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Joe's Autumn Adventures

Updated: Jan 20

Joe on the beach at the King's mens weekend away, enjoying a salted caramel ice cream
Joe

Autumn Term Summary

Hello friends! I thought it would be good to tell you all a little bit about what I’ve been up to so far this year. Thanks for praying for me on this adventure and for your partnership in doing God's work together.

Being prayed for at King's at the start of the term
Being prayed for at King's at the start of the term

There are three main sections to what I’ve been doing: King’s Church Youth, Young Life and Evangelism.


King’s Church Youth

Boom: King's Youth hit the sports centre (plus some guests!)
Boom: King's Youth hit the sports centre (plus some guests!)

We kicked off our term with the youth group thinking about what it means to tell our friends about Jesus (what does ‘evangelism’ mean?).  We then ran a Youth Alpha course alongside our regular Alpha.  A big thank you to all those who helped run alpha as a helper or by making delicious food.  It was a rich time of getting to know each other, but also making space for people to ask questions about what it means to follow Jesus.  We now have a question box full of interesting things to talk about and learn together.  During the course, we saw some of our young people inviting friends from school who are now continuing to come - an inspiring display of faith. This has all contributed to the growth in our Thursday night group which has doubled in size to about 14-15 young people.  


We praise God for this - and you can join us in that too!

Testing out one of the pool tables in the church centre
Testing out one of the pool tables in the church centre

We have also uncovered lots of fun things in the church centre cupboards - table tennis tables and 2 pool tables, as well as getting ourselves a few new games which we will be using on Thursday nights at our youth sessions.  These new format weekly sessions will include playing games as well as getting into the bible together.  We’re grateful to be able to use the fantastic cafe space to hang out as part of this, and we hope this will be a place that visitors to the group will feel welcomed as they join.  


We’ve started to meet on Sunday mornings as a youth group, so that we can learn alongside the whole church.  This term we are looking at the book of James alongside the rest of the Church which will be piles of fun (as well as bringing personal challenge).


How can you pray?

  • for the young people to continue to grow in their faith, or to choose to trust Jesus for themselves in the coming term

  • for me (Joe) as I plan and co-ordinate the youth sessions, that we would have fun and grow together

  • that the youth would experience the power of the Holy Spirit and that we would experience God's power at work in us.

  • for new members of the youth group to feel welcomed


Young Life

For those that don’t know, Young Life (YL) is a Christian organisation with a mission of “Introducing young people to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith, praying for young people, and going where kids are and building personal relationships with them”.  Alongside my youth role at King’s I am being funded to work as part of Young Life with their existing but growing team in Southampton. 

Together with my friends on the Young Life Southampton team
Together with my friends on the Young Life Southampton team

I have been going into Oasis Lordshill (our local secondary school) two or three times a week to help to run well-being clubs where we play board games and offer a fun space during break, I also take a group of young people boxing every week and multiple groups to the local city farm, as well as occasional events like a trip to St Mary’s Stadium. Amongst all these things I have been getting to know over fifty students by name as well as getting to know and build relationships with staff. 


We have recently been given the go ahead to set up and run a Christian Union (called Dropzone) which will meet in the school on Friday Lunchtimes, supported by Young Life.  This is a really exciting thing to be involved with, and I’d like to invite you to pray for the success of this.    

Oasis Dropzone flier
Oasis Dropzone flier

I also work with the Young Life team helping to run two existing club nights each week in Highfield and Newtown. These clubs are full of fun (click here to find us on instagram) and always finish with a ten minute Gospel presentation, in which I have had an opportunity to give a couple of times. It was really exciting to be speaking when a young person made the decision to give their life to Jesus this term.  It's amazing to be a part of this work, and to be supported by my church community to do that.  Thank you.  


I help to run a Friday morning bible study study for some the YL kids who are more developed on their faith journey which happens at 7am and we have a consistent crowd of 9 people getting up early to learn together!  It’s inspiring to see the young people hungry to know more about Jesus. Young Life has been an amazing facilitator for youth in Southampton and it has been a joy to work with them so far. If you would like to know more, please let me know. 


Finally, YL will be running a day camp this February half term which I am working to support, and would like to involve others to help if possible.  Our hope and prayer is to see at least 50 young people come along to the daytime club which we are running over 4 days at Cantell School.  How can you help with this?  King’s Church has been asked to help with catering, so if you’re up for adventure, please let me know if you’d like to help cook and serve food one day in the holidays along with others from King’s.


How can you pray?

  • for the work of YL - that together we can continue to work well in communicating the message of Jesus to young people in the city. Thank God for the sense of togetherness on the mission of many people from different churches united to serve.

  • for Dropzone - that people will come along, be welcomed and that this will be a place to connect people with Jesus

  • for the day camp in February - for people coming along, for helpers, for a sense of God's presence as we run it together.


Evangelism 

In the last term I have been part of lots of exciting evangelistic projects, from going out with Jif to reach the local community to a trip I made in my holiday to visit a missionary friend in Jordan.

Embracing alternative forms of transportation in Jordan
Embracing alternative forms of transportation in Jordan

I've taken part in a few street outreach sessions with a deliberate intention in having faith conversations with those on the streets of Southampton. I have also spent time with Miracle Street and Steve Lee running courses in Winchester and planning outreach events more widely. I spent two weeks of October in Jordan with a missionary and had an incredible and transformative time. We spent time with Bedouins, Turkmen, Christian converts and Muslims sharing the Gospel, spreading the love of Jesus and the hope that is found in Him. I also had the chance to share the message of Jesus at our recent Christmas outreach event.


How can you pray?

  • that I am able to make the most of every opportunity, and that I'd be a person who inspires others to share their faith too.

  • for us as a church as we outreach to our community, that we can together tell people about Jesus

  • for the work of Miracle Street and our friend Steve Lee who leads the work. Pray God's blessing on his work and the outreach events he runs. Pray that I'll be an effective supporter for him in any way I can.


Thank you

Thank you so much for all of your continued support financially and more importantly in prayer. There has been ups and downs this term but it has definitely been a couple months to remember. If you want to know more then please get in touch with me I would love to meet over a coffee!! 


Much love and piles of gratitude for your partnership in Jesus, 


Joe

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