SUSCOTLAND.ORG.UKJULY 2015@su@

Telling Generation Z Someone told us, and now we’re telling the next generation the good news about Jesus!

Our vision is to see the children and young people of Scotland exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus. As a Christian charity we are part of the worldwide family of Scripture Union movements that began nearly 150 years ago and now operates in over 120 countries across the world. In Scotland around 2,000 volunteers are supported by over 100 staff and associate workers. We work in partnership with local churches wherever we can, training, equipping, and working with children and young people. Wherever you find children and young people – in schools, on holiday, in local communities or online – you’ll find us providing opportunities to explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus

whilst making friends and having fun.

SU Scotland 70 Milton Street, Glasgow, G4 0HR t. 0141 332 1162e. info@suscotland.org.uk w. suscotland.org.uk

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A large print edition is available on request.

Editor: Hilary Phillips, cygnus-extra.co.ukDesign: Innovivid, innovivid.co.ukPrinted by: Verve, vervegrp.co.uk© Scripture Union Scotland, 2015Scottish Charity SC011222 ISSN 1357 - 7171

contents

4 Telling the next generation Read stories from people who choose to share the good news – and those who have listened and responded.

6 Inter-generational ministry Kenny McKie shares about the long-term nature of his work, and some of the people he's passing it on to.

14 Faith that grows deep roots Jen Robertson explores what happens when Christians of different ages and stages worship together.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let

them proclaim your power.Psalm 145:4

18 Guardians of AncoraThere's a new world-class game for 8 - 11 year olds – but this one's based around the Bible!

21 Summer at a glance Get a quick overview of what we’re up to during the holidays. Then get involved and pray for an amazing summer.

andy’s column

What’s your vision for the next generation, for developing others for wider ministry?Why do we fi nd it so hard to let things go and allow others to take over?

I suppose it’s about control (who else can do it quite like me?) and identity (if I give this

up will I have a role, will I still be considered useful?) and fear (what if others fail or, worse, what if they do it better than me!?) These, often unspoken, insecurities aff ect most of us at some time or another but they act as huge barriers to releasing others into ministry.

There are some great examples of Christ-like humility and vision that tell a diff erent story. Like the senior pastor who swapped roles with his more junior associate because he recognised gifts of strategic leadership which he did not possess. His gifts were primarily pastoral; hugely benefi cial but not the best gifts for the role he was in.

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It is particularly pressured for founding leaders of a church or organisation. Recently I met a couple who had planted a church. They knew it was time to pass on the leadership and it was clear that there was someone in the church who could be nurtured to take over a leadership role. Increasingly they are standing back as the transition takes place, happily working themselves out of this job, ending it well and with readiness for the next task God has in store. Control, identity crisis and fear did not feature in their thinking. This was like family, bringing up children who become increasingly independent but with continued strong relationship.

This best practice is clearly biblical, deriving from Jesus with his disciples as they fumblingly learn to do greater things than he had done (John 14:12) – without a hint of fear of being surpassed! And the practice is fundamental to Paul’s ministry, who trusts a reluctant Timothy to carry the baton (2 Tim 2:2) – all in

the knowledge that if he has to control everything the scope of ministry is going to be vastly reduced.

So, here comes the challenge. What is holding you back from releasing others? People who need to hear you say; ‘I trust you. Get on with the job’; ‘I think you can do this better than me’; ‘I’ll be here for you but it’s time for you to step forward’. It’s the people who said that kind of thing to me that I look back on with the greatest gratitude. They knew I wasn’t the fi nished article (and would still see that) but they had a vision for the next generation, for developing others and for wider ministry. Thank God, that kind of vision has fi red so much of SU Scotland’s ministry. Let’s ensure the fl ame is fanned. (2 Tim 1:6)

Andy BathgateChief Executiveandy.bathgate@suscotland.org.uk

Andy Bathgate

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One generation has to tell the good news to the next one! This is such an integral idea to our faith, and so important to everything that happens here at SU Scotland. Many of us are grateful to the people who shared their faith with us and want to do the same – pass on God’s message of salvation to the children and young people in our communities. Read on for some great stories from people who chose to prioritise “telling the next generation” and those who listened.

