86% of people become Christians before 25 years

of age. Unsurprisingly the point that people set

about grounding their values and viewpoints is the

point they make a decision concerning their faith.

The value of youth work is incredible and critical in

the faith development of young people.

Unfortunately this statistic is accompanied by

another one, 72% of churches have no young

people. Yet even if they all had young people

there would still be a huge number of young people

who would have no contact with the Church

whatsoever. There are around 175,000 young

people aged under 25 in

Gloucestershire with a large

expected increase over the next

few years. There has never

been a greater need for the

work of Youth For Christ.

This is the reason behind our drive to become YFC

Gloucestershire. As is the way with these things

the process has been a little slower than we had

hoped but we have now applied to the Charity

Commission for the creation of YFC

Gloucestershire as a Charitable Incorporated

Organisation. We hope to hear in the next few

weeks and will begin the process of transferring

our work from Cheltenham YFC to YFC

Gloucestershire. In the short term this will not

make a significant difference to our work but

gradually over time we will be developing work in

new areas. Already we have Michael based in

Tewkesbury where he is working with the local

schools team and we aim in the coming months to

see a gradual increase in our work in the

Gloucester area. Already Paul has spoken at one

youth event in Gloucester in 2015 and is booked to

do another in March. We are also very excited to

be partnering with the Diocese of Gloucester to

provide support and advice to churches looking to

develop youth work. It would be wonderful if we

can reduce that statistic of 72% of churches who

have no young people. This may in

turn open up possibilities of

developing work in the city in

partnership with local churches.

Already we are investigating a few

possible areas of work as we begin

to look at the wider needs of the county. The need

is great and the possibilities are many. We believe

that young people need an opportunity to hear

about the gospel and to have an opportunity to see

it being lived out. For an organisation our size we

already do a large amount of work. To be able to

push on and develop the work further we need to

grow the team. This is growth through volunteers

but also we need to recruit another paid member of

staff who can be a senior worker to build on what is

already being done and to help develop things in

Gloucester and beyond. This will not be an easy

Treble top for Gloucestershire

Update February 2015

After 13 years with YFC , 6 as

National Director, Gavin Calver

has announced that he is

stepping down to take on the role

of Director of Mission at the

Evangelical Alliance. Gavin will

be missed greatly by us all as he

has brought strong leadership

and passion. A testimony to his

leadership is the healthy state of

YFC and the platform he has

built for his successor to take the

organisation even further.

We wish Gavin, Anne and the

family all the best as they

prepare for the change and move

into new things.

“I used to say I was an atheist

but now I am not sure.”

A member of a Rock Solid

group.

Gavin Calver

Gavin Calver having completed the London Marathon, one of the

many challenges he has undertaken in aid of YFC.

Paul’s thoughts

Every three years YFC across the

country take an audit of our work.

This audit looks at how many

contacts we have with young

people across a single week, the

age ranges of young people, the

length of contact and the depth of

the interaction. This gives us a

snap shot of our work and helps

us to stay focused on what we do.

The audit was undertaken

between 2nd-8th February. As I

write this a day later I have yet to

have chance to look at all the data

but we did have over 220 contacts

with young people throughout the

week. Last week was not an

exceptional week, in fact we had a

few groups we were unable to run

so numbers were a little lower.

This is a significant rise in the

number of young people we

engage with and means that in a

month we have approximately

1000 contacts with young people

per month, or 12000 per year.

Whilst these are big numbers they

are dwarfed by the huge numbers

of young people in

Gloucestershire. I firmly believe

that we cannot be content with

these numbers, the need is too

great and we are far from fulfilling

our call. As we stand alongside

the churches of Gloucestershire

we desire to see a season where

God does something significant in

the lives of young people. We

know the life changing power of

the Gospel and want to see it

impact the lives of young people.

Please stand with us as we seek

to go and take the Gospel to a

new generation.

task but we believe God has called

us to take this step and we are

convinced He will provide.

As a teenager I had a dartboard at

home. I will confess I was no darts

player and whilst I aimed at a

number the reality was it was more

a case of throwing the dart and

hoping for the best. The elusive

target was the treble twenty which

meant you could score sixty points

with one dart. Occasionally I

achieved this, though more by luck

than skill. Getting one treble

twenty was a feat but the ultimate

was to get it with all three darts

earning you a top score of one

hundred and eighty. As I have

thought of the challenge of

developing Gloucestershire it has

occurred to me that once again I

have the challenge of trying to

score one hundred and eighty!

