Today we are launching our ‘week in the life of SUNI’, sharing stories from all across the country and all across the movement. Whether you are a summer Mission team member from Aughnacloy or a teacher working in North Belfast, we are all seeking to share the Good News of God - what a privilege!
Over the last year we have seen opportunities grow and have had to continually think wisely about how we best share Jesus in each context...
CONTINUE READINGToday we are launching our ‘week in the life of SUNI’, sharing stories from all across the country and all across the movement. Whether you are a summer Mission team member from Aughnacloy or a teacher working in North Belfast, we are all seeking to share the Good News of God – what a privilege!
Over the last year we have seen opportunities grow and have had to continually think wisely about how we best share Jesus in each context.
For too many children and teenagers Jesus is a distant and irrelevant figure – so it’s important not to just share but also connect. What we say, how we say it, how we take time to explain and take time to live it out – all of this is so important.
For many pupils, living out their faith in schools is tough; it’s hard holding to His values. And again and again I think one of the most important things we can do for teenagers is for those of us in our 20s, 30s, 50s or 70s to still be as passionate about holding to His values and sharing our faith as we might want them to be. It can be hard following Jesus, we know that, but it is worth it!
For many of those who serve across SUNI, we are aware of growing pressures at work and home. For those in education the work pressures and stresses seem to be ever-growing. So how do we help teachers, for example, and not add to this? This is a very real question for us in these times, as we seek to support and lift pressure from teachers, not add to it. For volunteers, whether students or those working, combining life commitments with work commitments, family and friends time and working with children and young people under the banner of SUNI, the juggling is real. We are so thankful that their hearts rule and the impact, the deep impact, of serving is fuelled by this heart to see children and teenagers encounter God.
I count it a real privilege to serve under the banner of SUNI. A movement committed to sharing this Good News of Jesus. I love the team effort it takes to make a week happen; I hope you get a good flavour of all that goes on and all the different people that make it happen. I may be biased, but I do think it’s one of the best teams in the world – thanks for being part of it!
Helen Warnock General Director
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Drew Steele Outreach Ministry Leader
and Leanne Dunlop Schools Ministry Leader
One of our key values in SUNI is ‘working with churches’. As you read that, perhaps it sounds obvious. Perhaps it sounds unrealistic. Perhaps it sounds exciting. We certainly think it’s exciting.
As Bill Hybels has, now famously, said, “The local church is the hope of the world”. Not only does that sound like a nice phrase, or an interesting thought; we believe it to be true. And the reason we believe it to be true is that the Church is the vehicle through which God has designed to bring the message of His love to the world.
We, at Scripture Union, want to see the Church, local and universal, impacting the lives of those in the communities around them. That isn’t a revolutionary thought - that is why the Church exists! Followers of Jesus are to be salt - bringing flavour, purity and freshness, and light - bringing hope, clarity and life, into the world that desperately needs them. We are to “let our light shine before men”, not so that people look at us shining a great light, but they are to “praise your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16). This is why the ‘local church is the hope of the world’ - it is to focus its surrounding community upward to the Great God whom we serve!
So what is the role of Scripture Union in seeing this become a reality?
In everything we do, through our Resource Centre, our Schools ministry, or our Camps and Missions ministry, we seek to work with churches to make God’s Good News known to children and young people across our country.
We seek to achieve this by providing inspiring and engaging resources through our Resource Centre in Belfast, which equip individuals and congregations in their lives of discipleship, fuelling them to engage in mission.
Our E3 Schools work has been great at strengthening links between local schools and local churches. These E3 School Projects, around the country only happen because of the prayerful, practical and financial support of local churches. Each area has its own District Support Team, a group of people from local churches who get alongside the E3 worker and continually seek out new ways to empower church leaders, congregations and individuals in the vital mission of schools ministry.
And our summer Camps and Missions ministry enables volunteers all over the country to partner with churches in facilitating local mission, assisting in the discipleship of children and young people in significant residential environments, and equipping our summer volunteers to serve in their local congregations all year round.
We hope you can see that working with churches is not something we do, it is a value we hold and, therefore, it permeates all of our activity. We love it when we work directly with churches and we love it when volunteers take back what they have learnt in School SU groups, summer Mission teams or training events. We would love the opportunity to work with your local expression of the Church, so please get in touch with us and let’s see what God would have us do together.
How can we possibly begin to sum up the role of a school teacher today?! They are more than just imparters of knowledge...
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CONTINUE READINGHow can we possibly begin to sum up the role of a school teacher today?! They are more than just imparters of knowledge…they are creative communicators, gifted guiders, caring counsellors and so much more! However, they also increasingly find themselves under pressure to meet the demands of the curriculum, keep up with the latest teaching methods and assessment requirements, manage their classroom, pastorally care for their pupils…and maybe even find some time to teach!
Coming from a teaching background myself, I have the utmost respect for those who commit themselves to this profession and am continually inspired by their heart to empower children and young people to reach their full potential. However, what inspires me all the more are the stories of Christian teachers who, in the midst of so many ongoing demands, are primarily seeking to be salt and light in their school environment. For many that means weekly involvement in running an SU group at lunchtime or after school, for others it means coordinating RE or taking the lead in what a Christian assembly looks like, but mostly this is simply about carrying a Christ-like heart and attitude as they walk the corridors, manage the classroom issues, work alongside other staff and deal with the general ups and downs of school life.