One generation has to tell the good news to the next one! This is such an integral idea to our faith, and so important to everything that

Telling the nextgeneration

motiv8 campstelling the next generation

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Anna’s gap year gave her opportunities to share her faith with others just a few years younger.

When I saw the publicity for SU Scotland’s gap year programme,

somehow I knew I was going to be on it! I had been planning on going to university but this just seemed like such an amazing opportunity. And God definitely had a plan for me to be there, since it is overwhelming how much I have learnt and changed during the year.

A highlight for me was the time we spent with SU in Ukraine. I certainly think I got more out of that than I gave. I enjoyed getting to know all the wonderful people from Open Bible and I saw so many answers to prayer. It was amazing to see the young people's

I feel I can relate to the campers and understand where they are coming from.excitement when we handed out shoeboxes filled with gifts or even when we came into their schools, providing opportunities for them to speak with someone whose first language is English. We had some really lovely conversations and lots of laughs.

Working in Muirhouse, Edinburgh has also been brilliant. At first I didn’t want to do it as I was quite uncertain of how I would relate to young people from such a different background, but the way you can impact their lives is so important.

Volunteering at SU Holidays has been a really important part of the year too – they are crazily tiring but so much fun and getting to know the young people well is a really lovely opportunity. As a young team member it’s an exciting role – I feel I can relate to the campers and understand where they are coming from. The various pressures in school can be really tough on young people and since I have just come out of the system, I get it! The group

I had at Easter camp was a real mixture of different personalities who wouldn’t naturally click but I was able to help them to come together as a group.

Everyone should do a gap year – go for it while you can! The range of opportunities I have been given this year has stretched me but shown me how much you can impact a young person’s life. I have really seen God work this year which has deepened my relationship with him and I have a much more personal faith.

Anna Strong

Anna chose to do gap:local with SU in place of her sixth year at school. She is based in Edinburgh working alongside the es-team project workers where she is kept very busy leading school groups, singing with the Foolproof Glee club and taking part in residentials and missions. She will be heading to Aberdeen University in September to study Business Management.

We love leading SU Holidays and local weekends – the longer we do it, the more satisfying it becomes.

Sure, when I started out as a camper in 1967, it was just an adventure, a first time

away from home, and great fun – sleeping in a tent at Scoughall over Easter, playing wide games and new sports. Back at Scoughall the following summer I committed my life to Christ when the cross and the resurrection described in Luke’s gospel became personal. God took hold.

Then there was the challenge of leadership. I was challenged to train in leadership by various people in SU Scotland, through leading our new SU Group in Hyndland, through leading at camps and weekends, and through the CU

at Dundee University, where I met Alison and she joined me in the adventure. I was encouraged to become an Assistant Team Leader, to apply to work for SU Scotland as their youngest ever staff member, and then to lead my own SU Holidays at various places.

More and more Alison and I see the long term effects that God has on a young person, and on the church in Scotland. We’ve seen thousands of young people discover the God of the Bible over these years and go on into service as they grow up into adulthood.

Many now want their children and grandchildren to come on an SU Holiday with us as soon as they are old enough, because of all the good things that they received when they were young! We’re so pleased with that approach and it excites us every time we meet a child whose parents we once knew as children.

Many who came to one of our SU Holidays when they were younger, are leading and serving on teams this coming summer.

We’d like to introduce you to just a few of those volunteers who are passionate about God and the Bible and key assets to the church…

Lindsay Glover is working as a nurse in a senior position in Edinburgh, and is coming with us again to KX6 on Arran. Alison and I first met her as one of three noisy and bickering sisters from Stranraer – she came to Blaithwaite with us in the 90s and came to a living faith in Christ. Lindsay is sold out on SU ministry and she’s so good at it!

