A one year discipleship programme which has expanded to include five churches in three hub locations in the Ripon Episcopal Area is hoping to expand next year so that more people can take part.
Step Up is now in its third year, and currently a record forty-two adults are taking part in discipleship courses centred on Wetherby, Harrogate and Brompton on Swale/Catterick. As well as deepening their understanding of the Christian faith, the programme aims to equip church members who take part with new skills as they respond to God’s call to new opportunities and challenges.
Dan Hetherington (pictured below) the Step Up team course co-ordinator, explains the thinking behind Step Up. “At the heart of the one year programme are two questions - ‘What is God saying to me?’ and ‘What shall I do about it?’. Step Up is everyone and anyone who wants to commit to a year of intentional discipleship.”
(Pictured above - members of the Step Up leadership team (l to r) Revd Yvonne Callaghan (Brompton on Swale/Catterick), Revd Dan Watts (Harrogate), Revd Mark Carey (Harrogate) the Team Leader, Dan Hetherington (Harrogate), Val Lumsden (Wetherby))
Participants meet in five groups each week for around sixteen weeks and also meet together for retreats which allow for more reflection and sharing. This month all the groups came together at St Mark’s Harrogate for a retreat around the theme of ‘calling’.
Bishop James Bell, the Area Bishop of Ripon, has backed Step Up. “I warmly welcome the Step Up scheme”, he said,”and commend it as a way of exploring calling, developing gifts, enriching spirituality and getting a good grouping in biblically based theology”
Now the Step Up porganisers are hoping that more churches will get involved - and is encouraging church members across the area to think about taking part in the next course from September 2016. Anyone interested in finding out more can visit the Step Up website here or contact (01423) 560558 or email stepuphubs@gmail.com
(Above, Dan Hetherington, Step Up team course co-ordinator)
We stepped up—four of this year’s participants share their experience.
Jo Fineran, aged 41 is a mum of two from St James’ Church Wetherby and is a part time teacher and tutor.
"I have been on a fast journey of faith – I did the Alpha course and then got confirmed last year. That’s when I heard about the Step Up course and it just felt the right time. I’d not been a churchgoer until I was married. I wanted to have a better understanding as to what God was calling me to do and where I should go next. Step up was giving me the time and tools to explore that some more. I can’t say I have found the answers yet but I can say I feel I am on the right past. I feel a lot more calm and that God is speaking to me – a lot less worried and pressured. For me it is about a greater understanding of the relationship we have with God as Christians – and for me because I haven’t been a churchgoer all my life and I didn’t necessarily have a deep knowledge of God and the Bible, this is fulfilling that and giving me a better understanding of the Bible. I don’t know where its going to lead me but I do feel it is going to lead me to where I am supposed to be. Part of that has been a realisation of the importance of discipleship but within my own family unit and the important role I have there. I don’t think that’s the end of it, but that’s where I am now."
Doug Todd, aged 62 is retired and a member of St Anne’s Church, Catterick.
"I’ve been a Christian as long as I can remember, but I went to a meeting at the home of someone who had done it the year before. He had only been a Christian for about seven years but said how much he had got out of the course. So I thought that if he had got out of it what he said he had, then I should try it. I was very wary at first that it might be too deep or intense, but I have found it to be brilliant – I have really enjoyed myself. We are such a brilliant group, all different and with different ideas but we really seem to gel together, we really talk and get into some deep discussions. I hoped to get a better understanding of maybe the deeper side of faith and to get an insight about what I can do in the future. That’s definitely happened and it has made my faith deeper."
Dianne Ward, is 70 and a member of St Mark’s Church Harrogate
"I think because I’ve seen other people doing it and how much it's meant to them but also on a personal level, I wanted to deepen my faith, I wanted to deepen my relationship with God and I wanted to be even more sure of my identity in Jesus – to be certain. I am a house group leader and I also felt I would learn more to share and help others. It’s more than met my expectations, it’s so exciting and I absolutely love it. It’s such a safe place to be and it starts with worship which just sets the scene for the rest of the morning. It has been much more deepening of my faith. There’s a terrific age range and a good balance. I do see myself doing something (new), I’m thinking about it at the moment but we will have to see what God has planned. And that’s becoming more and more important.. that I am seeking what God wants now, rather than just going on my own way and hoping that’s what God wants!"
Natalie Jones is 26 and Youth Pastor at St Mark’s Harrogate
"My role was new here, I started in August, and it was a good introduction into the life of the church here, and about understanding discipleship and about what God is calling us to do. I think the question, ‘what is God saying to you?’, was a motivating factor… Working with young people on a day to day basis it has been a great help – little bits can be incorporated into the teaching. It’s gone very quick – it’s definitely been a challenge to talk about myself, but for my own spiritual growth and development it’s been a very important aspect so I would really recommend anyone working in ministry to do it. God can do immeasurably more – and my journey , my Step Up , is about discovering that."
