Yesterday , I turned back the clock to December 1991.

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This was the year that, not only was I was proudly sporting Pippi Longstocking plaits, leggings with stirrups and oversized sweaters, but Alpha the magazine printed an unassuming supplement insert called Youthwork. It described itself as ‘Ideas, Resources and Guidance for Youth Ministry’, and marked a ground-breaking moment for Youthwork in the UK.

Dreamed up and fronted by a passionate, young ex-YFC worker – John Buckeridge - this baby magazine was responding to a bubbling niggle that youth workers were important, doing something significant and needed some cheering on. This supplement grew and soon became a separate bi-monthly title, printing its first edition in 1992. By the mid 1990s it was being printed monthly.

A lot has changed in the past 20 years. The turtle-neck Christmas jumpers, huge glasses and youthful demeanours of our beloved youthwork veterans which seasoned the early pages, have quietly slipped away. But this vision has not. Now at the beginning of 2012, our 20th anniversary, we bring to you a magazine that is as committed to serving youth workers as the day it started.

If you missed the last issue, it may have come as a surprise to you that I am not Martin. His last editorial was just that… his last. As newly appointed Director of Youth, Children’s and Family Ministry for our parent media group, we are delighted that he is still around. Really delighted. Yes, really really delighted. His attachment to us (or rather you) has just begun to veer into the marginally awkward. Over the past month, Martin has been lurking – often spotted forlornly flicking through his archived issues of Youthwork, hovering aimlessly over the editorial desks for hours at a time and on occasions appears from under my desk, bearing a placcard offering his services as magazine ‘tea-boy’. It appears that he is already missing you as much as you’re missing him. But in all seriousness, I’m sure you’ll agree he’s been amazing. It hardly needs reiterating that, under his editorship, he has taken the magazine from strength to strength. Always joyfully ebullient, wonderfully dramatic and reaching for new ways to breathe life into this magazine, he has tirelessly sought to make it the very best it can be for you. And he’s been a treasured friend, colleague and mentor to me. Thank you Martin. We salute you.

I’m also thrilled to be able to introduce Phoebe Thompson to you – your bright-eyed, extremely lovable and able new Youthwork Journalist. And a gifted new Art Director, Martin Lore - we’re so glad to have them both on Team YW.

So, January 2012 marks a month of fresh starts for us here, as no doubt it does for you. Looking ahead, we’re looking outwards, which always feels like a healthy place to start. Among other things, we’re focusing on a series on Acts which begins this month in our meeting guides. We’re hoping that Krish Kandiah’s Re-charge section on Acts over the previous four months has given you some food for thought... and now it’s time to inspire young people with the dangerous, revolutionary antics of our ancestors who - caught by a vision of something greater - were catalysts in seeing Christianity burst explosively onto the scene some 2,000 years ago. You’ll notice a slight change in format; the fourth meeting guide of every month is a practical guide to put ‘Acts into Action’ and encourage us to be active in mission this year. As Philip Eley quotes Bishop Tom Wright in his guide (see p.31) we’re hoping to see a little more of what it might look like ‘if God was in charge of our communities’.

Whatever the highs and lows of 2011 for you, I hope that you might know a freshness this month. Aside from impossible resolutions, healthy-eating schedules and over-ambitious Bible study plans (all of which are of course to be commended!), the question that I will be asking of myself this year is ‘If God is in charge here, what’s to be done?’

And as for us, the strap line’s the same as in 1992. Our mission hasn’t changed. In 2032, I imagine the Editor of Youthwork will be cringing at my headlines, hairstyles and Christmas jumpers, but it will always be about great, passionate and God- inspired youthwork… because some things never change.

Sarah Wynter is the Editor of Youthwork.