Emma Lang is a secondary teacher in Paisley, married to Andy, our Associate Worker with Contraflow in Helensburgh. We met Emma when she came to SU Holidays and weekends while she was at school in Lenzie. She went on to become a leader at Lendrick Muir for holidays for up to 106 young people and 42 team members. She and Andy were Assistant Team Leaders at Easter with us, and will do the same at Lendrick Muir this summer.

It excites us every time we meet a child whose parents we once knew as children.

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telling the next generation

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Stevie Crawford is a secondary school teacher in the Glasgow area and we first met him as a young camper in the early days of Lendrick Muir. Stevie is a committed leader in his church and is coming again as an ATL to LM1 in the summer, using his musical, sporting and discipling gifts in his work with young people. He has a real sense of fun, much appreciated by the young people in his care.

Gordon McKie trained as a primary school teacher and works with Junction 12 in the east end of Glasgow. We first met Gordon at birth(!), and growing up he spent his life around SU Holidays on Arran, at Blaithwaite, Lendrick Muir, Comrie and more. He brought others to SU Groups in primary and secondary school in Kirkintilloch & Lenzie and went on to become a Team Leader at SU Holidays. He has a real heart for sharing the gospel of Jesus with young people, particularly in his community.

And there are many more we are aware of. God is faithful and is making a deep impact on young lives, and Alison and I feel very privileged indeed to take part in this amazing ministry. To see how God works over a long period of time takes our breath away.

Kenny McKie

Kenny is the West Team Leader for SU Scotland and leads holidays every year at Lendrick Muir and Kingscross.

It’s such a privilege.Liz Beadie and Mary Buchanan talk about running the SU Group at Calderhead High in Shotts.

MARYIt was our pastor’s suggestion that I might go in to the high school and set up a group. We got going in January last year. We meet at lunchtime and the kids come in with their lunch and we chat together as they eat. We try not to give them spiritual indigestion, but make sure that whatever Bible episode we are looking at, we give them some snippet or key message to take away. At the moment we are using SU material based on Acts and the kids are really enjoying it.

We’ve also got some craft workshops set up at Alexander Peden Primary, which feeds to Calderhead. Some of the girls from the high school are coming to help at this event, where we’ll be using our crafting skills, then bringing it all together to tell a Bible story to the whole school. We’re hoping this event will encourage some of the P7s to think about coming to the SU Group when they come up to high school. It’s such a privilege to be able to work with children and young people and share our faith with them.

LIZTo be honest, I’m more comfortable behind the scenes, but Mary asked me to go in to Calderhead and support her and it’s been really exciting to see this new group get going and become a safe place for young people to gather. I can remember how it felt going to high school in Airdrie. It was really quite daunting and I was full of insecurities and questions. I wish there had been someone around that I could have asked the real questions of. I believe the Bible still has answers for young people today and I am delighted to have an opportunity to share that. To start with I was saying, “I can’t do this”, and I was right, but God and I can do it together.

Mary and Liz have been friends for ages. They are both retired and go to Benhar Evangelical Church, Harthill. Mary’s granddaughter is at Alexander Peden Primary.

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telling the next generation

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telling the next generation

Kathryn works as a Trainee Activities Instructor at Lendrick Muir, helping young people make the most of the activities.

I work with the young people who visit Lendrick Muir either with their school,

on an SU Holiday or at the weekend. After spending 8 years as a primary school teacher, it was wonderful to escape the classroom and work outside in God's beautiful creation!

I have taken on so many new activities since I came here (mountain biking and archery spring to mind) and love being able to pass on some of my new found skills. It is so rewarding to see young people face new challenges and achieve things

they didn't believe possible at the beginning of the week. We have lots of fun too!

