More change?

Well, after 3 - 4 weeks i still don't think i have got over the trip to India, which was amazing. Pretty much it was back into the swing of things here at NYfC. The great news is that we have grown as a staff team, which is really exciting and you will hear more about the new team in the coming weeks on here and in our newsletter which is due out in next few weeks. I am never surprised by what God has in store for us at NYfC, each year i know there will be change in the team as we have year outs join us (although this year that isn't the case), and we do also have on team Centre of youth ministry placements and so every so often they move on. Although i am not surprised it is still important we listen to God and not just go through the motions. To know where God wants us is of vital importance, as it is His mission, not ours, we are the co-pilots not the other way round. With this in mind it is really exciting that we are starting in 2 new areas across Nottingham. After getting Arnold up and running last Christmas we have now started working in Radcliffe-on-Trent and also alongside churches based in villages around the south Notts area surrounding Harry Carlton school.

After ten years of working across Nottingham, I can honestly say no 2 years have been the same and that is exciting although hard work. Chatting to a church leader recently we were talking about a particular denomination starting off as a movement and as it grew older it became more established and set in it's ways. We can all be like that if there is no movement or change in our lives or churches, because when there is nothing in the mix, to shake things up it does nothing but stay still.

I am really glad God is not letting us stay still but creates movement in the life of NYfC. Only then we will stay a movement and continue to see amazing things happen in the lives of young people across Nottingham, i hope you will join us on the journey.

Richard Dawson

Warning: The Gospel changes lives

Since becoming a Christian I have been engaged with a transforming God and constantly developing myself. This has taken shape in many ways from dramatic changes like stopping self-harming to subtle ones like being patient. I have now finished the 2nd year of a 3 year degree studying for youth ministry I have loved the process. I was totally unprepared for the radical transformation I was setting myself up for. Before starting many people prophesied that peter pan must grow up. I knew exactly what this meant and so signed up for the course. I joined the course knowing that I have to open myself up totally to the transformation of the gospel and the learning I was about to endure.
Reflecting on my change I know that if it wasn’t for the course I would not have opened myself up so fully to the experience. What does this show me about how open I am to God and how much I expect the young people to open up to the transformation of the gospel?

A few months back I would have secretly been ok with people half-heartedly opening up to go, in part holding something back till “the time is right”. Even though God’s timing for enabling me to deal with something is perfect, it does not stop my openness toward God regarding what needs changing so I can share the gospel more fully.

“1 Corinthians 10:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

I have found that God has given me the greatest recourse ever (well 2 resources including the Holy Spirit), people. If I am tuly honest and actively make myself vulnerable to people I see that lots of people have been transformed in a similar way or experienced similar things.
Trust God to transform you to be more like Jesus Christ because there is no other that understands better, God never gives us too much to deal with and has given us great recourses to be able to make our way through.

Ant Stevens

Thoughts of a work experience student

Who do people see me as?

As I became a 15-year-old lad I started to notice a change in peoples behaviour towards me. Those younger than me at school started to purposefully walk a longer route to avoid me. I even had a woman press her two children up against a wall to keep them as far away from me as possible while I passed them on the street. I suppose it’s only natural to fear boys my age though, what with all the media attention to crimes performed by us, from vandalism to stabbings because that’s news. Whereas just hanging out with mates and being with your family isn’t. So when people see us, all they see are those who represent so much evil in the world.

During my time on work experience with Nottingham Youth for Christ, though I’ve noticed a total reversal of attitudes towards me. I am no longer prejudged as a “trouble-making” 15-year-old lad. No. For that tag has been taken from me to be replaced with the word “Christian.” As part of my experience with Nottingham Youth for Christ, I helped out at a after-school youth club at Inham Nook Methodist Church and kids who in the past had feared the 15-year-old me were now getting to know the Christian me and really giving him some respect. The next day, I went to do some one to one mentoring with Ant and I met a boy who, amongst his friends was a real trouble maker, but when amongst Christians was really respectful and displayed a wisdom never before apparent to his teachers.

I went to school the next day, a large cross displayed prominently on my chest. The year sevens gained the confidence to speak to me about God and I found myself being able to tell them about Jesus’ greatness, whereas before, I would never even have been able to say “Hi” without them being intimidated. So now ask yourself this, reader, when people look at you who do they see you as? And who do you want them to see you as? What you do now can change peoples perceptions of you. See what God has done for me. And decide who you are.

1 Samuel 16:7-“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance for his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Robert Trusson-work experience 07/04/2011

the term that was...

