From notes compiled by Bro Derrick Banyard in 2001 as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the group.
It all began at Christadelphian House, Cow Hill, Norwich, on Saturday, 8th July 1961. Brethren had come from the East Anglian Ecclesias to discuss what could be done. The post-war year 1947 or thereabouts had seen a great increase in the number of children born. In due course this meant that school class sizes increased and educational facilities were for some time under great pressure. Our local concern as Ecclesias was that we now had many young people within the Ecclesial families and through them others within reach of the Ecclesias.
That meeting in Norwich was convened to consider what we as a group could do to provide for the spiritual needs and welfare of these young people. There was a growing concern about the increasing godlessness and indifference toward moral standards which characterised the environment of these young people; they needed our help and guidance under the good hand of God. Many were at school and some were nearing the end of their schooldays and moving into employment or further education.
It was decided unanimously that as a Christadelphian activity we would establish what would be called the “East Anglian Youth Group”, consisting of the Norfolk and Suffolk Ecclesias. The Group would be sponsored and funded by the Bury St. Edmunds, Dereham, Hunstanton, Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Norwich and Wereham Ecclesias. With the limited transport facilities available among us it was agreed that this should be the geographical spread of the Group, because no young person ought for reasons of distance be prevented from attending any meetings or activities that might be arranged. It was felt, too, that this was the practical limit of our responsibility to manage a youth group in the way that we felt desirable.
It was also decided that the Group should have a clear object which would be understood and subscribed to by all concerned. This object would be a “yardstick” by which all future activities of the Group would be assessed and decided. No proposals would be considered which were not compatible with this object, what would be as follows —
“The Object of the Group is to encourage all young people to study the Word and to shape their lives according to the will of God.”
It was agreed that this object should appear on all programmes for any future activities of the group.
Another important and fundamental decision was that each participating Ecclesia should appoint one representative to form an operational Committee which would meet every other month to make proposals for future activities. The Committee would not be an autonomous body but consist essentially of representatives freely reporting to and consulting their respective Ecclesias on all Group matters. The Group belonged to the Ecclesias and the Committee of Representatives would act in an intermediary capacity. It was also agreed that all Gatherings and each day at Camp would begin and end in Prayer and that the Christadelphian Youth Hymnal would be used.
Group membership would be for young people of twelve years and over. No upper age limit was proposed at this stage. A bi-monthly Gathering would be held under the sponsorship of the participating Ecclesias in turn, so far as this rotation was found practicable. The inaugural meeting requested Brother Peter Gilliver of Norwich Ecclesia to act for the Group as Secretary and Brother Derrick Banyard of Ipswich Ecclesia to serve as Assistant Secretary, to which both agreed. Communication with the young people would be by a News Letter from the Secretary, distributed by the Representatives to the young people and to the Recording Brethren, through whom members of the participating Ecclesias could be kept informed.
All of the above proposals found acceptance by the relevant Ecclesias and the group thereby came into being. It was the sincere desire of all concerned that the CEAYG would continue faithfully under the good hand of God in accordance with the high and sincere aspirations of its originators.
Brother Derrick Banyard, 2001
The Group Now
The group continued to develop with the inclusion of other Ecclesias such as Cambridge; Colchester; Peterborough and Spalding. Some of the original member Ecclesias have since closed and some have no young people to participate. Age ranges have varied depending upon the youth in the various member Ecclesias.
With the development of easier transport, others from outside the area were also welcomed at day events and camp. This all helped to widen the scope for friendships to be formed across a wide geographical and age range.
Format of meetings and arrangements for camp have also developed to include variations such as weekend gatherings in Youth Hostels, family days to include all ages, gatherings for specific age ranges – including much younger ones. All with the intention of involving as many as possible. So that the young might grow up into the group and the older can still share time together. All around God’s word in the spirit originally intended. The objective of the group remains the same.
“To encourage all young people to study the Word and to shape their lives according to the will of God.”