I also live as part of the community at Lendrick Muir. It has been a real blessing to live with Christian brothers and sisters for, 'As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.' (Proverbs 27:17). We meet every morning for a Bible based 'morning thought' and prayer time. For me this has been an important discipline and helped me to live out SU Scotland's core values of dependence on God and deepening relationships. I pray for the kids I'm going to be working with every morning, asking God to help me to show them his love and grace in the way I treat them that day. I also ask for their safety. I think we show our faith in the way we treat the children – with patience, compassion, kindness, respect, gentleness, encouraging them, taking an interest in them and listening to what they have to say. We want the children to feel valued.

It felt like a bit of a risk.It felt like a bit of a risk to give up a sensible job and move 500 miles away from all my family and friends, but God has been faithful and provided all I need and plenty more.

I hope and believe that the young people coming here see in us something of the presence of our God and Saviour.

Kathryn Lochrie

Kathryn joined the team at Lendrick Muir in September 2013. She is married to Fraser, who is also part of the Lednrick Muir staff team.

There are currently opportunities for Trainee Activities Instructors and Centre Support Workers at Lendrick Muir.

Find out more at suscotland.org.uk/jobs

How did we get here?!Suse &Me

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My fi rst time away at camp was a tear-fest. Not on my part, of course – I couldn’t wait to get stuck in – but on my mother’s part.

Leaving her only daughter with a group of strangers for a week, she was

perhaps more distraught by the fact that I didn’t seem at all bothered by this!

1998 seems a long time ago now, but that fi rst SU camp has had more impact on my life than I could imagine at the time. I made friends, tried new activities and met leaders who thought following Jesus could be the

greatest adventure in the world. Fast forward a few years, and I’m

back at the same camp, meeting the girl who’d become one of my most treasured friends: Suse. We laughed and cried together that week, and become each other’s ‘long distance friend’ – living half an hour apart at 13 meant we’d see each other roughly twice a year.

As the years passed our friendship grew, and we moved into leadership ourselves. As well as in our schools and universities, we both became leaders at our SU camp (though not at the same time). We served on team with Sara, who had been our Team Leader all through the years.

Moving to uni meant camp took a back seat for a while – but our friendship didn’t. One day while visiting home we caught up for a coff ee and I shared some of

my dreams about taking photos that would change the world. An off -handed comment by Suse sparked conversations and ideas that resulted in my being in Uganda for two months the following summer – overlapping with her team from Aberdeen University.

We worked hard and played harder – her team surprised me with the most thoughtful birthday meal I’ve had as I turned 21. At the end of our time together, we took a day off in Jinga and found ourselves fl oating down the Nile thinking, “how did we get here?!” That evening we fi lmed a little message for Sara, telling her how thankful we were for all the SU camps she’d led (for and with us) and for the infl uence she continues to have on our lives.

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How come your leaders know God so well?Sometimes it’s just about being there and ready to answer a question when it’s asked.

Misha (short for Michael) was 8 years old, from a non-Christian family. I wasn’t his group leader – I was a camp leader – but somehow we became friends. At the end of

the camp I was walking with him to the train station dragging his big suitcase. It was hard and Misha was walking slowly so we were far behind other people. It was good to chat about the time in the camp but all of a sudden he asked me a question:

"How come your leaders know God so well?” I was not ready for this but I said: “They love God and they read

the Bible.” “But I wonder,” he said, “is it possible to know God without

reading the Bible – very deep in your heart?” I took a deep breath: “Yes, I think it is.” I was almost ready to give

him a little sermon on developing a personal relationship with God but he continued:

“But you know, I think if you know God deep in your heart you start to read your Bible more to know God more.”

“Oh, yes, that’s right.” “But you know, if you know God deep in your heart and you read

your Bible to know him more then you want to share about God with everyone else. Am I right?”

“Yes, I think you are perfectly right.” And I’m speechless. Please, pray for this boy to continue to know God more – deep in his heart and to read his Bible and then to share God with everyone else.

