to young people who have been Christians a while, to help them go back and revisit the basics.
‘As a teenager, I gave my life to Jesus at a big Christian festival – I had this amazing encounter with God. And then I got home, and thought, “What do I do now?” The Bible felt like this really big, scary, mysterious book and I didn’t know what to read or how to find my way around.
‘Faith can feel very confusing when you’re younger. It involves a different way of seeing the world. I hope that So, What Next? will help young people to better understand what life looks like when you follow Jesus and be more confident in taking that path.’
You can find out more and purchase copies of this great new resource online at su.org.uk/sowhatnext. It’s currently available in packs of 10 for just £12.50.
Prayers
Sunday 15
SU Nepal plans to hold follow-up Bible camps in Dadeldhura, Baitadi and Bajhang districts between 17 and 30 September. Please pray that many people will come to take part in the Bible study, with more hunger and thirst for the word of God.
Monday 16
This term the North team will continue to pioneer new missional ideas and projects in local areas. Please pray for God’s guidance as they ‘think outside the box’, exploring new and innovative ways to connect with children and young people across the north of England.
Tuesday 17
Give thanks with National Mission Partner Festive for the hundreds of sixth form and college students who want to live for Jesus and share him with their friends. Pray that Festive staff and volunteers may have wisdom as they equip and inspire these young people.
Wednesday 18
Please pray for the Digital Solutions team, the Development Hub and our partner Zoocha as they complete
WEEK BEGINNING SEP 15
the final testing of a new online Resource Centre and prepare to upload the content. This will give much improved access to all the resources at the heart of the Revealing Jesus mission framework.
Thursday 19
Pray for wisdom for Eddie Nock, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager, as he explores the best ways to raise SU’s profile among those who aren’t aware of our work with the 95. Pray for creativity and clarity with limited resources at hand.
Friday 20
Go Wild Dartmoor, a Faith Guide holiday that is running for the second year, starts next weekend. Please pray for Chris Eales and the team as they help the children to explore faith through outdoor activities and the natural environment.
Saturday 21
Sports Ministry Consultant Mark Oliver asks us to pray for Half Time, a new resource to help Faith Guides journey through Mark’s Gospel with the 95, using fun games to draw out the themes from each passage. Pray that many will discover the message of the Bible for themselves.
Prayers
Sunday 22
The SU Global Team will be facilitating online collaborative spaces to continue some of the conversations started at the Global Gathering. Pray for the first of these to be held on 25 September where volunteering in SU will be discussed.
Monday 23
Pray that Mission Partner CLiKS will find the right person to work with them, a dynamic Christian to help them reveal Jesus in Keighley schools. Pray that the trustees and volunteers will continue to make connections and build relationships.
Tuesday 24
Over the summer, many young people who have responded to Jesus will have received the booklet So, What Next? (see page 10). Pray that this will help them as they set out on their journey with Jesus and discover who God is, who they are and who they can become.
Wednesday 25
In the south east region there has been an increase in Faith Guides working to develop and raise up young leaders. Pray for Regional Team Leader Josh Booth
WEEK BEGINNING SEP 22
as he explores how the team can best support them, and for faith and courage for the young leaders.
Thursday 26
Please pray for Faith Guide Izzi and her team in North Cornwall as they build a monthly Grow Community call Limitless. They expected only five to their first session but thirteen arrived. Pray that more will connect and that those who are following Jesus will grow in faith.
Friday 27
Pray for our Mission Enablers in Wales as they explore with Faith Guide churches ways of reaching more children and young people through mission in the country. Pray that God will inspire and equip them as they seek to apply the Revealing Jesus framework in their own unique contexts.
Saturday 28
Pray for unity, imagination, and a desire to reach beyond the church walls as we seek to extend our reach and build partnerships with a wider group of local churches to reveal Jesus to the 95.
Mission Report
Year ended 31 march 2024
Discover just some of the amazing things God is doing through Scripture Union.
‘We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.’ 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)
Having only been in post as National Director since March, this Mission Report largely speaks of activities which took place before I came on board. However, it serves as a great reminder of what first attracted me to the role – the excitement I got from seeing the passion, drive and commitment the whole SU movement has for achieving a clear goal – Revealing Jesus to the 95% of children missing from our churches (‘the 95’).
