By Gil Corr
Young people from Fresh Hope Youth communities all over the state gathered for a long-awaited FUSE rally at Restore Community Church in Castle Hill last Friday.
Anticipation and excitement were clearly evident, as the young people had been waiting for another FUSE rally since November 2019.
FUSE is a staple on the Fresh Hope Youth calendar, usually held twice a year in terms two and four. However, COVID-19 restrictions prevented the event from being staged in 2020.
The event included a host of activities, including inflatables, jumping castles, basketball and much more. The night culminated in a worship session [without singing as per government regulations], a Gospel message and prayer ministry. Pastor Tim Biasetto, from Horizon Church in the Sutherland Shire, preached a powerful message and more than 25 students chose to commit or recommit their lives to Jesus.
The night held significance for both students and leaders, as it reminded those involved in youth communities that God is still working in this season, and their ministries are still connected to the broader Fresh Hope family, even after a sizeable break between gatherings.
Josh Ferris, from i61 church in Rouse Hill, has been a regular attendee of FUSE and other Fresh Hope Youth events. He was grateful that FUSE had restarted after feeling the loss of in-person community.
“One hundred per cent, I missed FUSE. It was great to be able to participate online last time but obviously it’s not the same as it is in person,” he said. “I love being a part of an event such as FUSE because it gives me a chance to connect people who I meet at camps like Drastic and Uprising, and I love seeing youth come together to worship Jesus. I think it’s great.”
Tina Phillips, Youth Pastor at Northside Turramurra, brought along 15 students from her youth group, all looking forward to meeting other young people in person.
“It’s nice meeting as your youth group, but there’s something special in meeting with other believers and being able to come together with other youth groups and encourage and worship together,” Tina Said. “I think a lot of people got fatigued online … I think they really valued being able to see people face to face.”
One of the exciting outcomes from FUSE was the launch of two upcoming camps for Fresh Hope Youth – Uprising and Drastic. FUSE is a perfect introduction for newcomers to the Fresh Hope family, giving them a small taste of what these camps have to offer.
Tina agrees, saying, “It’s a really great stepping stone for people to reconnect at that, but also to take new people along and give them a taste of what it would be like to be together with other believers for an extended period of time.”
For more information about FUSE, head to the Fresh Hope Youth Instagram account: @freshhopeyouth
To register for the either Uprising or Drastic, head to: www.thetops.com.au/events