Realising we can never underestimate the depth of their influence, our heart at SUNI is to draw alongside these teachers and honour them professionally, equip them practically and support them prayerfully. Without them, our work in schools simply wouldn’t happen! Therefore, our schools staff are always on hand to provide support, training, resources and encouragement in whatever is most appropriate for the context.
Allow me to introduce you to just a few of these amazing teachers:
Janene teaches Primary 4 and helped to set up the SU group in her school, alongside a local church worker, which she has been running for about 5 years now. She also offered to write assemblies for the Principal in order to ensure that the Bible was at the centre of their weekly gatherings, which has been a great witness to the whole school!
Marc and Keith are responsible for the Junior and Senior SU groups in the all-girls Grammar school they both teach in. Their passion for God and heart to see young girls growing in their faith is evident in so many ways, not least in how they work alongside the girls to lead SU each week. Their pupils are involved in Scripture Union’s ‘Shine’ (an outreach project in partnership with Crown Jesus Ministries and Logos Ministries International), ‘Unite’ (our Interschool’s initiative) and ‘Making Your Mark’ (our annual pupil leadership training weekend), as they avail themselves of all the support that SU can offer to complement their witness in the school.
Donna teaches in a Special School and, after involvement in an SU Mission during the summer, went back into school with the desire to see an SU group started up, with the support of our local E3 Schools Worker on the ground. Our Schools Support Co-ordinator has also started going into the same school to teach RE lessons.
These are just a few of the many inspiring teachers seeking to be salt and light in our school communities across the country! Let’s continue to give thanks, honour and support them as shining lights amongst our children and young people in an increasingly difficult environment, yet one that is alive with hope and potential!
Leanne Dunlop - Schools Ministry Leader
“So it was a full assembly in Enniskillen Integrated Primary School. But this day after delivering the assembly, a little P1 pupil came up to me and said, “I love your Bible assemblies.” And so I thought to myself – this is great. Yes it encouraged me that he enjoyed when I came in to take assembly – but much more than that – he knew that these stories came from the Bible. Then he said, “we went to the library and I asked to read the Bible. I didn’t finish it because it is very long.” Even though the reality was he probably couldn’t read much - he knows exactly where to go to hear God speak.”
Jeff Gawn E3 Fermanagh Schools Worker
“Last year there was the opportunity to train and support two Ballymena Academy U6th pupils, as they got involved in primary schools ministry, as part of the Academy Enrichment Scheme. It was so encouraging watching their skill and confidence grow throughout the year, whether in creating and delivering their own assembly material, team-teaching RE lessons, or being a weekly presence and support in an SU. They said, “Volunteering emphasised to us the importance of children in God’s Kingdom, taking hold of every opportunity God gives to share the Gospel and fully relying on him as you do.” I’m looking forward to what lies ahead as I work with four more pupils this year!”
Rachel Sheppard E3 Ballymena Schools Worker
“I was teaching the three week Amazing Jesus lesson series in a Primary school in Coleraine to the P6 class. I had covered all three lessons and if I’m honest it was quite hard to keep the pupils engaged during the lessons. So much so that I had almost written the three weeks off and just hoped that maybe one of the pupils would just remember some part of the lesson. However, on the last day after I had finished one of the boys approached me and asked me where would I get a Bible if he wanted one. After a short chat it was incredible to be able to give him a copy of the book for Mark to take home. The story always reminds me that even when I have tried my best and seem to have come up short, God is always working and can do more than we can ask or imagine.”
Adam McCready, E3 North Coast Schools Worker
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On Saturday 14th March 2015, over 700 people, representing over 50 schools from all across Northern Ireland, gathered together at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. From Kilkeel to Coleraine, from Carrickfergus to Enniskillen, every County in our nation was there...
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Continue ReadingPhil Howe Post Primary Schools Worker
On Saturday 14th March 2015, over 700 people, representing over 50 schools from all across Northern Ireland, gathered together at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. From Kilkeel to Coleraine, from Carrickfergus to Enniskillen, every County in our nation was there. 
Why? To realise we are part of something bigger. To see that God is working in schools right across the country. Ultimately, we were uniting around our need of Jesus Christ. This was the message that Michael Wylie shared. Ryan Griffith led us in song, as did Terry Kirkpatrick though through his hip-hop.
A lot of people pulled together to make this event possible. From the Unite Support Teams (made up of pupils and youth workers) trying to sell the vision (and tickets), to the SU leaders for making their groups aware of what they are a part, to the people helping provide the buses, to the staff who worked so hard and to you for partnering with us in prayer!
It was an amazing night seeing pupils from all different schools and different SU groups join together and see how God is at work across this country.
We hope and pray this isn’t the end, but it is the start. It is the start of pupils and SU groups taking seriously the unity they have. “How good it is when God’s people live together in unity.” Ps 133:1
This year, we are asking SU groups to ‘do SU together’, to link up with the SU groups close to them and do whatever works for their context, big or small, but with the understanding that we are uniting to show our connection with Jesus!
