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An update from Kelly
A Busy Season Ahead
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.” Psalm 127:1
We’re about to enter a really exciting and busy season for Taunton Youth for Christ. As October arrives, we begin the work to establish our new Youth Hub, while also entering the darker months of the year when our outreach work takes a slightly different shape.
The shorter evenings mean a shift in how and where we do outreach, but our desire remains the same — to be present in our communities, build relationships and bring hope to young people.
On the 5th October, we’ll be launching our 40 Days of Prayer, covering this important season in prayer and asking God to provide everything needed to see the Hub become a reality. It’s also the date of our AGM, and we’re excited to share more about all that is happening across Taunton Youth for Christ. We would love for you to join us.
We’re also incredibly grateful that Tarun Solanki is running The Cardiff Half Marathon to raise funds towards the Youth Hub. What an amazing way to get behind the vision! You can click the link below to sponsor Tarun and support him as he takes on the challenge.
There is still a financial hill to climb before we can complete the Hub, but we’re so thankful for everyone who is standing with us, praying, giving and helping us move this vision forward.
We’re excited about what lies ahead and, above all, trusting God to provide all that is needed.
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Updates
Youth Hub Update
The time has finally come! Work on our new Youth Hub officially begins on the 12th October, and we are so excited to take you along for the journey. We’ll be sharing regular updates on our website throughout the project, so you can follow along, see the progress and celebrate each stage with us.
Thank you to everyone who has prayed, given, encouraged and stood with us to help us get to this point. We genuinely couldn’t have got here without you.
Amidst all the conversations about finances, contracts, builders and building work, let’s not forget the why behind this project. At the heart of the Youth Hub are the little lost ones who need to find their Shepherd. We want to create a place where young people who feel lost, overlooked or without hope can find belonging, discover that they are loved, and ultimately encounter Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
There is still a significant financial hurdle ahead of us, so please keep praying with us for God’s provision and for everything we need to complete the Hub.
We can’t wait to show you what happens next!
40 Days of Prayer for the Youth Hub
Our 40 Days of Prayer begins on the 5th October! We’re inviting you to join us as we pray over the new Youth Hub and all that God is doing through it.
Each day, we’ll have a simple prayer theme, covering the Hub, our team, finances, partnerships and, most importantly, the young people we’re here to serve.
Below you’ll find a downloadable prayer calendar, with a different focus for each of the 40 days. Why not print it out and join us as we seek God together? We’re excited to see what God will do as we establish the Youth Hub in prayer.
Prayer and Fasting Day
Our next gathering will be Monday 5th October. 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.
AGM
We warmly invite you to join our Annual General Meeting, held online on the evening of Monday, 5th October. You will have received a separate invite for this with the link attached on Thursday 10th September.
This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what God has done through our ministry this year and to engage with the vision for the year ahead.
Transformed in pdf
A request has been made for a downloadable version of our prayer requests, making this easier to print. Please find a button to download this at the bottom of this newsletter. I have changed this to a Word document for those struggling with the pdf.
Church Partnerships
Please get in contact with us if you'd like to:
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Talk about outreach opportunities in your community
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Invite us to share on a Sunday morning
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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.
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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.
Tuesday – Mentoring in the community, Priorswood & Halcon Outreach 6pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday - Mentoring in the community, Pyrland School - 1pm - 4pm, Bible study – 5:30pm - 7pm
Thursday - Halcon Outreach - 6pm - 8:30pm
Monday - Friday - Chaplaincy at Court Fields School, The Castle School
Youth Hub
Please use the resource available and join us as we pray for all that the Lord is doing and will do through the establishing of the Youth Hub.
Please pray particularly for the finances still needed to complete the project. Pray for favour over the grant funding applications we have submitted, that the right people would see the vision and that we would receive the funding needed.
School Chaplains - Court Field & The Castle School
Please keep praying for our Chaplains as they continue to plough the ground in our schools. Pray for wisdom, perseverance and sensitivity as they build relationships with students and staff, often through many small conversations and moments of connection.
Pray that God would be preparing hearts and opening doors for deeper conversations about life, faith and hope. For opportunities to speak encouragement into the lives of young people who are struggling, and that our Chaplains would know when to listen, when to speak and when to simply be present.
Outreach
As the darker nights begin to draw in, our outreach enters a different season. We’re preparing to move locations as the evenings become darker and colder.
Please pray for the relationships we’ve built over the summer months, that they would continue and deepen despite the change in season. But most of all, please pray that the Lord would water the seeds we have planted. We’ve spent the summer sowing into relationships, and we’re trusting God for the harvest. Pray that we would see young people encounter Jesus and discover the hope found in Him.
Bible Study
Our Bible study has started back and this term we’re journeying through the book of Esther. Please pray for the young people as they explore God’s Word together, that they would grow in their understanding of Scripture and what it means to truly follow Jesus.
Pray for a deep hunger for the Word of God and for His heart — that they would desire to know Him more deeply, listen to His voice and allow His Word to shape their lives.
Halloween Outreach
As Halloween approaches, we have a one-off additional outreach on Saturday 31 October, and we’d love you to cover us in prayer on this dark night.
Pray that we would be a light in the darkness, bringing hope, joy and the love of Jesus into the community. Pray for protection over our team, wisdom in every conversation and opportunities to build meaningful relationships with young people and families. Pray that we would reflect Jesus clearly and compassionately, and that those who are vulnerable or struggling would encounter people who see them, value them and point them towards the hope found in Christ.
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Thank You
As we look at all that is happening across Taunton Youth for Christ, I want to pause and simply say thank you.
Behind every conversation, every relationship, every young person who finds a safe place to belong and every moment where hope is spoken into a difficult situation, there are people who have chosen to stand with us.
That support looks different for everyone. Some of you pray faithfully, some give financially, some volunteer, open doors, make connections, share what we do or simply encourage our team when we need it most. Every part matters.
Together, we are able to reach young people who may be struggling, isolated or unsure of their future, and show them that they are seen, valued and deeply loved.
As we step into this new season, with our outreach continuing to grow and the Youth Hub now beginning to take shape, we are excited about what God is doing and what lies ahead. We believe there is so much more to come.
Thank you for believing in young people, standing with us and investing in what God is doing here in Taunton.
We genuinely couldn’t do this without you!
Love, Kelly
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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:
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.
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