Oksana Khimich

Oksana works with our partner Open Bible in Ukraine where she is responsible for their camps programme and other areas. She travels widely as a trainer for the SU movements in the Former Soviet Republics. She can also be found translating for Samaritan’s Purse or enjoying a good coff ee…but Starbucks has not made it to Ukraine yet!

A few years later, Sara passed on leadership of the camp to one of the other girls we had been campers with. It was a joy to surprise her by fl ying in for the day and joining so many past and present leaders to bless and honour her sacrifi cial leadership.

Those SU camps feel long gone, but the impact they had on my life never ceases. Sara, Suse and all the other leaders along the way moulded in me Godly characteristics of community, sacrifi ce and love. Not to mention the heaps of fun we had together!  

Emma Boyd

Emma is Communications & Marketing Coordinator for SU Scotland and continues to love taking photos. She, Suse and Sara took part in SU camps in Northern Ireland.

telling the next generation

Jen Robertson shares her insight on telling the next generation, bringing together her recent studies and ongoing experience.

All of us involved in youth ministry may at some point have considered the Bible verse “We will

tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” (Psalm 78:4). We will all have interpreted this in different ways but for me, for many years, these words were a direct instruction to pass on the good news of Jesus to those who were younger than me.

My perception was that young people didn’t know the things that I already knew, and therefore it was my responsibility to let them know. This placed a burden on me that inspired me to make sure the generation below me were “filled” with this knowledge.

However, as the years have passed and I have given closer examination to the cultural context in which these words were written I discovered that they are describing a richness of community living that is far more than the older, wiser members simply dictating instructions to the generation that is coming after them. When we read Deuteronomy, we discover that God’s people are encouraged to talk together about God with their children while they walk, eat, and sit down together; to have these conversations where all can come closer to God through a sharing between generations, where questions are asked and answers explored together, leading to a building up of faith for both generations.

Developing a faith that grows deep roots and stays into adulthood

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This description of “telling” contrasts with our church experience over the past 100 years where we have tended to separate out the generations into age segregated groups rather than seeking to create communities where different generations can learn from each other and grow in faith together.

In a major piece of research in the USA on young people’s attitudes to religion and spirituality, Sandra Keasey Dean found that the main requirement for strong faith development for young people was that their faith became “part of the air that they breathed”. Young people who had homes, or church “homes” where faith was talked about round the dinner table and included in all aspects of life were the ones who had a faith that grew deep roots and stayed with them into adulthood. The ideas found in “Sticky Faith” from the Fuller Youth Institute are grounded in these findings. This means that our churches need to be places where faith is openly chatted about – safe places where questions can be asked and all of us can work out what it means to be a person of faith in a pluralistic society where Christianity is no longer the loudest voice. Youth and children’s ministry is not something that can happen in a vacuum with a small group of adults responsible for “passing on” the faith, it needs to happen in a community of all ages

where deep relationships are formed and conversations take place about what it means to follow Jesus.

In my own recent small scale research study for my MA in childhood and youth studies, it was clear for the young people I spent time with in a small Church of Scotland congregation that relationships across and between generations were significant and important in their faith.

The adults in their congregation acted as gatekeepers in their faith development, providing opportunities and creating an ethos that would determine what their experience of that faith community was. All of these young people spoke of the significance of older people in their congregation.

However young people also spoke about the need for peer support to help them explore and create their own

faith; to do this they needed more than their local church experience. So they attended festivals, other churches, residential events and national celebrations which were a vital part of their faith development. They met other young people who went to church, and that helped them work out their faith within a culture where Christianity is increasingly in the minority.

These findings have implications for Scripture Union Scotland; we know that we provide these spaces for young people to interact with their peers in school groups, missions, and residential events. How though do we ensure that these activities also create strong communities where a mix of generations is present? How do we support local churches to do the same? Our prayer must be that across our nation young people would find spiritual “homes” in their community where God is talked about as “they sit…and when they walk along the road, when they lie down and when they get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Jen Robertson

Jen works for SU Scotland and Hamilton Presbytery of the Church of Scotland as their Church/Schools youth development worker. She has just graduated with a MA in childhood and youth studies from the Open University.

faith that grows deep roots

How great is our Commission?

