Scripture Union

Having an SU group in the local school provides a huge opportunity.

One of the teachers along at the school - he and I we were running a group last year. But his circumstances were such that at the start of the new school year he simply was really unable to share the leading of the group. Getting a venue became a bit of a problem as well. And I was finding myself fairly tight for time as well.

So the SU group rather dropped off the radar.

It's exercised me a lot these past few months. I see the opportunity. I'm aware of the impact a time like that each week can have on a group of young children. So I've been pushing a bit to see if we can't start it up again. Sooner rather than later.

Today I was back at the school to do just that. And it looks like it's all systems go, with a view to our starting again next week!

The words of the final verse of Graham Kendrick's song (We'll walk the land) often come into mind:

We'll walk for truth, speak out for love;
In Jesus' name, we shall be strong
To lift the fallen, to save the children.
To fill the nation with Your song.

To save the children.

The children of our land today have little genuine roots. It's a dreadful generalisation, I know. But in the main it's true. They simply do not have these days the 'anchorage' that a grounding in the Word of God affords.

They don't know where they are. Half the time they don't have a clue as to who they are. They're lost, exposed, and vulnerable.

SU groups are one small way of tackling that massive need: of providing the 'rescue' they need.

We don't get a lot of time each week. little more than 20 minutes, if we're realistic. With a very mixed bunch of children.

Where do we start? What do we teach? How do we feed them the truth?

Our forbears had an answer in the catechisms they taught. I know there's a lot you might say about this catechitical approach - it had its downsides, too: but one thing it certainly gave was a grounding in truth.

We want to see a whole new generation of the children of our land being grounded again in the Scriptures, their lives, indeed, being rooted in a thorough-going relationship with Christ.

We want to see our nation filled again with the Lord's song.

An SU group is one good place to start! (I doubt we'll be using the catechism, mind! But the intent will be the same)