You are an important part of this movement. Whether you’re a pray-er, a giver or a get stuck in-er, you are helping to make a real positive difference in these young lives. And as you read the pages of this report, I hope you’ll be reminded afresh of just some of the wonderful things that your involvement has enabled in driving that vital cause forward over the past 12 months. Please join me in praying that God will continue to work in the lives of all the children and young people who’ve benefited from the activities shown here, and the many more besides.
Dave Newton, National Director
Revealing Jesus together
Our Revealing Jesus strategy continues to be central to all we do – equipping Faith Guides from local churches to reach out, explore the Bible and journey into faith with the 95. This year, we’ve seen even more churches catching the vision, with lots of new Faith Guides coming on board.
See how you can get involved practically or through your gifts and prayers: su.org.uk/revealingjesus
Faith Guides
Faith Guides are ordinary people from churches across England and Wales who, with our support, are Revealing Jesus to local non-churchgoing children and young people. We provide Faith Guides with coaching and expert resources to help them build long-term faithnurturing relationships with ‘the 95’ in their communities, ensuring they can be there for them at every stage of the faith journey: Connect, Explore, Respond and Grow.
At the end of the year, there were 463 Faith Guides making an impact across England and Wales, with 147 of them signing up this year alone.
These Faith Guides represent 338 churches, with 101 of those coming on board this year.
During each quarter of the year, groups led by Faith Guides regularly connected with over 9,000 children and young people in the Connect, Explore, Respond and Grow phases of the Revealing Jesus mission framework.
Mission Support
In the autumn, we launched our Mission Support initiative to provide regular FREE Revealing Jesus resources and inspiration for those who aren’t quite ready to become Faith Guides. Nearly 1,000 people signed up to receive this support and the list is growing each day. Please pray that recipients will be inspired to become fully-fledged Faith Guides.
Find out more about Mission Support at su.org.uk/missionsupport
Grow Communities
Grow Communities are a key part of the Revealing Jesus strategy, with Faith Guides supporting children and young people from the 95 to develop culturally appropriate worshipping communities that enable faith to flourish. By the end of the year there were 43 established or emerging Grow Communities serving around 500 children and young people.
Holidays and missions
Scripture Union holidays and missions have been pivotal to the faith of so many over the years. Perhaps even yours!
This year we ran 44 residential holidays attended by 1,787 children (200 more than last year). 12 missions also took place, with an estimated 2,000 children benefitting.
8 New Faith Guide holidays were also part of the programme, giving Faith Guides the opportunity to provide a Christian residential experience for the children and young people they are journeying with.
Our amazing volunteers
We couldn’t run our events and activities without our absolute SUperhero volunteers. There were 1,342 opportunities for volunteer involvement during the year, equivalent to 2,687 working weeks, or 57 full-time staff !
Together in mission
They say, ‘together is better’ and they’re not wrong!…
Mission partners
We work alongside and support 56 Local Mission Partners (separate charitable trusts that share our vision) to build reach and impact. They employ 105 workers between them, alongside many hundreds of volunteers. We’ve also joined forces with 2 National Mission Partners and formed a new partnership with the New Wine movement.
A global movement
Scripture Union England and Wales is part of a family of independent Scripture Union movements around the world. There are over 130 national SU movements working in around 120 countries across the globe, introducing children, young people and families to Jesus and helping them to meet God through the Bible and prayer.
Resources for mission
Helping churches Reveal Jesus through resources has been a staple of our work for many years. This year was no different…
It’s your move
Over 120,000 copies of the It’s Your Move resource were ordered, to provide Bible-centred support to children taking the scary step from primary to secondary school. We estimate this great resource has been given to over 2 million Year 6 pupils over the past 24 years!
Having a hoot at Christmas
We sold over 25,000 copies of our brand-new Christmas storybook The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas. This captivating storybook was written in collaboration with Artless Theatre Company (one of our mission partners) to accompany their touring play, Amos and the Grumpy Owl, which was attended by over 2,100 people over the Christmas period. More than 600 people also downloaded the free resource pack to help them use the book as part of their Christmas outreach. su.org.uk/grumpyowl
Seasonal resources
Holiday clubs
Our much-loved seasonal storybooks, God Became Like Me? Jesus Died for me? and Jesus is the Light? continued to make an impact at Christmas, Easter and Halloween this year. Over 44,000 copies (combined) were purchased, along with nearly 500 copies of their Welsh-language counterparts.
