What is Relay?

Relay is UCCF’s mission and discipleship training year for graduates who love CUs.

Relay provides graduates with a unique opportunity to work on the frontline of student mission alongside the Christian Unions. Relay is all about helping people love and serve Jesus with their heart, mind and hands whoever they are and wherever he has called them to be.

Relay Workers are supervised by a UCCF Staff Worker as together you study the Bible, pray, plan strategically, receive feedback and see how the gospel practically impacts all of life. Relay Workers are part of a regional UCCF team that benefits from further training and fellowship together as they work with CUs in their area.

Over the course of the year, Relay Workers attend three specifically designed training conferences for Bible teaching, worship and prayer. These are key times of learning in community and are a great chance to build friendships with other Relay Workers. Relay also provides a weekly study programme which has been crafted over the past 25 years to focus on key doctrines in the Christian faith. Relay Workers also have the opportunity to further their particular interests and gifts through the elective study.

Further Relay Opportunities

Relay offers some extra opportunities to help people explore particular gifts and ideas for the future.

1. Relay Leadership Network Electives gather like-minded Relay Workers to focus on what it means to love Jesus in the arts, music, politics, theology and science. This includes time to work on their own projects and receive criticism from others, plus the chance to minister to students from their specific disciplines.
2. Relay Internships combine a year of spiritual growth and CU work with the opportunity for Relay Workers to practice their creative skills in a professional office environment. Internships include projects and events, graphic design, and development and communications.
3. Relay Partnerships give Relay Workers the opportunity to work alongside CUs while investing time in thinking about how Christianity influences the way you play sport (CIS) or practice medicine (CMF).
4. Relay Homestart is an opportunity to spend the Relay year taking part in language training as well as thinking about cross-cultural mission, with a view to spending a further year or more working within an IFES movement in another country.

Paying for Relay

To take part in Relay you will need to raise support for your living and ministry costs. Building a support base can be one of the most rewarding ways to grow, live by faith and learn how to use money wisely. You will need £7,000 - £10,000 depending on the location, plus £850 as a training contribution towards training conferences and materials. UCCF will support you as you partner with churches and individuals and as you seek to build a support base of people who will pray for you and partner with you financially.

Interested in doing Relay?

Have a chat with your CU Staff Worker, or find out how to apply.