Youth Sport - Update

NEWS AND VIEWS

Sports Plus Conference:

7-10 April Still Places Left!

Not long until the Sports Plus Conference - we're really excited. 4 great days of Bible teaching, Pray Play Say seminars, sport and loads of fun with friends old and new!

If you're planning to come and haven't booked yet drop us an email or call to let us know and download the booking form (here) and get it back to the office asap!

One Day Sports Plus camps: Great to see some of you at the One Day camps in Lincoln and Belfast over the last week! More are coming up soon:

Perthshire: 5 April
Oxfordshire: 26 April
London: 28 May

Click here for more information.

PLAYER PROFILE

Introducing the Academy 08...

Full Name: Abi Hannah Silver
Nickname: Ab, Abs, Shabs, Silvs, Abel
Home town: Cardiff
Top Sport: Trampolining
Why the Academy?: Can't think of a better place to spend 6 months incorporating my three main passions; Jesus, sport and young people! I'm so looking forward to getting along side some quality people and learning lots. Bring on Academy '08!

Want to appear in the Player Profiles? Send yours to: (sarah@christiansinsport.org.uk)

BIBLE BIT

Series: A Marathon not a Sprint

Session 1: Lasting the course

Do you think anyone finds the Christian life easy?

How about trying to pray, play, say?

Look at what the apostle Paul says in Acts 20v22-24:
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

Paul describes the Christian life like a race. If you were at Sports Plus last summer you heard a lot about the ‘race of life.’ Like all races, the ‘race of life’ has a start (the moment you trust in Christ), then there is the race itself (the journey through life), and finally the finish (that final day).

This race is no fun run!! Of all races the Christian life is most like the marathon. It can be a long race, at times a gruelling race. "Testifying to the gospel of God’s grace" is not easy. For Paul the consequences of pray play say-ing were severe. He faced prison and beatings, yet he never gave up. Nothing was going to stop him spreading the good news of Jesus everywhere he went. We learn in 2 Timothy 4v7 that he did indeed last the course: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

The consequences for us, for living as a Christian and representing Christ are not quite as serious as they were for Paul. However we will face opposition.

This race will not be easy. Like a marathon the race of life demands grit, perseverance and endurance. We are not trying to beat anyone, just to finish.

But how can we make sure that we last the course and reach the finish line, which is heaven?

What will help us to persevere?

How can we ensure we finish well?

These are the questions we will address in these next 8 weeks or so.

The Youth Department

DIARY

29 Mar Bath PPS group
31 Mar Oxford Youth Sports Quiz
4 Apr Belfast PPS group
5 Apr London PPS group
5 Apr Perthshire One Day Sports Plus
6 Apr Letchworth PPS group
6 Apr Birmingham PPS group
7- 10 April Sports Plus Conference
8 Apr Aberdeen PPS group
8 Apr Northampton PPS Group
14 Apr Perth PPS group
20 Apr Liverpool PPS group
21 Apr Oxford PPS group
23 Apr Aberdeen PPS group
23 Apr Edinburgh PPS group
25 Apr Leeds PPS Group
26 Apr Bath PPS group
26 Apr Oxfordshire One Day Sports Plus camp

For more dates click here

PRAYER POINTS

Pray that God will help you as you keep persevering in the race of life.

Pray for Abi - that her time on the Academy will give her strength for her Christian journey, and that she would have opportunities and the boldness to share her faith along the way.

Pray for the Youth Team as they prepare for the Sports Plus Conference. Give God thanks for those who have signed up to come.

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