On Saturday 24th May, the Victory Youth Group (VYG) in the UK held its biggest and most anticipated event of the year – V-Day. Young people from all over the country gathered at the Rainbow Theatre in London, the headquarters of the Universal Church, to take part in this exciting day.
The atmosphere was full of energy. There was a long queue of young people who had travelled from different parts of the UK, ready to experience a day that promised change, and celebration.
The theme of the day was centred on new beginnings. Each young person was given a chance to start a new chapter in their life Before entering the auditorium, they were invited to place in a basket a symbolic “passport” on which they had written bad habits, past mistakes, or anything they wanted to leave behind. It was a powerful way to show they were ready to move forward.
They also came prepared with a passport sized photo of themselves which they stuck in a book called ‘The New Story.’ Alongside their picture, they wrote down the changes they wanted to see in their lives over the next year – goals to strive for and transformations to achieve. The idea is that next year, they will look back on those declarations and see just how far they have come.
The event began with a live performance, setting the tone for what was to come. The stage soon became a platform for life-changing testimonies, where several individuals shared their powerful stories of overcoming struggles and starting a fresh start. Each testimony served as living proof that no matter your past, it is always possible to start over with faith and action.
Bishop James, who oversees the work of the Universal Church in the UK, shared a thought-provoking message. He addressed a common mindset among young people—the constant desire to move on to the next stage of life. Many, while still in school, are already focused on getting to college; once in college, their thoughts shift to university; and once at university, they eagerly anticipate graduating and earning money. In this rush toward the future, there’s often a tendency to overlook the value and purpose of the present moment. He said, “So, what can you do? Instead of waiting to be excellent five years from now, you can choose to be excellent today. You can start being an excellent student, an excellent son or daughter, right now.”
He encouraged every young person present to embrace the now and use it as a foundation to build a brighter future. Referring to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1-8 – “There is a time for everything” – he emphasised that now is the time to plant seeds, especially in their spiritual lives.
To conclude the event, Pastor Rees Effa, who oversees the VYG in the UK said a prayer to bless all the young people and determined that they would experience transformation, give birth to inspiring testimonies, and begin a new chapter in their lives.
After the event, Vivienne from Stratford shared her thoughts: “V-Day was spectacular, it was truly the beginning of a new chapter. From the opening performance, the energy was incredible. The skit, the dance—everything was amazing. Now that I’ve stepped into this new chapter, I’m committed to putting God first in all my decisions so He can guide me according to His will.”
If you would like to know more about the work of the VYG:
Email: vyg@uckg.org
Call: 020 7686 6000 (24-hour helpline)
Follow us on Instagram: @vygofficial
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