Last week, a team of six volunteers from across our local churches, alongside Matt and Paul from Gloucestershire Youth For Christ, brought GSUS Live to Cleeve Secondary School. GSUS Live is an interactive learning experience designed to help secondary school students explore themes like fear, forgiveness, and rejection through the lens of Jesus's teachings.

Through engaging Bible stories, contemporary songs, and thought-provoking short films about public figures, students were invited to look at real-life issues from a Christian perspective. They were given the opportunity to not only learn about these subjects but also reflect on them by answering questions and engaging in a conversation with a character who was experiencing the challenges that these issues can bring.

Over the course of the week, we had the privilege of teaching 551 students from years 7-9, delivering 20 lessons and even joining the school's Christian Union. The impact was overwhelmingly positive, creating a buzz throughout the school.

The students' engagement was also remarkable. They asked insightful questions and offered thoughtful responses, demonstrating a genuine interest in the material. As one of our volunteers shared, "I personally was greatly blessed by my two sessions with the students and the opportunity to share with them."

Another volunteer remarked, "GSUS Live was engaging, exciting, well-presented and well delivered by both Matt and Paul, who both have a real gifting in their youth work. It made me feel young again (briefly) and reminded me of my own school days."

As the week progressed, the excitement grew. Students were eager to know if they would have the chance to participate. The feedback was clear: when the final class was asked if they hoped GSUS Live would return next year, the response was a resounding "yes!"

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who made this week possible: the dedicated volunteers, Matt and Paul from Gloucestershire Youth for Christ, and the staff and students at Cleeve Secondary School.

We pray that the seeds planted during GSUS Live will continue to grow and that the students will carry the lessons learned with them as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of life. If you would like to donate towards the work of YFC who brought this resource to Cleeve School, please visit their website at: https://www.yfcgloucestershire.co.uk/