@SU

Who matters to God?

news Back to school with GodFeedback from churches on our annual schools focus

pg 3

in depthwho matters to God?John Nonhebel reflects on how we work with the disadvantaged

pg 8pg 4

featurea week at… an su holidayChris & Claire Macrae share the story of their summer

pg 14

peOpLeOne volunteer to anotherIan & Naomi Campbell on why they volunteer

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We probably learn more things through the hard times than we do when life is straightforward. Certainly the Bible is clear that the costliness of discipline reaps great rewards: “At the time discipline is not much fun...later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.” (Hebrews 12:11, The Message).

We have been through difficult months in su scotland, what with financial challenges, unwanted media attention over a former

employee and protests against Christian groups having their continued levels of access to schools. It has not been easy.

But what has this disciplining produced? That may take time to discern but we can certainly point to some of the things we have learned or re-learned.We have witnessed the Holy spirit at work. When people maintain their trust in the Lord, remaining patient and faithful despite frustrations and unanswered questions, it is a sure sign that the Holy spirit is indeed at work in their lives. When supporters respond in prayer and with financial generosity it is a mark that God is at work in his people. We have learned to give thanks afresh for a gospel that does change people.

We have learned to submit again to God in every circumstance. When we are assailed by things we would rather not face we can run, hide, become angry and self-pitying or we can submit. We have been learning to submit to God’s purpose, however much it runs against how we would like things to be. And we have proved him as our protector, keeping us from a media storm that could have caused us much greater harm, bringing us to a point where ministry could continue as jobs were saved.

We must never be distracted from our calling. Whatever the pressures we face and whatever schemes the devil might employ to sidetrack us, our calling to help the children and young people of scotland explore the Bible and respond to Jesus is paramount. I thank God for the opportunity to serve on a camp and mission this summer, a summer in which I witnessed a response to Jesus that underlines that the gospel is as true, relevant and as life-giving as ever.

Andy BathgateChief Executive

andy.bathgate@suscotland.org.uk

andy's columnFaithful through the hard times

paperless helps us cut costs – Let us know if you'd like to switch to receiving @su and Prayer Diary by email. You can sign up for our regular e-News too. Email info@suscotland.org.uk.

Our vision is to see children and young people 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.

find out more about...scripture union scotland

A large print edition is available on request.

SU Scotland t. 0141 332 116270 Milton street f. 0141 352 7600 Glasgow e. info@suscotland.org.uk G4 0HR w. www.suscotland.org.uk

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Editor: Hilary Phillips, www.cygnus-extra.co.ukDesigned by: Innovivid, www.innovivid.co.ukPrinted by: Verve, www.vervegrp.co.ukPublished by: scripture union scotland

© scripture union scotland, 2013scottish Charity sC011222 IssN 1357 - 7171

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."

James 4:8

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Celebrating 25 years of ministry at alltnacricheOn 5th October, we celebrated 25 years since the dedication of Alltnacriche to God for the ministry of scripture union scotland. Reflecting on the past 25 years, we testify to a growing and developing ministry with young people through SU Holidays and Weekends, a resource which has been used to bless the wider youth ministry of the Christian church, and a place where schools come for residentials and to explore the outdoors within a Christian environment.

We recount stories of amazing answers to prayer; the humbling generosity of supporters, both in finance and with their time; significant stories of faith of those who have been here, or come to work here as part of the team. The ministry has benefitted from four significant stages of investment, each enabling the growing vision for our work at the centre. We believe we have seen God at work.

Where we stand is a good place to be, surrounded by the Creator’s good work, observing it around us, seeing him at work in the lives of the young people who come here, and sensing his presence among those who live and work at the centre.

Paul BaytonCentre Director, Alltnacriche

honours for esmeCongratulations to Esme Duncan on her British Empire Medal which was announced in the summer honours list. The award is recognition of Esme’s long-term involvement in Christian work which included 15 years on the staff of su scotland.

“God called me out of teaching in 1970, when I became the staff worker for the whole of the East of scotland from the Moray Coast to the Borders. Camps at Kingscross on Arran and elsewhere, regional weekends and events in the October break were all a hugely important part of my role, as well as speaking at school assemblies, working in the classroom and supporting local volunteers. In 1986, the call out of su was just as clear as the call in, but my prayers for, and interest in, the work of su scotland have continued.”

For the last 16 years, Esme has worked with the Church of scotland in Caithness. she is soon to be ordained, enabling her to continue to serve the local church there. Last word from Esme: “I’m delighted with the award, but I just want the glory to go to God! “

all back to schoolOnce again this year, churches across scotland celebrated Back to School with God Sunday at the end of August. Now in its 7th year, this special way of recognising the beginning of the school year is held in a wide variety of churches, both large and small, some with few children and others with many. All denominations have used the resources and we know from the registrations on our website that they are being used not just in the uK but in other countries too! The “Dig Down Deep” material provided an opportunity to explore the parable of the wise and foolish builder. The event helps local churches to focus on praying for young people and their teachers in their local schools.