Let’s hope school SU groups link up with each other more regularly, pray with one another and encourage each other to keep trusting and following the one it is all about-Jesus Christ.
#LetsUniteTogether
Every Tuesday morning you’ll find the SUNI staff team gathered together for staff prayers at the Albertbridge Road offices. It’s a valuable time for the team, taking an hour to open up God’s Word and pray together. There is an incredible richness in encouragement and challenge coming from so many people, hearing from God and sharing together as well as praising and petitioning God.
So I invite you to “join us” for staff prayers, perhaps you could use this as a devotional within a team you are part of or maybe as an alternative to your own time with God.
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Continue ReadingEvery Tuesday morning you’ll find the SUNI staff team gathered together for staff prayers at the Albertbridge Road offices. It’s a valuable time for the team, taking an hour to open up God’s Word and pray together. There is an incredible richness in encouragement and challenge coming from so many people, hearing from God and sharing together as well as praising and petitioning God.
So I invite you to “join us” for staff prayers, perhaps you could use this as a devotional within a team you are part of or maybe as an alternative to your own time with God.
We don’t know how much time passed between Jesus asking the question, “who do you say I am” and Peter’s answer. Maybe it was a quickly blurted out response or, maybe, a courageous answer, breaking a long awkward silence among the disciples, who were reluctant to voice their thoughts. Whatever the situation, Peter got it right! Jesus was the Messiah, God’s promised one! I’m sure this moment felt like a giant leap forward for Peter in his faith.
A few verses later, we read of a totally different moment. Jesus had been sharing with the disciples about his coming suffering, death and resurrection, as the Messiah. Peter was horrified by these words. He took Jesus aside to rebuke him for saying such things!
Peter’s human vision of Jesus the Messiah didn’t match up to God’s plan for his son. Have you ever found that? Your idea of who God should be or what he should do doesn’t quite fit with what God is or does? He isn’t, or doesn’t do, what you want. Peter wanted a Messiah to deliver the Jewish people from Roman rule but what he got was a saviour who would deliver them from the penalty and power of sin.
We need to remember in the successes, failures, disappointments, opportunities and challenges we face each day, God might not do what we want him to but he will always be what we really need.
Read the following verses (including some of your own if you want) about who Jesus is and use them to help you pray into situations or for people in your own life, locally, nationally and worldwide.
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Scripture Union Northern Ireland is a volunteer movement…but what does that mean? We are privileged to have a number of full and part-time members of staff, but the reality is that most of the work is done through the gifts, skills and talents of the volunteers. In SUNI we have a staff team of 17 but alongside this, we have a volunteer team of over 2500…. so although we as staff meet often in 157 Albertbridge Road, we are so very aware that our team isn’t in the building and so thankful for the team effort that enables us to do all we do.
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CONTINUE READINGScripture Union Northern Ireland is a volunteer movement…but what does that mean? We are privileged to have a number of full and part-time members of staff, but the reality is that most of the work is done through the gifts, skills and talents of the volunteers. In SUNI we have a staff team of 17 but, alongside this, we have a volunteer team of over 2500…. so although we as staff meet often in 157 Albertbridge Road, we are so very aware that our team isn’t in the building and so thankful for the team effort that enables us to do all we do. 
Just take Lyndsey Miles, - here’s a flavour of the impact of this, through a typical day in the life of our E3 East Belfast Schools Worker.
"It’s an early start with an assembly in a Primary School before moving on to a meeting with a church children’s worker to explore ways to support her local school SU group or training and resourcing her to deliver RE lessons. This may be followed by another school visit to tell the story of Noah’s ark and sing Bible songs together, booking in lessons with the class teacher for the year ahead. The afternoon consists of a meeting with the Unite Committee - a group of Post-Primary pupils from local schools working together to unite their SU groups together this year. This is co-led by a youth worker from a local church to help speak into events and support the pupils as they plan.
As you can see, on a daily basis, I have the privilege of working with a wider team of teachers, pupils, children and youth workers and local volunteers. Each of these people bring such a depth of wisdom, abilities and experience which continues to, daily, enrich the lives of many children and young people to whom we want to make God’s Good News known. It would be impossible for one person to build a meaningful relationship in each of the 46 schools in East Belfast, so the role of local churches is vital in partnering together to catch the vision of supporting the needs of their pupils, teachers and the wider school community.”
And what about our summer Camps and Missions ministry? Staff members Drew and Jonathan work hard all year around to facilitate and lead our Camps and Mission ministry but again and again they are aware their team isn’t in the building. Their team is as diverse as it is wide.
For example:
Solicitor
Church Youth Group Volunteer
Dedicated Gym member
Mission Team Leader
3rd yr. Uni student
Girls’ Brigade Leader
Church Volunteer
Camp Team Leader
Software developer
Rugby Fanatic
Springer Spaniel walker
Summer volunteer
Retired teacher
Church crèche volunteer
Fair Trade advocate
Summer volunteer
The team they belong to is a thirteen hundred strong team who roll up their sleeves during the summer and beyond to enable our 41 Camps and Missions to happen. Through the time and effort these volunteers invest, there is no doubting that the activity of the summer months could not happen without their dedication.