Fortunately I don’t need to score it

with darts this time but between us

we can do it. In order for us to

move the work forward and to

develop our work in Cheltenham,

Gloucester, Tewkesbury and

beyond we need to have one

hundred and eighty people or

churches who are willing to sign up

to donating £10 per month or

more. Already we have had one

church agree to give £50 per

month and four new individual

donors meaning we need another

171 people. Would you be willing

to be part of that number so that

we can take the gospel to young

people who may never hear it

unless we tell them? Your gift

could make the difference in the

lives of the young people we work

with. Please join with us as we

seek to make an impact on the

huge number of unreached young

people in Gloucestershire by

completing the enclosed form.

Each year we see lots of team

members move on as they are

often on short term placements

with us from University or as part

of a gap year. Flik Foster has

been with us for four years as part

of a gap year and also as part of

her placement from the University

of Gloucestershire Youthwork

degree.

Flik has now finished her hours

with us and has the opportunity to

do more at her church so has

stepped down to concentrate on

that. Flik joined us as part of a gap

year and it has been great to see

her grow and develop as a youth

worker over the last four years.

She is on track for an excellent

degree result which reflects her

hard work and commitment to her

studies. We would like to thank

Flik for all that she has given to our

work over the years and wish her

well as she completes the final

stages of her degree and look

forward to hearing how she gets

on.

In January YFC ran a free training

weekend for Youth Workers at the

Pioneer Centre, Cleobury

Mortimer. Volunteer youth workers

from our supporting churches were

offered to attend the weekend

which was designed to bless and

equip them in their youth ministry.

A number of local church

volunteers attended the weekend

and came back saying that it had

encouraged and inspired them.

They came back from the weekend

with fresh ideas for their youth

work which they were looking

forward to implement.

Farewell Flik We love Youth Workers

Praise for

Sarah and the other trustees for

the incredible work they do.

A successful and enjoyable

auction.

The many volunteers serving

young people in Churches.

The growing numbers of young

people coming to the CU at

Tewkesbury.

The prayer space opportunities

in Tewkesbury.

Prayer for

Our application to the Charity

Commission for YFC

Gloucestershire that it will go

smoothly.

For the increased income we

need to enable us to develop

our work.

Opportunities to share the

Gospel at Easter.

Our new volunteers as they

settle into their new roles.

The development of the

partnership with the Diocese of

Gloucester.

Flik as she comes to the

conclusion of her studies.

Gavin and Anne Calver as they

prepare for their move.

For the National YFC Board as

they recruit a new Director.

.Every year the Christian

Youthwork Awards take place to

celebrate all that is good about

Christian Youthwork and to

recognise the work that people put

into it.

Besides the expected categories

such as “Best Youthworker” and

“Volunteer of the year” there is also

a category for the “Unsung Hero of

the Year”. This is an award for

those working in the background;

the often unseen facilitator who

shows exceptional commitment and

dedication. Last June we

nominated our Chair of Trustees

Sarah Stone for the award. Sarah

has been a trustee for six years and

during her time has made a huge

impact on our work. She faithfully

serves and shows incredible

dedication and commitment to our

work with young people through her

behind the scenes service. As an

exceptional administrator she made

a superb job of being Secretary to

the Trustees before becoming

Chair where she has made an

equally terrific contribution. She

has given up much time over the

years and thoroughly deserved her

Latest News: Come to the auction on 9th November for a great night of fun. Free entry.

nomination. She much prefers the

back stage and always shy's away

from the limelight and therefore

seemed an obvious person to

nominate as the Unsung Hero

Award. To our delight at the

awards ceremony at London

School of Theology in November

Sarah was revealed as the winner

of the award. We would like to

congratulate her on the

achievement and thank you for the

dedication and professionalism she

has shown over the years. The

award is very much deserved.

Unfortunately Sarah is stepping

down from the board of trustees as

we launch YFC Gloucestershire to

take a back seat. She will still be

supporting our work and we look

forward to her returning to the

board of trustees in future years!

We talked earlier about the 72% of

churches that have no young

people. Many other churches feel

ill equipped in their youth work and

unsure where to take it. It is easy

to be despondent but we believe

there is always hope.

Through an exciting new

partnership with the Diocese of

Gloucester we are able to support

churches in a new way. Anglican

churches are able to get in touch

with us or the Diocese Mission

Department to ask for a

consultation and review of their

youth provision or to look into ways

to develop a work with young

people. This will be funded by the

Diocese as part of their

commitment to mission and young

people.