Using Back to School With God material was a great success again this year. The old people really appreciated seeing so many young ones involved in the interactive parts of the service. It was well-balanced and great fun!Viv Aitken, Gillespie Memorial Parish Church, Dunfermline.

The feedback I got was excellent. It was fast paced and varied, allowing for a variety of media and a range of verbal presentations within a genuinely family context of worship. We even had guests from a local school that came specially for this service. What is also significant was the positive response we got from within the school community because we were thinking of them and praying for their work, even if they were not able to attend the service.Rev. Brian Talbot, Broughty Ferry Baptist Church

The school scenarios were fun to do. Very realistic! The teenagers’ testimony stopped some adults in their tracks and took them back to their commitment.Rev Canon Fay Lamont, St Ninian’s Episcopal Church, Dundee

highlightsnews

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AV1 is a multi-activity holiday based at the su scotland centre at Alltnacriche near Aviemore, in the beautiful surroundings

of the Cairngorms National Park. We were truly blessed during our time there with the most amazing weather – the whole country was enjoying a heatwave, but Aviemore was the hottest place in the uK!

We have been leading for three years now and are seeing a high return rate of campers each year, providing discipleship opportunities and creating a real family feel between the leaders and campers. A real blessing this year was the fact that although we had a lot of returners, the new campers fitted in so well with the regular AV1-ers making them feel instantly welcome and part of the ‘family’!

As well as the 51 teenagers, we had a fantastic team of volunteers this year. The team totalled 25, with the majority being students and some having been campers in previous years. The team were superb!

Chris and Claire Macrae were Team Leaders at AV1, a week-long

holiday at Alltnacriche during summer 2013. Here they share

their story of scorching sunshine and some of the highlights of an exciting, non-stop, God-centred

week at an SU Holiday.

"A week at…" …an su holiday

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Everyone showed huge commitment to the aims and ethos of the camp and gave the utmost priority to the campers throughout the event. The individual team member skills and gifts complemented each other, resulting in a strong, prayerful Christian community.

We set 1 Thessalonians 5:16 as our focus for the team this year: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

As it is a multi-activity holiday, many of the activities are off-site and we use activity providers in the local area such as the Loch

Morlich Watersports Centre. Off-site activities include kayaking, river kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, pony trekking, abseiling, hill walking, tennis and crazy golf.

The centre at Alltnacriche is very well equipped and we are able to run lots of activities on site as well, such as mountain biking, archery, aerial runway, ropes course, orienteering, basketball, volleyball, football, crafts, team challenges and many more!

One particular highlight is the annual Leaders v Campers football match which - sad to say! - the campers won convincingly again this year!

On the sunday of camp, we have a more relaxed day, with the whole camp taking part in the same activities, based around teamwork. This year we cut short the sunday programme as the overwhelming desire of the campers (and leaders) was to watch Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final! This is now becoming a regular slot in the programme it would seem!

Although we have a packed programme of activities, the ultimate aim of camp is to provide space and time for the young people to spend with their leaders engaging with the Bible. This happens through our Group Time each morning, and also through a whole camp Evening Meeting where we meet and enjoy worship and teaching together. This year’s teaching theme was ‘Who Will Be King?’ and looked at the comparisons between King David in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament. It was great to see the campers really engaging with the teaching and then hearing how the Group Leaders developed the discussions during the individual Group Times each day. On the last night during the teaching, we encouraged all the campers to set themselves a personal goal for them to do at least one thing as a witness to others or as a personal commitment to themselves as a way of deepening their faith. Examples were to talk to their friends about their faith, start an su Group in their school, find regular time to pray or read their Bible each day.

Another highlight for the campers each day is the AV1 Roadshow which is a boys v girls competition, involving all sorts of crazy and very often messy challenges. The Roadshow runs all week and the campers take it really seriously – there is much celebration by the winning team at the end of the week!

This year it was evident to us that the event had been a huge success as we looked around at the faces at our ceilidh on the final night. The joy of the young people in being with each other and the Christian love was clear to see in the room and was a particular highlight of the whole week for us.

We were so encouraged by the way the young people took part in everything, the way they listened, the way they questioned and the way they all supported and respected each other and their leaders. Young people can often get bad press in today’s society, but we had a group of campers who were a credit to their generation.

