13 February 2014 | St Albans, United Kingdom [Paul Tompkins, tedNEWS] The Relay Institute of Youth Evangelism is a unique youth outreach training programme operated by the Trans-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (TED). It is unique in that the practical modules are taken on the road and held in situ at each of the participating countries and most importantly also involves participants having the opportunity to follow-up their practical training with Relay projects attached to their local church area.
The Relay name is descriptive, echoing the thought of the gospel baton being passed from country to country and location to location. Up to now and from the first course held in 2008, Relay has been featured in eleven different countries including Hungary, Sweden, Latvia, Serbia, Denmark, Iceland Pakistan, Poland, Croatia, Finland and most recently Albania.
As an integral part of each course, practical outreach always takes place, which is normally contextualised according to the opportunities and needs at the local level. This has included door-to-door surveys, Relay Café’s (Croatia), street stalls and displays (Albania), displays in shopping malls (Finland) and also many other creative community-based health programmes (most locations).
The training consists of 3 core modules: Foundations of Adventist Beliefs, Foundations of Youth Outreach, Foundations of Discipleship and Leadership and one elective subject chosen locally. Each module has 30 hours of teaching content plus the practical outreach and has been well received and proven to be very effective. Participants receive both completion certificates after each module as well as a graduation certificate at the end of the whole course. Most importantly they also receive the invitation to submit Relay project applications.
Throughout the Relay programme Relay projects are both introduced and seed funded and most importantly set into operation. There is now a file of many excellent projects taking place throughout the division territory, some of which are also linked to the Mission to the Cities campaigns in each country. The latest of these projects are following on from the Relay course in Albania at the end of 2013 where the Relay participants returned home and submitted project applications in five local churches. In addition, in some countries Relay Associations or clubs have also been formed, and Serbia has been very active in this with great effect.
As from 2014 a new phase of the Relay story is being entered into. Firstly, one session of the training will be placed at Newbold College and accessible to all. This will take place from 22 June through to 4 July and will include the Adventist Beliefs and also Discipleship modules for new applicants. Others who missed a module in their own country can take this opportunity to complete the course. Additionally, a Relay Plus refresher course will also be offered at the same time for returning graduates. Application forms and other details are available from local Union Youth Departments or also from the TED office. Further details can be found on the Relay website www.ted-relay.org.
In addition, it has long been a dream to hold Relay mission projects and in both 2014 and 2015 these will take place, initially, in Albania and partnering with ADRA and AVS. These mission programmes will be open to both Relay graduates and also new participants.
So the Relay story continues to grow. To-date there has been hundreds of Relay participants, in the various countries, many of whom have now graduated from all four modules. But there is room and opportunity for many more. The next exciting steps are now being planned so a new generation of Adventist youth can also receive the gospel baton and share their faith in creative and effective ways in 21st century Europe. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor
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