University Group

It’s been an honor to hang out with a particular group of university-aged kids this year.

Since late January/early February?? we’ve been meeting up with a family who has two kids who are 17 + 19. We were connected to them by a mutual friend on the north island. They were keen to start a house church//youth gathering, so we were asked to help get something going.

We’ve been meeting every two weeks and facilitating gatherings, but last night we launched an idea on them so they could transition into leading themselves. We have a passion to see believers not just attend something run by someone else, but actively participate and step up into leading themselves.

We introduced the loose structure of “Eat. Think. Pray. Love.” which is a rotation schedule of themes for each gathering with the purpose of creating a more holistic experience where everyone can sign up to facilitate the gathering.

Eat nights: a time for getting to know each other better, having fun, eating a meal together, games, events, etc. a good time for friends to come along to a “non-threatening” gathering

Think nights: a time to listen to a message/read scripture/meditate on scripture/discuss a topic/an opportunity for someone to speak/sermonize!

Pray nights: a time to pray for one another, pray for issues in the city, prayer walk, worship, attend a worship event/a time for ministry/healing etc.

Love nights: a time to outreach/volunteer into the community, help neighbors, plan a weekend outreach event, talk about global issues that we can educate ourselves about + support..

So all the kids signed up with a partner to host/facilitate a night.

I’m looking forward to seeing what they do and how it goes!

Here is some audio of them from last night… though you might be interested to hear the accents!

Meet the Uni Group by KateCrem

I have to mention Sally here also! Basically on the first gathering this familiar-looking girl walks in, telling me she already knows me, but I couldn’t place her. It ends up that we actually were digging out liquefaction together last September after the first earthquake. We were a part of a cleanup effort in a particular neighborhood and quietly worked together for a few hours. Then about 5 months later she walks into this youth gathering at the house! Super cool living in Christchurch… always running into people you know/or who look familiar! Small town!