Overall we had a fantastically blessed time leading this event. We saw an abundant answer to prayer throughout the months leading up to the event and also during the camp itself. We felt we had great support from su scotland staff throughout, which we were very thankful for. The staff at Alltnacriche were very supportive as always and provided a great base for these young people to enjoy.

We support su scotland and volunteer with them in this way as we believe that there is a real need to further the truth of the gospel to young people, particularly in our increasingly secular society where having faith and sharing faith can be a difficult thing to live out as a young person. We believe that leading AV1 is part of our own ministry as Christians. su scotland, through their holiday programme, provide a safe and friendly place for young people to discover the gospel and grow in their faith and that is what makes it such a worthwhile ministry amongst young people in scotland today.

We love volunteering with su scotland in the way that we do, so much so that the planning has already started for 2014!

Chris and Claire MacraeTeam Leaders

Look out for more articles in our new “A week at…” series in future editions.

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If you are thinking of running a holiday club or mission in your church next summer, take a look at the

new su scotland material, written by Debbie White, and see how it might work for you.

With the Queen being the head of the Commonwealth, royalty is the theme that gives us all the connections. The fast-paced material is designed to introduce primary age children to Jesus the king and explores key questions about faith. Who is this Jesus? What kind of king is He? How can someone enter his kingdom?

day-by-day teaching themes

• Monday: Jesus is a king with a difference• Tuesday: Jesus is a king who cares• Wednesday: Jesus is a king who died for us• Thursday: Jesus is a king who rose from the dead. He is still

alive today.• Friday: Jesus is a king who invites us into his kingdom.

As Scotland gears up for Glasgow 2014, More than Gold is helping churches make the most of the opportunity the Commonwealth Games provides. As partners, we are producing a Games-themed holiday club resource, just right for a 5-day mission event in your community.

The material features a theme song alongside daily aerobics with Auntie Jessie from Aberdeen and suggestions for crazy “commonwealth games” to stage each day. There’s a 5-day drama series called Party at the Palace, based around Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet, but with some very scottish characters.

You’ll find a craft programme for the week, a series of memory verses, ideas for games, a medals table, small group materials, take home sheets – in fact everything we can think of to make a truly splendid week of activities material with strong links throughout to the Commonwealth Games, which will be in the

forefront of people’s minds next summer.

You’ll also find five video episodes, shot on location in Fife… the Kingdom stories each feature one of

Jesus’ parables.

Resources also include:

• Ideas for team devotions • Ideas for sunday services before and after the

Holiday Club week• Ideas for a family night• Ideas for a teenage programme• Ideas for promotion in schools

how to get your fit for a King materials

All materials will be available online in due course at a cost of £15. Visit www.suscotland.org.uk/fitforaking for further information.

The aim of More Than Gold 2014 is to enable Christians and churches, working together, to serve their communities, the city of Glasgow and the larger Commonwealth Games family. It seeks to mobilise the Christian community to serve through generous hospitality, social care, outreach and active prayer, demonstrating the relevance of the church today and leaving a legacy of Christian love beyond the 2014 Games.

More Than Gold 2014 is currently gearing up to equip and enable churches to make a real difference to their community, their city and the Commonwealth for the sake of the gospel.

Our Fit for a King resource will be promoted to churches through the More than Gold website.

Find out more at www.morethangold2014.org.uk

Get fit for mission in 2014This spring we'll be running a series of

training events, helping you to get in shape for a week of mission or holiday club in your

church.

Davidsons Mains Parish Church Edinburgh, 15th March 2013

Other dates and locations to be confirmed.

Keep a look out on our website for more details. www.suscotland.org.uk/missions

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ukrainian adventureDuring July, Matthew Malloch was one of a team of eight Scots, led by Jackie Ringan, who visited the Open Bible campsite at Vorzel in Ukraine. Matthew took time out of his Freshers’ Week in Aberdeen University to answer a few questions about the trip.

Why did you go?I was planning to spend a fair amount of my summer volunteering with su scotland. When I was offered an opportunity to go to ukraine I thought it would be a great way to contribute as well as to learn.

Were you aware of contrasts with SU Scotland events?The culture was definitely different from that of an SU Holiday in scotland. The children were given a lot more free time: time just to play, hang out and get up to the kinds of things that children get up to.

What were the challenges?We were working with a very wide age range, with children aged 5 through to 16. I was one of the leaders for a group of 7-year-olds – and the big challenge was that none of them spoke any English and I spoke no Russian! I was working alongside other ukrainian leaders who were able to translate, but it was still tough. Part of our role there was to help teach English and many of the teenagers had some English.

Do you have highlights from the week?Really, the biggest highlight for me was seeing God at work. There were times when we were dealing with some challenging situations and got together and prayed about them. We noticed how quickly and amazingly God intervened. It was so clear that God works in the small everyday things. Also, a lot of these children were in need of real love and affection. Many of them came from single-parent families and just enjoyed the care and attention we were able to give them.

