Where Are They Now?
Where Are They Now? Bec Witcombe
When Bec came to Youthworks College she says she had “no intention of going into ministry and no interest in being in charge”. Two years later, she is a youth and children’s minister at Leura Anglican church.
How did this happen?
Bec says that she loved being a youth leader at her church and didn’t know where she was headed. She loved church history and was keen to study it, so the kids minister at her church encouraged her to sign up for some theological study.
Bec loved the subjects she studied and the new friends she made. But in her second year, her youth minister left the church. Bec felt like she had to step up and run the youth group. She realised, “there was no-one left to do it, and I was learning the skills needed, so I had to do it”.
During the year at college, the head of the Ministry Support Team observed her youth program. He then gave her this feedback, “This is what you should be doing. Why are you mucking about?” Bec felt like Jonah. She had a conviction that she should go into ministry, but there were times when she was reluctant and felt like she was doing it kicking and screaming.
However, she did believe in the significance of the ministry and needed to process this feedback. She came to embrace it because, “I do enjoy it, and I know it’s value”.
The decision to go into ministry led her to apply for a youth and children’s position at Leura in the Blue Mountains. She now runs a youth group with around 8 members. “The boys will answer questions if directly asked, but they also just love to play basketball!”. There are no young adults in the church, and her youth leaders are the senior minister and one of the mums.
The youth group at Leura only started a year ago and Bec is trying to work out how to get momentum going. “I am asking questions of as many people as I can. What are your hopes and dreams? Where do you want the kids and youth ministry to go? What is achievable? Who else should I get to know?”.
As Bec begins this ministry there are a couple of books that have been really helpful for her. She says, “At Youthworks we had to read ‘Sustainable Youth Ministry’. There was a helpful idea about ‘balcony time’. To have some time where you are thinking strategically about the future, not just doing the ministry.”
Her senior minister also gave her the secular book ‘The First 90 days’ by Michael Watkins. It was all about starting well, finding the gatekeepers of an organisation, working on some early wins.
Bec also has found the subject she did at college ‘Sexuality and Identity’ really helpful in the new context. “The Upper Mountains is very progressive, with many trans and non-binary young people. It was great to have thought about those issues before and know where I come from in the Bible”.
Bec is getting to know the new context at Leura and its difference from Sydney. She is particularly thankful for the love and support she has received from the older members of the congregation and looking forward to seeing what God will do through his people at Leura.
Please pray for Bec:
-That she will understand and quickly adjust to the different environment and community.
- That she will get to know the people at church quickly and they would feel like family.
- That she will have many opportunities to meet young people and connect them with youth group and church, that they might come to know and love Jesus. he way you tell your story online can make all the difference.