Colin Carmichael

From Inverness to Stornoway and from Kirkwall to Portree, it is a joy to work with SU Scotland in the North Highlands, Western Isles and Orkney. This is an area with a rich Christian heritage where there are many opportunities to help children and young people explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus in schools, residential events and missions.

Here is an overview of what happens in this area. Could you be part of the team who prays, volunteers or financially gives to support these ministries?

SU HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS

SU Holidays are a brilliant place for young people in P5-S6 to have great fun, deepen relationships, enjoy delicious food, and explore the Bible. The SU Holidays website has the latest information including about the Regional Weekends taking place at Alltnacriche in September (for P5-P7), November (for S1-S6) and May (for P5-P7).

Volunteers to be group leaders, general helpers or catering team members are always needed. Whether getting involved for a first time or getting involved after a break you would be very welcome.

LOCAL MINISTRY HUBS

A key way we are looking to expand our ministries is through local ministry hubs around each high school cluster, meeting once or twice a term to pray for each school, and working together to bring meaningful Christian contact to the schools in each cluster and across the region. If you’d like to be involved in a hub, you can register here.

SCHOOLS

Lunchtime and after school SU Groups help children and young people explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus through storytelling, crafts, discussion, games, music and prayer. The volunteers who run them are parents, grandparents, school staff, chaplains, members of local churches and senior pupils. There are many places where an SU Group would be warmly welcomed by school staff. All we need are the volunteers.

I would be delighted to hear from you:

• If you want to know about SU Groups running near you
• If you are interested in joining the team of an existing SU Group
• If you want to have a conversation about getting an SU Group started and the training and resources available

Or perhaps you could be trained to deliver Bible Alive sessions as part of the curriculum in classes in your area?

DISCIPLESHIP AND TRAINING

For young people we have events to disciple, train and support them to serve God.

• Equip Pupil Leader Training runs through the year for senior pupils getting involved in running their school SU Group.
• The October Go Conference aims to help S4-S6 pupils be better equipped to live as disciples in school and among their peers.
• The COmMISSION programme trains and prepares 16-23 year olds to be team members at SU Holidays and Missions.

Who are the young people in your church who would grow in their faith from being at an event where there is Bible teaching, worship, fellowship with peers, and training?

PRAYER

One of SU Scotland’s values is dependence on God. We are immensely grateful to all our supporters who faithfully pray for the ministries in the North Highlands, Western Isles and Orkney. Contact Colin Carmichael to connect with any of these options:

• Receive, by post or email, the regional prayer letter produced three times a year
• Receive the monthly email prayer update with specific thanksgiving and prayer requests about current activities
• Join with others, in person or on Zoom, at an SU prayer meeting that runs in Inverness, Drumnadrochit, Ross-shire, Sutherland, and Caithness.

CHURCHES

I would be delighted to support churches across North Highlands, Western Isles and Orkney as they seek to reach the children and young people in their communities. Get in touch if you would like support in ways such as training youth leaders, starting an SU Group in a local school, running a holiday club or mission, organising a curriculum event for your local school or if you would like your youth group invited to our events.