Reflecting on your experience, what have you learned?I learned an amazing amount about leadership which I was able to put straight into practice back in scotland at an SU Holiday at Kingscross. I also became very conscious of the many benefits and privileges we have in scotland which I often take for granted. Now I want to make sure that I live my life well and make the most of the opportunities.

Any plans for next year?I know there is a plan developing to take a team to ukraine again, and it would certainly be a really great thing to do. Whatever I do next summer it will certainly involve loads of su scotland events. www.suscotland.org.uk/international

Matthew is heading in to first year at Aberdeen University where he is studying computing science.

Who matters to God ?

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John Nonhebel reports on a major theme from the Big Celebration this summer at Lendrick Muir, where we chose to celebrate the work that SU Scotland is privileged to be doing to prioritise those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“D o you know in this country that there are 1 in 5 of our children who grow up without a father? That’s the statistic.” At this year’s Big Celebration at Lendrick Muir Alan

McWilliam, minister of Whiteinch Church of scotland challenged us to consider our responsibility to reach out to “the least, the last and the lost” of society. speaking from Deuteronomy 10 Alan reminded us of God’s special concern for those on the edge of society and our responsibility to them.

During the day we heard exciting stories from churches and other organisations that su scotland partners with of how children and young people from different parts of scotland and who have grown up in disadvantaged situations have been part of programmes where they got the chance to experience something of God’s unconditional love.

Graeme Richards from Circle scotland talked about the three-way partnership between scripture union scotland, Circle scotland and Prison Fellowship that has enabled almost a 100 children affected by imprisonment to get away on an SU Holiday over the last three years:

“In a lot of cases, these children have been brought up surrounded by criminality, drugs and alcohol abuse, so for these children to go away and ‘be normal’ is absolutely fantastic. They’re not stigmatised, they’re not going into their school classrooms and people

know that mum or dad is in prison, they’re going away as normal people. They’re jumping on the bus with their cases as excited as everybody else.”

Gordon McKie is a project worker at Junction 12, a partner organisation of su scotland that works with young people in the Cranhill, Carntyne and Riddrie areas of Glasgow. Gordon highlighted the value of residential breaks:

“We might see a kid maybe for an hour in an SU Group and get a chance to speak

to them about the Bible, but at camp you just get the credibility. You earn their respect, you earn the right to really share with them and show them the gospel of Jesus... I asked a kid the other day what she had enjoyed about camp apart from the activities and she just said she loved that it was like a family.”

Margaret shuttleworth, minister of sauchie Parish Church in Clackmannanshire, shared something of her work in the sauchie and Coalsnaughton area where she is involved

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Camp was AMAZING as it brought different kinds of people together and made them into a family. I’ve made friends I’ll have for life. Teenager, S2

in schools work as well as helping with two SU Missions.

“... we really need you to come to our missions, to be in our missions, to encourage the children, to tell the children that they’re loved. It may just be one child in one mission and you say: We think you’re wonderful. Your work is amazing. The drawing that you did just now is beautiful. The way you did that wee mark on your biscuit with icing is incredible. That’s for you to do. You have the opportunity to encourage every single child in every single mission because sometimes they don’t always hear people saying: Gosh, you’re wonderful! You’re really talented. You’re really clever. You’re so good at that Bible verse. Well done! Because the parents don’t encourage them and we’re there and God sends us!”

Mandy, who grew up in the east end of Glasgow, spoke of how she became a Christian through the youth worker at her local church and was invited along to su weekends and holidays. Mandy is now taking a key role in leading an su Group at smithycroft secondary school.

“When I started working with the girls, I saw a lot of myself in them. You could see how decisions they were making, paths they were taking, were just heading for disaster. I could see what was going to happen before it even happened with them. Whereas now, they’re like a changed group of girls. They’re asking questions, and their attitude to God has changed completely. At the start they were like me – they just went to camp because it was camp; whereas now they’re talking about being leaders themselves and being Christians.”

su scotland is committed to “giving special attention to those who are disadvantaged and marginalised, who might otherwise be overlooked,” (su scotland strategy) and as we listen to stories from across the country about how this is happening we need to be excited as well as challenged about how fulfilling this biblical mandate is not just about projects but is about us as people investing in the lives of those who have ended up being marginalised and sometimes stigmatised by society.

