September 2015

www.guildfordcatholicchurches.co.uk/youth Catholic Parish of Guildford GYM-jams, jGYM and GYM Newsletter

Welcome to a new school year! We hope you have a great year in our youth ministry We are looking forward to a fantastic autumn term with our three groups. Below details what we are looking at this term. Dates for the term are below. Please note there is no jGYM and GYM next week (2nd October) due to the launch of the parish First Holy Communion programme.  I also draw your attention to the new Children, Youth and Families Newsletter here with the latest information about family-focused events coming up in the parish. Below is an event we are particularly excited about and that we would like the young people, you and your family to come to, the inspirational Wintershall Nativity performance on Friday 18th December. We would love to keep growing the youth ministry groups. Can you help us? Please spread the word about the groups to your friends, to other parents in the playground. We also need help with cooking at jGYM in particular. Can you help once a term?

What we are doing at GYM-jams and jGYM Apologetics - how to answer some questions about our faith We are very excited about our new term with GYM-jams and jGYM. At both groups, we are looking at apologetics in a fun and dynamic way. We are looking at the following topics: How Do We Know That God Exists? Why Is There So Much Suffering? Did Jesus Really Exist? Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? Do Miracles Still Happen Today? Why Believe In Creation? Truth - How Do We Know What Truth Is? Bible - How Do We Know The Bible Is True? What have I been created to be and do? Because we only have a short time to unpack these themes more questions than answers may come up for the young people. It would be great if you could ask your child what has come up for them from through the weeks.

What we are doing at GYM The person of Christ We are very excited about our new term with GYM. With the completion of the Cafe area in St Joseph's hall, it has provided us a special space for our older youth. We used it for the first time last Friday and enjoyed some yummy smoothies. After a fantastic summer camp, DAMASCUS, we would love to keep the momentum going in terms of the faith exploration and sharing. So we have invested in a new programme called Life Teen. This is an American Catholic Life Teen resource that allows parishes to lead teenagers and their families into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. Find out more here. This term we are looking at the following topics: All Who Are Thirsty: Faith - Our Response to God Puzzled: The Most Holy Trinity Emmanuel: The Incarnation & Hypostatic Union Light Up Your Life: Jesus Teaches Us About Ourselves A Royal Pain: Suffering God, Give Me More...Now: Jesus Teaches Us How To Pray Fear Vs Dreams: Suicide and Depression The aim is to link the person of Christ with our person done in a Catholic but sensitive way. We'll be keeping the fun and relaxed feel of GYM throughout. I hope to send you some questions to reflect on with your young person after each of the Life Teen sessions.

GYM-jams timetable Autumn Term Monday 28th September Monday 5th October Monday 12th October Monday 19th October HALF TERM - NO SESSION Monday 2nd November Monday 9th November Monday 16th November Monday 23rd November Monday 30th November Monday 7th December Monday 14th December   jGYM & GYM timetable Autumn Term Friday 25th September Friday 2nd October - NO SESSION Friday 9th October Friday 16th October Friday 23rd October HALF TERM - NO SESSION Friday 6th November Friday 13th November Friday 20th November Friday 27th November Friday 4th December Friday 11th December

We'd like to invite the young people, you and your family to magical performance of the Nativity

Many thanks for reading the GYM newsletter email. If you have any questions and would like to know more about our youth programmes then please visit the Guildford Catholic Parish website or contact Aseel, the Children, Youth and Families Coordinator or Lucy, the Children, Youth and Families Assistant