Some of the many things we have missed this year in youth ministry have been our residentials and simply having time to be together and enjoy each other’s company as a community; sharing life and building memories. Whilst we are currently unable to take young people away overnight, the National Youth Agency Guidance does allow day trips.

In the youth sector we can gather as many young people as we like so long as we can do it with all the Covid safe measures in place. If we couldn’t gather for a residential, we decided spending a whole day together outside with plenty of fresh air and space was the next best thing. So, the vision for ‘Big Day Out’ was born.

We set about looking for somewhere to hire locally that felt rural where we would have sole use of a site with electricity, toilets and running water. In this search we came across Beaconfield, an amazing camp site in the Lickey Hills owned by some local Girl Guiding Units. Having found a free weekend and booked the site we set about letting people know and planning.

Finally, the weekend arrived. On Friday night a wonderful team of volunteers arrived at the campsite to set up marquees, decorations and the camp kitchen, even sacrificing watching the football live! Late in the evening we sat down to rest ready for the following day. 23 young people from Authentic joined us on Saturday 19th June and 29 Pathfinders on Sunday 20th. The weather held off for us, and we had two wonderful days full of good food, catching up and socially distanced and covid safe games and activities.

This included two main sessions where, being outside, we were able to gather for sung worship alongside teaching and prayer. After a hard year it was incredible to see the youth ministry regathered, to see young people re-connecting and building on existing friendships as well as creating new ones, to see relationships with the youth team grown and rekindled, and to be together worshipping our amazing God and praying.

Thank you so much to everyone who made Big Day Out possible, our cooks, worship leaders, set up and pack down teams and of course our incredible youth team who tirelessly serve and invest in the young people of St John’s.

Youth Big Day Out