Do you know what your child is doing online?

This week is Safer Internet Week.  Last term we ran a training session for parents with CEOP on the topic of internet safety.  They deliver a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the exploitation of children. That means building intelligence around the risks, tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or with local and international police forces and working with children and parents to deliver the ThinkuKnow internet safety programme.

The internet is a key part of children and young people’s lives.  It provides lots of opportunities both for education and social opportunities.  Technology these days allows young people to connect on a computer, games console, mobile phone and more.  We want to encourage parents to learn and understand more about the internet, to help keep your children and young people safe whilst they enjoy using the technology.  Do make use of the CEOP site – for example try out the parents quiz take the parent test to see if you’re a switched-on mum or a digital dad, or check out this video from CEOP made for Safer Internet Day, it certainly makes you think:

tbcYouth Update

tbcYouth has had a great start to the year.  The Cafe has opened on Mondays and Tuesdays 3.15-5.15pm, already seeing a number of non-Christian young people we know from Hugh Christie and other places popping in; last weekend we hosted our first Girly Evening for girls aged 11-14; last Wednesday we ran a day on the topic of fair-trade for 300 pupils at Tonbridge Grammar Schools for Girls and next weekend we’re off on the first of our youth weekend escapes.  Last year we had so many young people sign up for the youth weekend away that we’re running two weekends away during 2010.

Friday 12^th to Sunday 14^th February is the first weekend away and we’re taking 39 young people in years 10-13 (aged 14-18) to Dalesdown, near Horsham, with 17 leaders, 3 cooks, and 2 leaders’ children.  The weekend is themed around the parable of the Prodigal Son, spending time looking at the younger brother, the elder brother, and the father, understanding the ways in which we are similar to each of those characters.

We’re looking forward to having time away to slow the frantic pace of life,

Please use the following points if you wish to be praying for us:

• Praise God for the high number of bookings, including some young people who’ve never been on camp.
• Give thanks that we’ve got a strong team of leaders – including several new leaders.
• Pray for unity and good relationships amongst the young people.
• Give thanks for Jon Keel (from Sawyers Church, Brentwood) coming to help lead our devotions.  Pray for him, Chris and Dan as they do their final preparations.
• Pray that there would be real memory moments for all of us from the weekend.
• Pray that young people’s hearts would be being prepared to meet with God, and for business to be done.
• Pray that we would be protected in our travel, and for good health over the weekend.
• Ask God to help the cook team (Gail, Jo and Keith) as they prepare food for the 60 of us.

And lastly, don’t forget to check out http://twitter.com/youthtbc for further prayer points, news updates, and photos from Dalesdown and more from tbcYouth.

Disoriented & Disconnected

This week we’re going to be talking about Disoriented: why I won’t step out of my comfort zone and Disconnected: why I feel such a hypocrite.  Following worship with the wider adult church Matt Thomas and Lydia are going to be encouraging and challenging us as we look at these key words, come along and hear what they’ve got to say – Sunday 6.30-8.15pm at Tonbridge Baptist Church.  If you’re interested in the topics we’ve been looking at over the last few weeks get hold of Dysciples by Krish Kandiah, the book on which we’re basing this series.

Amicus trip to the golf driving range

Next week, Friday 5^th Feb, Amicus are off to the Golf Driving Range.  Please arrive there at 7.45pm, dressed warmly with the permission slip from the letter, which you can download here

If you are a young leader for the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade groups at TBC, a lift will be provided from TBC  – please ensure you inform us if you want a lift.

The golf driving range closes at 9.00pm, so we will be walking back to Tonbridge Baptist Church to warm up with hot chocolate. There is no additional charge over the weekly £1.50 subs, but do bring money for the youth café refreshments.   Pick up will be from the church at 10.15pm as normal.

Year 7 – 9 Girly Social

On Saturday 31st January, there will be a social for Year 7 – 9 girls here at TBC. The evening will run from 7.00 – 9.30 pm and will include pizza, movies, chocolate and more. We ask that each girl attending contributes a couple of pounds towards the cost of the food (but only if possible.) Please contact Lydia at lydia.sheard@tbc-online.org.uk or on 07757 656380 if you have any questions.

