URBAN SAINTS NORTH EAST

Although New Year is literally just around the corner, I thought I'd let you know about some of the things we will be doing next in 2011! This year has been a real joy, with many young people coming to Christ and others deepening their relationship with Him. With this in mind, we will be continuing most of the activities from this year, including SPREE and Lightwater Valley, alongside new training initiatives for leaders and a new way of working called 'clustering'. Our first 'cluster' in Hull and East Riding is developing very well, and we hope to develop our work in Sheffield, North Yorkshire and Tees Valley in the coming months. We now have 53 groups connected to Energize in the region, which is the highest number ever. We hope all of those groups are able to use the resource to reach out to young people in their community. With our new online discipleship tool, MIMIC, being launched in the spring, your groups will get the chance to move even closer to God.

URBAN SAINTS activities  in 2011

SPREE North will be taking place at a brand new venue near Leeds between 8th and 10th July 2011. The new site gives us plenty more options for activities, and there will be a top teaching and worship programme too. Booking details are now on the website, and there is an early bird booking discount available now. This is our flagship event of the year, and we hope as many groups come along as possible. And just like the weather at the moment, the prices have been FROZEN from 2010!

XLS returns to York Minster on Saturday February 12th 2011 with 'The XLS Factor'. There is a chance for any young person or group to perform as well as seeing headline act, GoldDigger.

For those of you that loved our event at Lightwater Valley last year, then you'll be pleased to know we are doing it again on the evening of Saturday 21st May 2011. The event will be called 'The Big Night Out', and Matt Summerfield will be speaking with music from a leading band. Tickets will cost £13 each. More details will be available in the New Year, but this is a great event to invite people to who are not familiar with church.

We will also be providing training for leaders throughout 2011. More details will be available in the New Year, but plans include:

Our ReDefine training academy continues in Sheffield on the weekend of 11th and 12th of March 2011, but we will be having a meeting early in the New Year where we hope to invite all church leaders along to capture the vision  for ReDefine, so again, watch this space!

Other news

Is there a community group near you which needs funding? The Jubilee People's Millions project is inviting applications from across the UK for 60 grants to improve local communities to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012: www.jubileepeoplesmillions.org.uk

Newcastle-based band The Steels have asked me to let you know that they would like to visit churches throughout the region in January and February 2011 to lead an evening of worship. The cost for this is a bargain £200! Contact the band directly if you are interested:band@the-steels.com

Bart Campolo and  Brian Houston will be touring the UK in the spring too. You can book them at your church if you are interested. Please contact Ali Crompton of Vivid for further information: info@makeanimpact.info

I've also been asked to let you know about Sheffield singer Phillippa Hanna's forthcoming tour. Dates in the North East in the coming months are below, and further details can be found on her website.

Are you on our Facebook Fan Site?

Keep looking at the website and our Facebook Fan Site as you'll hear all news on there first. Feel free to add details of your own events etc to the Facebook Fan Site - we want it to be an interactive resource for those involved in youth work across the North East.

May you truly know the blessings of God over the coming weeks.