One of the early positive outcomes of the Epicentre project is that a significant number of the borough’s youth leaders have made the joint decision to start up a new generation of regular cross-denominational services for young people.
The inaugural event – called UNITE 30/31 – takes place on Sunday 24 October at All Saints (The Beacon) in Chafford Hundred, starting at 7.30pm.
Involved in this development have been youth leaders from the Aveley Christian Centre, Chafford Hundred Community Church, Grays Baptist Church, Grays Team Ministry and Thurrock Christian Fellowship. A couple of other churches have also had some input along the way.
The name UNITE 30/31 comes from the fact that these events have been birthed out of a united consensus; and Thurrock stands at junctions 30 and 31 on the M25.
At the first of the UNITE 30/31 youth services, Kev from the well-known Christian band The 29th Chapter will be speaking.
Danny Sedano – Youth and Community Worker for the four churches that make up the Grays Team Ministry – says that the format is essentially for churched young people, but they will also be encouraged to bring along their friends. “The format is simply to start with cafe-style interaction, followed by some sort of activity,” Danny said. “Then we’ll have a time of worship from a band made up from young people from across the churches, and then Kev’s message.”
They hope to have a second UNITE 30/31 in late November, and the team will review the situation and look ahead to 2011 and the whole tie-in with the Epicentre programme of training young people in sharing the gospel; the evangelistic event(s) early next Autumn; and the follow-up of those young people who have come to faith. (News of all this process will appear on the Transformation Thurrock website as things unfold.)
UNITE 30/31 is not intended for just the churches mentioned above – it’s hoped that other churches of all denominations and expressions will become involved, including those representing the ethnic minorities present in the Thurrock area. This fulfills Transformation Thurrock’s core ethos of promoting unity in prayer and mission, and urges everyone to be a part of this.
Transformation Thurrock welcomes the inception of UNITE 30/31, the next wave – and potentially the biggest wave – in a series of inter-church youth services that have come and gone over the years. In the 80s it was was Rendezvous; in the 90s it was x*plode and inter*seed; and in the 2000s it was PURE, which ran for about four years before coming to an end three or so years ago.
As soon as official publicity is made available, it will be posted here
