What does Student Work look like in your city? As Freshers find home in local churches and student work starts up again, how can student workers best support new and returning students, and how can students live out the hope of Jesus this year?
With the announcement of a new 3-tiered system in England, it can be difficult to know how best to welcome and serve students. To help, we have collated ideas and tips in line with which tier you find your city in. Wherever you find yourself, know there is hope in Jesus, opportunity to be explored, and a purpose for the church now and always.
RISK LEVEL: VERY HIGH
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Prayer walking: with your household or alone, commit to walking around the grounds of your campus praying for the hope of Jesus to come. Be open to conversations, bold in sharing and ready to offer the reason for your hope. To register your prayer walk and hear about other prayer walks happening across the UK, click here.
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Fire pits and bonfires: invest in a fire pit and in with your household, toast marshmallows and have good conversations. If living with Christians, commit to praying for one another around the fire. If not, why not use the DMC Deck to encourage good conversations about where your hope comes from? Why not challenge your housemates to adopt healthy rhythms, including eating healthy, exercise or even trying prayer?
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Healthy rhythms: although the banana bread and sour dough making phase may have ended, it is still important for students to adopt healthy rhythms. How are you encouraging them to start and maintain spiritual disciplines? How are you helping them to love reading their Bibles and spending time in worship? How are you encouraging a healthy lifestyle? Releasing a series to support students could be a great way to encourage this.
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Ask students to serve: with many students’ eyes opened to injustice locally and globally, there is an openness to serve and make a difference in their city. Does your church run a Foodbank they could help with? Do you partner with local charities they could serve in? In a time of challenge, serving could not only give some purpose and opportunity to bring hope, but also help them to invest long-term in their new city.
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Online small groups: though many students have a love-hate relationship with Zoom, for some, it is a lifeline of connection for them. Why not ask different students to bring an encouragement, including the reason for their hope? This could be both an encouragement for Christian students and an opportunity for students to invite friends in. For more on small groups, click here.
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Campus scavenger hunt: plan a scavenger hunt for students and their households of key attractions in your city. Include the route from campus to church so they don’t get lost on Sundays, as well as local businesses to support when permitted. Run a social media campaign alongside and encourage students to post on their social media accounts where they are on the hunt.
