New Generation Performing Arts was founded in 2005, by Louise Ryrie at St Elizabeths Church, Northgate, Crawley.

I was the pianist at St Elizabeths for ten years until the sad closure of the congregation in 2005. I was given permission to move the dance school to the church building. It was during this move that I realised I could use my skills to fill this very special place again with young new life. I began New Generation as a way for young people to discover and explore Christianity, God and the Bible through dance, drama and song. It became incredibly popular very quickly. For 12 years now, between 40-50 children and teenagers have attended weekly Saturday afternoon workshops. We hold family services, present plays and pantomimes, tour local churches with our work, perform at local venues such as the Hawth Theatre, and further afield such as Sadlers Wells London. We have made mini-films, and enjoy social time at sleepovers, movie nights and parties. St Elizabeths is definitely bursting with life and we have created a whole new church community, full of young people and their families!

This is an incomplete list of New Generation's outreach & discipleship work:

• Performing the Passion of Jesus before an audience of thousands at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London
• Performing Christian music and dance multiple times to audiences of 800+ in shows at the Hawth Theatre Crawley
• Interviews on Premier Christian Radio and Southern Counties Radio
• Articles in ‘Inspire’ and ‘Woman Alive’ magazines
• Awards won for community work through ‘Inspire’ and Crawley Community Arts
• Palm Sunday Bike Rides
• AOK Days held at St Elizabeth
• Befriending elderly folk in the community & holding services at local care homes
• Performing with Crawley's Hindu Community at the Hawth as part of their Diwali celebrations
• Taking our work out on tour to many different churches
• Prayerful Pilates sessions
• ‘Eternally Yours’ Ecumenical Easter celebration at the Hawth Theatre, involving churches and schools from across Crawley. On stage, the Easter story unfolded before our eyes. Drama sketches, dances, large-scale art and musical contributions, pauses for thought and prayers from church leaders from across the town...