The strength of our Camps and Missions is that they are volunteer-led. One of the reasons for this is because it helps to reflect the character of God who stepped into our world and went to extreme lengths to show His love. SU volunteers do the same - they offer their time, effort, gifts and energy by stepping into someone else’s world and living out the love of God for those they serve. Followers of Jesus from all parts of the country, working or studying in different areas, bringing that mix of skills and abilities and, above all, illustrating their agreed heart to help the next generation know Jesus.
There is a real integrity to our faith when we hear different people, from all walks of life, united together and all talking about Jesus. And there is something incredibly rich about bringing our ‘day skills’ to the furthering of His kingdom.
Whether in our Schools ministry, or through our Camps and Missions, it is clear that our team is full of talented and passionate individuals. It is also clear that they are not always in the building, making their dedication all the more admirable.
Dan Kerr co-leads Ballyduff Shine, one of our summer Missions. He has been involved with Ballyduff for the last five years and has led for the past two.
Hi, I’m Dan, 23, originally from Templepatrick. I graduated as a civil engineer in July and I now work for a church in Bristol as a ministry assistant. My first real experience with SU was when I was 16, I went to Scottish Camp (on tour to Bushmills!). I still regard that as a key week in my life growing up as a Christian, and very thankful to God for putting me there. I did ‘It’s Your Move!’ when I was 17, which is actually how I first got involved in Ballyduff. I’ve also been involved in Enniskillen 360 over the last five years.
To be honest I struggle to imagine a summer without being part of SU Missions! It doesn’t really feel like a sacrifice; it’s lots of fun and a real privilege.
Typically, we have three sessions a day throughout the week. We have Shine Kids morning and afternoon, where we sing songs, play games, watch drama, listen to stories and have small group time.
In the evening we have a teens drop in, which is a relaxed environment for young people to come and have fun and engage with the leaders.
We finish the week with a family BBQ, which is a great chance to share Christ with the whole community.
During Ballyduff, children can get to open the Bible for the first time, or learn how easy it is to pray to God, or begin to understand that they are loved. The message of the cross is life-changing, and we’ve been so blessed and excited to see young guys and girls (and families) grasp that for themselves!
We’re pretty excited to see how things will develop this year. We’re re-thinking the program a bit, looking at increasing detached work and reaching groups of teenagers we have struggled to engage with previously.
Please do pray for the community of Ballyduff, pray especially for the kids and young people who took away Bibles this year and wanted to read them! Pray for the work of Ballyduff Shine – particularly for preparations for Shine 2016 and for myself and Cherith (who leads with me) as we wrestle with what God has in store for next year (and beyond). And could you pray for deepening relationships with the local churches, council and the community centre - THANK YOU
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In the summer of 2015, we had 41 Scripture Union Camps and Missions teams taking place all across Northern Ireland - 16 residential Camps and 25 Mission teams. The impact is difficult to measure, let alone comprehend, but it was an incredible privilege for me to personally visit every single team and see God working in and through our fantastic volunteers in every location.
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CONTINUE READINGIn the summer of 2015, we had 41 Scripture Union Camps and Missions teams taking place all across Northern Ireland - 16 residential Camps and 25 Mission teams. The impact is difficult to measure, let alone comprehend, but it was an incredible privilege for me to personally visit every single team and see God working in and through our fantastic volunteers in every location.
As I travelled from team to team I was struck by many things:
Some of these I might have anticipated, but there was one striking aspect of the summer that I had not prepared for. Whether the visit was to a clan of lads in a field in Donegal, a couple of hundred children on a beach on the North Coast, an urban church hall busting at the seams, or a rural primary school hall filled with smiling faces, this aspect rang true: it was the right thing in the right context.
Over the breadth of our 41 teams, I was astounded by how individual each one was in their culture, activities, participants and methods of sharing the love of God. This made me admire afresh how sensitive and mature the volunteers are, who were able to relate to the children and young people in front of them in a way that was personal and meaningful. It also made me take note of the huge blessing of seeing so many volunteers serve in the same location year after year. I was able to witness volunteers interacting with parents who were dropping their children off at an SU activity, who have done that for years with each of their children, with the same leaders greeting them every time. There was even the odd occasion where a parent was dropping their children off at the same activity that they attended as a child themselves!
The impact of this is clear to see: the programme becomes more and more personal to the participants, and so it becomes easier for the Truth to take root in the hearts of the children and young people who hear. It is also clear that our volunteers are investing in communities for the long haul - this is so much more than a way to fill time through the summer - it is a huge display of dedication and commitment to communities across our nation for the glory of God and the advancing of His Kingdom.
The right thing in the right context - helping the Gospel take root in the hearts of children and young people by keeping the central Truth central, while delivering it in a way that connects and makes sense.