People took the plunge with our new underwater-themed holiday club resource, Deep Sea Divers. Nearly 300 copies of the leaders’ guide and over 3,500 children’s activity books flew off the shelves, alongside over 1,000 downloads of accompanying resources. su.org.uk/deepsea
Training
Our Mission Enablers are an amazing resource too!
THE Mission possible tour
Our regional teams ran Mission Possible events in 30 churches across England and Wales in the autumn. Over 300 people attended from around 150 churches to be inspired and equipped in effective mission to the 95.
It was great to share ideas and make links with new people. Tour attendee
Online training
266 people signed up to attend one of 5 webinars to get tips and advice for seasonal outreach to children and young people.
Keeping you up to date
We continued to inform and inspire our supporters in a wide variety of ways:
• Our prayer magazine, Connecting You, was sent by post or email to more than 16,000 supporters each quarter.
• A combined 11,000+ people follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
• 7, 800 people receive our Word Live daily Bible engagement email.
• 12,052 subscribe to our monthly update email (up 365 from last year).
Commiting to the future
Feel-good news
In March, we launched an exciting piece of research with our friends at Youthscape, looking into what about the Christian faith felt like good news to today’s young people. 1,000 teenagers from across the UK completed the online survey. Find out what they said at su.org.uk/research
SUM
‘Feel-Good’ News
We launched SUM (our new Instagram channel for young adults) to encourage a younger demographic to get involved in Scripture Union’s mission. Follow @itsasumthing on Instagram for engaging Christian content, interviews with SU people and more.
Thank you!
Hybrid Mission
We continued our research into hybrid mission models to enable online and in-person elements of mission with children and young people to be appropriately integrated at different points on an individual’s faith journey. During the year, 2 pilots projects were launched to test the concept in the areas of mission through sport and online games.
With 95% of the youngest generations not in church, we all have a part to play in Revealing Jesus to them right where they are.
Whether you give, pray or are involved practically, thank you so much. You are making more of an impact than you know, and far more than we can ever express here. May God continue to bless you.
“And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?”
Romans 10:14 (CEV)
On the back page, there’s an overview of the money we received during the 2023/24 financial year, including your gifts, and the ways it was spent.
Thank you so much for everything you do!
Finances
As a charity, we are so thankful for every penny we receive. Your gifts help us fund this vital mission that God has called us to, ensuring that many more children and young people have opportunities to explore the Bible, respond to Jesus and grow in faith. Thank you so much for your continued support.
Total income
£4,215,000
£3,013,000 Donations and legacies
£681,000 Publishing sales
To Donate online, visit su.org.uk/donate
£456,000 Holidays and missions
£65,000 Other, including investments
Total Expenditure
£5,243,000
£3,227,000 Face-to-face mission (including holidays and missions)
£904,000 Commercial publishing
£479,000 Cost of raising funds
£255,000 International activities
£203,000 Advocacy
£175,000 Content creation
Our expenditure exceeded income by £863,000, reflecting our continued deliberate investment in the Revealing Jesus strategy.
None of the actvities in this report would have been possible without the generosity of our wonderful supporters. If you helped financially, prayed for the work or volunteered, thank you so much. Could you give a gift to ensure even more is possible next year?
This is a summary of Scripture Union’s financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2024, extracted from the full Trustee’s Report and Financial Statements which have been audited. A full statement of our financial activities can be found in our Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements, a copy of which can be obtained by contacting us on 01908 856135.
Prayers
Sunday 29
The Schools team of SU Northern Ireland is facing a period of transition as new members join. Pray for stability and for new team members to feel established quickly. Pray also for SU Groups as the team seek to equip them for the year ahead.
Monday 30
Join the south west team in giving thanks for the increase in Faith Guides accessing Faith Guide holidays. Give thanks for these holidays where children and young people have more time to consider responding to Jesus and can continue to grow after the event with the help of their Faith Guides.
Tuesday 1
Pray that Mission Enabler Sarah Davison will have creativity and wisdom as she explores how we can connect online with some of the hardest to reach of the 95, providing them with opportunities to discover the difference that Jesus can make in their daily lives.
