Way back, when I was about a quarter the age I am now, we were given a load of Roman names for cities and towns to learn - I have no idea what purpose this was intended to serve, but it does mean I have Eboracum and Aquae Sulis engraved on my memory!  Too much reading Rosemary Sutcliffe stories, probably!!

I spent a lovely evening with a small group called Students Together (or ST) on the Friday evening of my visit.  Three women of retired age are at the heart of this work, ensuring that there is always food to share, a warm welcome and someone to listen.  Because it is out of term time only three students were there - two overseas post grads and one former stduent who hangs on in there, being a similar age to the others (and he had cooked the most divine chicken and roast vegetables!).

The University of Bath is one of those 'at the top of the hill' so some distance removed from the centre, and all students have to travel in to church.  At the same time, the church is just about as far from the railway station as we are from our local SPT Subway, albeit that they are in a straight line and we aren't.  Rather than actively going out to find students, the church has 'spotters' who look out out for younger people who happen along, especially overseas students, for whom they so clearly have a heart.  Listening to the students' stories it was interestig to see how they had ended up at this specific church... from a missed train to being brought by a friend.  It was as interesting to hear why they stayed... something they experienced in the worship (very different from what they had known elswhere) and the fact that they felt they were valued and belonged (people knew their names, their courses, their personal concerns, etc).  It was equally clear that the three women who undergird this work enjoy and benefit from it too, building strong bonds with the students.

Students Together is about food and friendship/fellowship; an allied group ST2 is a Bible study and discussion group that operates on what was described as a 'spiritual direction' model... what is going on for you now (or in the world that concerns/inpsires you), what might the Bible say to this (and through it, what might God be saying) and where next.  So actually also pretty much a pastoral cycle/theological reflection approach.  It runs regularly and attracts a mix of committed and curious, and where appropriate more 'introduction to this thing called Christianity' is explored.  Any who come to faith are encouraged to consider Baptism only once they have returned home and are settled in a church community.

Good practices we seem to share include:

• Spotting young people who come to worship with us (though we don't have official 'spotters')
• Introducing young adults to other young adults
• Offering something that attracts and keeps some students - of which 'stillness', depth in preaching and honesty/authenticity seem to be a significant part
• Knowing our students, more than 'just' their names (though they were better at this than us, I feel)
• Delighting in the students and young adults who want to share with us
• Having 'alumni' who return for visits
• Recognising the transience of student life, and the need for rootedness in a fiath community

Things we might want to consider include:

• A slightly more regular/structured pattern of student social gatherings, over food, not always on a Sunday but possibly midweek
• Developing a student/young adult Bible study/reflection/exporation group in a non-directive model that works for us

Things where we are doing especially well

• Actively reaching out to students, epsecially in and around freshers' week.
• Awareness of, and attention to, individual needs e.g dietary, (dis)ability, etc.
• Involvment of students in worship life of the church
• We do a mighty fine freshers' tea!!

Lots more good stuff to think about - so thank you Aquae Sulis BC for allowing me to glimspe the excelllent student work you are doing, and to learn with and from you.