Have you ever wondered how to best disciple young people and encourage passion in them to put their relationship with God front and centre in their lives? Primarily, I would say that is done through consistent relationships with each other and trustworthy adults. However, it is also well worth considering taking your young people off to camp. In youthwork, there is nothing quite like taking a few days away on retreat with the sole purpose Read more…
During the summer holidays the illuminate team went to a youth festival called Satellites. 3 leaders, 17 young people and 5000 other delegates descended on the Bath and West Show Ground for a week of learning, worship and fun. One of those young people Isaac tells us all about his time at Satellites: Satellites was very different to any festival I have been to before, in that it had lots of amazing speakers over many Read more…
We’re delighted to welcome Lia Mills to the illuminate team as our new Intern for the next year. Lia, who will be based in Cam & Dursley, will be part of the illuminate team, as well as spending some time with our partner churches in the area. Alongside her role she is studying with South West Youth Ministries on their “Engaging with Applied Theology” course. We caught up with Lia during her first week to find Read more…
The new year 7s in Archway had an exciting visit to their local church as part of their Modern World RS module. Each class met with members of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Paganhill and had a good look around the fascinating church building, which was bought “flat-packed” from a department store and erected on site in the late 1900s. The young people were full of questions, and learnt about the layout of Read more…
The academic year finished in real style as the illuminateStroud team and guest Artist Steph Cormack, took over year 7’s RS lessons in Archway School. Focusing on the question “How can people express their spirituality through art?” Students were encouraged to reflect on their first year in Archway from a spiritual and wellbeing perspective, building on their learning from earlier in the year which look at the character of Jesus and looking at depictions of Jesus’ life in art. During individual Read more…
illuminate is coming to Dursley! In fact, we have already arrived… Building on the activities already happening across Stroud and Archway School; illuminate is delighted to be moving into the Dursley Area. Working with Churches Together in Cam and Dursley our team will be developing a profile in the community including youth clubs and work in Rednock school. ——————————————————— Our journey into Dursley started with a meeting to share the vision of illuminate, hear what Read more…
As we start the new school term, our theme between now and Christmas is identity. For young people, the discovery of who they are is an important part of adolescence, and perhaps culturally the concept of identity is really significant. How we identify is a question young people will be asking, and have asked of them, frequently. And yet, the fundamental questions behind what is current culturally are really very similar to the questions young Read more…
Last week I was in Archway School doing some “curriculum enhancing” sessions with year 9. They’re just finishing a module called Young People and Other Animals, and I want them to dig into what it means to really stand up for what you believe in… The world seems full of protest at the moment – anti-Vaxxers in the High Street, Extinction Rebellion on the motorway, Pride in the Park. Making a stand seems like ‘the Read more…
I love September. I love the late summer sunshine, the rain and wind. I love watching the leaves start to lose some of their sheen as they think about turning golden brown. I love the way the nights draw in, and the dew on the grass and cars in the morning. I love the fact some supermarkets are stocking mince pies already, and that hallowe’en displays are going up. I love the last throws of Read more…
Walking up the drive towards my front door, fresh from my daily exercise with my Labrador Maya, I spotted something bright red bobbing about between the front door and the wheelie bins. I was intrigued and so was Maya. After a quick sniff, she turned away eager to get inside and get her “reward” for her behaviour on our walk. Whilst I didn’t smell it, my interest lasted a bit longer. Where on earth had Read more…