Transformed - November Newsletter

We're about seeing young people's lives changed by Jesus.

This Christmas

As Christmas approaches, we want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your faithful support, prayers, and generosity throughout the year. Because of you, the love of Christ continues to be made visible in places where hope can feel scarce.

At the heart of Christmas is a profound truth we must never outgrow: Jesus did not come to impress the world with power, but to redeem it through humility, surrender, and love. The King of heaven chose a manger, reminding us that God still meets people in the ordinary and the overlooked. May the wonder of Emmanuel—God with us—not only renew our faith and deepen our compassion, but also fuel us to boldly and lovingly share Him with a world that is still searching for hope.

Updates

Dunelm Christmas gifts
We are incredibly grateful to have been able to join in with the 'Delivering Joy' campaign again this year and were gifted an extremely generous amount of Christmas gifts for our young people, from customers of Dunelm. This is such a blessing and we were able to give gifts to every young person we work with in all spheres of Taunton Youth for Christ's ministry.

Pyrland Christmas Service
We were delighted to join Pyrland School for their Carol Service at St Andrews Church last week. This was such a joyful time and we had some very animated singers! The journey to and from the church was filled with endless conversations of Christmas plans and painful realities, but it is always such a blessing to support one of our local secondary schools.

Youth Christmas Party
Last Tuesday, we held a Christmas party for the young people we journey closely with. This year, we brought the celebration to them—on the van, in their safe space, and surrounded by things that are familiar to them. We gathered to eat, play games, share the gospel, and savour some festive joy in a way that truly felt like home.

We are beyond blessed to walk alongside such an incredible group of young people and so grateful for the opportunity to share love, laughter, and hope with them this Christmas.

Office Closed
The office will be closed from Friday 19th December. Emails will be checked but there will be a slow response to any emails received during this time that are not urgent.
Our National Youth for Christ conference will run from the 6th - 8th January, so the office will be closed then too.

Thanks for your understanding.

Prayer and Fasting Day
Our next prayer and fasting day will be Monday 19th January. We will be meeting in our office at Oakwood Church at 10:30am to pray together. 
Please come and join us as we contend for the Youth in our town.

Church Partnerships
Please get in contact with us if you'd like to:

• Talk about outreach opportunities in your community

• Invite us to share on a Sunday morning

• Arrange some 'Safeguarding and Youth Culture' training for your church group

We’d love to support your church in engaging with young people and seeing God move in your community.

Prayer Points 

Weekly Prayer Covering
Please pray for and during our various activities during the week. 
That every encounter with young people would be filled with God’s love, power and revelation. That the seeds we plant today, through conversations, activities, and support, will grow into lasting fruit. 

This is our mission field and we long to see a harvest of transformed lives.

Monday - Safe space/group mentoring session - 4pm - 5:30pm
Tuesday - Priorswood & Halcon Outreach 6pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday - Mentoring in the community, Pyrland School - 1pm - 4pm, Bible study one - 5:30pm - 7pm,
Bible study two - 7pm - 8:30pm
Thursday - Asylum seeker Outreach - 4pm - 5:30pm,
Hamilton Park Outreach - 6pm - 8:30pm  
Monday - Friday - Chaplaincy at Court Fields School & community mentoring

Christmas Break
Please continue to keep our young people in your prayers over the Christmas break. For many, this can be a really difficult few weeks, filled with painful family situations or, in some cases, very little connection at all. Pray that they would encounter the Lord’s peace in the midst of it, feel His presence in tangible ways, and experience heavenly encounters with Jesus that bring hope, comfort, and a sense of belonging.

Outreach

As we head into December and the Christmas break, we know that for some young people, home is not always a safe or supportive place. Our heart remains to help them feel seen, heard, and cared for during this time. While we won’t be around as much over the holidays, we will still be present at different times to offer support, encouragement, and a safe space to connect. Please pray for their mental and emotional wellbeing, that they would find peace in the midst of uncertainty, and that they would experience moments of comfort, hope, and reassurance this Christmas.

Phase 2  - Youth Hub

We’re excited about the plans for our new youth hub—a space where young people can feel safe, supported, and inspired to grow. This hub will be a place for connection, creativity, and encouragement, but as we move closer to making it a reality, we’ve hit a steep slope in terms of the finances needed to bring it to life.

We are sad that we aren’t further along in this process and so we would be so grateful for your prayers and support as we seek the resources to make this vision a reality.

Every contribution, whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial support, will help us create a space where young people can truly thrive. Thank you for standing with us as we take this next step.

Volunteers
This Christmas, we want to take a moment to thank God for our incredible volunteers. Their faithfulness, dedication, and willingness to pour out love and time for young people has made a real difference in our community. As they take a well-deserved break over the holidays, please pray for them—to be refreshed, renewed, and encouraged in their own lives. We are so grateful for each of them and for the love of Christ they reflect through their service.

Thank you

We are so grateful for everyone who walks alongside us in this mission. Your support is at the heart of what God is doing among young people in Taunton. Truly, none of this would be possible without you.

To our Trustees and Volunteers – your commitment, love, and faithfulness inspire us every day. Through your time and energy, God’s love is being shared in real, tangible ways across our community.

To our Financial Supporters – your generosity fuels this work. Every gift plants hope and creates opportunities for transformation in the lives of young people.

To our Prayer Partners – your prayers sustain this ministry, open doors, bring protection, and invite the Holy Spirit to move. If you ever feel led to share a word or vision, please pass it on to Kelly — we love hearing how God is speaking through you.

We thank God for each of you and for the part you play in shaping the future of young people in Taunton. Your partnership makes a lasting difference.

How to Give

Your support helps us bring hope, love, and the message of Jesus to young people in Taunton. There are a few ways to partner with us:

• Online: Visit our website to make a one-off donation or set up a regular gift.
  https://www.tauntonyfc.co.uk/

• Bank Transfer: Contact us for details if you’d like to give directly.

• Cash or cheque: If you would rather gift via cash or cheque, you can get this to Kelly directly, or via our new office address;
  Oakwood Church Centre, Obridge Road, TA2 7PU

Every gift is a part of God’s work, helping us point young people to Jesus and see lives transformed. Thank you for joining us in this mission.