Wednesday 2
Mission Partner DSWT gives thanks for nearly 30 years of outreach to schools in Doncaster with RE lessons, Open the Book assemblies
WEEK BEGINNING SEP
29
and seasonal events and for the faithful work of Linda and Dan. Pray that new recruit Ellie will settle into her work in primary schools.
Thursday 3
Thank God for all our volunteers who give up so much to share their faith with children and young people on holidays and missions. Pray that as they return to normal routines they will continue to be encouraged and inspired by all they experienced of God’s work.
Friday 4
Pray for Tanya Pencheva as she looks after administration for the Development Hub and the Bible Reading Guides. Please pray for wisdom in providing fast and accurate support to the writers.
Saturday 5
Pray for Mission Partner Ignite in Alnwick as they enter a second year as a Growing Faith hub. Pray for an exciting new package of schools work launching this autumn, for deepening relationships with parents, and for more opportunities for families to explore faith, worship and pray together.
Equipped to serve
Last year, we were blessed to have over 180 young Christians help on our holidays and events. Through your support, we’ve now launched a new development programme to help grow their confidence and even become the church leaders of tomorrow. Watch our interview with Eleanor at su.org.uk/sum
Eleanor grew up in a Christian home, but she says that when she went on SU’s Escape holiday aged 13 she was able to think for herself about what it meant to be a Christian. ‘It wasn’t my family’s faith anymore – it started to become my own. I was able to ask my questions – my small group leaders really made me think about things on a much deeper level.
‘I remember there being young leaders there. It was nice to have people our own age to relate to. I always wanted to be one of them.’ So when she was given the opportunity to be a young leader herself, Eleanor jumped at it. ‘I really valued being able to introduce children to Jesus, to give them the opportunity to chat, ask questions, look into the Bible.’ She recalls one
I really valued being able to introduce children to Jesus
girl who came on holiday with a friend and, on returning home, she decided to become a Christian. ‘It was so encouraging to hear that!’
Getting more than you give Eleanor says that she’s found volunteering very valuable. ‘It might feel like you’re sacrificing a week, but I’ve gained so much through the example of older, more mature Christians teaching me how to live out my life as a follower of Jesus. I’ve grown so much in my faith!’
While all our young leaders enjoy similar wonderful support and inspiration from their teams, we wanted to offer them additional opportunities to help them develop leadership skills and build their confidence. So Rachel Blake, SU’s
ELEANOR
Young Leaders Enabler, invited some of them – including Eleanor – to help shape our new Young Leaders Development Programme. It consists of training and discussion workshops, plus support during the holidays and events, which cover:
• The Bible: Why and how we read the Bible, and how to share it well with children and young people
• Leadership: What this involves, how Christian leadership is distinctive, and how to apply the learning on holidays and events
• Safeguarding: Why and how to safeguard themselves, and how to keep children and young people on holidays and events safe
• How to: Practical tips and handson experience of leading a game and praying for a young person
Rachel says, ‘The Young Leaders Development Programme aims to give young people like Eleanor more confidence to share the love of Jesus with children and young people on holidays and events and in their everyday lives. We hope it will better equip them to serve God.’
Eleanor recognises the importance of reaching out beyond the church walls. Now at university, she and others from the Christian Union stand outside nightclubs on Friday evenings with tea and biscuits. She
People are so much more open to faith, to hearing about Jesus, than I ever expected
says, ‘People are so much more open to faith, to hearing about Jesus, than I ever expected. They’re missing out on that hope of Jesus. They’re seeing all the brokenness of the world but they’re not seeing how it’s all going to be restored. If every single Christian stepped out and shared their faith, we could make a massive impact on those 12 million young people who don’t know the gospel.’
Head over to su.org.uk/youngleaders to find out more about the development programme and to support this hugely important work with a gift.
Prayers
Please pray for our young leaders and those who support them.
Sunday 6
Give thanks to God for all the young people doing our Young Leaders Development Programme. Ask God to give them a fresh revelation of his love for them, and a deeper relationship with him.
Monday 7
Praise God for Eleanor and other young leaders who have so kindly contributed their time, skills and insight to help SU’s Rachel Blake to shape the Young Leaders Development Programme.
Tuesday 8
Praise God for Scripture Union’s volunteer event leaders, for recognising the importance of supporting the next generation of young leaders and getting involved with the Young Leaders Development Programme. Ask God to give them wisdom as they step out in faith to try something new.
