Half Term

Hello.
We hope you like the new website.....where this blog is moving to. See link on post below...

We've been busy as always, we've been looking at how precious we are in our school RS's this week, with the help of eggs! We've had a cracking time!

Half term is ahead of this week, I'm off on a retreat so will be spending some time praying for HSI, for the Exec and the Council of Reference as they seek where HSI is going and how we can gain more financial funding. Please join in prayer with me.

My prayer is that HSI can continue to build on what has already been achieved and all the expansion of the work we can see just from this year.

Youth Alpha starts straight after half term, so please pray for Diana and I as we plan and prepare, and that we will have some great young people willing to explore with us.

Enjoy half term if you have it off!

NEW WEBSITE

Can I draw your attention to the new HSI website...

http://haverhillschoolsinitiative.webs.com

The blog shall be moving over to this address also.

Starting Tuesday 24 February. Next Door, Camps Rd. 3.30-4.30pm. 13-18 year olds. More info contact Beckie 07875 485520. haverhillschoolsinitiative@gmail.com

I've had a really exciting week and felt the need to share. We're being told that the church is in decline...but we aren't told that people are finding God all the time! This has been proven to me this week.

On Sunday a came across a young person who I have had contact with through Christian lunches in school, she has found Jesus along with her friend, through the positive witnesses of a Christian teacher and others. Then, I was doing a lesson yesterday in one school and a young person who I had contact with last year in Rock Solid came up to me and told me she gave her life to Christ 2 months ago, when I asked her how she told me through prayer, she discovered prayer, and how amazing it was in her life! WOW! No church, no people, just God and a thirst for spiritual fulfilment!
It's really exciting and got me more enthusiastic about how to reach young people and their thirst to experience something different and more meaningful.

This all fell in bizarre timing with me feeling the need to run a Youth Alpha course after school, this way they can search and if they want me fed into a youth group and church or something new can spring up out of it. Please pray as we consider how this works, practically, and with juggling time.

It's been a great few weeks, if a little busy with some great lessons at Castle Manor, RS's steadily keeping numbers, and in some increasing. It's an exciting time here in Haverhill, one of hope through all the gloom of the economic crisis. Please join with us as we pray for this hope to grow and to shine around our town.

Next week calms down a little;

Monday:
-Castle Hill Rock Solid
-Chalkstone Community Centre Rock Solid

Thursday:
-Hope prayer meeting 9am, open to anyone, Garden Anex Downs Baptist Church
-Rock Solid, Parkway

Friday:
-Rock Solid Parkway
-Mudflaps, a youth group held at Kedington Community Centre for those in school years 5-8, 4-5.45

Men Needed!

Hi....

We need male leaders for Monday night Rock Solid at the Chalkstone Community centre. we need people who could offer 2 Monday's a month, or more if they wanted. Leaders are there from 6 for a 6.30 start and we are finished by 8pm.

If you, or someone you know from your churches can help please e-mail me

haverhillschoolsinitiative@gmail.com

Please put RS in the subject.

Thank you.

Week starting 26th Januray 09

Hello.

Hope you are avoiding the lurgy,both Diana and I have been battling through this week, taking it in turns to be ill!

It's been a busy week with all clubs now running. We started at Castle Hill this week, a small group but very eager and full of questions. Some of the things discussed highlighted the importance for clubs like RS in providing friendship for those who are lonely. Please pray for this group as it grows.

Next week is looking a busy week, please pray for the health of Diana and myself and all those who volunteer with us.

Can we draw your attention to Friday night...Breakout, Friday 30 January at Haverhill Methodist Church. £2 admittance for...Big Screen PS2, dance mats, SingStar, cafe, DJ, Spiritual Zone and Bungee runs...and lots more.

The rest of the week;

Monday:

-Yr9 RE Castle Manor

-Rock Solid Castle Hill

-Rock Solid Chalkstone Community Centre

Tuesday:

-Yr9 RE Castle Manor

Thursday:

-Yr9 Castle Manor

-Rock Solid Parkway

Friday:

-Yr9 Castle Manor

-Rock Solid Parkway

-Breakout

Back to the busyness

Hello. I returned from Wales last week after spending a week in a Castle for the Youth for Christ Staff Conference. It was a great time for teaching, with some excellent and inspiring bible studies lead by Leonard Sweet, so informative seminars and a time to reflect and pray into the work. It's always so encouraging to meet with other centres and hear the stories they bring, and to see over 400 people there all involved in the work of YFC in Britain! It was also a time to say farewell to Roy Crown the National Director of YFC as he moves on to new things.

But now I'm back and 2009 has great things in store for HSI. Diana Andre has returned from maternity to leave to do part time work with us, helping with the Parkway Rock Solid, we hope Rob will also continue his valuable contribution to the club.

We are also starting a new Rock Solid at Castle Hill Middle on Monday's after school for an hour. If you would like to be involved in this as a volunteer please contact us.

We are praying and looking into another mission week in a school, please pray as we seek to speak to schools.

Dates for the future..