John NonhebelUrban Ministries Leader

“ “Join us at Equipped to Transform in November to find out more about working alongside the disadvantaged – see page 15 for details.

responding to QuestionsThe last few weeks have seen the Edinburgh secular society and scottish secular society take concerted action to try to curtail access to schools by Christian groups. First there was a report identifying, as they see it, widespread abuse of opportunities by churches and Christian groups in schools. A petition to parliament then argued that since the population of scotland is ceasing to be predominantly Christian, the perceived bias toward Christianity in schools must be dropped and the right of parents to opt their children out of Religious Observance should become an opt-in approach. On top of that, all schools in scotland were presented with a Freedom of Information request asking about chaplaincy, the nature of RO events, Christian groups’ activity in school etc.

How should we respond? We do not need to respond with surprise or fear. As we said in our response to the sunday Herald, “We agree with the Edinburgh secular society that proselytising within a school context is wholly inappropriate. We strongly refute the idea that our work involves exerting pressure, indoctrination or any underhand methods. We are transparent about our aims and want young people to have the opportunity to understand and explore the Christian faith, coming to their own decision about its relevance.”

All schools are expected to work in partnership with their community, and to use community resources to support children’s learning, so we went on to say; “It's important to stress that we work in and with schools at their request. Our staff and volunteers along with many parents and helpers from all backgrounds respond to requests from schools for assistance on activities such as school trips and at sports days, paired reading in a classroom setting, breakfast clubs, providing music or a range of admin tasks. These kinds of request come commonly from schools and it is open to any responsible adult to help in this way. schools greatly welcome this kind of input from the local community.”

Neither is there is a need for us to be negative about our activity. We went on to say: “The longevity of our involvement in schools is indicative of the value Headteachers place on this service”. We also pointed out that, “The work we do in the area of Religious Observance gives young people the chance to reflect upon the spiritual dimension to life, an opportunity not afforded elsewhere in the curriculum’”. All our work is conducted in full adherence with Government guidelines, namely that RO opportunities be "community acts which aim to promote the spiritual development of all members of the school community and express and celebrate the shared values of the school community." To that end we seek to help children of all faiths and none explore values from a Christian worldview. We strongly believe there are many benefits to Christian organisations working with schools.

Is this the end of the story? Very unlikely. But we will continue to work and pray in the belief that every child in scotland has the right to explore the Bible and to respond to the significance of Jesus.

Andy Bathgate

For more on this issue:SOLAS Out of the Silent Church Conference 2013: "Education, Education, Education - The Role of Christianity in Education". Saturday 23 November, Dundee. Speakers: Sinclair Ferguson, Luc Bussiere, David Robertson & Mike Reeves. www.solas-cpc.org

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we are changing the way we do volunteer registration and we need your help!

new for 2014! su scotland is developing an online application system for our volunteers. here is what the process will look like……

1. Click the relevant link on our website (or in the email that existing volunteers will receive from us).

2. Create a user account and select a password.

3. Login to your new account with these details.

4. update your personal profile with a picture if you like.

5. Click on the link to submit a Volunteer Application for 2013-14. This will open up a multi-page form requesting all the usual kind of information requested previously on our paper forms, including contact details for referees and driving-related information if applicable. (The good news is that you can save the form and come back to it at any time. Also, all the relevant data you enter this year will be saved and displayed back to you when you come to renew your volunteer status with us next year!)

6. Check a sequence of boxes to confirm that you accept the conditions for volunteering with su scotland.

7. submit your application.

Your referee(s) will automatically receive an email with a link to a personalised form for them to complete online.

If you volunteered with su scotland in 2012-13, we will send you an email when the system goes live, asking you to register as a volunteer for 2013-14. Please register straight away, even if you are unsure of your availability. The availability of online registration, coupled with increasingly stringent child protection requirements, means that we require all volunteers to be fully accredited well in advance of their event.

important deadlines to register as a volunteer

Registration and (if needed) PVG scheme application will need to be completed by the following dates:

31/12/13 – for SU Group volunteers28/2/14 – Team Members for Easter Holidays & Missions31/5/2014 – Team Members for summer Holidays & Missions

All volunteers who aren’t already PVG scheme members will be asked to join the scheme this year.

for more info, please contact volunteers@suscotland.org.uk or call us on 0141 352 7610

Volunteer applications

are going online

Join in with this new initiative from Pray for Schools Scotland. The week of prayer for Scottish schools incorporates European Pray Day for Schools, which takes place each year on the 3rd

Tuesday of November.

JOIN is for everyone! Are you a pupil? Look at the Top 10 tips on this page, take your ideas to your su Group leader, let your imagination run, get your friends and school involved...

… or are you a teacher, parent, member of a prayer group? Check out our Top 10 tips for adults and consider what you can do to focus specific prayer during JOIN week on local schools and their needs. All resources available at www.suscotland.org.uk/join.uk/join.

top 10 tips for pupils1. THE MEETiNG: During JOIN week, turn your su Group into a

prayer meeting! Pray out loud, or using stations (download SU Group Prayer Stations).

