The gifts that keep on giving

Revd Nick Gurney is Youth Pioneer Minister in our Bishop’s Castle Youth Hub. here he celebrates the many gifts that make youth ministry possible in our diocese.

Is it too early to mention Christmas and gift giving? I recently heard that St Nicholas whose legend of secret gift giving gave rise to Santa Clause, and whose story I know well having been named after him arriving on the eve of St Nicholas’s Day, is not only the patron saint of children and toymakers, naturally, but also the patron saint of students across many European cities. Appropriate, as it’s now been 2 years working alongside children and students with the diocese Youth Hub project. As I reflect on my, two-year Youth Hub anniversary, what I notice and hear most about, are the often hidden, or not ‘formally’ recognised gifts, given, to our churches and communities.

Over the past two years the Bishop’s Castle Youth Hub, set up for the Clun Valley & Pontesbury deaneries, has seen Youth Hub drop-ins grow and discipleship groups for our young people develop. Chaplaincy has been established at the area wide feeder secondary school, the Community College Bishop’s Castle, with further involvement in RE lessons and the school & youth hub ‘Spirited Art’ community project becoming an annual event. Faith orientated primary school clubs encouraging and beginning to connect local churches, families, and school communities together. There’s been youth trips and events, and now an established monthly Youth Church increasing local church Service provision. However, these things have only been made possible because of the many, and often hidden gifts given, by congregation and community volunteers working alongside clergy and diocesan staff members.

There’s been the obvious, ‘wrapping paper’ gifts, of the money given from the Church Commissioners to set-up the project, and financial and administrative help of the Diocese Parish Support Office which often goes unseen. Churches have offered venue and office space and gifted fundraising. School teachers and staff have given resources and gifts of time and hospitality, parents as taxi services and helpers, church wardens and volunteers giving wide ranging gifts of practical skills, support, listening and prayer, all of which as another Saint, Saint Paul puts it, are ‘indispensable gifts’ for the body of the church. I’ve been blessed by these gifts from others along the way in seeing volunteers find new purpose and grow in their own spiritual life, new friendships and community form in the church, schools encouraged by growing church connections, and young people come to faith. It demonstrates how each of us has God given gifts and in offering these by working alongside each other and continuing to share ministry locally we can all flourish.

Finally, I’d like to add what an incredible gift our young people are to the church with their questions, their insights, their energy, their service, their willingness, and their joy. The patron saint for young people, Saint Nicholas, has reminded me that it is the gifts given, received, and shared, which encourages us as a Church to not only share the good news, but be the good news.

– ENDS –