BREAKOUT Friday 30 January

CAFE VIBE Friday 13 February

YOUTH LEADERS BREAKFAST Saturday 28 February

Next week looks busy so your prayers are always much needed...

Monday:

-RS Castle Hill, first one for year 5 and 6.

-RS Chalkstone Community Center, 6.30-7.45pm

Tuesday:

-Breakout planning meeting

Wednesday:

-Yr 9 RE lesson at Castle Manor

Thursday:

-Hope prayer meeting

-RS Parkway

-Yr9 RE lesson at Castle Manor

Friday:

-RS Parkway

-Mudflaps, Kedington, 4-5.45pm Kedington Community Centre, a club for Middle school aged young people

5-9 January 09

Happy New Year!

Back to work, but I'm off to Wales for the annual Youth For Christ Staff Conference, please pray for a safe journey, especially since it's snowy!

I will blog on my return to update you on the plans for 2009!

15-19 December 08

Hello.

What a week, it's been manic with lots of lessons, assemblies and clubs. We have finished the Christmas lessons now, which I hope were good fun as we explored the prophesy and the the fulfillment through Jesus. It's great going around the schools seeing all the preparation and as excitement as we go into the last week of term.

Tonight we have Cafe Vibe and Breakout, more details on note below. Please pray for these events to be safe, fun and for us to get the message of God's love through in our actions and words.

So, next week is the last week of term, here's what is happening;

Monday:

-Chalkstone Community Centre Rock Solid-Christmas Special. 6.30-7.45 (parents and guardians welcome for tea/coffee and mince pies from 7.30)

Tuesday:

-Samuel Ward assembly-poverty

Wednesday:

-SW assembly-poverty

Thursday:

-SW assembly-poverty

-Parkway Rock Solid

Friday:

-Parkway Rock Solid

-Parkway Quiz afternoon

-Mudflaps, Kedington

Please pray for Staff and students as they look forward to Christmas and enjoy the last week.

Friday Night Youth Cafe (14 yrs +)

'Next Door', Camps Rd, Haverhill

PS2's, Music, Cafe and Christmas Quiz

Free admittance (money for Cafe needed)

A place for young people to hang out on a Friday evening.

Breakout an event for those 9-13 yrs old.

Haverhill Methodist Church, Camps Rd

£2 admittance

Christmas Party-DJ, non-alcoholic cocktail bar-Cafe-inflatable games-Big Screen PS2-Spiritual Zone

For more information;

haverhillschoolsinitiative@gmail.com

07875485520

photography may be taken at both events and used in the public domain.

8-12 December 08

Hello,

Bit early this week but here's what's happening next week...

Monday:
-I'm on holiday but please pray for Chalkstone Community Rock Solid, 6.30-7.45pm

Tuesday:
-Parkway Middle Assembly
-Lots of planning

Wednesday:
-Chalkstone Middle yr6 RE Nativity

Thursday:
-Parkway Middle Yr7 RE, Commitment
-Parkway Rock Solid
-Chalkstone Middle Yr6 RE Nativity, 2 classes together

Friday:
-Parkway Middle Yr7 RE, Commitment x2
-Parkway Rock Solid
-Cafe Vibe and Breakout (more info on post above)

Monday 1-7 December 08

Hello,

Christmas has now begun for HSI as we are in the swing of Nativity lessons. It's been a busy week seeing all 4 middle schools in 2 days for lessons!

Next week looks to be no quieter...

Monday:

-Clare Yr5 RE-Christmas lesson

-Chalkstone Community Centre Rock Solid, 6.30-7.45pm followed by a meeting.

Tuesday:

-Breakout meeting pm.

Wednesday:

-Parkway School trip to a Sikh Gudwara, please pray for opportunities to talk to the pupils about Christians attitudes to faith and those of other faiths.

Thursday:

-Clare Yr5 RE-Christmas Lesson

Friday:

-Clare Yr5 RE-Christmas Lesson

I will be off work Friday afternoon and the following Monday so the Blog will be updated on Thursday ahead of the following week.

24-30 November 08

Hello!

It was great to see a core group of youth workers, both paid and voluntary joining us on Saturday morning for croissants and coffee as we met for the first Youth Leaders Breakfast. We spent the time talking over our motives for youth work, sharing in some highlights of work and praying together. I trust the others found this time useful and we hope to have another one sometime in Feb/March.

It was really encouraging to hear what youth work is happening in the area, it really feels like a good time for lour youth work, God is blessing so much and I pray that this exciting time continues.

Next week is the start of Christmas for me...yes I know it is November! Please pray for some Christmas cheer, and that God will inspire me to tell this incredible life changing story in a fun and relevant way so that this Christmas more of our young people can celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Monday:

-Chalkstone RS, please continue to pray for these young people, many have come off the back of RS in school but with no Christian background, pray that the leaders, and the young people with faith can show the love of Jesus.

Thursday:

-Castle Hill Middle yr5 RE, growing up as a Christian, three lessons in a row.

-Clare Middle yr5 Christmas lesson.

-Parkway RS, pray for Rob as he takes this group, and thank God for the amazing group of yr5's we see regularly who are so much fun.

Friday:

-Chalkstone Middle yr5 Christmas lesson.

