Highlights Feb 25
Youth Weekend Away
We had an absolutely AMAZING weekend away with the youth. On Friday 7th March we took 17 young people away to the Pioneers Centre. Over the course of the weekend we enjoyed fun activities like laser tag, team building, football and more. But even better than all of those things, we prayed, worshipped and encountered Jesus.
The theme for the weekend was Isaiah 43, with our guest speaker, Nick, unpacking some of this for us. We delved into releasing our fears to God, opening ourselves up to seeing God do something new, practicing the prophetic, and not hiding our light away.
Luke, one of our young leaders, led a seminar about how God brings us from feeling unloveable, to knowing we are loved.
We had some incredible moments of encounter, as the youth band led us in worship. During this time people shared words and pictures, and on one day 2 people experienced physical healing! Ros and Nathan led a seminar on experiencing God’s joy, and during the prayer time the presence of God was felt so tangibly that nobody wanted to leave. We left the space open at the end for people to continue encountering the Holy Spirit, and it was another 20-30 minutes before people began to drift out.
It was a total joy to be able to pray with young people across the weekend.
Mission update: Emily Piper in South Africa
Through the missions committee, we financially support different organisations and individuals to bring the Good News of Jesus here in Coventry and across the world. Emily was a member of the congregation here at St. Marks and has gone to work as a missionary in South Africa. Here is a report of some of what she’s been doing over the last month.
Over the past month, Emily and her team have been deeply engaged in community work across different regions of South Africa. They traveled to Schoemansdal, a rural town near the Eswatini border, where they worked with women and youth affected by extreme poverty, gender-based violence, and cultural challenges. Emily led training sessions on boundaries, menstrual health, and relationships, adapting the conversations to address cultural realities. She also participated in discussions with young men about traditional marriage customs, helping to reshape perspectives on women's value and dignity. Through these sessions, Emily aimed to provide hope and healing, emphasizing God’s redemption and the importance of mutual respect in relationships.
Emily also facilitated various workshops in urban and township settings, including an awareness session at Bay Church on God’s design for sex, which sparked open and meaningful discussions among teenagers. Additionally, she led a "Dream and Dare" day at a primary school in Mitchells Plain, helping young girls understand puberty, personal boundaries, and menstrual health. The day was both emotional and empowering, with students opening up about personal struggles and gaining practical knowledge. Through it all, Emily felt a deep sense of purpose, recognizing the importance of her work in fostering healthier relationships and empowering young people with knowledge that could shape their futures.
Highlights Jan 25
Students: Warwick CU Hope Missions Week
At the end of January, Warwick University Christian Union had an absolutely fantastic time with their Hope Missions Week. A huge number of students from St Marks joined the fun and have told us of the truly incredible vibe all week.
This year there were a lot of practical challenges to be overcome, and even just a week before the event was about to start, it was looking possible that they may have to cancel. But the power of prayer won out and by the grace of God, everything went ahead, resulting in the biggest missions week that Warwick CU have experienced to date!
Over the course of the week around 2000 people came to at least one talk or activity, many bibles were given away to students interested in reading God’s word, and CU students engaged in deep discussions about Jesus, with some coming to faith.
Catering had been a huge challenge on a practical front this year, but what was amazing was seeing so many people turn up to meals that we didn’t even all fit inside the marquee! On one session, we had content planned but most students came and just wanted to start reading Bibles that had been handed out.
Across the week, the enthusiasm the students showed to share the gospel with their friends on campus was incredible, and the turnout and engagement off the back of these invites, conversations and Bibles given out has been amazing.
We are seeing that God truly is on the move across the students in Coventry, as the hunger for His presence grows, the excitement to share His love with others grows too.
Coventry Youth Conference
We had such an INCREDIBLE time at the first ever Coventry Youth Conference. A group of youth from St Marks joined over 200 young people from across the city to be encouraged and equipped in how to share their faith with their friends. Even just seeing so many young people willing to give up their Saturday for this event was amazing, recognising the hunger they have for Jesus and the passion for telling others about him.
There was great energy and depth during the worship times, as the presence of the Holy Spirit rested on the young people and leaders who were gathered. Over the course of the day, as we listened to talks and participated in workshops, the overarching message from the young people was not ‘why should we share our faith’ but ‘how can we start conversations’. It was abundantly clear that a passion for evangelism was reaching even the less confident young people.
The national statistics might show an anxious generation, with no faith and nothing to hope for, but at Coventry Youth Conference it was so clear that Jesus has declared his LOVE for his children. We see a generation joined together in the LIVING HOPE they find in their love for Jesus, and their desire to speak that love over others.
The power of God is moving through our young people across the nation and we cry out MORE LORD!