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the heart Uturn Europe has grown in to more than just a camp, it has grown in to a network. A network of youth that knows each other and knows: together we're strong. We are one! Not only in Europe, but also with links to the USA. Somebody asked: what is Uturn? The answer is: Uturn is you! You belong! We belong! The heart of Uturn is a sense of togetherness, a sense that your story fits in to the bigger picture. The approach of postmodern youth towards the church, towards leadership is no longer an individual one, but a collective one. Experiencing together, listening together, serving together, caring together. Through this we sense that God is speaking in this season, about returning to our roots. Stripping of the ballast and go back to the heart: relationship, healthy relationship, no strings attached, no pressure. Out of this, God promises to speak, to stir up, to give passion, to call people.
The heart of Uturn is people. People means local. People live somewhere. People have their daily lives somewhere. People have a relationship with God somewhere. And relationships with others are rooted somewhere. All these local elements form the basis of the network and they are all unique. Without it Uturn Europe is a hollow phrase. Considering all the local elements, the people, the groups, the churches, makes Uturn diverge. From being united, God breathes in to our lives and the outcome is different for each of us in our personal setting, culture, relationships. The heart of Uturn from a diverging point of view is: how can we make you shine? Imagine the strength of the network of pastors
that will grow out of it! The heart of Uturn is connected. Gods diverging breath of creativity reflects is us a wave of worship. A sense of belonging, an urge to unite. This echo of Gods call makes Uturn converge. We come together in the listening, the experiencing, the focussing, the searching, the zeal. The natural outcome is caring, serving, reaching out, rejoicing together. It’s a natural wave of diverging and converging, being and doing, receiving and giving. the goal The goal is unity. From the heart of Uturn comes our desire to facilitate this network. To raise a banner and run with it. Convergent: Uturn Europe Summer Camp, is a platform, let’s not call it a summer camp, but more like a boost, a snap, a powerful moment, when we express our unity, a convention, hub, whatever… It’s an opportunity where the network can come together and express, relate, listen, focus, share, etcetera. In this time we want to hear God. It’s also an opportunity for pastors to meet youth, to mentor, to speak into young lives. Divergent: Uturn Europe Summer Camp takes time to reach out. To serve the city where we are. To make commitments to each other for the coming time. To build friendships for the future. To bring back what we received together, to our local communities, to make others shine. Our wish is: how can Uturn Europe add value to the local churches of Europe?
The rhythm The natural waves of diverging and converging take time in an European perspective. We suggest a slow rhythm of once in three years, for the Uturn Europe platform to take place.
THE C R E D O Let’s WEB in being
Weave new lines of relationship: to God and to others
Express our unity: in worship, in art, in teaching
Bring who you are: in workshops, games, prayer
Let’s ROCK in doing
Reach Out: in serving the city, in serving each other
Celebrate the Kingdom: God gives us tremendous joy and freedom, let’s celebrate it together! With the city, be inclusive not exclusive |
In the years between, the network can take time to diverge, to work out the passion in the relationships. This can be national and local in many ways. |
Some ideas · Last year in Hungary, at the Foursquare European Conference, it dawned to us that this was a great place to have the Uturn Europe platform. Hungary is very central in Europe and an reachable destination for the Eastern European countries. · 2011 would be a good year to start. It leaves some time to organize and get everybody together. It will be 10 years after the first Uturn Europe Summercamp. It feels like the circle is round. We suggest to have the same theme: we are one! · Central Europe could be more than just a practical location: How can we serve this area? Many countries with healthy Foursquare works are located around central Europe: just picture us standing together in unity around the central European countries and make a long term commitment, together with the youth, for this area. Each 3 years a Uturn Europe platform will be in one of the central European cities. We can serve the local church there. And we can use the years in between to strengthen the relationships and serve even more. · Let’s have an exchange. A platform where the different churches, groups, can express who they are, what they dream about. And make the goal to go around together as groups and ask and pray: how can we make you shine? How can we serve? Churches or groups can connect to each other with a commitment to serve intentionally. Every time we have a match we register it and ring the bell. In this way we can encourage all the participating countries to serve each other, not only west to east, but also vice versa. · Let’s use the platform as an opportunity to enforce young leaders, to inspire each other, to grow and learn together. Let’s focus on authentic leadership in sharing passion and inspiration, giving it hands and feet together.
Imagine Uturn Europe Hungary 2011
are you with us? |
