CONNECT meets fortnightly on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 – 9:30. Anyone of high school age up to 18 is most welcome. Please check the calendar to see when our next meeting is and the activity we will be doing.

The club is open for youth to enjoy the many games we play, engage in the wide variety of activities, discuss their problems/views with other teenagers and to share in learning something beneficial based on Biblical teachings. At the moment, we have a great mixture of youth, both male and female ranging from 12-18 years old.

Problems faced by our youth today:

Many influences, stresses, peer-pressures and worldly attractions bombard our young people from every angle.

• The subtle pressure of fitting in with their peers.
• Wearing the right clothing label.
• Conforming to the accepted streetwise conversation.
• Wearing the latest fashion.
• Having to have the latest hairstyle.
• Keeping up with the latest games console and computer games.
• Listening to the most ‘IN’ music (whatever the connotation).
• The ever growing demands of academic achievements such as homework, coursework and exams.

We haven’t even mentioned the more sinister pressures and attractions such as smoking, drinking,

drug taking and the ever-worrying temptation to engage in premature sexual activity.

It would seem an epidemic of sexual diseases is sweeping Britain, which has the worst record for teenage pregnancies in Europe. The teenage birth rates are twice as high as Germany, three times as high as France and six times as high as the Netherlands.

In 2000, 7,617 under 16-year olds became pregnant and 54.5% of these ended in legal abortion. In the world’s richest nations, over three quarters of a million teenagers will become mothers in the next twelve months.

One pupil in every four admits to trying cannabis compared to one in fifty, two decades ago. Solvent abuse among 15 and 16-year olds in the UK is at 15% - the highest in the EU.

The morning after pill is available to adolescents over the counter at Tesco. Children are being told that if they have sex without protection, they have only to nip into the supermarket and the problem will be sorted.

The above list is enough to make any caring parent feel great concern for their children. The list is a sad reflection of today’s society, which is failing our young people.

Although the CONNECT group could not possibly claim to take away these pressures, its aim is to provide an environment of fun and safety where such pressures are somewhat alleviated. More importantly, its aim is to provide good, wholesome Bible teaching and to highlight its relevance on today’s social issues. Unashamedly, we believe that giving children a biblical perspective will help them to make the right decisions in our decadent western culture. Ultimately our desire would be to see children come to know God through His son Jesus Christ. To know the power of His resurrection body and to live a life that is pleasing and honouring to God.

Our activities include:

Sports (Football, tennis, hockey, badminton.)

Snooker/pool

Air hockey

Group outings such as:

Ice-skating

Ten pin bowling

Movie night

Karaoke night