WEEK BEGINNING OCT 6
Wednesday 9
Please pray that SU staff and holidays and event leaders care for every young leader well so that they feel loved and valued.
Thursday 10
Ask God to bless our young leaders as they return to their daily lives, and that they will feel inspired and equipped to boldly and confidently share the love of Jesus where they are.
Friday 11
Praise God and give thanks for SU’s Rachel Blake and the holiday and event leaders for all they do to encourage young Christians and help them develop into the church leaders of the future.
Saturday 12
Please ask God to encourage more young Christians to become young volunteer leaders with SU and learn new skills that will enable them to share his good news.
Prayers
Sunday 13
In Vietnam there are two SU movements, one based in Hanoi and the other in Ho Chi Minh City. Pray for SU Vietnam Hanoi as they reconnect with church leaders and expand their ministry with daily notes for young and adult readers, as well as introducing SU Vietnam HCMC to materials for children.
Monday 14
Please pray that Ben Poch will have discernment as he leads the Regional Mission team, and that as the team gather this week to reflect on all that God has done they will be encouraged and equipped to support Faith Guides effectively.
Tuesday 15
Halfway through the autumn term, as many schools take a break, please pray for parents and carers as many juggle work commitments alongside parenting. Pray that God will give them all the strength and patience that’s needed.
Wednesday 16
Pray for Mission Enabler Lucy Pearson as she pilots sporty Rooted in the north east, using the skills explored in sport and games to initiate conversations about life and faith. Pray for the young people involved and for
WEEK BEGINNING
Thursday 17
OCT 13 more sporty Rooted sessions to ripple out nationally.
Please pray for Susannah Quinn, Assistant Accountant, as she processes invoices and expenses in the Finance team. Ask that God would give her attention to detail and enable her to study tax procedures alongside the work.
Friday 18
The Josiah Spiers Benevolent Fund provides practical and financial support to SU pensioners. Here are some recent responses: ‘I feel privileged for support of the Josiah Spiers Fund.’ ‘Thank you so much for the gift. It came just as I had expensive roof repairs.’ Pray the trustees will be given wisdom in allocating gifts this Christmas.
Saturday 19
Karen Quinney, Mission Events Coordinator, asks us to pray for the Faith Guide holidays taking place over half-term. Pray for the Mission and Events team as they help the new Head of Mission Events to settle in as they prepare for 2025.
Long-held values
Have you ever considered what your personal values are? Whatever they may be, your values will undoubtedly shape you and influence the way you live your life. The same is true for organisations like Scripture Union.
We recently embarked on a project to re-explore our values as a movement. As we did, it became immediately clear that the six we landed on were not new or revolutionary. Rather, we discovered that the values we hold dear to today are values that SU has held for more than 150 years. And whether they’ve been explicitly articulated over the years or not, the six ‘new’ values we have defined (below) are portrayed in the stories of what God has been doing through SU across the decades and will do for many more years to come.
The Living God
We serve the Living God, depending on him in faith, and trusting him to transform us and the lives of those we work with.
The Bible
We are rooted in the Bible, seeking a sound understanding that is applied in daily living and encouraged in the lives of others.
Prayer
We trust in the power of prayer, embedding it into everything we do.
Children and young people
We share God’s heart for children and young people, demonstrating his love to them and inviting them into lifelong relationship with Jesus.
Responsibility
We work to create a safe and caring culture in all we do, reflecting God’s heart as we strive to excel in the mission he has called us to.
Relationship
We invest in relationships to advance mission opportunities, empowering each other in the kingdom.
Read more about these values and what they really mean FOR Scripture Union at su.org.uk/values
Prayers
Sunday 20
Please pray for the national Emerge programme, a leadership and discipleship programme for 15- to-18-year-olds being piloted by SU Australia. Pray that this will refine the thinking and that funding will be available to continue the programme.
Monday 21
Pray for the Faith Guides in the south east region who joined the staff team on holidays during the summer. Ask that God would continue to work through them bringing the 95 closer to Jesus.
Tuesday 22
Pray for Mission Partner
SASW Trust workers
Tabz, Hettie and Simon, working with churches in Southport to see Faith Guides engaging with schools and developing Grow Communities. Pray that Hettie, in the final year of a teaching degree, will be able to maximise her time with them, and for discernment over future staffing.
