Life in Fife || End of Term 2017 || Matty Guy

Hello all!

It seems almost impossible to believe but the first term of my second year of St Andrews is drawing to a close! As things wrap up and students disappear into the library ahead of their exams it is a good time to reflect on what’s been a very busy term.

Looking back on everything that has happened between September and now I think it’s fair to say that this has been my hardest term as a Staff Worker. The combination of a busy schedule and some niggling issues in CU has made it easy to become tired, slightly jaded and prone to dwell on discouragements. So it’s helpful to take some time and focus on the positives of this term, of which there are many!

I have definitely spent more time and energy in the last few months having conversations about why CU exists and why it runs the way it does. But the biggest encouragement at the end of term is that, even in the midst of this, the gospel has been shared on campus this term! Through big-scale events the CU has run together, smaller events being run by hall groups and so many one-on- one conversations that Christian students have had in lecture theatres, coffee shops and living rooms across St Andrews, it’s hard to estimate how many students this term have had a chance to hear and respond to the good news about Jesus Christ, which is what CU is all about. I’ve been humbled and inspired in equal measure by the enthusiasm, wisdom and ingenuity of the student leaders of the CU as they’ve served sacrificially to help make all of this happen.

So, as this term comes to an end, I rejoice in knowing the gospel has been preached and I’m excited to see what happens next term. Please do join me in praying that, after a needed rest this Christmas, I’d serve with renewed enthusiasm to encourage the CU in their ongoing mission to reach everyone on St Andrews campus. 

 

Day to Day as a Staff Worker: CU Committee

Regular readers of my prayer updates will know that I’ve spoken about the CU committee a couple of times before. This is the group of 11 people who oversee the day-to-day organisation of CU and set the agenda for a year of mission on campus. One of my biggest encouragements this term has been working with this group of people. It’s been a long, tiring and occasioanlly quite difficult term for them trying to organise a large CU and help them think through how to do mission, but each one of them has served with great enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. It’s been great to see God at work in them as they’ve learned to rely on Him when faced with the huge task of trying to reach every student in St Andrews with the gospel! At the minute they are in the process of choosing the CU committee for next year, so please do pray for wisdom in what can be a tricky process and for each of the current committee to continue to rejoice in the

gospel and grow in their love for the Lord as they prepare to leave their roles behind.

“This semester I’ve learned that no matter what we plan, how much we discuss things or what we do, God is ultimately the One who does it; we are here to serve Him in bringing His Kingdom to St Andrews.” 
— Kim McCord, CU Vice-President

Looking to the Future

As you may know if you’re familiar with CU life, second semester means events week season! Events weeks enable CUs to put on a lot of large-scale evangelistic events within the space of a week with the aim of reaching a lot of people on campus with the gospel. St Andrews CU events week, Story, will be running from 12-16 February, when we’ll be joined by Glen Scrivener, an evangelist based in Eastbourne, who will deliver a series of apologetics lunchtime talks and evangelistic gospel talks in the evening.

The following week I will be travelling to Aberdeen to speak at Robert Gordon University CU events week from 20-23 February.

Please do pray for both of these weeks, for lots of students to come to events and hear the gospel and for CU students to have good conversations with their friends. Pray particularly for me as I prepare to speak at RGU events! 

 


Supporting Matty


Prayer

Give thanks for:

  • Every student who has heard the gospel through the CU this term
  • The CU committee and their sacrificial service
  • God’s provision during my time as a Staff Worker

Please pray for:

• A restful Christmas after a busy term
• Good evangelistic opportunities for Story St Andrews
• Preparation for RGU CU’s events week
• Wisdom in choosing new CU committee members
• Ongoing financial provision towards work with the CU here in St Andrews 

Fundraising

One of the commitments I undertake as a Staff Worker is to raise the entire cost of my employment each year. It costs just over £30,000 for UCCF to employ a full- time Staff Worker, including salary, training, employment and administrative costs. I’ve been blown away over the last year and a half at people’s generosity in sacrificial giving which has enabled me to do my job of helping students share the gospel! If you feel able to partner with me financially and would like more information please do drop me a line, or follow the link below to donate online! 

Matty Guy

Matty is from Northern Ireland, but has moved around Britain quite a lot since leaving for Uni.

It was during his time at Newcastle University that Matty really learned the importance of evangelism, and started to get enthusiastic about seeing students reached with the gospel, and he’s praying for lots of opportunities to see this happening in St. Andrew’s.

Matty loves writing poems, reading books and listening to an eclectic musical collection comprising everything from Busted to Bruce Springsteen. He's also a big Newcastle United fan, though that's not been a huge source of joy recently.

Matty will be working with the University of St Andrew's CU to help further their mission in the Gospel.