Network Youth Ministry- Sion Youth

Who are they?

The Sion Community is a group of people drawn together by God to evangelise.

It was founded in 1984 with the aim to encourage Catholics in their faith and to deppend their personal relationship with God.

They are Spirit led, organic, interdependent and committed to each other and to prayer.

They currently have 3 bases across the country and many more associate members living in their own homes.

The ministry of Sion can be categorised as:

Children's ministry

Youth ministry

Hospitality

and Parish ministry.

The Sion Youth ministry team is one awesome bunch of young Catholic Charismatics, dedicated to bringing young people closer to Christ.

Their main work is missions in secondary schools and running a gap year formation programme, but the events they run serve as follow up to mission as well as a chance for all those already involved in their faith to meet up with other young people wanting to get to know God better.

Sion Youth

Secondary School Missions:

The Sion Community's youth mission team- Cross Purposes, run week long missions in secondary schools across the country with the aim to bring God to the pupils in ways they can relate to.

The team provide a week long programme which proclaims the basic truths of Christianity to the whole school whilst also giving pupils the opportunity to explore faith deeper in optional workshops.

The week invovles; prayer in lots of different forms, training for students, workshops, interactive assemblies and the chance to get to know a team of young people who show that Catholicism does have a young face and that God is worth taking risks for!

Gap Year Formation Programme:

This is a year long formation programme for young people aged 18 and over run by the Sion Community. It is an opportunity for people who want to grow in their faith and who feel God is calling them to give some time back to Him. During the year the young people experience living in community and being invovled in serving God. The programme invovles training in ministering to young people with lots of first hand experience, both in schools and at Church and Community events, as well as receiving formation in Catholic teaching and help in devloping a life with God.

The events:

D-Weekend. This is an event for 11-14 year olds and provides a fun way of growing in faith and friendship. There are both D-North and D-South weekends so young people from all over the country have an opportunity to get together and enjoy faith.

Red Weekend. This is an event for 15-22 year olds which aims to go deeper in faith and to involve God more and more in everyday life. This happens at the Sion Community's training centre (S.E.N.T) in Brentwood and is a great opportunity for young people to make solid, Christ centred friendships that will last a life time.

Festival Sanctus. This is an annual, week long event for 15-22 year olds and has been running for over ten years. It's a camp for young people from across the country, from every step of faith; it's for people who are new in their relationship with God right through to young people who have lived everyday for Him. Festival Sanctus aims to:

show different ways of praying.
give young people the opportunity to ask questions and discuss areas of faith.
provide ways to meet new people and make new friends.
help young people understand aspects of Catholicism.
enable people to grow in relationship with God.
provide fun and enjoyment for life- there may even be a Silent Disco and a banquet or two!