This is the time of year when many folks are thinking of Christmas presents. (Unless you are one of the ‘organised’ who bought all you needed in the January sales earlier in the year!) Who is in line for a present this year? What can I afford? What shall I buy? How will I get it to them? You know all the questions that are buzzing round.
Well, it is also a good time to reconsider what you might give to support the work of God’s Kingdom. And it is not all about money either; praying and giving practical support in your precious time will be just as valuable and significant.
Five of our church members have written this week to tell you about the work they support. What would you be writing about if you were given the space to do so?
v 16. Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.
In June 1867 Josiah Spiers spoke to 15 children in a drawing room in Islington, London, pioneering a new approach to sharing Jesus with children. These meetings grew rapidly and soon the Children’s Special Service Mission (CSSM) was formed, later becoming Scripture Union. The following year, Spiers went on holiday to Llandudno in North Wales and spontaneously held a children’s meeting on the beach. He wrote ‘God is love’ in the sand, and this simple but compelling message attracted the attention of local young people. Through games and stories Josiah Spiers empowered his young audience to engage with Jesus.
Since then the work of Scripture Union has evolved into a worldwide organisation providing activities and suitable literature for both children and adults. (I still read the daily notes, now online under the title WordLive.)
SU trains leaders and produces material for Holiday Clubs and groups in Primary and Secondary Schools. They facilitate lunchtime and after-school clubs in schools, all with the direct aim of introducing young people to Jesus. They also employ development workers who come alongside churches to start activities, leading, training, resourcing, and supporting them in the long term, to help sustain their work and Ministry.
All this requires a substantial budget income through the sale of literature and financial gifts from supporters. Touching the lives of so many young people as it does, I gladly support such a ministry.
John Rowland
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