2. THE PRAyER SHEET: Print off and use the JOIN Pray-through-the-Week sheet. use it yourself, print it off and give to others in your su Group.

3. THE FACEbook PAGE: Join us on the su scotland Facebook page or in the Lounge to post your prayers there.

4. THE PoP-UP: set your phone (do it now!) for a pop-up calendar reminder to appear on your phone to remind you to pray this week.

5. THE TRiPLET: Get together with two Christian friends and meet every day before or after school. Pray for specific people or situations.

6. THE WALk: Download the Prayer Walk Ideas and go on a walk around your town or village, stopping to pray as you go.

7. THE SPACE: Make a prayer room or prayer space that will last the whole of JOIN. Invite the school to use it (this needs to be planned, so get help from your Regional Worker – www.suscotland.org.uk/regional.)

8. THE WoRLD: Pray for schools in another country your school has links with, or choose a Commonwealth country ahead of Glasgow 2014.

9. THE LiST: Check out our online list of stuff to pray for at www.suscotland.org.uk/join.

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10. THE CHURCH: Tell your church what you are doing in JOIN week. Pass on some prayer requests – and ask them to pray for you too!

o!

top 10 tips for adults1. THE FAMiLy: Ask your children, grandchildren, nieces,

nephews and church families what they would like you to pray for in relation to their life at school. Even better – pray with them after your chat!

2. THE LiST: Check out our online list of things to pray for or compile your own; ask chaplains, pupils, teachers, su Group leaders for prayer requests.

3. THE WALk: Download the Prayer Walk Ideas; go on a walk around your town or village and stop to pray as you go, especially outside schools and places young people gather.

4. THE PoP-UP: set your phone (do it now!) for a pop-up calendar reminder to appear on your phone every day that week to remind you to pray.

5. THE WoRLD: Pray for schools in another country. Pray for the children of missionaries you support, and the work of su in another country: see www.su-international.org for details.

6. THE TExT: Do you know someone who works in a school? Give them your mobile number and encourage them to text you over the course of the week with requests for prayer.

7. THE MEETiNG: Join to pray with other parents, grandparents, su Group leaders, chaplains – or make schools prayer a focus in your church prayer group or cell group that week. Want others to join in? Email pray@suscotland.org.uk to register and post your event to our website.

8. THE LUNCH: Host a Pray for schools lunch at church or in school, inviting school staff, folks from local churches and senior pupils.

9. THE SPACE: Create a drop-in prayer room at church with a focus on local young people and schools. Work with your minister or youth worker to make it happen; pin up photos, supply prayer points specific to your area, play soft music, provide interactive activities (download Adult Schools Prayer Stations).

10. THE 24/7 SiGNUP: Have a 24/7 prayer focus for local needs. Encourage church members, pupils and Christian school staff to sign up to pray for an hour over the course of the week. Don’t forget to ask for feedback concerning answers!

mon 18 – fri 22 nov

respond rwandaIt began as a casual chat over coffee in Aviemore, and finished with a team of Scottish teenagers serving Scripture Union Rwanda, in Kigali.

Charlie Morris, Director of urban saints scotland, talked about partnership with su Rwanda, and that uss longed

to be able to send out another team. I shared that su scotland were looking to establish another international partnership, and hoped it might be in East Africa somewhere. Never had partnership looked so obvious.

Eighteen months later and with two Assistant Team Leaders and ten teenagers I flew out for a three week trip of service to Rwanda. The programme included supporting su Rwanda’s children’s and youth programmes, helping at camps, and painting some nursery classrooms that were associated with local partner churches.

In many people’s minds the country of Rwanda is still associated with genocide. In 1994, during 100 days of fighting, up to 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. Afterwards, tens of thousands of perpetrators were detained, and prisons became hugely over-crowded. The judicial system was utterly swamped and in order to address the enormous backlog, thousands were released to be held to account more locally. This village level justice system, known as gacaca, works with those who admit guilt and, alongside involvement from the victims’ family members, seeks to bring restitution. The church is heavily involved in supporting this; encouraging forgiveness and restoration, even in the face of horrific violence. There are now many examples of perpetrators building homes for the relatives of those they murdered.

In the 19 years since, Rwanda has made astonishing progress. The economy is growing, outside investment is significant and

the country is united in building a successful future. It’s almost impossible to believe that such horror roamed the streets less than two decades ago.

su Rwanda is equally positive. Jean Baptiste, the General Director, leads a team of staff in children’s and youth ministry, producing Bible notes, and running a centre. They partner with many churches who aim to build united and forgiven communities, and also who support nursery education. All of the scottish team who went were inspired by their strength of faith and the joy with which they serve, often struggling in the face of serious poverty. We still have a lot to learn from our brothers and sisters in Rwanda.

