An opportunity to very intentionally decide to be better – eat more fruit and veg, exercise more, curb your exasperation when a family member makes you late or insists on watching a TV programme that you loathe. It’s also an opportunity to decide to be a better Christian and a better disciple.
It can be a poignant time of year as we reflect on those who’re no longer with us, but we smile and feel grateful for the time we had together. My heart goes out to all those people who feel they’re on their own and have no one.
But of course, no one has no one. Whether we realise it or not, we all have God. God’s with us as we walk the rocky path of life – every step of the way.
So what are our new year’s resolutions – our hopes and prayers for The Girls’ Brigade? For me, it’s re-confirming our self confidence in what we’re doing and why. It’s also about continuing to adapt to societal changes – while at the same time remaining proud of our Christian values – so that we continue to be relevant to girls now and into the future.
COVID hit us hard, and then the cost of living crisis came along and made it even harder. A number of groups were unable to re-open due to financial pressures and pressures on people’s time. Yet, we’ve adapted to the new world:
- We have recognised the changing nature of volunteering and had adapted our volunteer roles accordingly. We now have co-team leaders – the equivalent to a job share. We’re happy if people can only contribute a couple of hours a month. Whatever people can offer, we accept with thanks. It all helps.
- Given the strong preference for online engagement amongst children and young people now, we are experimenting with augmenting our traditional F2F and place-based work with safe online sessions too. Augmenting – not replacing. It’s going well and lots of our young leaders are co-developing these approaches with us.
We’re already seeing that these approaches are working. More girls are joining us, particularly in the under 10’s age group. So encouraging and positive for the future.
We can do this, and the future for GB is bright as we help girls and young women seek, serve, and follow Christ.
Happy new year. Blessings to you, your families and friends for the year ahead.
Judith Davey-Cole, Girls’ Brigade CEO