Karen Stangoe
Hello! Thank you for your interest in what SU Scotland are doing in Lanarkshire!
Below is a summary of what is going on, but if you would like to be kept up to date with more detailed information, as well as hearing stories of transformation, then please register for my termly newsletter at the bottom of this page. I hope you enjoy reading this snapshot of what is currently going in the area. Please do get in touch if you would like to find out how you could get involved.
Prayer
One of our values at SU Scotland is recognising our dependence on God in everything that we seek to do. As the Psalmist says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.” Psalm 127. One of the key ways we live out this value is in prayer, and we are incredibly thankful for the many faithful people who join us in praying for the ministry in a variety of ways.
We meet monthly, online, to pray for the children and young people in the region, and the work that is being done with them in schools, churches and residentials. If you would like to join us at these regular prayer meetings, or if you would like to receive monthly prayer points to aid you in your private prayer, get in touch.
Our Pray for Schools page is another way of being involved – here you can sign up to pray for a local school. By signing up you can opt to be linked with others praying for this school or simply let us know that someone is remembering this school in prayer as we aim to see every school in Scotland covered in prayer.
Local Ministry Hubs
Another way we meet for prayer is through our Local Ministry Hubs which are termly meetings in local areas to pray for the nearby schools in the High School learning community. Our hope is that as we meet to pray locally for each school, we will see more opportunities to bring meaningful Christian contact to every school in Lanarkshire. To find out more about your local ministry hub, register here.
Schools
School SU Groups are a great opportunity for children and young people to explore the Bible at lunchtimes or after school in a safe setting that is open to all, regardless of faith, background, orientation or disability. There are over 300 schools in Lanarkshire, and I would love to see children and young people in every one of them have this opportunity to explore the Bible in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. If you think you might be able to help, click here to find out more!
SU Scotland also offers opportunities to explore the Bible in class time through a variety of interactive programmes. Bible Alive is an engaging series of seven class-based lessons which take P5-7 children on a lively journey through the whole Bible. Additionally, we love to partner with local churches and deliver Christmas and Easter workshops for senior primary pupils – these are greatly enjoyed by pupils and teachers alike and take just two hours to deliver. They also provide a great opportunity for churches to engage with their local Primary schools. If you would like hear more about the different resources available for you to engage with your local Primary school, please get in touch, I’d love to see this exciting work grow!
Churches
At SU Scotland we are so grateful for the support that churches give to our work, be that in prayer, finance, or volunteers - there are many things that wouldn’t be possible without them. We believe our relationship with the church is a partnership, and as such, if your church would appreciate help with children’s ministry training, holiday clubs or letting your young people know about our events, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you, as I love to see the church equipped and impassioned for local mission and ministry.
Youth
We have a few opportunities for our secondary age young people to come together at various Connect groups around the region. Click here to find out more about your nearest Connect Group. There is also an opportunity to meet more widely with young people from across the west of Scotland on the last Friday of the month at Equip West. These events are great for young people coming together to worship, enjoy snacks and get into the Bible. You can find out more at suscotland.org.uk/equipevents
Holidays & Weekends
Residentials are one of my favourite things! A chance to go away from home with friends, eat great food, explore the Bible in creative and engaging ways, and take part in both exciting, and relaxing activities - depending on your preference! In Lanarkshire, we have a primary and a secondary weekend away each year and the only thing better than those, are our week-long holidays – check out the SU Holidays page for more info. We long to see every child and young person exploring the Bible and so we have a bursary programme available to help, so please don’t be put off by the cost!
I’m really excited about what God is doing in the lives of children and young people in Lanarkshire! And how we long to see more of them exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus. If you have enjoyed hearing about our work in the region and want to know more, please sign up to my termly newsletter below.
Thank you again for your interest and I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you’ve read and what prompted you to find out more about our work, so don’t stop here, I’d be delighted to hear from you!