Ilkley Park clean up

On Wednesday we had an exciting day with the youth group. Well I was a little hesitant with my excitement….litter-picking and clearing the park and surrounding area didn’t sound like the most exciting way to spend an afternoon. However I was then challenged and really encouraged by the servant hearted nature of everyone involved, we had 8 young guys from Release come and join us and not only that but it was great to meet and talk to a group of 4 young people from a local council youth group who sacrificed their own afternoons to give something back to their community – it was a really good experience to take time out of our usual setting to listen and walk alongside our young people.

I’ve been challenged recently by our church’s values and what it looks like to seek and celebrate God’s transforming presence i.e. how we can express this value daily. I think looking back, that this was a big theme for the day, not only were we celebrating a transformation to our town, but we were actively a part of God’s heart for the town. In Revelation 21:5 we read about God’s heart to bring  transformation, a time where there is no need for a lamp or the light of the sun, because God will give light purer and brighter than anything before. It leaves me with a sense of awe to think that though wandering around picking up litter God was walking alongside us in that mission, through the actions of the young people, bringing love to a place where love hadn’t been shown. Jonny Rudd.