Eq is Nottingham Youth for Christ's programme of events forhelping to equip young people to engage in mission. One of the most important ways young people learn and are able to be discipled is through experience. NYfC create opportunities for young people and youth groups (with their leaders) to being involved in mission. eq:mission is a 30 hour mission that takes young people aged 14+ on an amazing missional adventure. Setting off from the NYfC office we head somewhere across the country to bless acommunity through word and deed. So far eq:missions have taken us to Warrington, the Wirral and Bath. We have ran family fun days, offered free car washing, prayer on the streets, questionnaires, ran youth groups and been involved in Sunday morning worship in local congregations. Throughout each 30 hour mission we aim to get the young people to reflect what God has been doing through them and what they have learnt.

 

Our next eq:30 hour mission is happening 10/11 March 2011.

eq:missions are for young people aged 14+ and aim to give young people a chance to experience being involved in mission in a safe environment. Previous eq:missions have taken us to The Wirral, Bath, Warrington and Burton-upon-Trent; serving a Church and a community with God's love. The cost is £35 and that covers transport and food. Young people can either come on the trip as part of their youth group or as an individual. Just click here for a booking form or contact the NYfC office.

 

 

Future Dates:

eq:mission: somewhere in the UK March 10th and 11th 2012

 

eq:mission nottingham June 29th to July 1st 2012

 

eq:mission: somewhere in the UK November 2012

 

Check out the video diaries of our eq:mission to Burton here

 

Here are a couple of articles that have been in our recent newsletters:

 

Bath eq:mission

Twice a year Nottingham YfC run their eq:mission, a 30hour mission somewhere across the UK. One of our recent trips took eight of us to work with Bath YfC together with St. Michael’s helping them connect with a local estate. Throughout the weekend we washed cars, prayed for people and helped the church build relationships with the community. On the Saturday night we launched their new youth centre which had a dance and recording studio. On the Sunday morning we helped run the kids’ church and their youth group. The vicar of St. Michael’s, Richard Wilson was really encouraged and disclosed to the group that none of the things that we did, even the opening of their new youth centre would have happened had we not gone down. One of the things we are passionate about is giving young people an opportunity to grow their faith through mission either in the UK or abroad.

Taken from NYfC news issue 13

 

 

Warrington eq:mission

Nottingham YfC are passionate about giving young people the opportunity to experience mission. Giving them the opportunity to see how God can use them can be an invaluable discipleship tool. Our 30 hour missions give exactly that opportunity. Turning up at the NYfC office and then being taken somewhere across the country, not knowing where until they arrive and then blessing the community, praying on the streets and running a church service are all things that may or may not happen. Here Helena Page tells us of her experience:
“In March this year myself and five other youth members, again sat in the mini bus not knowing where our next Eq: mission was going to take us, and where did we end up? Warrington. When we got into Warrington on the Friday night we went to a local YFC youth service and some of us went up on the stage and told the local young people about a time when we “stepped out the boat” like peter.
After this we had a time of reflection on the day. This was really interesting as we got to listen to what people had to say. On this weekend we were working with the local Bethel Free Church where we handed out leaflets to a free barbecue and also helped the church to do a community questionnaire. On the Saturday we helped the church by running the barbecue and by taking the service on the Sunday morning. As we did this we got to know the local community and their views, beliefs and what they had to say.
We all felt really encouraged by doing this mission as we all connected with God in different ways and we all grew in faith by doing it.”
Eq:mission happens twice a year, once in February and once in November. To find out more about the next eq:mission trip,  go to www.nottinghamyfc.co.uk/eq although it won’t tell you where you are going!

Taken from NYfC news issue 14

 

 

Wirral eq:mission

After a 2 hour long mystery minibus ride, in which we desperately tried to deduce where on earth we were going, from road signs and peeking at the driver’s sat-nav, we arrived at Greasby Methodist Church. Much to our surprise this small church in the Wirral was to be our home for the next few days. We were welcomed off the bus by Lee Jennings the co-ordinator of Youth for Christ in North Wirral, and instantly ushered into the church for soup and sandwiches. After lunch, still slightly bemused by the whole experience, Lee explained to us why exactly we were there and gave us an outline of what we were going to be doing over the next few days. In short we were there to bless the community through youth work and a social action project. Social action? I thought. I can hack that- a bit of litter picking? No problem.
But oh no! For the days that followed, after a time of worship, word and prayer in the morning we spent the afternoons clearing a derelict plot of no-mans land in a nearby estate. This was no mean feat; the land was hideously overgrown by bushes and
brambles and had been used as a dumping ground for goodness knows how long. Three days, a chipper and a lot of serious hard work later the area was completely transformed – much to the astonishment of the neighbours! Many people commented on what we were doing and were amazed to see young people giving something back to the community. However, it wasn’t all toil and grind; Rich treated us to a trip across the Mersey by ferry for some sight-seeing and retail therapy in Liverpool and a meal in a local restaurant on the last night! Very nice! We left the Wirral with a host of incredible memories, but above all we left with a great feeling of accomplishment. What we did really was testament to the difference a few young people can make when they work together in the name of Jesus.

Taken from NYfC news issue 8

 

 

For more details check out www.nottinghamyfc.co.uk/eq or go onto our facebook page and go to events. You can also contact us twitter or eq@nottinghamyfc.co.uk or 0115 9782111