The change we see
Sometimes when things are not as we want them to be, all we hope for is a big change to make it all different at once. But change can take many forms, and often looks different from how we anticipate it.
When Gillian Burns started as the Youth Worker for John Knox Church of Scotland, a new headteacher started at Stewarton Academy, the local secondary school, at the same time. Prior to Gillian starting in the role, the school had had a good relationship with the church, but with very little input, mainly at Easter and Christmas events. But things took a massive shift when the new headteacher started and Gillian was able to build up that relationship from the beginning of both of their roles. Gillian recalls that it was very significant having both her and the headteacher start at the same time, and the momentum of both changes caused a “tidal shift in attitude” from the school towards the church being involved. Very soon there was interest in starting an SU group at the school and, seeing as there had been little regular involvement from the church before, this seemed like a really positive step. And as things progressed, Gillian was asked to contribute even more: Gillian created a prayer space in the school, the church started being asked to contribute in assemblies more regularly and also started a few courses on developing life skills such as the CAP money course.
These big changes were so encouraging when gauging the school’s response to church involvement, but it is important not to lose sight of the little changes. The ones that happen over time, often in young people, that are more of a gradual shift. Gillian reflects on a particular student who had no church background but came along to the prayer space at school and through that they built up a relationship. This girl was keen to get involved in the Alpha Course, which then progressed to her coming to church regularly and attending Powerpoint. In the school, this student had a bit of a negative reputation, but at church was known to be very polite and friendly - completely different from school. Gillian emphasizes that it is significant the change we can have in someone’s life when we welcome them into a community and allow them to be known and loved there. It is so important for them to keep loving her despite her challenges and that they feel “so blessed to see what God is doing in her life”.
Perhaps this is the very foundations of all the changes, trusting that there is something deeper being sown there in amongst this change that is bigger than any of us.