Each year more than 5,000 young people participate in

holidays, weekends, missions and SU Groups – many of whom

have never heard about Jesus. It’s an amazing opportunity to

spend time having fun, sharing in activities and teaching

through actions and word.

T hat’s the opportunity that over 100 young people, aged 16 and

over take on when they join the COmMISSION programme and get involved as trainee leaders to help run this programme of events.

Our nation is becoming increasingly secular and was recently classifi ed as a priority mission fi eld. The COmMISSION events aim to equip young leaders in sharing Jesus with others at SU events, but more importantly to live as confi dent

Christians in their school, community and even at home. The Go Conference, Christmas Houseparty, On Track, Basecamp and LeadUP, each with a slightly diff erent emphasis, all seek to invest in young people who want to be used by God amongst their friends, peers and family.

We long that more senior pupils in our schools should take on leadership of groups where they share Jesus with the next generation. Please join with us in praying that the Lord will call out many who will be

prepared to be “a voice in the wilderness…” and for the staff and volunteers who seek to have just the right words and programmes to enable them in this task.

That’s what COmMISSION is all about! How great is our God!

Jackie Ringan

Jackie is Director of Development at SU Scotland. She's passionate about helping young people grow in discipleship and be equipped to live for Jesus.

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Coming from a Christian household, I always assumed that everybody else had been brought up with the gospel.

As time goes on however, I’ve come to realise that this is far from the case. I

find it sad that so many children grow up clueless as to who Jesus really is. Volunteering with SU is a golden opportunity to do something about that.

With this is mind, I decided to sign up to the COmMISSION programme. (After all, I felt I should give something back for the 8 years of holidays I’d enjoyed already!) The first step was to attend Basecamp, which was both helpful and enjoyable. The scenario-based

style of teaching gave us all bucket-loads of practical advice relevant to us as individuals and as members of a team.

So far I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a weekend away leading some of Lanarkshire’s P5-P7s. I am also hoping to use what I learned at Basecamp on a full week’s residential, most likely at Lendrick Muir or Glenshee, as well as taking part in my church holiday club, all before the review weekend in August.

If you’re considering Christian leadership at all, I couldn’t recommend the COmMISSION programme enough. It’s an excellent opportunity to grow in your own faith and gain

I felt I should give something back.

both insight and experience in the demanding but rewarding worlds of working with children and spreading the word. Don’t forget, though, that it’s great fun and you’ll almost certainly have a really good time yourself!

Andrew Robertson

Andrew has just finished 6th year at Hamilton College and is hoping to study at Glasgow University. He plans to continue volunteering for SU Scotland in years to come.

commission

Generation Z : (n) Young people born just before or since the millennium, into the age of the internet and social networks.

Is Gen-Zlistening?

Absolutely! The problem is that most of the time   all they hear is noise.

They are bombarded with requests for their opinions and feelings, yet given very little solid information to base these on. The young people I encounter at church, camps and in schools are hungry to be taught but when they ask big questions, these are often thrown back at them. I never cease to be amazed by the impact that mentoring and long term discipleship can have on young people – they value our time and prayer more than anything material, and for our part we gain the unique privilege of seeing the God-given potential of a youngster come right to the surface.

Jo Black Jo Black was a regional worker with the es-team project and now co-ordinates the SU gap year programme where she is privileged to disciple and train young people passionate to serve God in Scotland.

I think that Generation Z are listening, but to the wrong people. The media

portrays a stereotype of the church having not progressed for many decades, and as a result society receives a second-hand picture of a ‘church of the past’ – hard pews, hymn books and stern rules. They show no accommodation for youth (or technology, for that matter), so youth do not venture. But this is not reality! Once you show young people that there is in fact a 21st century church and what the real message of the Bible is – that God created you and loves you endlessly – in a lot of cases, you break a barrier, and they are much more willing to listen.