Wednesday 23
Thank God for those who have served God through SU and are now retired. Pray for the SU Retirees Network, which provides
WEEK BEGINNING OCT 20
opportunities for fellowship, for sharing news, and for former workers who experience failing health and find their opportunities for ministry declining.
Thursday 24
Autumn Adventure which starts tomorrow is a new holiday for Faith Guide groups in Kent and East Sussex. Please pray for Mission Enabler Lisa Jones and the team who are leading, and that the Faith Guide groups who attend will take real steps forward as they explore faith together.
Friday 25
Pray for the Board as it meets today to reflect on the wider issues of governance, strategy and finance facing the movement. Pray for understanding of the issues and God’s wisdom in decision-making and planning.
Saturday 26
Pray for Mission Partner Artless as they wind up the 2024 tour of If Prison Walls Could Speak and prepare to begin touring Amos & the Grumpy Owl to schools and churches. Pray they will continue to hear God’s voice as they prepare for 2025.
Prayers
Sunday 27
Pray for the board and staff of SU Sri Lanka as they work to recruit new volunteers to support them in carrying out their mission. Pray too for the board as they seek a new General Secretary.
Monday 28
Please pray that churches who are using our resources to share Jesus, the Light of the World, with children and young people across England and Wales this Halloween will be able to shine in dark places and share the love of Jesus.
Tuesday 29
Pray for Content Administrator Michelle Newstead as she gets to grips with new systems and makes printed resources available, both on the SU website and for distribution through the Christian book trade.
Wednesday 30
Pray for Mission Partner Farne Churches Youth and Family Outreach as they work closely with Ignite (Mission Partner in Alnwick). Pray for the team as they
WEEK BEGINNING OCT 27
develop links with schools and seek to offer a range of engaging ways for the children to find out more about Jesus.
Thursday 31
Rooted Junior workshops in schools offer lesson-based workshops for primary school children enabling them to explore who they are, why they matter and the difference Jesus can make in their lives. Pray for each young person as they participate in the creative workshops run by local Faith Guides.
Friday 1
Pray that the children who have been on the Xplore Faith Guide holiday this week will have encountered Jesus through exploring scripture, prayer and worship. Pray that their Faith Guides will be encouraged and will be able to help their groups draw ever closer to Jesus following the holiday.
Saturday 2
Please pray that the Support Worker for the south east region, Tsvetelina Smale, will have the knowledge and wisdom she needs to support the team to the best of her ability, as they prepare for end-ofyear projects and activities and that God will be glorified in all they do.
Prayers
Sunday 3
Thank God for the work of SU Namibia in the Kavango region. The good news was shared with over 1,000 students at Bunya Combined School. Many responded positively; pray that they will continue to follow Jesus Christ.
Monday 4
Mission Partner Christian Schools
Workers Hastings praise God for 23 years of serving schools in the local area. As the work is coming to an end, pray that the Lord will do a new thing among the churches so that work can continue in the schools.
Tuesday 5
Please pray for Alli Highton as she settles into her new role as Gifts Administrator, asking that she will grasp new processes and systems quickly, learning to process donations accurately and efficiently. Give thanks for support offered by other members of the team.
Wednesday 6
The Showtime Collection of Faith Guide resources use the creative arts, such as drama and dance, to provide young people with opportunities to explore the Bible.
WEEK BEGINNING NOV
3
Pray that as young people engage with God’s Word in this way they might respond to Jesus and grow in faith.
Thursday 7
Pray for Mission Partner Reach in Reading as they go into schools, some new to the team, to present Christmas Unwrapped to Year 6 children. Pray too for the sex education lessons they offer in secondary schools.
Friday 8
Pray for Marketing Officer, Claire Baines, as she promotes resources to communicate who Jesus is to the 95 this Christmas. Pray that books such as The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas will open opportunities and that Jesus will continue to be revealed to many children, young people and their families.
Saturday 9
In a world of increasing risks and threats around data and cyber security, please pray for the new Data and Compliance Enabler in our Digital Solutions team, working to ensure that we use our tools well to improve the impact of our work while ensuring that sensitive data is protected.
Research reveals some surprises!
In partnership with Liverpool Hope University, SU’s Sarah Davison has been researching a hybrid approach to mission, looking into what influences non-Christian young people (aged 7-15) and how they’d seek out information about faith. Here, she shares two key findings from the research report.
