As I was walking through our NextGen space the other day, I was thinking back to when I was a little girl and attended Sunday school. Back then, we had felt boards and the teacher would put the bible characters on the felt board as she told us the story. What I vividly remember is that that I loved my teacher. She loved kids; she loved Jesus and she made the stories come to life. I loved going to Sunday school. Then, when I was a teenager, I had youth group leaders, Jack and Sally who were devoted to us teens. They spent time with us, prayed with us, they invested in each one of us. They lived out their faith right along with us. They all made a difference in my life. They made a difference in my faith journey. I am grateful for these people.
These memories made me think of the sermon that went along with our movie clip from Karate Kid. If you remember, the main point was that as Christ followers, we all need a Jethro- someone who pours into us and we all should have a Joshua, someone we can pour into. To make a difference in a kid’s life doesn’t have to require a HUGE commitment. There are opportunities that could have a big impact and possibly change a kid's life just by spending a few hours a week during Summer camp, or volunteering even one Sunday a month during NextGen.
These opportunities are here! Summer day camp starts on the 13th and we still have volunteer spots that need to be filled. Don't underestimate the impact of even a couple of hours spent helping out. If you can give a couple hours please click here to volunteer.
And then, our NextGen program will resume on Sept 9th. (Our Christian Ed program has come ALONG way since the felt boards I grew up with) Kids aren’t sitting around tables anymore… they are learning through group activities, games, science, and art. Even one Sunday a month can have a big impact. If you would like more info on NextGen, you can contact our NextGen site leader, Lisa Post at: postiel123@gmail.com.
We have close to 50 kids registered for day camp in Sandown and then 100 kids in Plaistow the week after. Please pray. Pray for the kids, pray for all the volunteers and leaders, pray that this summer at day camp will be the one that makes a difference in a kid’s life.
"If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!" — Dwight L. Moody, evangelist
Stay Cool! See you in church on Sunday! ~Pastor Beth