WhatsNext Website Helps Students Continue Faith Connection

With the return of tertiary students to study across the Diocese, the creative team at Strandz in partnership with Anglican Youth and Anglican Schools have revamped www.whatsnext.nz to help connect new students with faith communities on their campus and city.

Rev Mel McKenzie, from Victoria University of Wellington Chaplaincy is reminded of Jeremiah 6:16 “"The Lord says: ‘Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, The tried-and-true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls’”.

“Transition into new seasons – be that into study – or out of study – are crucial times for young adults’ faith”, says Mel. 

“Again and again, we meet young people who are quietly but examining deep questions about God and spiritual life and looking to connect with a new faith community, perhaps for the first time. But without some easy entry points, they easily get overwhelmed by the mass of information and opportunities being thrown at them,” she says.

“We often meet people who have spent months trying to connect with a church in their new city and who have had huge questions mounting up in their new context about faith. These can feel scary to talk about in a new church where you’re not sure if the church is going to be OK with that.  Having warm and welcoming company on the faith journey in new places is vital,” says Mel.

Whatsnext.nz is addressing this gap for school leavers. 

Diana Langdon, National Children and Families Ministry Enabler, says, “We wanted to let school leavers from faith communities know, firstly that the church is praying for them and they are not alone, but also that there are so many amazing opportunities in the Kingdom to connect with amazing ministries that work amongst students and young adults.”

“In this digital age, without a doubt, students will be online checking out options for connection first.  From the get-go, having good information, and obvious names and faces to connect with relationally is key,” says Diana.

Whatsnext.nz introduces school leavers to Tertiary Chaplaincies, young adult ministries in Dioceses across New Zealand, churches who seek to be student-friendly, and opportunities for creative, missional pathways like Gap Year internships.

“We’ll be adding and updating ministries in the Anglican church as time goes along”, says Diana. 

“So do get in touch if there’s initiatives we should know about”.

Maybe you know a young person in your church who’s leaving school?  Perhaps your child or grandchild? “Do pray for them”, says Mel McKenzie.

“And for their friends and other contacts they’ll make. Your ongoing messages of encouragement are so powerful and direct them to whatsnext.nz!”

*Strandz is the hub for Children and Families ministry in the Anglican Dioceses of New Zealand