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CONTINUE READINGThe idea of expanding the E3 Antrim district came out of two things, opportunity and necessity. SUNI had a part time schools worker placed in Lisburn from 2002 to 2008 and it had always been the desire of Scripture Union to find an opportunity to have a schools worker in Lisburn once again. It was necessary to expand our Antrim district because, being one of our smallest areas, we had struggled to sustain it financially over the past few years. Through lots of thinking and praying, the idea was birthed over a year ago that we could expand the Antrim area to include Lisburn, a new opportunity to meet a real necessity.
As a District Support Team, we spent last year meeting local church leaders, teachers, principals and many others interested in Schools ministry in the Lisburn area, sharing our vision for expansion and stories of what has happened in Antrim over the past 5 years. We were delighted with the enthusiasm that the idea was greeted with and had a real sense that this was God’s plan being worked out in God’s timing. After a period seeking funding from churches and individuals in the Lisburn area, we were delighted to get the go ahead to expand the area at the start of this academic year. We are so thankful to all those who covered this vision for expansion in prayer and gave to help ensure the vision could become reality.
As I’ve met with teachers, church leaders and local people from Lisburn, one thing has stood out above all else, the strong presence of Christian staff within schools in Lisburn. Almost every conversation I’ve had has involved me being told about a Christian teacher or principal in a local school and this is wonderful to hear, so encouraging, as I make initial contact with schools in the Lisburn area. There are also a good number of SU groups in the Lisburn area and, hopefully, the presence of a local worker will be a catalyst for more schools to start up SU groups.
We want to build strong, meaningful and lasting relationships with the local schools and their pupils and staff by engaging with them on a regular basis. We seek to equip Christian staff and pupils to be lights in their school, opening God’s Word and sharing the Good News of the Gospel. We would love to empower churches to work closely with their local schools and we hope that many church members will become more involved with their nearby schools because of this project. This is an exciting moment as we continue this valuable work in Antrim and discover fresh opportunities to do it in Lisburn. We would love you to stand with us in prayer, giving thanks for all the good work that has been done in Antrim over the past 5 years, and bringing before God all that will happen in Antrim and Lisburn in the years to come!
Just contact the office on 02890454806
Or email:
paul@suni.co.uk for Primary Schools
Jeanette says, ‘The sleepover was a great way to get to know the children better and provide opportunities to talk more intimately about God and salvation. They were able to ask questions and share their own ideas. We also made sure they had lots of fun, and even got some sleep!'
With 12 children responding to Jesus and making a commitment of faith this year, please pray for the SU team in Elmgrove as they seek to disciple the children in their new found faith.
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I often say that if the apostle Paul were here today he would choose to work in schools. Schools are places of influence. The children are there. The doors are open. Could you take up the challenge of helping to reach the next generation through a school SU group? Whether you are a teacher, a classroom assistant, a parent or a member of a local church we would love to help you get started!
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CONTINUE READINGI often say that if the apostle Paul were here today he would choose to work in schools. Schools are places of influence. The children are there. The doors are open. Could you take up the challenge of helping to reach the next generation through a school SU group? Whether you are a teacher, a classroom assistant, a parent or a member of a local church we would love to help you get started!
SU groups are a great place to help pupils explore the Bible and live out the Christian faith. On average, there are around 6-8 new SU groups starting up for the first time each year. It is my privilege, often, to meet with those interested in being involved to share our vision for SU groups in schools, discuss the practicalities, point them to some great resources and offer our support.
The precise circumstances that have led these folk to consider starting a group in the first place are many and varied.
I think of a newly appointed principal who saw a group at work in her previous school and was keen to have one started in the school to which she had come. One of the teachers there had sensed God prompting her to start a group a year or two earlier but had done nothing about it. The coming of the new principal was just the reminder she needed and a new group is getting under way in her school this term.
I think also of a newly qualified teacher who, when he discovered that there was very little Christian influence in the school to which he had been appointed, approached us to see what advice and support we could give him - not only about starting a group but also about resources for RE and assembly as well.
And I have been struck often by the way God brings people together in His timing for this work. In one school, for which we had been praying for many years that a group would start, I met with a classroom assistant who had just been appointed and was thinking of starting a group. However, she was a little apprehensive, as she had never done anything like this before. A month or so earlier I had met a teacher who had just moved to this school from another one and had led an SU group in her previous school. I was able to link the two of them up and as a result a new group was born.
Christian teachers have the potential to be an incredible influence on the young people they come into contact with daily in their schools. "But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us” 2 Corinthians 10:13. If you are a Christian teacher, one way of maximising your potential to be used by God where He has placed you is through involvement in your school SU group.
But it is not only teachers who can be involved in making groups happen. More and more I am encouraged by local churches who want to reach out to their school communities and, among other things, are able to provide volunteers to run or to help run a group in one or more of their local schools. I have also had the privilege of working with several groups of mums who want to reach out to others in the schools their children attend and provide them with an opportunity to hear and explore the Good News of Jesus through a fun, weekly after-school club in their school.
We need more volunteers to join together with other Christian teachers to make SU groups a reality where there is none. It has been incredible to see how the pupils are enthused and excited by the opportunities that SU groups provide but they need a driver to make it happen – maybe that could be you? Whether you are a teacher, a classroom assistant, a parent or a member of a local church we would love to help you get started!
