A core aspect of the Relay programme is that all Relay Workers raise their living and ministry costs. Building a team of support partners is challenging, but it is also an incredible way to grow in faith, experiencing first-hand what it means to rely on God’s provision through the generosity of His people.
UCCF is a charity, and our staff raise support through a network of partners who pray and give financially to the work we do. Similarly, Relay Workers are invited to grow a team of supporters who will uphold them in prayer and giving throughout their year.
We run the programme this way for a reason. The Bible teaches us that all our resources are God’s provision, whether voluntary gifts or a big graduate salary. While it might seem intimidating at first, Relay Workers look back and value this aspect of the programme because of the amazing experience it presents for spiritual growth, as an exercise in faith and trust, believing that God will provide for His work:
At first, I was extremely scared of support raising – I’m from the Dominican Republic so even our currency is different. But in the training, they gave us the theology behind it, and it gave me so much peace. Then God started providing in such a miraculous and wonderful way, and you get reminded of the truth that He will take care of you. – Ariel Rincon, Relay Worker in Aberystwyth, 2024–25
We estimate that living and ministry costs for the year will be around £10,000–£14,000 depending on where you do Relay. We know this is a significant target and raising it will take some work, but we host the Relay Foundations Day in advance to help you get going and also provide continuous support throughout the year as you partner with churches and individuals. As well as this, we work with Stewardship so that where eligible, Gift Aid can be claimed to increase the value of donations, ensuring the money you raise most effectively goes to you to pay for food, accommodation, and those all-important coffees with students.
We’ve seen God graciously provide for Relays since the programme began. In the 30 years we have been running the programme, and of the 1,700 individuals who have embarked on it, we have never had a Relay Worker who has had to leave due to lack of finances. So if support raising has been putting you off applying, it doesn’t need to!
It costs UCCF over £2,000 to train a Relay Worker. This includes things like residential training conferences, books and other resources, and the staff time dedicated to supervising Relay Workers. Therefore, we ask for a Relay contribution of £975 towards UCCF’s ministry to ensure we can continue delivering the Relay programme for years to come.
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