Faith Guide Rachel Hanford resides in the former mining community of New Ollerton, near Nottingham. She explains how she has found schools ministry to be a great way of reaching out to the young people in the community, and how she has seen some of them drawing closer to God.
We offer chaplaincy at our local secondary school to around 60 young people. Some just come to grab the hot chocolate and donuts we provide; others stay to play games and discuss a question such as ‘Have you tried praying?’ Some of the young people who attend have nicknamed it ‘Friday Church’!
Subsequently, the school asked me and my husband Richard (the local vicar) to help lead volunteering sessions for pupils, to encourage them in civic responsibility. Volunteering also helps foster connections – between the school and the community, and between us, the school and the young people. While Richard and I can’t evangelise, we can explain to the young people how our faith inspires our volunteering and get them thinking about what the motivation is for them. Then we take them outside to do litter picking, gardening and so on. (One time, we were tidying the church garden and one young person asked what the building was. I responded, ‘A church – what do you think is inside?’ and they said, ‘I think Jesus is in there’!)
I also ran after-school music and movement sessions at a church primary school, at the end of which we would have some faith discussions. During World Book Day week, I read You Are Special by Max Lucado and explained how Eli in the story represented God.
The power of relationships By being a consistent presence in schools in various ways, we’ve built relationships that have encouraged pupils to explore faith, respond and grow. For example, one 9-year-old we met in school asked her dad to bring her to church. She’s since been baptised and her dad now follows Jesus too! And a group of lads we met through Friday Church asked to come to our after-school youth group. At first they were jokey and a bit rowdy, but then they took the free Bibles our church provided (supplied by charity ‘Good News for Everyone’) and have been reading them and asking questions. Several of our youth group now want to be baptised.
I’m so grateful to God for SU’s support as I walk with children and young people on their faith journey. The Revealing Jesus framework enables me to identify what stage they’re at and share Jesus in ways they’ll understand. And it’s great being part of the Faith Guide network where we share ideas and encourage one another.
I value the input from my SU Mission Enabler Dom, too. For example, having those lively lads join our youth groups was great but it changed the dynamics – not least because they’re at a different stage of their faith journey! So, when the rest of the group did Bible study and worship, Dom suggested the new lads go off with a leader to play sport. That enabled us to get to know them and have some informal faith conversations. It worked and things have settled down.
This summer, when SU set up a village within DTI festival, providing meals and support to youth leaders and Faith Guides with smaller groups, I volunteered as a cook. Next year I’m hoping to take my own youth group along so they can learn more of God’s amazing grace and deep love for them.
Supercharge your children’s or youth outreach
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take things to the next level, your local SU team is here to help you dream big, plan boldly and make a lasting impact. We’ll work with you to shape outreach that fits your context and connects deeply with young lives. Let’s unlock the potential together!