We first met Nadine in Connecting You autumn 2021, when she was just taking her first tentative steps as a Faith Guide. With your support and our help, she has seen her outreach to children and young people blossom – and she’s learned valuable lessons along the way!
Nadine became Children and Youth Team Leader at her church, Lindsay Park Baptist Church in London, and volunteered in this role while also working and bringing up her son. She already ran a weekly Sunday Club for children in church and had great mission ideas planned. However, with a shortage of volunteers she was needing to do more and more herself and was in danger of burning out. It’s a familiar tale!
Then she realised God was showing her another way.
Working with what we've got
‘I had to change my mentality,’ grins Nadine. ‘I needed to learn to shape my plans around the resources I had and trust that God would bless them!
‘I reduced our Sunday Club to once a fortnight. Other weeks the children now stay in the church service. I get their parents to help our pastor lead these – they are there anyway, it is good for their children to see them talking about faith and makes those conversations at home easier too. And I get to enjoy the service as well, rather than always being out with the children – I’ve learned from SU that it’s important to maintain your own spiritual health.’
The Youth Group also runs fortnightly too. Nadine started it in April 2023 in partnership with Kelli from nearby Kingsbury Baptist Church. ‘It made sense to collaborate given that both our churches were short of volunteers,’ says Nadine. ‘It’s grown and grown! Originally we only had Kelli’s two children and a friend, then they invited their friends. Now we get up to 18 youngsters, many from non-Christian homes.’
Going beyond my comfort zone!
The Youth Group takes place at Kingsbury Church where facilities include a sports hall. Nadine, more into arts and crafts, got trained by SU in how to use sport in her sessions. ‘Now we use active, inclusive team games such as dodgeball at the start of each session. The young people love it, and it helps new ones to integrate quickly. Sometimes we weave Bible teaching in with the sport, other times it’s more about them burning off their energy, ready to chat about what’s going on in their lives and what relevant wisdom the Bible has to offer.’
Nadine thinks any church relying on volunteers to lead their children and youth mission should ensure they get proper training and support. ‘Children’s ministry is not like running your own kids and home! SU are experts at it; their training has really empowered me. Until she moved on, Jordana (Smith) was my Mission Enabler and she was wonderful – I’d share and shape my ideas with her, pray with her, and she’d also come and help out at some sessions too. Jordana’s also taught me about the different phases of faith and how to assess where children and young people are at spiritually, so I can use the right words for them to understand more about Jesus.’
Jordana says, ‘Nadine is an inspiration, doing all she does as a volunteer! She had the wisdom to recognise that change was needed and has been brilliant at identifying what “positive assets” were available to her – her loaves and her fishes. She has faithfully offered them up to God, who has blessed them. And many children and young people are now being spiritually fed as a result.’
Could you be a Faith Guide?
As a Faith Guide, Nadine receives one-to-one practical support and coaching from an SU Mission Enabler as well as access to exclusive resources. You can find out about what it means to become a Faith Guide and how we can support you today!
Read more Connecting You stories
This story was featured in our supporter magazine, Connecting You. Subscribe to the print or digital edition for free, and keep up to date with what God's doing through Scripture Union.
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- Connecting You