For Primary get in contact with paulc@suni.co.uk
Post primary phil@suni.co.uk
Or Special schools anita@suni.co.uk
It all started when a group of ministers and a group of primary school principals both came up with the same idea. Both groups had been talking separately about how to maximise the effectiveness of their primary school assemblies. As is often the case, the ministers were all involved on a rota basis in taking assemblies in the primary schools concerned.
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CONTINUE READINGGathered round a table in a classroom at an SU group...
Sitting in a circle in a church hall at a summer Mission...
Perching on bunk beds in a dormitory at camp...
Written in a resource book used at a Holiday Bible Club…
In each of these contexts you’ll find time carved out in the programme for children and young people to divide up from the larger group and spend some time with their peers and a couple of leaders in a small group scenario, further exploring the Bible passage for the day in all sorts of creative and interactive ways.
Small groups help people process and act on what they learn. This is a time to build significant relationships. A time to hear what they’re hearing. A time to help them discover God for themselves and learn from each other. A chance to have a deeper influence on the life of a child or young person and discern how God is at work. This is where the meaningful conversations, deeper questions and steps to understanding can really take place. I love this time!
And yet, with all the effort that we as leaders put into the ‘up front’ stuff, so often this is a part of the programme that doesn’t get as much attention in our planning. So, as small group leaders, how can we make the most of these vital opportunities?
Here’s some things we’ve learned along the way:
Ask good questions:
Questions are the key to learning! Whether it is part of a discussion, or whilst they are engaged in a practical activity, think about and use questions carefully. Try to think beyond the closed and factual questions and develop your use of open, experience and leading questions as well. Encourage them to use their imagination and wonder together about the emotions, feelings and subtext behind the Bible passage and what it means for us today. Give them an opportunity to ask their own questions, of you and of each other, and be prepared to admit it if you don’t know the answer (then go and find out!). Don’t be afraid of silences or jump in too quickly with the answers - you’ll probably find you learn as much from their questions as you do from their answers!
Build good relationships:
What we tend to remember about our own faith journeys are the people. And it’s what happened through those relationships that helped our faith to grow. A lot of this comes down to our servant attitude - taking a genuine interest, doing things together, talking and listening, sharing a little of yourself - for some this comes really naturally, but others need to work at it! However, we do it this way because it’s the way that Jesus did it...
Consider good leadership:
What type of small group leader are you? Too talkative? Insecure? Unprepared? Inflexible? I would suggest that we probably need to work at being a mixture of the opposite of each of these! Talkative enough to guide discussion, but leaving enough space for children and young people to interact as well. Secure enough to set rules and boundaries whilst maintaining the informality of relational learning. Prepared enough to know how you can make the best of the time, but flexible enough to allow God’s leading to take the group in another direction of discussion. My advice would be to lead small groups in pairs, allowing you to develop AWARENESS and ACCOUNTABILITY in conversation with your co-leader. Most importantly though - be yourself!
I love hearing the stories that come back from our SU groups, Camps and Missions. Stories of God at work in the lives of children and young people. Stories of leaders discovering and developing new gifts. Stories of lifelong relationships being established under the common bond of Godly faith. And so often these stories come to light through discussions, activities, questions and relationships built up in small groups. Often a smaller part of the programme…but often the most significant!
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This book is an amazing piece of work, which has had a significant impact on our Youth Ministry in CCB. Earlier this year a group of our youth leaders went on a retreat together and decided to study some of the chapters in the book to encourage some reflection. Wow! We were blessed by lots of fresh inspiration and timely reminders about what’s important, from some of the most anointed and gifted people in Northern Ireland. God used some of the issues raised in this book to change our plans of a quiet, relaxing retreat, into excited and passionate discussions about our hopes and dreams for the young people in Christchurch. As a result of our time together God has encouraged us to rework our entire strategy for youth work in our church.
Greg Neville Youth Pastor, ChristChurch Belfast
We studied the Together book in the format of a leadership team meeting for a weekly Bible class for teenage boys. We read one of the shorter chapters together each week and spent some time discussing things from what we read that had stood out.
Some bits resonated with us, some bits challenged how we currently do things, some parts gave us ideas, some parts generated further discussion, some parts triggered us to dream, some parts affirmed the work that we were already doing.
The chapters really sparked discussion and I really believe God was in many of those discussions. As a group, we were really challenged by one of the chapters that dared us not to settle for mediocrity, for just "good enough". This generated a super discussion about how, as leaders, we can try to encourage and have an influence on the guys outside of just the one hour we have with them on a Sunday. It also caused us to consider how valued we think our guys feel and how we can do better at making them feel genuinely valued.
I also think the book caused us to examine our own hearts and our whole approach to leadership. I believe the discussions have resulted in a greater commitment from the leaders to what we're doing and I believe at the heart of that change has been a careful reconsideration of why we do what we do. A fantastic resource, a must for any leaders in youth ministry and something, as a team, I believe we will come back to time and time again. There are too many pearls of wisdom to only read once!!!
Kyle Alexander, Bible class leader
Words are important to us.
Words are important to God.
This makes sense since we are made in His image.