-Parkway RS, pray that Rob and I will continue to help this group in their search, many have come since the start of RS 20 months ago!

-Mudflaps.

Monday 17-23 November 08

Another week gone, busy with fitting a trip to Cliff College. It is always good to meet with others with similar thoughts and beliefs, to reflect together, and to study, delving into the books preparing for our dissertations! It's also good to be back in the swing of things here, with having great fun at Rock Solid, and tomorrow is our Youth Leaders Breakfast (details on posts below).

Next week then...

Monday: Chalkstone Rock Solid, 6.30-7.45pm, Chalkstone Community Centre.

Tuesday: Assembly Chalkstone Middle, theme:bullying (for National anti-bullying week)

Thursday: Hope prayer meeting.

Parkway Rock Solid.

Friday: Parkway Rock Solid.

Mudflaps.

With it being anti-bullying week next week please take time to remember those being bullied, those who bully and those who seek to help all involved such as teachers, parents, young people and organisations like Childline. Bullying has been a huge problem for many years, but now it isn't a case that it ends once you've left school with bullying happening on the Internet and using phones. Please pray into these situations.

Monday 10-16 November 08

Will you be wearing your poppy with pride? I will be wearing my poppy as a mark of remembrance to all those who have fought and are fighting now, also to make as a celebration that we live in a free country because of what those people have done for us!

We will be focusing a fair bit on Remembrance day next week in the three Rock Solid Groups, looking at both the sacrifice and the celebration of freedom we now have.

I will be away fro part of next week on a Study Conference so I won't be contactable Tuesday and Wednesday.

What else is on...

Monday: Directors Summit, Comberton
Chalkstone Community Centre Rock Solid, 6.30-7.45pm

Tuesday:Wednesday: Study Conference, Cliff College, please pray for safe travel for me.

Thursday: Rock Solid Parkway Middle

Friday: Rock Solid Parkway Middle
Mudflaps, Kedington

Saturday: Youth Leaders breakfast, 8.30-10am Downslade Baptist Chapel, off Camps Rd, for anyone involved in youth work (9yrs +), whether in a voluntary or paid capacity, a time to pray and encourage one another.

Monday 3-Friday 7 November 08

Hello,

I hope this has been a good week, especially if you have had this half term off!

After having a time to catch up with planning this week next week gets back to normal.

Monday: Chalkstone Rock Solid, 6.30pm-7.45pm Chalkstone Community Centre.

HSI Exec meeting

Tuesday: Parkway Middle year 8 assembly.

Thursday: Hope Prayer meeting

Parkway Middle Rock Solid

Friday: Parkway Middle Rock Solid

Mudflaps, Kedington.

Have a great week and enjoy any fireworks parties!

This Friday for 9-13 year old, £2 on the door. Cafe, Inflatable Gladiators, Big Screen Play Station, live DJ.

Monday 20th-friday 24 October 08

Hello,

I hope you have had a good week. This term seems to be keeping me on my toes with more going on than ever before.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helps with HSI, financially, prayerfully and in time. I especially want to thank those people who give up their time to serve our young people either in their churches or in HSI clubs...your work is very much appreciated!

It's been an encouraging week with conversations on new things developing and seeing existing things thriving. The new Monday night Rock Solid is doing better than I thought possible and it's great to see young people from 3 different middle schools coming together, and many who already go to Parkway RS.

I hope next week will be equally as encouraging!

So next weeks diary...

Monday:

• Clare Middle RE lesson, Growing up a a Christian.
• Chalkstone Community Centre Rock Solid, 6.30-7.45pm, for young people in schools years 5-8-FREE
• HSI Annual General meeting, 7.30pm Westend Congregation Church, Haverhill. Please come and show your support, have a say in what goes on and hear news of what we have been doing and what we would like to see done.

Tuesday:

• Clare Middle RE lesson, Growing up as a Christian

Wednesday:

• Haverhill District Churches Together meeting

Thursday:

• Hope 08 prayer meeting
• Parkway Middle Rock Solid
• Clare Middle RE lesson, Growing up as a Christian

Friday:

• Clare Middle RE lesson, Growing up as a Christian
• Parkway Middle Rock Solid
• Mudflaps

Events, retreats and training...

Some dates for your diary...

Soul Survivor on tour, coming to Norwich Monday 27th October

http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/events/tour/index.html

'Hosted by Mike Pilavachi, the evenings will have the familiar Soul Survivor mix of worship, teaching and ministry plus each night either Andy Hawthorne (The Message) or Roy Crowne (YFC) will be preaching the gospel and explaining what it means to follow Jesus. If you’ve got friends who you’ve been thinking about getting along to a Christian event, then these evenings will be really accessible to them; so bring them along and we’ll see you all there!The tour will also be supporting the Hope 08 initiative, so come along to find out more... '

Youthwork the Conference Deepen

http://www.youthworkconference.co.uk/

Eastbourne:21-23

NovemberSouthport: 14-16 November

Soulnet retreat, Sherwood Forest 6-9 february 09

http://www.soulsurvivor.com/soulnet/retreat/index.html