Hull (St. Johns Newland)

Mikey Helen

sjnstudents@outlook.com

As of May 2022 Mikey Helen has been appointed as the pioneer student worker at St Johns Newland in Hull. The Church is just down the road from Hull University and part of his role is supported by Multiply and is to grow a new worshipping community.

The first 10 years of my life my family and I attended a small Baptist church in Surrey, we then moved villages and to an Anglican Church in Claygate. Holy Trinity Claygate became my home throughout my youth and where I later became their ministry assistant on my gap year before university. I first encountered Jesus and gave my life to him when I was 13 years old on a holiday camp run by our church when looking up at the stars and being struck by how big and infinite God is but how much he loved me.

In my year as ministry assistant, I helped with the growth of the youth team and the smooth operations of the children and family’s department. In the summer I worked with a children’s charity called Pulse ministries whose main Vision was to equip people in the building of the kingdom of God and to tell as many children as possible the gospel of Jesus through subsidised holiday clubs.

Despite learning and growing those last few years, when I arrived at university, I turned very far away from who I believe God intended for me to be. I got involved with the wrong people, the wrong activities and leant on my own strength in what seemed like the darkest time of my life. However, a few years ago God showed me, through the persistent contact of the student worker at the church in Lincoln, that there was a family for me and a place I would soon call home again. St Swithins, Lincoln.

It was at St Swithins that I have grown as a leader, discovered my calling for student work, made some lifelong friends and met my girlfriend. It was through their support that I was encouraged to pursue God’s Calling to the role of Student Pioneer at St John’s Newland, Hull.

I am so excited to see how God is going to move through the city of Hull and how we can love and serve the students at the university of Hull. We continue to seek God in different ways as we connect, build and grow together. If you are interested in supporting us as we grow the student’s ministry, then please email me at sjnstudents@outlook.com