Christian Education Europe - Weekly Blog #24-7

LET'S GET TOGETHER

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:31:51 +0000

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! - Psalm 113:1

There's something energising about being in the company of people who are passionate about the same things as you are.

In fact, when like-minded individuals get together, powerful things can happen.

For ACE students much encouragement can come from opportunities that bring them together. Using an alternative curriculum has many wonderful benefits, but let's be honest, it can be isolating. By attending events students can see that they are not alone, strong friendships can be made, and they can inspire one another.

In many ways it is the same for parents and educators. Discouragement is an easy thing to fall into when you try and make it by yourselves. You can question your abilities, motives, and resources. Coming together with others who are in a similar situation to you can massively build up your confidence and reignite your vision. The support and the advice of others who are on the same path as you is a priceless thing.

In order to create opportunities for students AND educators to meet one another, Christian Education runs special events throughout the year.

Of course, there are many reasons to attend these events, but one of the big ones is to MAKE CONNECTIONS.

TEACH Camp

If you are an ACE home educator, TEACH Camp is the event for you.

It goes something like this -

Who, where, and when?

Five days in the beautiful Welsh countryside with your family.

TEACH Camp 2020 is happening from the 25th-29th of May.

Refresh and add to your knowledge

Each morning there are informative sessions and workshops designed to equip you on your homeschool journey. At the same time, the children and youth attend their own groups, in which they will take part in fun activities and presentations. These sessions are designed not only to encourage you in your home educating, but also in your Christian walk as well.

Relax in the Afternoon

Afternoon activities will be available for participation in the afternoon, and the coffee bar will be open for those who want to sit and chat.

You can either join in, take some time to chill or explore the local area with your family!

Rallying Together

Each day is topped off with an evening worship and rally that everyone can attend! Special guest speakers are present, family interviews happen, a student concert takes place, AND there is a celebration for graduates, plus much more!

After Rally Fun

There's time for tea and chats after the rally, as well as a youth club where the teens can take part in some fun challenges with the 24-7 team.

Click Here to Connect at TEACH Camp

European Student Convention

European Student Convention is specifically designed with ACE Students in mind -

Who, where, and when?

Five days in the English Cotswolds with other ACE Students! (plus sponsors)

ESC 2020 is happening from the 6th-10th July.

What's it about?

ESC is an event where ACE students come together and participate in different events under the categories - Academics, Art, Drama, Music, and Sports. Each category get's judged by experts, and in the evenings there is an awards ceremony to present the students with medals for their achievements. By participating, students have the opportunity to practice, explore, and display their skills and talents, and get constructive feedback from people who are experienced in those areas.

Group events

There are many group events that students can enter together. From 1600 meter relay, to PACE Bowl, to vocal ensemble. Students learn to work in unison in order to gain a medal! School teams come together, but if you are a home educator, TEACH holds events before ESC to get teams together and get some practice. These practices are also great opportunities to get together and meet other home educators.

Evening Rally

Each day has a big finish with the evening rally. After all the competition of the day, students congregate together to worship the Lord, celebrate each others' achievements, watch exciting command performances, and hear an uplifting and relevant message.

16+

For students who are 16 and over there are after rally events run by the 24-7 Team that give them space to chat, get to know one another, and have a laugh.

Christian Educators' Conference

Christian Educators' Conference, a place for Christian educators! -

Who, when, and where?

Two days of networking and workshops with other people who work and serve in the world of Christian education.

CEC 2020 is happening on the 4th and 5th of December at King's House Conference Centre in Northampton.

Information and Inclusion

CEC is designed to inform and update educators. Sessions cover current affairs, CPD, practical advice and more. In addition to these refreshing sessions, CEC is also a great place to connect with like-minded people who share the vision of Christian education.

Break-away

As well as attending the main sessions, you can choose a topical track that is most interesting to you. This way, you can attend workshops that are the most relevant to your need. This option also enables you meet others with similar interests, questions, and ideas.

Hot Drinks and plenty of Biscuits

There are plenty of breaks in between sessions allowing time to chat. You also have the chance to mingle during mealtimes.

Nothing brings people together like food does!

Quiz time

Last year we introduced the CEC Quiz which was great success. After the sessions of the day, you can join a team and take part in the fun, or pick a team to support and be entertained as a spectator! It's a great way to wind down and get to know people.

V O L U N T E E R

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 13:58:43 +0000

Is volunteering for me?

Sometimes there are points in life when you think,

"I have something to give, but I don't know what to give, or who to give to, or how to give."

The answer for you could be: volunteering

You may be under the impression that what you have to give as a volunteer is not enough.

If you do think this way, look at the current situation of the world. There are so many areas of need.

If you have been privileged with things like -- education, Godly upbringing, life experiences, finances, time to focus on talents, supportive family and friends -- then you have most certainly been equipped to give something back to your world and your community.

So where to start?

Seek God

This is pretty much the first thing you should do in every situation, but we often forget this and then get all flustered when we don't need to, so this is a great reminder.

Seeking God gives clarity. If you are thinking of volunteering, then His guidance will be beneficial for you as you make your choice. He knows what you are capable of and what you need to learn and experience. He knows how your talents will benefit others. He will lead you to the right opportunity.

Do some research

There are LOADS of organisations that would happily take you on as a volunteer, and there are so many areas you can choose from.

Ask yourself these important questions:

Where can I volunteer? Community, overseas
What skills do I have that will help? Creative, tech savvy, good communicator
Who do I want to help? People, environment, wildlife

Remember, when researching, Google is your friend.

Prepare yourself to be pushed out of your comfort zone

One of the harsh truths of life is -- you will rarely feel ready for the unknown.

Volunteering will take you to places where you are sure to be uncomfortable.

You will get new responsibilities that you don't feel prepared for, and you will have to get to know and work alongside new people.

The best way to look at this is: this IS preparation. There always has to be a first time for everything.

This may be the first time you have to jump into a new experience. So trust God -- and jump.

You will be surprised to see how much you are actually capable of and how much you learn.

Volunteer with us!

Here at Christian Education we have a few opportunities for those who want to volunteer (for people of all ages).

The 24-7 Team

The 24-7 Team is a group of ACE graduates and young adults who want to give back to the younger students who are still using the ACE programme. The team comes together to support our big events, TEACH Camp and European Student Convention.

The 24-7 Experience allows a Team member to:

Support and be a Godly example to the current ACE students
Use their skills and talents to help run big events
Meet and create friendships with other members of the team
Enjoy the experience of being at TEACH Camp and ESC
Learn new skills and make great memories
Oh, 24-7 team members also get a free hoodie!

Request a 24-7 Team Application Form!

Educational Assistance

This is an opportunity for ACE graduates to go to another country and volunteer in an ACE school. This is a great option for new graduates who are not sure about what to do next and are thinking about taking a Gap year.

There are currently EA Opportunities in:

Honduras
Haiti
Mexico
Asia
Canada
USA

Apply to be an Educational Assistant via ACE Ministries

ESC Judging

European Student Convention is a massive event and there's always a need for people to volunteer to help with the judging in each category. If you have skills or experience in any area in the categories of academics, art, music, drama, or sports, and would like to be a part of our judges team, let us know. We'd love to have you on board.

Request to be an ESC Judge