1
Children and young people favour a hybrid approach. While us adults tend to differentiate between online and face-to-face mission, Generation Z don’t. They didn’t just want to purely explore faith online or face to face, they wanted both – not least because online and face to face serve different purposes.
They’d go online to find out facts and figures on faith – but they’re aware not everything online is true and exercise caution! But to discover what it’s like to be a Christian, they’d want to talk to a real person because they associate trust with someone being in front of them.
2
We may have wrongly assumed what influences them! Young people say they are influenced by family and friends. Youth leaders, however, assumed their influences were brands, celebrities, social media, trends. It might be of course that young people are less aware than adults of the power that these things exert on them. But I do think we need to be careful that we don’t assume we know children and young people, what they need, what they want, and so on.
Sarah says, ‘For me, it’s highlighted that, when we explore faith with children and young people, we need to really listen to them, understand where they’re coming from, and be mindful that we can learn as much from them as they can from us! And taking a hybrid approach offers more opportunities for that to happen.
Access the full report
The hybrid mission report will be available from 16 September. Head over to su.org.uk/hybrid to download and find out more.
Prayers
Sunday 10
SU in English-speaking Canada is pioneering sports clubs with home schoolers. Two seasons have been successfully completed in one area. Please pray for the development of new clubs in other areas.
Monday 11
Zoraida Ali-Smith, PA to the Director of Mobilisation, has taken on new responsibilities relating to safeguarding in SU. Please pray that God will give her and all the SU safeguarding team wisdom, guidance and sensitivity.
Tuesday 12
The Revealing Jesus mission framework has four stages: Connect, Explore, Respond and Grow. Our research suggests around 35% of our Faith Guides are already doing work with the 95 at the Grow stage. Pray that as more Faith Guides look to start Grow activities, children and young people will develop deeper relationships with Jesus.
Wednesday 13
Please pray for the Welsh Faith Guides and Mission Enablers taking part in the Rural Pioneer Project as they prepare to trial new seasonal Go Wild material at Christmas. Pray that this trial will enable the production of material that will help the 95 explore the message of Christmas in new ways.
WEEK BEGINNING NOV 10
Thursday 14
Pray for Trevor Ranger at Mission Partner Synergy Christian Trust this November as he leads Game Changers, a children’s club in Chippenham. This will give Trevor an opportunity to explore the Bible further with children he meets while leading assemblies in local schools.
Friday 15
Emma Price, Support Worker in the Regional Mission team, asks us to pray for the Amplify Academy which provides training in evangelism for young people. Please pray that, following the autumn residential, the small groups meeting together online will provide support and encouragement.
Saturday 16
The SU Council exists to help the movement think through the pressures and opportunities created by the varied contexts in which we work. Its members come from a variety of backgrounds and locations and bring specialist expertise. Pray for clear thinking as they meet today.
Prayers
Sunday 17
SU Indonesia will be hosting the International Student Camp in Bogor in December. Pray that the participants from East and West Asia may be inspired to love God more and have solid foundations.
Monday 18
Thank God that he continues to meet our financial needs. Please pray for increased financial support as we seek to expand our efforts to reach the 95 with the good news of Jesus.
Tuesday 19
Our North team give thanks for great conversations that are still emerging following the Mission Possible Tour, which our teams took to churches this time last year. Pray that these new relationships will lead to fruitful mission work in the area.
Wednesday 20
Please pray for the Mission Events team as they make the final preparations for opening the holiday bookings for 2025. Please pray that the process will go smoothly, and that children and
WEEK BEGINNING NOV
17
young people will be excited about the camps and holidays that are planned for the year ahead and will book in good numbers.
Thursday 21
Join Mission Partner Hope for the Valleys in South Wales in giving thanks to God for Ilan Tricker, their new worker, and for the way that he has been able to talk about Jesus in local schools. Pray that God will draw many children and young people to himself.
Friday 22
Pray for new HR Officer Nommie Dube as she navigates her role within the organisation. Pray that she may have wisdom to place SU staff at the heart of all decisions and to influence positively the SU work culture, aiming to make SU a satisfying place to work.
Saturday 23
Please pray for all members of the Development Hub as they begin work on the October–December 2025 quarter of Encounter with God and Daily Bread. Please pray that the work will go smoothly, and that these notes would continue to be a blessing to all those who read them.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10