Synod Children's Officer Hannah Middleton describes a day with young people at Stanley
There is more to the URC than many people you realise - and just how young we all are as a denomination was one fact that young people from Stanley Community Sports College hadn't known before.
The URC had been invited to participate in a Multicultural Day held in May 2007. The day, which was hosted by the Religious Studies department for Year 9 (that's 14 year old) students, was planned to allow students the opportunity to experience a range of cultures from around the globe beyond their normal groups, and aimed to promote tolerance and understanding within society. Stanley Community Sports College is now into its thirteenth year of such events, and its success has become a model adopted by other schools around the area.
The URC and the Northern Synod in particular were introduced through a PowerPoint presentation to four groups of young people, to allow them to have a clear understanding of how the United Reformed Church fits into their local community. For many of the young people this was their stated first contact with the URC, and for some their first contact with church at all, although some had attended churches for weddings or christenings. When a picture of Blackhill URC flashed up they all instantly knew it as "the church with the big notice board outside".
Another young person commented that it had “those bench-like seats that make your bum numb” (Pews? surely not).They also discovered more about worship, what is available for young people just like them, and our larger global family.
The URC was in a market place of other workshops that included the Hare Krishna society Iskon, a Shabbat Jewish culture workshop, Islam, SHAID ( Single and homeless action in Dewentside), the Baptist Church, Japanese Culture, Army Life, Self defence, and Falconry. What a mixture!
During the day Year 10 (15 year old) reporters interviewed workshop leaders and experienced the workshops themselves. Then, at the close of a busy school day, a newspaper reflecting on all that had been shared was printed. Taking one hot off the press I turned to the page reflecting my workshop: what would it say?
The banner headline read United As One. I hope we are - and can be justly proud to be considered so by young people. And should any of the young people from Stanley Community Sports College or any other school step inside one of our churches, let us be sure to welcome them, United as One.