Jubilee Youth in lockdown
After last week’s post from Jubilee Kids, this week we are looking at the concerns of our young people. Please use this list compiled from their replies as prayer pointers. To begin, I asked Tom, our Youth Pastor, what support and activities he had been offering to the youth group during lockdown.
Tom
Over the lockdown period we have been running weekly meetings on Zoom for the young people in our church in school years 7-13. We have regularly had around 20 young people join us for different games, Bible studies, times of connecting and praying and even an online escape room! We have been looking at the Book of Jonah recently and have discussed listening to God’s voice and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with friends… even though we may not have been able to see them.
Thoughts about Friends
I miss my friends but the knowledge that “I will see them again, it’s not like I am leaving” stays with me so I do not feel too sad
I’m only sad when I social-distance-meet them, and I cannot give them a hug
I am trying to make sure I am talking to my friends regularly (video call, texting or social distance meet up)
I love to do youth group in person and do miss it, but I love the youth video call
Adapting to new situations
One of the most significant aspects of Lockdown has been the closure of schools and the disruption to our young people’s education. Teachers, who used to be immediately on hand for support, have become people at the end of an email or on the other side of a computer screen. Interesting and practical learning activities have been replaced with a more limited variety of online experiences. Young people have had to quickly adjust to a new way of learning remotely from home.
Some of our young people have already not been able to sit the exams they have worked for and the grades they will be awarded has been taken out of their hands. For others they face a situation where large amounts of teaching time has been lost from their courses and there is no clarity about whether exams will happen next year and therefore what they are working towards. Although some have been able to make a partial return to school this has not been possible for all and September still has much uncertainty surrounding it.
Prayer Points for our young people
School concerns
An overwhelming amount of work has been set, but the teachers are often saying not to “over-work” and they are often very helpful. However I find it’s not easy to ask for help, it is harder to type what you mean than saying it
We are worried for our futures: the exams next year may not happen. We have been told we can’t start coursework yet.
University applications are much more stressful due to the higher number of applicants.
We will be shielding from each other in our own house as siblings go back to school.
These are some of our young people’s concerns and it would be great to pray for them as they negotiate their way through the current crisis. Pray that in the midst of the disruption they will have a clear focus on God and that their faith will grow and develop. Pray that they will find security in knowing that they are held in the hands of their Heavenly Father.
Thank you to the young people who contributed to this post. Also thanks to Tom & simon for their contributions. You can find out more about Jubilee Youth on our website.
