Dr Graeme Thompson, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) Youth Development Officer, explained that the annual overnight retreat is a time for the denomination’s full time youth workers and children’s workers to come together for a time of prayer, Bible study and fellowship. “Most people will admit to finding it a big challenge to make sufficient time to prioritise their own devotional time with God, and this means working to support others can become difficult if their own spiritual well is dry.
“This is a welcome opportunity to take time out of their busy schedules to prioritise their own souls and be with others who understand the pressures of their own jobs. We were so grateful to the Moderator and Mrs Henry who spent a significant amount of time with the group, encouraging and getting to know them, as well as bringing some inspirational teaching on the subject of prayer.”
Dr Thompson also said that as a denomination, PCI has 70 people working in a paid capacity with children and young people in local congregations. “Their roles vary according to the needs of their local church, but many of them have a huge range of responsibilities, which can include supporting leaders and parents, as well as direct work with children and young people. Around 20 of these were at the retreat. We were also glad to have Rev Ken McBride taking a session at the retreat too,” he said.
Dr Henry said that wanted to encourage everyone who is working at the ‘coalface’ of youth work in PCI and just take time to ‘hangout’ with them. “The passion that they have for Jesus and for young people was so encouraging to see. We owe a huge debt to our youth workers and children’s workers who have committed themselves with vitality to developing and disciplining the younger members of our denomination.
“Working at the coalface of youth work, their commitment to wanting to see the Church being in the centre of the lives their young people, and wanting to see them live out their lives for Jesus with confidence in their own culture, was fantastic.”
During his visit he spoke about theme for the year ‘Enjoying God’ and a topic that has also meant a lot to him personally as well. “Hanging out with them I wanted everyone to see that we have a big God who we can pray ‘big prayers’ to. I think there is a tendency in our Church, perhaps most churches as well, to be slightly hesitant in asking God for things, thinking that he is only concerned with the big things. Yet there are so many great examples in the Bible where God has chosen ordinary people to do his work, who not only ask God for the big things, but let him take care of the small things too,” he said.
As his year in office gets underway, the Moderator also attended a special commissioning event for PCI’s Summer Outreach teams today. The commissioning service, which was held in Assembly Buildings in Belfast, saw around 90 young people come together from different congregations across Ireland to be prayed for and commissioned for what God has called them to do over the summer months.
This year there will be 11 Summer Outreach Teams working in different congregations in their local communities, from Sion Mills in County Tyrone, to Ballymena in County Antrim and in congregations in Belfast, counties Monaghan, Cavan, and Westmeath.
“This is just another example of our young people, along with young adults going out into the world as Jesus commanded. I am sure that they will have an incredible experience, growing in personal evangelism and their own walk with Jesus. From the teenagers to those in their 20s and older, everyone taking part will be showing and sharing the good news of the gospel in so many different places and situations. Please pray for them,” Dr Henry said.
Photos (1) Dr Henry with PCI’s youth workers and youth and family workers during their retreat in Newcastle, County Down and with (2) the 2019 Summer Outreach teams at Saturday’s commissioning service.
Throughout his year in office you can follow Dr Henry on Twitter here @pcimoderator.