It was fantastic to see so many of you at our AGM in March. It was really great to be able to talk with you and to welcome you aboard our 3:16 Bus. Since the AGM, where we shared the financial concerns regarding CRIBS, we have been thoroughly blessed by the provision which has come in. We have never, in such a short amount of time, received as much income. This has come in the form of amazing individual giving and trust funding. THANK YOU GOD! We see this as a total confirmation that our work should indeed continue.

Our 3:16 Bus Project continues to make an impact (as you can see from the quotes inside this newsletter) and our RE:CRE@TE! classroom-based lessons are still going apace with the program fully booked. However, we have only been able to run one after-school club this year. The Alive Club enables us to build on the relationships made in the classroom. There is much scope for expanding this work but at present we do not have the staff to develop it. Please pray for the staff to fulfil this opportunity.

Despite the lack of clubs, during May we were privileged to take two groups of children away on weekend residentials – both Primary and Secondary ages. Here is a posting from our Facebook page following the Primary weekend:

"What an amazing weekend away. We did teaching on some of the Parables in the Bible. Learnt a new song called ''Take it in and live it out'. Had fun swimming, on low ropes and having a BBQ and bonfire. Please pray that the children do learn to take God's word in and Live it out. Praise God."

Our newly formed Facebook page is entitled Cribs Charitable Trust. If you are on Facebook feel free to visit the site and ‘like’ our page to get our postings.
 

UPDATE from Nicola

We are not grasshoppers in a land of giants - 'We should go up
and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it!'
Numbers 13:17-33. This was the message from a guest speaker
on the Saturday evening of a residential weekend in which we
took 15 teenagers from 9 secondary schools and 10 churches!
Why am I telling you? Well, they were 15 teenagers desperate
to see God move in their schools.

I believe that secondary school is the hardest place to stand up as a Christian, and in this place, where our young people spend so much of their week; they need to be supported and encouraged. We want to enable the teens in our schools to thrive and grow in their faith, not just survive or hide it. Over 70% of people who become Christians do so under the age of 18!

I have been working for CRIBS for over 5 months now and have spent time supporting Christian Unions in 2 Bexley secondary schools, helping to set one up, and spreading the news to young people in other schools about the possibility of meeting together, worshipping Jesus in school and showing his radical love to their friends and enemies.

I have met up with a schools worker in Sutton who is a bit further along the journey than me, very encouraging! I’m soon to visit a school to sit in on a year 7 Religious Studies class with a view to supporting the R.S. staff as a visiting teacher. My vision for the coming year is to meet with Youth Leaders in the borough, to connect with their young people, see what their dreams are for schools and how CRIBS might be able to support them in that. I would also love to get churches to support their local secondary schools in prayer.

There are some incredible stories of what God’s doing in schools at the moment and we can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next year. If you want to find out more, or your young people are interested in finding out how CRIBS might be able to support and encourage them in their school, please contact me at nicola@cribsonline.org or on Facebook: Nicola Foot-Cribs or at the CRIBS office on 01322 330730.

Nicola Foot - CRIBS Secondary schools worker

The Danson Festival

For the first time ever CRIBS are going to The Danson Festival - Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd July 2011!   We will be adjacent to the TBB (Transform Bexley Borough) stand with our 3:16 Bus. The bus will be open to the public and there will be opportunities to spend time with God on board as well as showcasing what we do in schools.

Please take time to visit the bus during the weekend. We would love to welcome you aboard.

Thank You!

I made the £203.65 by doing a cake sale at church for CRIBS because they were running low on money. My mum and me done lots of cooking for the cake sale and so did some people from church.

My friends from school Mya and Charlotte made some posters for cribs.

Max helped me sell the cakes with Mum and Dad and we were very busy. I want to do some more fundraising for Cribs so I am thinking of some new ways to make money.

Cameron  

3:16 Bus Project Feedback

• Excellent. Well delivered, thought through and inspiring.
• Very good organisation e.g. storytelling, use of the Bible, ICT input. Children now more knowledgeable about how Christian people think and view aspects of their belief
• A wonderful experience. The children loved the bus and the activities on it. It was a smooth and well organised and the activities were really suitable for this age range. A great time for everyone!
• We have discussed as staff the importance of different learning environments and how they help children. I could really see / feel the impact this had on children today.
• Quotes from the children:
"Layout of the bus was trendy!"
"All three areas had different themes/activities"
"So many different types of activities"

Donate by Text

NEW: Send donations of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 by texting 'CRIB33 £amount' (i.e. CRIB33 £10) to 70070. All of the donation goes to CRIBS.