This past term has been a real learning curve for me. With there being so many changes in team and trustees there has been many times where i have felt out of control and perhaps out of my depth, but as we have realised this term that is when God takes over and lets rip. So here are a few times where we have seen God work in this past term. I make no apologies for the list style we have put them in, or to be honest the lack of capital letters here and there, what i want us to see is how amazing God has been in the last term. I hope you are as encouraged at this glimpse as i am.

new opportunities to speak with one of the deputy head teachers

the opportunities with all the year 7 young people at Hadden Park school

being able to speak into young peoples lives at a place to be me +

having someone from the Church in Bilborough on as a trustee and a volunteer

the trust most staff have in anything to do with YfC

seeing God in my uni work

welcomed into a church family

within meeting someone twice they opened up about someone mis-treating them

The new work that has come about in Arnold starting January

The 'feel good' factor of NYfC amongst Churches

seeing God work through a new team, and the quality of the new team

The growth of 'big questions' at Chilwell school

Finance coming in for work up until easter at A Place to be Me

16 year old unchurched young people discussing baptism, faith and spirituality

the desire of the team to bring their faith into youthwork

the success of cafe faith

eq:mission to Bath with the girls from Trent Vineyard, God used and worked in us all

3 new trustees and 4 new financial supporters

seeing a young persons face when we told him we believe he could achieve something

eq:uip low on numbers but the young people there were awesome and encouraged us all

girls allowed- when talking about beauty God was there showing every girl that they are beautiful

When the question 'Do you believe in God?' he is there to help me answer it

When one girl in one of our sessions talks openly about what she believes and her journey with God.

A conversation we had with a 14 year old about why he goes to church and what he believes

At a place to be me we ran a singing and dancing competition, God was there encouraging them

When talking to a teacher about his experiance of youth work, God was there

Young people who don't feel valued elsewhere are shown love to by NYfC

teaching an 11 year old to play pool

young people who reject God with their mouths but keep coming along to sessions and talking about Him and building relationships with Christian youth workers

A team put together by God, someone changed placement, someone who changed uni, someone who got placed, someone who was at the right church at the right time and someone who thought they could never work for YfC.

At The Base, remembering a young person and her work ment so much to her as she was told thet we wouldn't think about her and what she did.

A group of young people actively chatting about Jesus in a very raw but real way.

Please do comment and put where you have seen God in the last few months.

Richard

How do you manage change?

I am a big believer in being relevant. I am also a big believer if something stays the same for too long without looking at whether it is working, it can become stale. I like adapting, i like moving things around, i like looking at things from a different perspective - when it's on my terms. Funny that isn't it? When we are in control we can cope with things so much easier. This summer is a really interesting time with Nottingham Youth for Christ, as for the first time in about 6 years, our whole team changes- apart from me. This would normally excite me, empower me and enthuse me, because normally there would be an element of it being my decision and my choice. But this time it is totally out of my hands, and i still have no idea what my team will look like from September.
If someone came up to me and said do you put your trust in God, I will normally say ' oh yes, of course, his life is in my hands.' This would probably be an answer at a point in my life when everything is going well, and things are going as i want them too. We say somethings so easily, and probably believe them until the words we say are challenged by circumstances.
Apart from the issue of us running some great events and regular programmes for young people and us needing to staff those (check out www.nottinghamyfc.co.uk/support thanks for the cheeky plug), but we have also had a great team this year that have impacted young peoples lives with the very real love of God. I want to be annoyed that we have no continuity, i want to be cross at God for circumstances that are no ones fault, but I can't because i have to believe that actually things will work so much better when i let God lead the way instead of me thinking i know the best. Although i do wish He would tell me a bit sooner.
So i have decided that change is good, but not just for the sake of change, but because actually something much better is around the corner.
What's the best way to manage change? Let the one who created you take charge.

Nottingham YfC dates for 2010

Here are some important dates within Nottingham YfC for 2010. Some may be useful for you to note down. Events will be added as life moves on.
These could and will change as we go through the year. For regular updates and any changes please check out www.nottinghamyfc.co.uk/calendar

January
11th full team meeting
17th Richard speaking @ NG7 at Holy Trinity Lenton
18th Trustees meeting
22nd Half night of prayer @ NYfC office
23rd Richard speaking at Southwell youth weekend
26th Day of prayer and fasting for Ignite

February
1st Kristy Buck arrives our new eta from Canada
14th Richard speaking at St. Michael's Breaston
15th Trustees meeting
18-19th Youth Alpha conference @ HTB
21st Richard speaking at Foxhill evangelical church

March
3rd Reggie Dabbs event @ The Christian Centre
4th lunch meeting with youth leaders about eq
8th Full team social evening
15th Richard speaking at Lent meeting in Sandiacre
19-21st YfC team running youth weekend away for New Life Baptist church
22nd Trustees meeting

April
12th Trustees meeting
19th Full team meeting

May
2nd Speaking at Clumber Hall
5-7th YfC senior staff retreat
16th Richard on Radio Nottingham
speaking at Holy Trinity Lenton
17th Trustees meeting
22nd Youth leader training

June
21st Trustees meeting
27th Richard speaking at Sawley Baptist Church
28th Full team training

July
11th Richard speaking at Foxhill Evangelical Church
12th Trustees meeting

September
6th School term begins
20th Trustees meeting
25th Agm and NYfC showcase event

October
8-10th Team weekend away
9th National YfC showcase and commissioning
18th Trustees meeting

November
15th Trustees meeting

December
6th full team Christmas social
13th Trustees meeting