Backstage with our Kerith Youth…
From Bryn our Youth Pastor …..
“What do you like about youth?” I asked the small group of Sixth Formers that had come along for a team meeting over Easter. “What are some of the things you look forward to on Friday nights?”
After last term, I had a few answers of my own, but I was curious to hear everyone else’s thoughts as well. Would they talk about the games that we’ve been playing, and how we somehow managed to make Duck, Duck, Goose competitive? Or how we should redo the Red Team and Blue Team so Blue stands more of a chance next term?
Perhaps they’d mention the preaches, or the panel discussion where we got to listen to some of the Year 10 girls that had started a midweek small group. It had been so, so amazing to hear some of their reflections on studying the Bible together.
Or what about the youth worship band? All of them are still in school, and they’re leading their peers in worship on Fridays with all kinds of confidence and passion. And the production team behind the scenes too, who can somehow make sense of the incomprehensible display of buttons and sliders and flashing lights.
Hopefully they’ll say something about how much they appreciate the adult leaders who volunteer to help keep Friday nights running! I remember how important those big brothers and big sisters were to me when I was in youth group. Their advice, guidance, and wisdom has made me the person I am today. Looking back on those times, I’m so grateful for the way they supported and encouraged (and challenged) me. We can only pray that the 50 teenagers we regularly get on Friday nights feel the same way about the leaders who serve them so selflessly.
There’s a part of me that wonders if they’ll say they really enjoy the half-hour after the youth event finishes, when people are playing music and dancing. Some people are cleaning up, moving tables and chairs away, and everyone’s aglow with the joy that comes from another night where they get to love God and invite their friends along to see what they get up to on Friday nights. Did you like it? See, Christians aren’t that weird. Maybe church can be fun after all. Come back next week!
Maybe they’ll mention the fact that the tuck shop finally has a card reader! Paying for a bar of chocolate and a canned drink has never been so simple.
I know that for me, the thing I always look forward to on a Friday night is the anticipation and excitement. I know one Friday night can change your life. It happened for me. It’s happened for some of the teenagers in this meeting. And that’s what I’m praying every Friday night: that we’d all leave tonight feeling closer to Jesus than we did when we came in.
“Actually, I’m finding it hard to think of something to say,” one of the girls said, with a bit of a sheepish grin. “Not because there’s anything bad, but because I think there’s always something amazing to look forward to. It’s hard to pick out just one thing.”
Hmm. So it wasn’t quite the answer I was hoping for. But I think we’ll take it. And I think we’ll put some of the adult leaders on Blue Team, just to even things up.
Come join the youth team! (Sumo suit optional)
Youth at Kerith Bracknell meets at the Kerith Centre from 7-9:30pm. May we all finish this summer term feeling closer to Jesus than we did when we started.
If you’re interested in serving in youth and you think you’ve got what it takes to help Blue Team, you can get involved with our Kerith Youth Team here: