It's been a time of goodbyes recently.
Goodbye to Helen Crawford, who's off to Bible College.
Goodbye to Debbie, Eyob and Kezia who are off to America and then ... God knows where.
And goodbye to Dave Lucas, who's going to ... Neath! He's doing a Theology and youth work course with a Bristol college and he's doing work placement with Elim Church in Neath.
Our blessings go with each one.
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This coming Sunday, 16th September, Andrew Matthews is speaking on resurrection. The following week, we have an open meeting.
Please remember in your prayers especially Sian Thomas and Lynne Porter, both of whom are about to undergo major surgery. Email Linden for more info.
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As well as all these people leaving us, we're eagerly anticipating the arrival of new students!
Nathan, one of our student workers, has written this piece about what's been happening and what's ahead.
Well, it's that time again. Some of you may know it as "the month where Nath & Louise hassle us into doing things for students", but for the rest of us it's the beginning of the academic year!
What happened last year?
Freshers' Week 2006 started with a new recruit to the Linden student team. Eleanor Dallas was back in Swansea, having graduated from Reading Uni in the summer, and decided that she hadn't quite had enough of students yet, so volunteered to help out.
In the previous year we had around six or seven regulars, and we were also holding occasional cell group meetings on top of providing weekly Sunday lunches. By the end of the summer 2007 term, we were up to a maximum of around 20 students, which, whilst obviously being fantastic news, did provide us with a few new problems. For example, many people were happy to provide lunch for six or seven, but few have room in their houses for 20 hungry undergrads!
Also, lifts to church on a Sunday changed from Louise and I driving to Linden via Brynmill to having to arrange four or five cars each week! Then add in the mornings where I'm playing guitar, Louise and Eleanor are singing, other lift regulars Tim Tudor and Tim Oakes are playing guitar and bass, Chris Matthews is at the prison service and Rachel Brown is halfway around the world... It can get a bit crazy on a Saturday night sometimes! Thanks to Neil *, Tim Brown and all of the others who helped out.
My highlight of the year was the weekend away in March. Over 20 people came to Ffald-y-Brenin for two days of bible teaching from Chris Matthews, worship and prayer, and also wonderful games organised by Tim Oakes! We were also, as ever, indebted to the fantastic catering skills of Sue Brown…
What's happening this year?
With Freshers' Week almost upon us again, we've only had one student leave Swansea over the summer, so we're preparing for potentially a bigger group again. We're producing Linden beer mats to publicise the church and also Divine's range of Fairtrade chocolate and wine (we're hoping for free samples!) which will be distributed through the university on the weekend that the Freshers arrive.
We've also got another new addition to the team – Tim Tudor is bringing his vast experience of five years of studenthood, with a couple more still to go!
This year's major change is the student cell. After a year of hosting cell at Red Cafe, we're hoping to move to the upstairs room of one of the pubs in Brynmill next term. This will bring us a lot closer to the student area of the city and will also hopefully provide a more neutral venue for the students to bring their non-Christian friends.
How can you get involved?
Over the next few weeks Eleanor, Tim, Louise and I will be asking for volunteers for a couple of rotas:
Lifts: We're looking for three people per week to volunteer to be on the rota. This doesn't mean that you'll necessarily have to give a lift, but to be aware that we may ring on a Thursday to ask you. Giving a lift is also a good way to get to know students!
Lunches: After the understandable problems of trying to find people with houses big enough (and enough cutlery and crockery!) to provide lunch for up to 20 students, this year we've managed to secure Red Café! So, get together with your friends, families, small group members, prayer partners and sign up – there's also a dishwasher at the Café so no washing up to do afterwards!
We'd also appreciate your prayers for the student work, particularly over the next couple of months. Finding a new church at university can be a difficult process, and it's an important part of the first term for any Christian fresher. Our plan as student workers is just to help them to settle in as quickly as possible and provide the support that they may need whilst doing so.
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