York, St. Andrews Huntington

James Simister

James Simister is the Youth and Young Adults leader for Huntington Benefice in York. James is building on his work with children and young people, using contacts from his work in Forest Church, Messy Church and an online cell group. Since January 2020, James has been forming a team, praying around the local area, and a starting New Worshipping Community focused on reaching younger adults.

‘It all began out of the frustrations of seeing young people reach the end of ‘youth’ provision, having developed genuine faith, but then seemingly drifting away from church. This was my experience in the last few years as a Youth and Children’s leader within a parish context. Sometimes, younger adults unintentionally drift away because they are no longer part of a living faith community’.

‘We decided that establishing a new worshipping community as a way of reaching and engaging younger adults was the way forward and got involved with Multiply’

‘After initially sharing the wider vision with the current congregation and seeking their feedback and ideas, we started in January’

‘We invited people to join an initial core group/team which started meeting in February. That group comprised of about 10 people, some new and some not. We spent the first five weeks meeting weekly and eating together, building relationships and exploring what we could be doing. This is got off to a flying start’

‘Focusing on people in their 20s was key - those who as a church we don’t really reach at all.

‘Through lockdown we’ve met weekly on Zoom, exploring how we get back to the heart of what church is and can be. We got to know each other, prayed for each other, and shared life together.

‘By sharing the leadership of this group, people have flourished. We have all benefited from the different ways that people have approached it’

‘I think a lot of people would relate to a parish church context where you can count on one hand the number of people in their 20s. Many young people probably feel like church as they know it has nothing to offer them or doesn’t have any value to them, which we know isn’t true. Church has a lot to offer. Jesus is our saviour and can give all of us, whoever we are, hope in Him’.