Listen to the hats! A week of Assemblies

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This past week, we had the privilege of delivering assemblies to the entire secondary school—one year group at a time—over five days. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with students, challenge their thinking, and share a message of deep listening and love.

To kick things off, I brought in my favourite hat. Just one. But then I also brought a huge pile of other hats—ones gifted to me by well-meaning people who assumed that because I had a favourite hat, I must love all hats! This set the stage for our theme: the difference between hearing and listening.

Hearing is easy—’oh, you like hats? Great, have another!’ Listening, however, is about paying attention to the details—understanding that I don’t just love any hat, but a specific one. We explored this idea through active listening exercises, helping students think about what it means to be truly heard, accepted, and loved. And as a Christian, I shared how I believe that’s exactly what God does—He listens, knows us fully, and loves us completely.

The assemblies were filled with energy and laughter. One of the biggest highlights was pouring an entire dustbin full of hats onto a table—only for them to spill onto the floor in a glorious cascade. The students loved it, and the room filled with laughter and engagement. It’s always great when a room of teenagers are so caught up that you can hear a pin drop! Teachers later shared their appreciation, and we received plenty of thank-yous for the sessions.

A particularly encouraging moment came when the assistant head shared a story from a past assembly. During an Estyn inspection, one of our assemblies was described by an inspector as “one of the best assemblies they had ever seen.” It was a humbling and joyful reminder of the impact we can have through these moments.

We’re incredibly grateful for the relationship we have with the school and the chance to be part of their journey. It’s a privilege to share meaningful messages with young people in a way that’s fun, thought-provoking, and full of life. Here’s to many more opportunities to listen well, love well, and maybe even spill a few more hats along the way!

Justice, Fairness, and a 19-Foot Tom: A Conversation at Recess

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This week at our afterschool club, Recess, we had one of those big, deep conversations that make youth work so exciting. The topic we were focused on for the session was ‘Justice and fairness.’ We explored huge questions, debated different perspectives, and even ran a mock court to see how people’s views played out in practice. It was fun, engaging, and we could hear them still talking about it when they left!

What became clear very quickly was just how differently we all think about justice. Some leaned towards a version of absolute fairness—everyone gets exactly the same. Others argued for situational justice—different circumstances require different responses. The discussion was passionate, thought-provoking, and, at times, hilariously unpredictable.

As we wrapped up, I reflected with them on the problem of suffering and its relationship to belief in God. One of the classic objections to God’s existence is the presence of injustice in the world. I pointed out that a challenge with this argument is that if even we, in this room, struggle to agree on what justice even is in the first place, then how could we decide God and justice are incompatible? A couple of young people engaged with this idea, asking really thoughtful questions about why they personally reject the idea of God due to suffering and unfairness in the world.

I carefully suggested that sometimes we decide what kind of God we want before deciding whether or not He exists. I gave a silly example: Imagine you’ve been told about a guy named Tom. But you decide before meeting him that Tom is 19 feet tall, has three eyes, and pink hair. Well, because no one like that exists—that mean’s Tom himself can’t possibly exist, so you couldn’t ever possibly meet a Tom. In the same way, rejecting God because He doesn’t match our personal preferences might not be the best approach.

It was amazing to see the students pause and really take this in. You could almost see their grip on unbelief loosening just a little, their minds opening to fresh possibilities.

We love helping young people take small, meaningful steps in their thinking—never pushing, never forcing, just creating space for discovery. Because we believe that’s the most respectful and lasting way for them to encounter God for themselves.

 

Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash

Farewell and Thank You, Karen!

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It’s with a mix of sadness and deep gratitude that we say goodbye to our Staff Worker, Karen, as she moves away from the area. Karen has been an instrumental part of our team, and her impact on our work cannot be overstated.

From the very beginning, Karen poured her heart into building relationships with young people, creating a welcoming and supportive space where they could grow, learn, and have fun. Whether helping to run our regular projects and events, or simply being a trusted presence, she has played a vital role in shaping our community.

Karen’s leadership and dedication were particularly evident in our Summer Programs. Her hard work and vision made Camp-Not-Camp and The Lock In incredible experiences. She was also a familiar face at Reverb Café, always ready to lend a hand and bring encouragement to those around her.

One of Karen’s lasting contributions has been the creation of our ‘Prayer and Pancakes’ evenings—combining spiritual nourishment with delicious home made food  in a way that truly embodied the heart of our work. Behind the scenes, she kept things running smoothly, taking on much of our admin work, including registers, ensuring that every detail was taken care of with diligence and care.

During her time with us, Karen also continued to grow in her own learning, completing training in safeguarding, additional needs, and youth work—further equipping herself to serve young people in meaningful ways.

Karen, you will be truly missed. Thank you for all you have done to make this organisation what it is today. We wish you all the best in your next chapter, knowing that wherever you go, you will continue to make a difference.

With gratitude,

Tim & the Llandudno Youth for Christ team