Rach Collins, SCM’s North West Development Worker, reports from the latest SCM breakfast event in Liverpool, where church leaders, volunteers, students and chaplains met together to explore student ministry in the city.
On Tuesday 7 February, 21 people from local churches, chaplaincies and charities – as well as current students – joined together for an SCM Breakfast at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. We had representatives from the Anglican church, Mersey Synod of the URC, Modern Church and the International Justice Mission (IJM), as well as two local SCM Link Churches and of course chaplains from across the Universities.
After a time of sharing informally over breakfast, groups of 3s and 4s discussed their excitement and concern for student work in Liverpool and beyond. A key theme that came out of this discussion was a passion for social justice, and how that unites us. One of the students enthused about unity across churches and student work that was evident in the room. It was great to have so much energy for student work in Liverpool.
Liverpool has three distinct Universities, and this brings opportunities as well as difficulties. It was good to have people working across all of them around the table.
Challenges and Concerns
Participants raised concerns that this might be just another talking shop meeting with no real fruit. There were also worries that student Christianity misses so many Christian students, as well as other minorities. Church leaders were also worried about lacking confidence, and the fact we need to reach out and be student-led. Joined together we saw that what we need is the time and resources on the ground with actual students to make a difference.
The morning concluded with hopes of working together with organisations in the room and others not present to focus on social justice and find the students to ensure that this is student-led.
I'm personally excited about where this might lead, and how SCM can continue to support students and those doing the on-the-ground work in Liverpool.
SCM is working to create new resources and training materials to help churches reach out to students and support their spiritual journeys through university. If you would like to support this work, please make a donation today - you can donate online here.