Teenagers read words and are impacted by words all the time. From the moment they wake up and need to get their morning fix of Facebook, to replying to the hundreds of texts they receive everyday, to being in constant connection and conversation with their friends and peers.
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CONTINUE READINGWords are important to us.
Words are important to God.
This makes sense since we are made in His image.
Teenagers read words and are impacted by words all the time. From the moment they wake up and need to get their morning fix of Facebook, to replying to the hundreds of texts they receive everyday, to being in constant connection and conversation with their friends and peers.
But what about listening to and hearing God’s words?
I have often heard the excuse, “I don’t read”, but when we think about everyday life this simply isn’t the case. We all read, whether it is via our smart phones, our social media, our emails, billboards, street signs.
The question isn’t whether teenagers read. The question is 'what do they read?'
God created the world using words “And God said, ‘Let there be…” (Gen 1:3), Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14) and He knows us and wants us to know Him and so has revealed himself through his written word, the Bible.
Words are important to God. His Word should be important to us.
Will teenagers read the Bible? Absolutely!
I’ve encountered passionate teenagers who are hungry to get into God’s Word. Let’s not do them an injustice by dumbing it down, or not getting them into it for themselves. Model good practice, tell them how it has impacted you, and share good tips on how to read it practically, share how incredible the Bible is.
The Bible is about God. We have a world crying out to know Him. Let’s share this incredibly powerful book. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12)
It tells us about Jesus, eternity, the world, why we struggle, human relationships, sex, marriage, justice, love, wrath, rescue, hope, forgiveness…who doesn’t want to know about these things?
Reading the Bible for teenagers is all about the perspective they hold. So let’s give them the right mind-set, show its priority in our lives, challenge them to incorporate it into theirs, whether that be through updating the habit of flicking open your Bible app instead of Facebook when we have to wait for someone or stand in a queue somewhere.
It’s about helping teenagers to see the bigger picture and challenge them to get the right principles and put those into practice on a daily basis.
The Bible is a big book; it isn’t meant to be read a verse at a time, but even if people read a chapter or a page at a time, that would equate to 365 pages in a year which, in turn, is a quarter of the book. Which means for someone who doesn’t read a lot, they could read through the whole thing in 4 years.
It isn’t a question of ‘will teenagers read the Bible?’; it is getting them to ask ‘how much will they read the Bible?’.
For the sake of themselves, their souls, their friends, the church and the glory of Jesus, they must!
The last twelve months have been as busy as ever in the Resource Centre.
Part of our strategy is to “make God’s Good News known to all children.” Over the last year it has been clear to see that we are continuing to do that through our Light material and Bible reading notes. We have supplied over two thousand five hundred copies of Bible notes and over two thousand Light material books to churches all over Northern Ireland!
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The last twelve months have been as busy as ever in the Resource Centre.
Part of our strategy is to “make God’s Good News known to all children." Over the last year it has been clear to see that we are continuing to do that through our Light material and Bible reading notes. We have supplied over two thousand five hundred copies of Bible notes and over two thousand Light material books to churches all over Northern Ireland! The feedback from Sunday School leaders has been very positive. The resources have helped children and young people engage with the Bible in a fun an interesting way. They include a wide range of activities and Bible teaching ideas that have been a real help to those in children’s ministry.
This year, Scripture Union Publishing in England and Wales decided to rework their Bible notes. With Closer To God no longer being printed, Daily Bread and Encounter With God are now two of the most popular notes. Also published by Scripture Union are Snapshots, great for children aged eight to eleven and provide a whole year of engaging, vibrant devotions.
In addition to Light material and Bible notes, we have provided bookstalls to forty Camps and Missions during the summer as well as Church and School groups throughout the year. We’re always happy to provide books and resources for events so if you feel it is something that would be of benefit, please contact Ashleigh on ashleigh@suni.co.uk.
To some extent the answer to that question goes back over 50 years. I went as a teenager to Carrickfin canvas camp and there I encountered officers and boys who modelled what it meant to follow Jesus. Some of those people are still my friends. Over the intervening years I have been part of CSSM teams in a number of centres. What an opportunity to share with gifted, energetic team members, and to see God at work in the lives of children and young people. Many of those children and young people are now leaders in their churches and organisations.
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CONTINUE READINGTo some extent the answer to that question goes back over 50 years. I went as a teenager to Carrickfin canvas camp and there I encountered officers and boys who modelled what it meant to follow Jesus. Some of those people are still my friends. Over the intervening years I have been part of CSSM teams in a number of centres. What an opportunity to share with gifted, energetic team members, and to see God at work in the lives of children and young people. Many of those children and young people are now leaders in their churches and organisations.
I still volunteer for SUNI as a member of the council. It is privilege to work alongside a group of very wise and experienced individuals as we endeavour to lead the work of Scripture Union in this part of the world. God has been blessing the work of SUNI in schools, at camps and at missions. We currently have a very committed staff team and I love watching them at work, to see and experience their creativity and most of all their passion – passion for the Gospel and passion to help boys and girls to meet Jesus as they engage with God’s word.
