Thank you for your efforts in 2015. It mattered.

Happy Christmas Everyone.

Youth ministry in the Presbyterian Church of Victoria continues to be encouraging. Within the PYV events through 2015 we have seen young people come to faith in Jesus Christ. We have seen solid numbers of campers meeting together to learn and worship with each other. We have have seen new leaders step up to experience what it means to lead others in studying the scriptures. And we have seen experienced leaders share their wisdom with some of these new leaders.

In our churches there has undoubtedly been some numerical growth. There are those churches who can look back over 2015 as a time when children became teenagers and joined youth group. In other places they will have seen people inviting their friends along and the group growing in that way. 

Some churches will have seen their numbers shrink over the year, and there are many reasons for this. One of the great problems with youth ministry, and children's ministry, is that people grow up. And at some point they are just too old to keep coming. If this describes your group, please don't be discouraged. Take heart at what you have been able to do in the lives of these people as teenagers. They were looking up to you then, and they will still look up to you now.

Thank you for all that you have done to encourage young people to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Thank you for teaching them, for helping them, for encouraging them, and for simply showing them what it means to be such a disciple. I don't know yet what impact you have made, and you may not know either. But I know you have made an impact. 

Have you read something good this year? Or seen something that is worth telling others about? I'd love you to let me know so that I can tell others too. This year I have read two of Ken Moser's books after a recommendation from one of our youth leaders from Bundoora Presbyterian Church, and I would happily encourage others to read them too.

Anyway, have a happy Christmas. Celebrate the birth of our Saviour. And rest well as you prepare for 2016. (Unless you are coming to Summer Camp. You'll have to wait another week before you can rest.) 

God bless you.

Brian
www.pyv.org.au