WOW ACYC

Walking on Water,Abbots Cross Congregational Youth Club,

Hello it’s that time of year again were as a youth club we are wrapping up are program for a well earned break over the summer. So I thought I should update you all on how the youth club went in 2010-2011.

We have had great fun this year with the young people. I can honestly say it has been a real blessing serving the Lord here in His mission field right on my back door. We have had Football Competitions, Hockey Competitions, Pool Competitions and a great weekend away in Portadown. We have given out some great prizes like skate boards, football tops, jewellery, tickets to the Giants Ice Hockey games (gift provided by the Giants) and even to the Transport museum (Gift provided by the transport museum). So if you know anyone in P7 or High School they are all welcome to come along and join in the fun. We also held baking classes taken by Eileen Corry which was a roaring success and tried our hands at some Christian drama. So there should be something for everyone.

As the junior youth club has been closed now for a number of years, we found over the past couple of years that are numbers have gradually declined. We decided this year to drop the age of the senior youth club to P7’s. It made sense to us that if we introduce P7s to the club when they separate in Primary school to attend different high schools, they would have the youth club as a common place were they can bring along their new friends as well as meet up with their old friends from Primary school. I will let you all know next year if this idea has worked or not. I can tell you that we have around 20 or more P7s attending.

This doesn’t take away from the High School students that have been attending. Overall we get in attendance around 50 give or take young people every Saturday night. We have made friends with a lot of lovely teenagers. Some of whom only hear the Gospel through attending the youth club. As you are all aware 12 young girls put there trust in the Lord last term and 75% of these girls are attending the youth club the girls bible study and Church. It has been a real encouragement to see these young girls grow in Christ.

We had a real burden this year for God to move in the hearts of the boys in the youth club. Isn’t it great to know that God’s burden for the lost is greater than ours! God has moved through His Spirit and 6 young boys have put their trust in the Lord. These 6 boysdidn’t have any other connection to this Church or the Gospel! They are all attending a boy’s bible study on Sundays before church as well as the Youth Fellowship. Please continue to pray for these young men as they learn more about God, and that God would help them take their stand for Him in High School. We have had the privilege to buy these young men and women Bibles from gifts that are given by you, and I can honestly say they are all well used by those new Christians.They love their new bibles and would ask me to pass on there thanks to those people who provided the money to by the bibles. There is now only one Saturday left and I believe that God has not finished. The Speakers that have given their time up God has honoured their faithfulness.

We re-branded the youth club this year we are now called WOW ACYC. It simply means Walking on Water, Abbots Cross Youth Club,taken from scripture - our memory verse is Matthew Ch 14: 28-29. It reflects how we are all young leaders, some more in heart rather than age, but either way we as leaders where all taking on something new. My self as leader in charge and some leaders who have never worked in the youth club before. I believe we all stepped out in faith putting our trust in God to lead and guide our decisions. We have a new web site were we post pictures and updates of what is going on down at the club. We are still the only club in the area open on a Saturday night that doesn’t charge any entrance fees and still welcomes in up to 18 year olds.

We will face some new problems I’m sure in the coming months but I pray for God’s will, to be done.

Prayer requests:

* God answered our prayers this year for more female help however, I know I will possibly lose more girls this year to university this September. So again please pray for female leaders as at present there may just be God willingEllen Graceand this isn’t really adequate. Maybe you would be interested? You don’t have to be sporty!

* Please pray for the team over the coming months, that the Lord will continue to burden us for the work in the Youth Club and guide us in our plans for the future.

* At the end of last yearI asked you to pray for Philip Stewart as he left to work full time with the Christian organisation Exodus for the year. Please pray that God would continue to guide Phil in his future plans and that he will come back to the club so we can put him to good work!

* Give thanks’to the Lord for guiding us as leaders and sending His Holy Spirit to answer our prayers and saving these young people for His service.

Thank you so much for your prayers on which you’reYouth Club is built upon; it’s our churches mission field to the young people of Newtownabbey; for your financial support, for which we just can’t thank you enough, and for your support in general. I also want to thank the Deacons and Minister at this time for their support and general encouragement throughout the year.

Yours in Christ,

WOW ACYC leaders.

Ellen Corry, Stephen Annette, Alan Cunningham, Phil Steele, Dale McDowell, Jonny Devlin, Kyle Reynolds, Rebecca Mayne, Rachel Bailie, Scott Cameron, Emilia Wlodarczyk, Grace Bailie, Phil Stewart and Carrie Gedeon.