Sklya was at Spring Harvest last year when she first heard about the Student Linkup App. She knew that she was planning on going to Bristol Uni but knew nothing about the city, or any of the churches there. She was therefore delighted to find out about an app that could give her a place to start.
She said “the app was super helpful, not just to find a church but to get a picture of what the body of Christ looked like in Bristol.” It helped her to get a gauge on the area and to visualise herself there. She shortlisted a few churches and got messages from student pastors in the app. She realised that the churches in Bristol really loved students and wanted to welcome them well! Through the app she was able to ask questions and find out more about the different churches. Her anxiety in walking through the doors of a new church was brought down massively because she already knew the student pastors were looking out for her.
She found out that one church was hosting an event for freshers on her second day in Bristol. Though this wasn’t the church she ended up becoming part of, it helped her to feel so settled in the new city, and she started meeting other students who loved Jesus.
Since then she has settled at Woodlands church and found it a joy to be rooted in a church community. Within weeks she found herself not only going on a Sunday, but part of a small group, and attending socials, meeting other students on fire for God. She’s found a place where she’s known, loved and able to grow in her faith. Having a church has helped her to keep her eyes fixed on Jesus amidst the chaos of Uni, as well as given her somewhere to get fully stuck in and integrated into church life. She’s had opportunities to serve, and also been mentored by young adults - learning from the wisdom of an intergenerational community. In the student community, she’s found somewhere she can share her life with people experiencing the same things - encouraging each other with stories of stepping out in evangelism and supporting each other through the difficult times.
She said, “I think I’ve grown in my faith more this year than I ever have. I’d just so highly recommend becoming part of a church at Uni, the perfect place to see God’s love moving through other people. The Student Linkup app helped me to find the church community that suited me, and I’m super grateful!”
Download the Student Linkup App here.
