'Satellites was a brilliant festival designed with youth groups in mind'
Teenagers in Baptist churches are being encouraged to consider being a part of next summer's Satellites event
Satellites is a five-day gathering, designed to inspire teenagers to live with God at the centre of their lives for the other 360 days of the year.
Created by the team at Youthscape, last August was the first time it took place - and more than half who attended were from Baptist churches.
Youth leaders from Eastleigh Baptist Church took their youth group to the event last summer and said, ‘Satellites was a brilliant festival designed with youth groups in mind. Our young people loved the chance to be away together, to worship together and meet other young people from around the country. It’s all they’ve been talking about since the summer and can’t wait to go back!’
In sharing their feedback from last summer, young people have said:
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‘It was a good time to connect with God in different ways.’
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‘The main sessions were good, and the sunsets were so good too.’
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‘It was so vibey.’
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‘Making friends with other youth from other churches was great.’
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‘The silent disco! I’m gonna pass out, it was so good!’
‘Worshipping Jesus with hundreds of young people at Satellites felt like a glimpse of heaven!’ says Isabella Senior, the Baptists Together Young Leaders’ Development Coordinator, who attended the event last summer.
‘I particularly love Satellites’ focus on everyday discipleship that goes beyond a week in the summer. Their values of prayer, worship, family, power, justice, evangelism and creativity align so well with our Baptist movement and maybe that’s why so many there were from Baptist churches.
'I meet many young adults that went to Soul Survivor as teenagers, and they share the impact it has had in their faith until now. In a similar way, Satellites give today’s teenagers the opportunity to fuel their passion for Jesus, spend time around other young Christians and have fun together.’
Watch an Instagram reels from Isabella’s day at Satellites last year.
'I came to faith and then spent my youth in a Baptist church,' says event founder and Youthscape Director Martin Saunders, 'and going with that youth group to Soul Survivor each summer was hugely formative for my faith.
'I am so thrilled to see so many Baptist churches getting behind Satellites, not least because the first donation we ever received - which really got the ball rolling - was from a retired Baptist minister who was desperate to see faith passed on to the next generation.'
Clare Hooper, Children, Youth and Families Round Table Facilitator and SCBA Acting Regional Team Leader says ‘One of the highlights in my ministry has been when young people gather together and deepen their relationship with God and one another. I’ve loved seeing young people respond to God’s love for them during these times and we want to encourage youth groups to take up this opportunity, and to help facilitate this where we can.’
Satellites is happening from 4-8 August at Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet.
We’re trying to encourage larger youth groups to connect with churches where there’s only a handful of young people so that we can support one another. If you're taking a group and can offer some space for a few more, or if you’re a church with one or two young people and would like to connect with another church then please do get in touch.
The following associations are in a position to help where they can.
To find out more and book your place, visit www.wearesatellites.com or drop the team an email on hello@wearesatellites.com.
Baptist Times, 09/02/2023