Wired Youth
NEW!!!
The LEAP PROSPECTUS is available – Click on the LEAP image below for more info!
- 1 day a week working in the church
- 1 day a week working in mission
- 1 subject a semester studying the Bible
- $4000 support from the government
- Intentional mentoring
Why are things buzzing at The Hive?
I love to drop into ‘The Hive’. I did so, again, the other day to get a fresh sense of the ‘vibe’ of this growing and adapting ministry. This is what I saw: When I entered the main room there were 15 students doing homework with a few volunteer tutors sitting amongst them. Around the outside of the room were six computers that were being used by students that don’t have these at home. In the corner was the kitchen where a couple other volunteers were talking with a couple students while preparing some snacks.
I headed off to the ‘shed’ and stopped on the way in the ‘Team Room’. Two students in here were doing a Bible study with volunteer ‘Azman’, getting their teeth into some big questions. I joined them for a few minutes and was surprised how hungry these students largely unfamiliar with church were about God. I left and went outside towards the shed, passing a bunch of students playing basketball. Ducking from a stray basketball, I entered the shed and found students and volunteers at ease in a few casual groups, talking and playing various games. Every couple minutes, students and volunteers would wander in and out, experiencing the different benefits from the diverse rooms and activities going on around ‘The Hive’.
As I reflected on this it struck me how unique ‘The Hive’ is: It is hard to find a place that links public schools and church and in a way that clearly is a blessing for all - not just a sneaky way to get young people into a church building: It is a blessing for the school as they seek to educate students in a low-socioeconomic area with many problems they can’t deal with alone. The students love the safe, and caring environment of ‘The Hive’ and testify loudly that it ‘saves’ them in many ways. Numerous students took opportunities to explore issues of faith, Jesus and the church last year.
And for the church, it is a place where volunteers were blessed by being able to give, and exercise their gifts, and be a part of something that was vibrant and growing in the love of God. After the students leave, the volunteers sit down, eat together and do a Bible study. It is a place for them to grow as well!
I anticipate that ‘The Hive’ will be a significant paradigm for the future of local youth mission, but it will take great wisdom and greater resources as SUSA seeks to partner new churches in exploring opportunities that God is preparing for them.
Hamilton McNicol, SUSA State Youth Coordinator
‘The Hive’ , based at Seaview Community Church, sees between 30-60 students visit every Tuesday and Thursday from Seaview High School across the road. And in the 2nd Half of the year, some grade 7s from nearby Darlington Primary School.
Wired Youth
For more information
For further details on Wired Youth, email wired@sa.su.org.au.