Phil WrayDirector of Regional Ministries

some rwanda facts:• Roughly the same size as the Highlands

& Islands region, with a population of approximately 11 million

• Life expectancy is around 56 years

• Previously part of “Belgian Congo,” it gained independence in 1962

• During the 1994 genocide an estimated 800,000 – 1,000,000 people were massacred in 100 days of violence

• Rwanda is called “Land of 1000 hills” because of its beautiful rolling green countryside

12 @su WINTER 2013

My trust in God had been wavering, but now my faith has never been stronger.Team Member

“ “

George Edwards, Assistant Centre Manager at Alltnacriche in 2007 and 2008, also passed away in July, age 60 after several years of illness. The contribution both men made during their time on the su scotland staff team was much appreciated. We give thanks to God for them and pray on for Alyson Elder and Elaine Edwards and their families and friends as they continue to grieve the loss of Barry and George.

su scotland day of prayer Thursday 30th January 2014 The Day of Prayer will allow su scotland supporters, volunteers and staff to gather together in groups around scotland to:

• Cry to God for our nation, repenting of our sin and asking for his blessing

• Thank God for every gift he provides and every opportunity to make him known

• Call on God to work amongst the children and young people of Scotland, bringing them to find out the true meaning of life

• Ask that the ministry of SU Scotland would be faithful and fruitful

• Seek God’s way forward for SU Scotland.

More details of local prayer gatherings and suggested programmes for the day will be out soon – consult www.suscotland.org.uk/dop for details and to register your own event.

“We don’t just want to talk about being dependent on God; we want to demonstrate it. There are many ways to do that and the SU Scotland Day of Prayer is one way of us all expressing that dependence together.

“Thursday 30th January is an opportunity near the start of another year for a corporate expression of our belief that without the Lord Jesus we ‘can do nothing’ (John 15: 5) – nothing that will truly last, nothing of eternal significance.” Andy bathgate, Chief Executive

If you have ideas for the day or special concerns you want to raise for prayer please contact Elizabeth McDowall at elizabeth.mcdowall@suscotland.org.uk.

Staff newsMoving inWelcome to the following staff who have joined us since April 2013:

• Isla Martin, Administrator for Dundee & Angus / North East & shetland and Office Assistant, Lendrick Muir

• Charlotte Todd, General Assistant, Lendrick Muir• Karen scott, Administrator / Fundraiser, Junction 12• Katie Hughes, General Assistant, Lendrick Muir• Naomi Baxter, senior Cook, Lendrick Muir (mat cover)

new rolesWe’ve a couple of changes in the Milton st office too. Steve McCrum, who was IT support Engineer is our new IT Coordinator and Noel Slevin who was Regional Administrator is now Trainee IT support Engineer & Regional Administrator.

Moving onWe say farewell and thank you to the following staff who have left recently:

• Liz Donald, Administrator, Dundee & Angus• Gillian Macfarlane, Trainee schools Worker, Castlemilk• Barney Crockett, Trainee Catering Assistant, Lendrick Muir• Tricia Roy, Admin support, Edinburgh• steve Hall, Online Youth Ministries Worker• Carren Malcolm, Communications & Marketing Coordinator• Adrienne Cartwright, Regional Worker, Independent schools

(West & Central)• sarah Jane Dent, General Assistant, Lendrick Muir• Gwyneth Duff, Associate Worker, GROW Trust, Glenrothes• Andrew Thompson, Regional Worker, NE & shetland • Jo Black, es-team Worker, East Edinburgh

Chair of our BoardOur thanks go to Alasdair Morrison as he finishes as Chair of the Board of Trustees of su scotland. Gordon Brown, who has been Vice-Chair, has now stepped into the role.

here for a gap year Welcome to Kirsty McAuley, Kirsty Geddes, Mark Magee and Calum Keys who have joined su scotland for a gap year. We’re delighted to have them on board, each with a personal gap year programme, working alongside staff in different ministry roles.

MissionsJames Gill has retired from his role as Missions Coordinator but we are very grateful he is continuing to work in the role as a volunteer until a new appointment is made.

Giving thanks for lives well livedWe were saddened to hear news over the summer of the passing of two former colleagues. Barry Elder, Director of support services between 2003 and 2008, died in July aged 54, having been diagnosed with a brain tumour a year previously.

@su WINTER 2013 13

summer just wouldn’t be the same without our SU Holiday at Kingscross! As youngsters, we enjoyed being part of

su scotland school groups and holidays. They were a place to have fun and make new friends; they provided us with the space and time to explore and nurture our own faith. Over the years, we have enjoyed all the fun of being campers, trainee leaders and group leaders.