Acts of Kindness

Week 13: Slip pieces of paper underneath windscreen wipers on cars with friendly notes on them.  Don’t be too heavy handed, and if you’re not at all sure about how a windscreen wiper works, ask someone to help you! That said, a great chance to cheer someone’s day up!

tbcYouth on Facebook

Don’t forget to sign up to the tbcYouth group on facebook, check out the photos and videos from Sizewell and Hebron Hall, find out info about events, receive the weekly Act of Kindness challenge.

tbcYouth Cafe is open!

We’re really excited to announce that the tbcYouth Cafe is now open, pop in on a Monday and Tuesday 3.15-5.15pm, and don’t forget to get hold of a loyalty card.

Prayer for 2010

At the start of each new year TBC hosts a series of prayer meetings for the church to gather together and pray for the new year.  Tonight the theme was children’s and youth work, so I thought I’d post up here some of our prayer notes:

Give thanks for …

• The £35,000 of external funding that has enabled the youth cafe.
• Youth Alpha at Carroty Wood (Sep-Nov 2009) at which 7 of our young people attended, with a number making personal commitments.
• Give thanks for the 9 young people (aged 14-16) who went to Sheppey to help Dave Baxter’’s church with Christmas holiday clubs and family services.
• The Christian Union, set up in September at Hugh Christie which now averages 7 young people and the Refreshment lunch club, also set up in September which averages over 50 young people.
• The opportunity Chris was given to lead the Hugh Christie Christmas assembly, speaking for 15 minutes about the first Christmas to over 1400 people.
• The high number of young people at GB (Fri PM – 11-14 years) and Amicus (Fri PM – 14-18 years).
• Great young people at R’’n’’R (Sun AM – 11-14 years) who are keen to learn and grow in their faith.
• SNR’s growth in numbers; pray that young people continue to grow at church.
• 70 young people and 22 leaders involved in our 10 Youth Cells across the town.
• The 9 young people we baptised in 2009 and the high number of young people interested in being baptised already in 2010.

Some Prayer Points …

• Pray for the senior leaders and their teams.
• Pray for youth cell leaders as they teach, care, encourage, challenge, host and much more.
• Pray for 2 more leaders to join R’n’R, 1 for GB, 1 for BB, and 1 for the Marching Band.
• Pray for the Residential Planning Team as they run 3 residentials this year (Feb, May and Aug).
• Pray for Sarah Marfleet and Chris as they co-ordinate a number of mission opportunities, including taking seven year 13s to India, a repeat visit to Sheppey in Dec, and year 7-9 joining in Bash the Trash mornings.
• Pray for Lydia as she continues to develop our mentoring and pastoral care of young girls, she’s hosting an event for year 7-9 girls.
• Pray for those who teach/preach and lead worship at R’n’R and SNR, especially Dan Potter as he develops creativity.
• Pray for Chris P, Dan and Lydia as they all work closely with year 7 classes providing pastoral support and care to pupils.
• Pray for Lydia as she develops fortnightly community projects with a year 7 class at Hugh Christie.
• Pray for Chris K as he works with Pastoral Assistants with Hugh Christie’s year 8-13s running a mentoring group and a caseload of pupils with severe needs, e.g. anger management.
• Pray for Fair Trade days at Tonbridge Grammar School & Hugh Christie College
• Pray for the way we help those in year 6 (10-11 year olds) to move into our youth work, and the work we do in local schools to help pupils move from primary to secondary school.
• Pray for the Young Leader training being developed in 2010 for the 27 young leaders we have.
• Pray for the Youth Café opening on Monday and Tuesdays 3.15-5.00pm – pray that we would see many young people attending, and coming on Sundays, because of the Café.

Year 7 – 9 Girly Social

On Saturday 9th January, there will be a social for Year 7 – 9 girls here at TBC. The evening will run from 7.00 – 9.30 pm and will include pizza, movies, chocolate and more. We ask that each girl attending contributes a couple of pounds towards the cost of the food (but only if possible.) Please contact Lydia at lydia.sheard@tbc-online.org.uk or on 07757 656380 if you have any questions.