We hope this page helps you understand who Cross Life Youth are, what we do and how young people can get involved.
Basic information:
- All our weekly youth projects are free of charge.
- All our youth projects are run by Christians and include Christian content.
Vision
The Gate Youth partners with parents and the church to raise biblically grounded, surrendered leaders who can lead the church and community in the future with an expectation of God’s intervention and multiplication in all we do.
Our aims
- Enhance parental function toward our youth
- Enhance the understanding and love for church and emphasise the church’s role toward the youth.
- Enhance Biblical knowledge and application
- Enhance ownership of future church and community
- Enhance conscious seeking of God’s intervention in all we do and be obedient to it (surrender)
- Enhance a passion to see God’s multiplication
Cross Connect – Tilehurst
| When | Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM |
| Where | The Gate Tilehurst |
| Who | School Year 7 – 13 |
| What | We prepare our young people to be respectful, proud and happy participants of the church. A midweek church youth group. Each week we play games, explore a vast array of topics, we’ll pray, worship, study, read the Bible, respond and get creative. We hope that coming along to Cross Connect every week will change each young person’s life and transform their relationship with God. |
Cross Trainers
| When | Sundays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Where | The Gate Tilehurst and The Gate Sindlesham |
| Who | School Year 7 – 11 |
| What | We carry the responsibility to teach our young people the Word of God and to help them faithfully apply it within the realities of today’s world. During term time, at our Sunday morning church services. We also run youth sessions. These sessions include games, Bible study, discussions, activities, and prayer. |
Cross Connect – Sindlesham
| When | Fridays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM |
| Where | The Gate Sindlesham |
| Who | School Year 7 – 11 |
| What | We prepare our young people to be respectful, proud and happy participants of the church. Contact the youth group to which kids can invite friends. Chilled atmosphere, a place to hang out and have fun, play games, and eat food. There are also crazy group games and an opportunity to find out about the Christian faith. |
Cross Life Youthband
| When | 1st Sunday of the month, 1:15 – 3:30 PM |
| Where | Alternates between The Gate Tilehurst and The Gate Sindlesham |
| Who | School Year 7 – 13 |
| What | It’s an opportunity for any young people who want to grow in worship, and who are musically gifted, to be part of a group that stretches them, gives them something to aim at, and enables them to better lead people into the worship of and presence of God. If your young person isn’t already in the youth band and is interested in joining, please contact Kimmy or Yvonne. |
Residentials, Trips and Events
The youth work will aim to run a few residential or day trips throughout the academic year. Information regarding the dates of the residentials or day trips can be found in the youth diary.
9-10 October 2026 – Celebrate you weekend
Cross Rise programme 
Cross Rise is designed for young people who want to go deeper in their relationship with Jesus and are ready for a greater level of commitment to their spiritual growth.
We recognise that not every young person is at the same place in their faith journey, and we do not want anyone to feel pressured into making a commitment they are not ready for. At the same time, we want to create a space for those who are hungry to grow and ready to take their faith further.
While our previous Young Leaders Programme focused particularly on leadership, Cross Rise will have a broader focus on discipleship, spiritual growth and commitment to God.
We will explore questions such as:
- Why did God make me?
- Where do I fit into God’s plan?
- How can I grow and live in His promises?
- How do I build healthy relationships with others?
- How can I become the person God is calling me to be?
A few important things to note about Cross Rise:
- It is for young people who are willing to demonstrate commitment through both their heart and their actions.
- Cross Rise will replace the normal youth gathering during those particular weeks, meaning there will not be a separate youth programme for those who are not participating.
- Those who complete the programme will receive a Cross Rise Certificate in July 2027, celebrating the growth and commitment they have demonstrated.
- This year, we will run Cross Rise at both Tilehurst and Sindlesham to make participation easier and avoid unnecessary travel.
- There will be 11 Cross Rise gatherings, and attendance at all of them is important in order to receive the full benefit of the programme.
If you have any questions about anything to do with Cross Life Youth , then please contact GateYouth@thegate.uk.com.
To book pastoral visits with the youth pastor, please follow this link (Thursdays at Tilehurst and Fridays at Sindlesham) here.