CCYC's Get Wired

Twenty Christian youth workers from 13 different churches in 8 different denominations met on Saturday at the Get Wired Prayer Lunch held at Bodmin College. The event, organised by CCYC – the Cornwall Christian Youth Camp, brought the youth leaders together to share how their ministry is going, and to pray for each other.

CCYC’s Chairman, Phil Hadley, welcomed the mixture of paid and volunteer workers, with a challenge that a vibrant youth work would only be achieved if the youth worker was modelling a vibrant faith. He read extracts from a letter from William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, who had travelled in Cornwall in the 1860’s before setting up his work in the east End of London: “The praying host, were like giants refreshed with new wine,” wrote Booth commenting on revival in St Just. “We have the same God today,” said Phil Hadley. “Let us pray today in faith for God to impact the young people of this county.”

The youth workers had travelled from St Ives in the west, Launceston in the east and Bude in the north. Some came from large churches, others from small village chapels. Some were from traditional denominations, others from independent churches. Most were reporting growth in their work, and a desire from some young people to go deeper in their spiritual experience. The activities the youth workers offered ranged from the drop in Solid Rock Cafe in Camelford to a monthly all age Christian worship in Veryan. Some groups were due to go to Taize at Easter, while others were off to Alton Towers for a day in May to the Youth Alive event that features a huge Christian concert at the theme park. CCYC reported on its residential holiday for 11-16 year olds in Cornwall, and the Kernowyouth website explained the features it offers to young people in a rural community like Cornwall. Mike Stearns of the Launceston Christian Bookshop provided a display of a range of resources for Christian youthwork.

Lunch was provided by the event’s hosts, CCYC. In the afternoon Andrew Nicholson, the youthworker for the Redruth District of the Methodist Church, and a member of the CCYC Steering Committee, led a session of creative prayer. The youth workers were able to visit different prayer stations to reflect on their own faith and ministry and to pray for their young people and the youth work going on around the county. One station included the opportunity to light a candle and to place it on your town or village on a large map of Cornwall as a symbol of the light of Christianity shining in that community.

The day was appreciated by all who attended. Tess Ainley, from St Ives, said, “Today has been really powerful. It has been good to meet other youth workers and be encouraged.”  The Rev Steve Emery-Wright, from Launceston, said, “It is good to meet across church boundaries to pray for one another.” Nathan Glanville, from Lanjeth near St Austell, left feeling encouraged. “It has been so good to hear what is happening around the county. When you work in a small village like we do, it is easy to think that not much else is happening, but today has shown that there are thousands of young people in Cornwall who are involved at some level with Christian youth work in the county.”

CCYC Chairman Phil Hadley, declared the day a great success. “Our organisation exists to serve the young people and the churches of Cornwall. Today we have sent 20 youth leaders home feeling encouraged, refreshed, and determined to see even more happen for the young people of Cornwall. That has got to be good news for the teenagers in our county.”

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