Caitlin Clark

Caitlin is just finishing school in Edinburgh and heading to Aberdeen University. She serves on the Student Executive, bringing a youthful voice to our strategy. ers Scotland

q-time

Got a view on this Q? Share on: f T #suqtime

Every young person is precious and has potential, but most don’t

know or feel it. I believe they do want to know the very best news they‘ll ever hear – that they are loved – when we present that message in ways they relate to.

We need to utilise all forms of media to engage young minds, make the message of Jesus relevant and current to their situation. Many are disillusioned with life in general, with religion, or lack a sense of worth. We need Jesus followers whose passion and mission is focused on how best to interact with young people, who speak their language in a way that makes following Jesus such an adventure that he becomes essential to their lives.

Gill Anderson

Gill presents a weekly program called Our World on Revival FM, highlighting the work of missions far and near. She attends Glasgow Vineyard where she serves as "mum" to many.

While the truth of our message is unchanging the challenges of a rapidly changing culture keep us on our toes. So, how are we connecting with the current generation of children and young people, and are they at all interested?

Guardians of Ancora

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The last few months have seen growing excitement and anticipation for the summer launch of a new digital game for children: Guardians of Ancora, developed by Scripture Union England and Wales.

Targeted at 8-11 year olds, the game challenges children to restore

the light to the city of Ancora. As guardians of the city, they must fi nd the Bible stories that have been lost by immersing themselves in the story as they run, jump, solve puzzles and uncover the truth of the story.

Over 4 years in the making, Guardians of Ancora is our biggest ever project, and the launch is just a stage in the development of what we pray will be a game that covers the whole message of God’s salvation from creation to Revelation.

Already churches and leaders who have seen early test versions of the game at events throughout the world

are thinking of ways they can use the game to develop their ministry and support them in evangelism.

Churches are planning to have Ancora themed events, building on the investment that is being made in online advertising to all children, churched and unchurched. Leaders are excited by the opportunities given to children that are part of their church’s family to share the gospel message by encouraging their friends to play.

The game is a full featured high quality game that will be playable on all the major tablet computer platforms (iPad, Android, Kindle Fire). The graphics and gameplay are focused on being as good as the leading tablet games.

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Download Guardians of Ancora on the iTunes App Store, Google Play Store and the Kindle Fire App Store this summer.

Crucially the game will be FREE, free to download and free to play. The vision is to connect hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of children to the Bible stories through the playing of the game, and through that a relationship with Jesus.

At Easter thousands of children and parents saw the game up close at Spring Harvest, and the response was even more excitement and enthusiasm. One mum told us “At last I have a game that I’d love him to play, and he wants to play it”, whilst another boy who owned up to

being a bit of a gamer, playing Minecraft a lot, said ”I cannot wait for this, and I’ll tell my friends about it as well”.

So please start talking about it, download it, play it, get children to play it, get those children to tell their friends about it, plan how you can use it in your church and let’s spread the gospel of Jesus among our children.

Mark Green

Mark joined SU England & Wales a year ago. He has worked in publishing for most of his career including major online launches. He’s married with three school-aged children and is training to be a minister in the Church of England.

summer at a glancesuscotland.org.uk/events

missionsEvents providing a fabulous setting for children to have fun together and fi nd out more about Jesus. We partner with churches, providing support, advice, training, team members and resources. Missions will take place across Scotland this summer in towns and villages, in cities and on beaches.

7 weeks8 venues1600 young people       800 volunteers

Holidays

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1-5 august : soul survivor @ lendrick muirLendrick Muir will welcome thousandsfor Soul Survivor Scotland. Hosted by Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft with worship led by Tom Smith & Rend Collective.