We now serve as Assistant Team Leaders (ATLs). It is a role that involves a lot of planning, organisation and decision making. Days are long, starting with team meetings at 7:30am and going on until late, when all campers are settled and sleeping. Working closely with the Team Leaders, we continually monitor how well camp is going and pray over, discuss and respond to issues as they arise.

The role includes helping organise the programme, ensuring mealtimes run smoothly, delivering relevant, challenging and interesting evening meetings and planning and leading evening games. It helps that Kingscross is a camp we know well and in the past 15 years one or both of us have been there almost every year. We select the activities for each day, signing up campers for morning and afternoon activities and designate activities or delegate tasks to group leaders. All the time, trying to make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience! The unpredictable – a broken bike or a thunderstorm – might mean the programme has to be reviewed or plans for the day rewritten.

Over the last 5 years, we have also taken our own children along to camp with us. It isn’t always easy; crawling out of a

tent at dawn, in the rain, to take a three year old to the toilet isn’t fun by any stretch of the imagination! We share the load and take turns at childcare and ATLing. sometimes, somehow, we manage to do both at the same time!

We do our best to deliver on all that is expected of us as ATLs and to ensure our boys have a great time too. For us, it is hard work. For them, it is a holiday! Our boys enjoy the experience of camping, the fresh air and space to run around. In fact, they enjoy everything about it – the food (especially the puddings!), the singing, the games and the campers. We know some campers will readily adopt our boys as their own little brothers for the week and that there are also campers who expect camp to give some respite from younger siblings at home. We take care to get the balance right and make sure our kids don’t take over.

Camp is demanding but also enjoyable, it is both challenging and rewarding. We couldn’t do it in our own strength and, indeed, try not to.

If you are interested in volunteering, note that age, ability or family need not be barriers. All that is required is a heart for God and a desire to make his love known.

iain and Naomi Campbell

The Campbells volunteer at KX4, led by Kenny and Janet McMillan. Iain works in the Renewable Energy Sector, Naomi is a primary school teacher. Asher (5) goes to school and Ethan (4) has just started at nursery!

14 @su WINTER 2013

One volunteer to another – we couldn’t do it on our own!

It is amazing to see God at work at camp, in the lives of the campers and the team and also in our own lives. He sustains us, helps us to fulfil our responsibilities, and challenges us to live completely for him.

“ “

@su WINTER 2013 15

notice boardFind out more about SU Scotland events online at

www.suscotland.org.uk/events

DundeeSat 2 Nov 2013, 10am-4pm

Kerry Dixon, Signpost International

GlasgowSat 16 Nov 2013, 10am-4pmDave Close, Hot Chocolate

A one-day conference for those working with young people growing up in disadvantaged communities, focusing on how we journey with these young people and help them

experience God in every area of their lives.

book at www.suscotland.org.uk/whats-on

Look out for our stand at the

Christian Resources Exhibition

on 27-28 November 2013

at Royal Highland Centre,

ingliston, Edinburgh

www.creonline.co.uk

LOOK BefOre yOu BOOK

yOur su hOLiday!

Details of our 2014 programme

are available online at www.

suholidays.org.uk.

Holiday brochures will be in the

post in December. Bookings

open 27 December 2013.

Come and join us for a chilled out, fully catered experience at Lendrick Muir. Hosted by Kenny & Alison McKie. More information at

www.suscotland.org.uk/newyearbreak

Pray Any Way

Aberdeen – Sun 17 Nov 2013

Uphall – Sun 9 Feb 2014

A fun-filled prayer event for

children and their families. stay

together as a family group and

enjoy worship, Bible story, prayer

activities and opportunities to

pray for one another.

This monthly event is next on 23 November @ Tron Church Halls, Glasgow

Follow to LeadMike Pilavachi

Edinburgh 8 NovemberGlasgow 9 November

www.powerpointscotland.com

www.suscotland

.org.uk/commission

“After being here for a week I have learned more about working with children in a Christian context and I have learned a lot about God and what he is saying to me. I have grown as a leader and spiritually.”

LeadUP graduate, 2013

ACTION

REVIEW

Training

www.suscotland

.org.uk/commission

“After being here for a week I have learned more about working with children in a Christian context and I have learned a lot about God and what he is saying to me. I have grown as a leader and spiritually.”

LeadUP graduate, 2013

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@su - WINTER 2013

response formThere are three easy ways to find out more about the work of scripture union scotland.

1. For up-to-date information about our ministries visit www.suscotland.org.uk.

2. Email info@suscotland.org.uk with your query.

3. simply fill in and return this form to the supporter Care Team at su scotland, 70 Milton street, Glasgow, G4 0HR.

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