Youth and Families Vision - Update

An update from Marc Baker (overall church leader) following our recent appeal for pledges towards a full-time dedicated youth worker.

Dear Church Family,

Thank you for your amazing response to our appeal to fund a dedicated full-time youth worker to lead a growth initiative in 2025 amongst the young people in our churches and city. We have received 49 unique pledges, many of which are joint pledges from couples in our church family. When Gift Aid is added (where eligible), we have so far received total pledges of a staggering £26,500 a year. Thank you to everyone who has pledged so generously. We are so grateful for every single pledge to support and care for our young people.

Unfortunately, however, this generous response leaves us £3,000 a year short of our target, or £200 a month (before Gift Aid). This naturally feels frustrating given the generous response of the church family and how very, very close we came to reaching our target in just three weeks. If you wanted to contribute to this initiative but did not get a chance before the deadline, do pledge over the next week using the link below and to help us close this gap. Equally, if hearing this news you have decide you now want to pledge, please do that using the link.

In all things we know that the Lord is good and his ways are always perfect. The Youth Leadership Team and our PCC will review the situation. Without receiving this extra income, it seems unlikely that we can move forward. I know those involved will explore all possible avenues to see if we can honour the pledges offered by so many towards this work.

In the meantime, do pray for those involved in this project, for Hugh Barne as he continues in his dual role of leading the ministry at St Kea and holding overall responsibility for work amongst Young People, Children and Families, and especially pray for the young people themselves.

With every blessing - Marc 

This Sunday - How to Live Life on the Margins Part 2

Last week at St Kea, we explored what it means for Christians to live in this world and make a positive impact on society. We focused on the world of work and the world of politics, considering how faith shapes our engagement. 

This week, we turn our attention to the world of relationships—particularly the relationships within marriage. Whatever your particular situation, God’s wisdom has something to offer each one of us. Relationships can be both a source of great joy and deep challenge, and we all face struggles in this area in different ways and at different times. 

Join us as we open God’s word together and seek His loving guidance. Discover how His wisdom speaks to the heart of our relationships and equips us to live faithfully, even when life feels uncertain or complex. 

Whatever your life circumstances, there is encouragement and hope to be found as we continue our series on what it looks like to live life on the margins. 

Our groups for children and young people continue and refreshments are served both before and after our gathering. Livestream will be broadcast and prayer ministry will be available after the service.

A Life That Stands Out

Over the first few studies in this series we have been exploring what it looks like to live as Christians who are engaged in the world around them.

Peter was writing to Christians who were facing opposition for following Jesus. He wanted them to be reminded of the reasons they have to be joyfully and confidently living for Jesus, even in the midst of trials.

We have so far been reminded that we have: a glorious and certain inheritance, kept safe in heaven for us (1:3-4), glory when Jesus returns (1:5-9), a call to holiness (1:16)

What does life on the margins actually look like? How are we to live as we wait for Jesus’s return? What is going to keep us going? What are the implications of living in the light of eternity?

Congregational Survey

Along with other leadership teams across Trinity, the St Kea Leadership Team (Heather Alford, Hugh Barne, Dave Knights, Chris South, and Jenny Stevenson) set some goals for 2025.

This week we are launching a survey to help us collect information relating to two of these goals, namely to: 1) increasing engagement with some sort of small group context, and 2) increasing the appeal of St Kea to new people (and particularly those with children under the age of 18).

We'd be most grateful in you could spare 3 or 4 minutes to help us!

This Saturday

This Saturday we will be holding our first Women’s Breakfast of 2025. Join us as come together to encourage one another in our Christian lives. There will be a short talk and a lot of time for discussion and there's always a delicious breakfast and a warm welcome. 

In 2025 our focus is Heart Matters and we'll be looking together at friendship, forgiveness, contentedness, anxiety, heaven and eternity. This month we'll be exploring together how the Bible transforms both our minds and our hearts, so that we might know and love our God better.

We welcome all women of all ages and stages of life. So do join us on February 8th from 8.30-10am as we launch our Heart Matters series. Click on the image above to sign up.

Trinity Fellowship Evening @ Kenwyn Church

Please join us on Monday 24th February as we come together as Trinity Church for an evening together. There will be updates from each of our congregations along with music and prayer. This time we will be meeting at Kenwyn Church. Refreshments will be served from 7pm with the main part of the evening starting at 7.30pm. We’d love to see you there.

(Please note the date for this event is Monday rather than Wednesday)

Fellowship with other evangelicals in our Diocese

Diocesan Evangelical Fellowships have a link with the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) which was first created by John Stott in 1960 to provide a collective evangelical voice within the Church of England. DEF's are particularly concerned to encourage evangelism, bible-based and Christ-centered formation of discipleship, evangelical leadership within the Church of England.

With the Church of England reeling from recent revelations, at our online gather later this month we will be looking at the topic of 'paying attention to power'. Our speaker Mark Meynell has recently co-edited a book on the subject called Not So with You: Power and Leadership for the Church (2023) addressing the critical issue of healthy use of power according to the Bible's pattern.

Mark has served in various roles, including as a freelance writer, a chaplain in Whitehall, and Director (Europe & Caribbean) for Langham Preaching. His other books include What Makes Us Human? - a profound exploration of identity and meaning, A Wilderness of Mirrors exploring themes of power, trust and authority in modern society, When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend and Cross-Examined.

Click on the image above for further details and to sign up.

Key Dates

Trinity Women’s breakfast - 8th February - 8.30am- 10am

Trinity Fellowship Evening - 24th February @ Kenwyn Church - 7pm

Michael J Tinker concert - 28th February - 4 for 4.30pm

TDEF (online) - 27th February - 7-8.30pm

Weekly Prayer Points

Each week there will be a few things for our church life and church family that we can join in praying for:

1. Heavenly Father, thank you that you are our creator, you know us better than anyone else. You brought us together and you have promised that you have plans and a purpose for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Remind us that you are the center of our relationships and that you are the one who watches over our future. May we look to you for wisdom and guidance.

2. Compassion UK - Lord God, We know you desire to see every child and family thrive. We lift up those trapped in poverty, asking for your provision and guidance. Thank you for the opportunities you’re creating through education, vocational training, and support that transform lives. Bless the work being done to empower communities, and help us all to strive for justice that breaks barriers and restores dignity.

3. Youth work - as our youth sits under bible teaching we pray that they would love You more and love one another more. This week we particularly pray for the older boys groups where numbers are smaller. We ask that You guide them in their faith journey and help them to grow in Your understanding of Your truth as revealed in the Scriptures.