Since Scripture Union is a global family and I have also had the opportunity to meet and interact with SU staff and volunteers from many different countries. I have heard countless stories of how God has been at work in schools in Africa, missions in Australia, camps in Malaysia. I have talked with people volunteering with SU in Ukraine, in Canada and in Scotland. Always the same, God is changing lives of boys and girls and young people in many different circumstances.
I know it’s a cliché but I have got infinitely more out of being a volunteer with SU than I ever put in.
I love Scripture Union and I owe much of what makes who I am to what I have learned over the years, from being part of this movement. My thinking and my actions have been shaped by the people I have encountered - as a teenage boy, as a young adult learning to communicate the gospel, as a mission leader and now as part of council. I know it’s a cliché but I have got infinitely more out of being a volunteer with SU than I ever put in.
So why do I volunteer with SUNI? Firstly, I believe it is a movement where God is at work. Whether that is in our local schools, at camps or missions or through resource material, God is changing lives. Secondly because of the huge blessings I get from the people I meet and work with. And thirdly, I believe that SUNI has a vision to capture every opportunity to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to every boy and girl in Northern Ireland.
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Hello my name is Colin Milligan
Last June I was part of a team that brought the 'It's Your Move' program into our local primary school.
I really wanted to get involved as it gave me an opportunity to work with people from other local Churches and because the program is full of brilliant material that helps children with a key move in their lives telling them the simple message that God cares!
'It's Your Move' is very interactive and so it was wonderful that we could get to know the pupils and not just present material to them. I also had the chance to talk to the pupils about Daniel and from that I was able to go on to tell them about how I had been afraid to be myself and stand up for God in secondary school. It was important for them to know that God hadn't given up on me and He wouldn't give up on them either!
Mark McKeown (though most people know me better as Benny)
I'm currently a member of council but I've been involved with SUNI for over 20 years (wow that makes me sound old!), firstly as a 17-year-old helping at Newcastle CSSM and since then I've also led Benone CSSM and Ballycastle CSSM.
Ever since my first involvement I've just loved the heart of SU and the organisation's desire to get alongside children and young people to demonstrate and explain Jesus' love for them. I've seen SUNI grow beyond all recognition and develop new ministries/missions over recent years but also continue to retain its values, Biblical focus and a desire to follow God's leading.
One of my highlights has been personal - watching my own children as they have grown in their faith whilst attending Portstewart CSSM in the last few years, it has given me an insight into the positive impact young leaders can have as they mentor and encourage children in their faith (as a 17yr old leader in Newcastle I certainly hadn't understood the magnitude and responsibility of this).
Roger Irvine, P7 teacher at Ballyholme PS
Various positions and responsibilities over the last fifteen years and I'm currently the Teacher-in-charge of our Scripture Union group at Ballyholme Primary.
I find it hard not to be! I became a Christian directly as a result of a school SU camp many moons ago and I've seen at first hand just what an impact the organisation (or moreover the Holy Spirit) has had and continues to have in the lives of so many of our young people. This is essential work but is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers to commit to given their other duties and growing workloads.
It has to be hearing kids singing 'Our God is an awesome God' going down the corridor (normally I'd be telling them to be quiet!) as they entered school on the Monday after our SU weekend last year.
My name is Niamh Johnston, I am 21 years old. I am a student at Ulster University and I am in my final year studying Music.
I first got involved with Scripture Unions Camps and Missions in 2011, after speaking to Jenny Law, who was the North Coast E3 Schools’ Worker at the time and she encouraged me to apply for “It’s Your Move” camp, which then led me to Ballyholme CSSM in 2012.
I have always enjoyed working with kids and teaching them about God’s love and seeing how they grow throughout the week. I also enjoy the challenge that it brings in many ways, also the experience working with so many different children who have many wonderful personalities and a love of learning. Also, as someone who as been part of Ballyholme CSSM for four years, I have had the opportunity watching the children that attended my first year come back, year after year, and watch them grow and understand more about God and all that He has done for us. Also, I enjoy meeting new people and so joining such a big team; you are always guaranteed fun filled weeks.
The best thing in my opinion about Camps and Missions is seeing the children as they run into every session, excited for a new day of learning and fun. Taking it from the perspective of a small group leader, one of the best moments is when the group ‘light up’ as they suddenly understand or as they get excited as you teach them something new. Being given the opportunity to gain a personal connection with them is incredible. From a different view point as a Section Leader you get to see the even bigger picture, for example seeing a hall of 80 children play together, pray together in their groups, ask questions, gaining an interest in the story. Also seeing the leaders’ excitement for teaching God’s Word and their enthusiasm and love for the children, that is when you can see God’s hand working in the whole mission. It is such privilege to be given an opportunity to serve God in such an amazing way, no matter how big or small a part you may play.
Toni Bassett
I am a teacher at Ballymena Academy and member of Wellington Presbyterian Church. I help lead the Senior CU group for Years 11-14 in school and am also a member of the Ballymena E3 DST.
I love mentoring a small group of students on CU committee as they grow in their faith and become more courageous in stepping out of their comfort zones to see God do incredible things in the lives of their friends and families.
In October the CU went away for our annual weekend and on returning to school did a feedback session on what had been learned. I am constantly amazed by how God reveals Himself to individuals and how open pupils are to sharing their learning.
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