3

motiv8 holidays

Sponsored through our Holidays Sponsorship

appeal, these are holidays with a special

focus for young people from disadvantaged

backgrounds.

7 weeks

&M

issions

7 weeks8 venues1600 young people       800 volunteers

 young people volunteers

Holidays

prayer for it allJoin the team, right from your armchair. During the holidays we run a prayer hotline – a vital way of getting involved in supporting holidays and missions. We'd be delighted if you could get involved in praying with us.

COmMISSIONIt’s a bit like an international mission

programme, but right here in Scotland. Young people taking part get trained

up, then spend several weeks at events over the summer, and get involved in

running SU Groups afterward.

Missions

big celebration 22/08You're invited to Lendrick Muir…

Join us for our annual day of praise for all that's been done and prayer for the

year ahead. Details on back cover.

back to school with GodAn excellent bridge between church and school and a great way to pray for young people and staff at the start of a new school year. Sunday 23 August, or a date that suits you…

What’s on?

Get the latest news and event details online: suscotland.org.uk/events

Pray for Holidaysand Missions 26 JUNE 2015LENDRICK MUIR7:30-9:30 PM

Perhaps you can't physically go on an SU Holiday or Mission this year - but you can still join the team. We depend on our prayer partners just as much as those at the events. Join us at Lendrick Muir as we commit our holidays and missions to God. All ages.

Prayer hotline Join the team right from your armchair.

suscotland.org.uk/hotline

Soul Survivor Scotland1-5 AUGUST 2015LENDRICK MUIR

Gather with lots of young people to spend five days worshipping God, hearing from his word, and being empowered by his Holy Spirit.

soulsurvivor.com suholidays.org.uk/soulsurvivor

Big Celebration 22 AUGUST 2015 LENDRICK MUIR

We’re embracing holy chaos this year, turning our morning session into an all-age creative worship event – but don’t worry, there’s something for everyone!

suscotland.org.uk/bigcelebration

Back to School With God Sunday23 AUGUST 2015

Download our free resources to run an all-age church service to pray for and support your young people and school community at the start of the school year.

This year we are learning from Peter as he takes his first steps following Jesus, falls out of step, and finally gets back in step.

suscotland.org.uk/bsg

Pray Any WaySEPTEMBER 2015 ABERDEEN

Worship and pray individually, with peers and in your family groups – all at the one event.

suscotland.org.uk/prayanyway

Go Conference9-12 OCTOBER 2015LENDRICK MUIR

Join us at our national youth conference for S4-S6 pupils as we explore 2 Timothy. With so many distractions, how will we ‘keep going!’ in the Christian faith?

suscotland.org.uk/goconf

Christmas Houseparty28-30 DECEMBER 2015LENDRICK MUIR

Our Christmas Houseparty is open to anyone in S4 up to age 19 and is held at Lendrick Muir in the slightly lazy week between Christmas and New Year.

suscotland.org.uk/christmas

change is coming…

SU HolidaysAug 2015

what’s on : highlights

Book online: strictlycomepraying.org.ukBook online: strictlycomepraying.org.uk

BIG CELEBRATIONexploring the greatness + faithfulness of GodSat 22 Aug 2015, Lendrick Muir

Please join us for as much or as little of the day as you can - entry is free!*

Morning celebration 11am–12:45pm(Refreshments from 10:30am; crèche available)Join us for a morning of all-age worship using creative exploration stations as we explore God’s greatness and faithfulness through the eyes of Joshua

Afternoon activities 2pm–4pmSeminars / AGM / café / inflatables / bungee trampoline / bookstall / high ropes / go karts

Afternoon celebration 4pm–5:30pmWorship / gap year review & commissioning / international / reflection on morning (crèche and children’s programme available)

Ceilidh 7pm–10pm

*Big Celebration costs roughly £4000 to host. We’d want you to come more than we want your money(!), but if you can donate to the cost of the day we’d be extra grateful.

suscotland.org.uk/bigcelebration