The time will be spent looking at

possibilities for youth provision in a

way that is relevant to the

congregation and the needs of their

community. This might involve

training for volunteers, suggestions

for developing youth work, building

on existing work and looking at

funding option for youth work.

Both we and the Diocese hope that

through this partnership we will see

more churches equipped in their

youth work and being able to make

an impact on their local community.

If you are not an Anglican church

then please contact the office to

discuss how we can support you in

your youth ministry. We are

currently talking with two churches

about their youth ministry and

looking to support them as they

develop it. We can also provide

resources for your youth ministry

that also make life easier for

volunteers and allow them more

time to focus on the young people

whilst still providing an excellent

youth curriculum that will equip

them in their walk with God.

Exploring youth work

Unsung Hero of the Year 2014

“I never knew what love was but

this Jesus fella has got it

sorted!”

A young person in school.

“The work you do is so

valuable”

A teacher’s comment about

our work in their school.

“I love Christian Union”

A young person in school.

Quotes

The Flat, The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham. GL51 6PN office@cheltenhamyfc.co.uk 01242 524408 Charity Number 1059805

Ways to give

To make a one-off or regular donation to our ministry you can give via our Virgin Money Giving page. You

can also set up a fundraising page if you wish to do a sponsored event. Visit www.tinyurl.com/give2cyfc

cheltenhamyfc.blogspot.com facebook.com/cheltenhamyfc @cheltenhamyfc

In recent weeks we have had two new people ask to join

the team as volunteers in between their various studies.

Both bring different skills and we hope to have them

working alongside us within the next few weeks. We have

also been joined by two new members of the trustee

board. It is wonderful having these new people involved

and we are excited about the great contribution they will

make.

Could you also join the team, either doing face to face

youth work or involved in behind the scenes work doing

administration, IT support or one of a variety of roles? If

you have a skill, and we all do, we can probably use it.

Please do get in touch and see how you can be involved.

Welcome Volunteers

Upcoming Events

Weekly

9am Thursday Mornings

CYFC prayer meeting all are

welcome to join the team to pray

for our work.

March

28th Paul Speaking at

Relentless, Gloucester

April

26th Paul speaking at God

First

May

6-8th Paul on YFC Retreat

June

14th Paul preaching at Holy

Trinity Tewkesbury

26-27th Leading the youth work

at the Holy Trinity

Tewkesbury weekend

away

In recent months Michael has been involved in Prayer

Spaces in Schools, alongside the Tewkesbury Churches

Schools team, exploring a number of key issues and the

Christian viewpoint on them. In Tewkesbury Secondary

School, they were given access to a room for a few days to

transform it using fairy lights, various coloured cloths, a

gazebo and other things to create an atmosphere of peace

for the students to explore their own feelings on issues

through use of the stations around the room. Throughout

this last term and a half, we have run a Christmas themed

Prayer Space, looking at the Nativity, as well as a Prayer

Space in primary schools looking at the world around

them. These spaces have been incredible tools to allow

young people to express feelings and experience

something of Christianity whilst allowing us to engage with

them.

Going Deeper

We started the New Year in the same way we always do,

with the annual YFC conference. It is a good way of

starting the year as we spend time listening to what God is

saying and gathering together as a whole organisation.

We also took an opportunity to celebrate the 70th

anniversary of the birth of YFC in the USA in 1945, a year

before Billy Graham came to the UK. As part of it Paul and

a few other directors dressed up in clothes through the

eras!

What does God say?

Earlier this term we were discussing with some young

people how they would describe themselves. We then

talked about how God would describe them. One young

person looked concerned as they told us they wouldn’t

have a clue but they wanted to know more. Over the next

few weeks we explained the mind blowing reality of God’s

love.

Science and Faith

In a Rock Solid session this

term we looked at the subject

of Science and Faith and

whether the two are

compatible. We discussed with

the young people different

aspects of science and asked

them to talk about what they

thought of them. Towards the

end of the session one of the

young people who would have

described themselves as an

atheist said that it had given

them lots to think about and

that maybe there is a God.

Short stories

Christmas Hampers

Just before Christmas we supported All Saints Academy in

delivering over forty hampers to the residents of

Cheltenham YMCA. The hampers had been filled and

designed by the students and each was creatively

decorated, including one as a sleigh with flashing lights

and another as a crib scene.

Auction 2014

Thank you to everyone who supported out auction last

year. Besides a fun evening we raised £2200 towards our

work. After Easter we will be holding a quiz night. More

details will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The hampers delivered to Cheltenham YMCA.

Tewkesbury Prayer Spaces