That RELAY feeling... (7th Aug 2009)

Hey! How are you? I hope this email finds you well and that you are getting to enjoy some of the sunny (or perhaps not so sunny) weather as of late. I just got back last week from helping lead a Christian kids camp in the Czech republic for a week-awesome time! However, as you have probably guessed, I am now in the process of starting to prepare a few things for my year ahead in the Relay programme with UCCF (Universities and Christian Colleges Fellowship: see http://www.uccf.org.uk/about-us/), and thought this would be a good time to update you a little.

You will be aware already that I have decided to spend my year in Relay back in Dundee. I feel this is really the place that God has guided me to be but I'm going to be honest with you, as a non-student, I am quite anxious about going back. In one sense, I know its going to be back to the same surroundings that I have been used to during my university years (life on the perth road; late night jaunts to the chip shop and hang outs at the all-night bakery) but I have to admit that in another sense it feels like I'm just starting all over again.

Staying in Dundee, I want to make sure that I don’t get caught up in the organisational part of the Christian Union (CU) but allow God to use me beyond the role I adopted as President there in the past-being able to go to a deeper level with students. To help, guide and support those attending the CU to discover what their faith really means to them and how to put it into practice by being able to go beyond an acceptance of biblical teachings into an actual out-working of what the Bible says! To follow, but at the same time share Christ’s teachings with others so that we are no longer taking the “I’m a Christian, what do you do” kind of approach but that we are getting to a much more serious and intimate level with one another.

Its asking the tricky questions that will prompt their non-Christian friends to see out of the box. If students aren‘t able to do that now, then in 4 or 5 years time (some even less than that) they will find themselves leaving uni asking the same sort of questions that I did: Have I really made an impact on those people I met at uni that don’t know God? Did or do they even know that I am a Christian? What if I was the only chance they ever had to hear about Jesus Christ?

I have as much teaching to give myself as I do to the students I work with. That’s the part of Relay that I’m looking forward to, that as I’m learning I’m passing on...but it’s not always going to be easy. There will be no UCCF staff worker in Dundee next year so it will be strange to be able to find a balance in the support that UCCF are able to give. Mark and Joanne Ellis, James Muir (another relay worker for Dundee) and I are all hoping to be able to create a team front. One that will be ready to get the sleeves rolled up, to encourage, support and keep the work of Dundee CU alive for the year and indeed years to come. Can I continue to ask you to be a part of that?

I have enclosed my prayer and support leaflet with more information (see Claire Livingstone file attached). It would be great if you could print this off, even share with a few friends and if you feel you could contribute finanancially in anyway (either monthly or on a one-off basis) you can do so by returning the support form (see Relay Giving document) to UCCF at the address given. But even if you do not feel you have the capacity to contribute financially I do not want you to think that your support is in ANYWAY undervalued! Your prayers and encouragements already have enabled me to take up this position in the first place, I can honestly say that I couldn't have gotten this far without you! For that I praise and thank God for the friends He has given me and I will continue to look forward to keeping you updated with life in Dundee as well as hearing about how things your way are going. I would love to hear about the ways I can be supportive of you. Being able to prayer for one another as each of us seek to be disciples for God's kingdom, no matter how signficant a part we feel we sometimes play.

I head back to Dundee on the 23rd of august and begin my first week of training on the 25th of august. This is held in the Quinta centre in Shropshire (just on the border of Wales-for those of you whose geography is as poor as mine is!!). There we will be looking at the theme of spiritual growth and the subject of discipleship (being and making disciples) to understand our role and motivations as well as our agreed plan of study and support. Following this week we will remain in the Quinta centre for FORUM, the UCCF conference for CU Leader's all over the UK. Returning to Dundee on the 7th of September, where I will be able to update you a little more :)

Until then, sending love, prayers and God’s blessing your way,
Claire xo


Ephesians 4 v11-13:
“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers., to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”