Prayer Requests for VBS 2008!

Hello folks!

It will be a while before we find ourselves back at the Grove so in the mean time here are some somethings we can pray about. Gospel Light has a theme that may be a good fit for us. It is a theme park idea centered around making choices centered on Jesus called "SonWorld." It has an outdoor feel and we could rent some of the big inflatables from Grandma's for a big finale or for fun after the Unity Service. please visit the website and pray for God's guidance.

Another prayer request is concerning a 3 day VBS. Due to busy kids, group leaders and the August heat we may want to consider only 3 days instead of 5 for VBS. We would pick the lessons that are most relevant and the best games, snacks and crafts as well. The teen helpers continue to grow as a support to the elementary children and we would like to have a Christian band one night as an outreach and a way to say thank you to those teens. We could do the VBS from Wednesday through Friday with the concert on Saturday night and Unity Service on Sunday. Pray about these ideas and please share some of your own at the bottom of this blog by clicking on the comment link.

Finally, I was wondering what would it look like if we started the summer off with a VBS as well as ending it with one? Hear me out before you log off this blog! Gospel Light in association with Athletes in Action has a really cool VBS called "PowerZone" that is set up like a sports camp. Why not encourage more kids to come sign up to play t-ball and softball by teaching fundamentals while sharing the good news! We could have our own Grove Sports Camp! I love baseball and have often thought about starting a pick-up game on Saturdays as an outreach at the Grove, playing ball and lovin', livin', and learnin' about Jesus! Would this not also be a great way to get more men involved in ministering to children? As Pete Rose would say "you bet it would!"

Pray about all this stuff, these are just my ideas but it is all our churches ministry that Jesus has given to us as an outreach to our community and His will is way more important than my ideas! God bless you all and thank you for all your involvement, support and prayers!

Water Project a Big Success and more!

The total for the African Water Project is in and it is a good one! The children raised $219 during VBS and the Unity Service Sunday donation was $216! That is a total of $435 plus some extra change! Great job everyone and to God be the glory! This money will be sent to World Vision to assist in providing life giving water to African children.

Speaking of children, our highest total of attendance for one night was 111 kids and 31 teens! The overall average was approximately 1oo kids and over 25 teens per night. Thanks again to everyone and praise God for the spreading of the Gospel to kids in our community.

Please pray for God's direction next year for a three night VBS. This idea is under consideration because of leaders and children's busy schedules. As we continue holding VBS outdoors in August the heat tends to wear folks down over five days. So please pray for the leadership so that God would lead us in the right direction.

Finally, there has been an increase in teens attending VBS and we are praying for God to help us put together a ministry plan for them. It would be nice each evening for a special devotional for teens that corresponds with the VBS theme lead by local youth ministers. I would also like to see us close out the last night with a youth concert by a Christian band jamming for Jesus in the Grove! There are some good bands in our area, help us pray for the right one and if the concert would be part of God's plan for the VBS.

Thanks everyone for all your prayers and help. Before you know it we will be right back at the Grove for VBS 2008, see ya then!

More Unity in the Community!

PRAYER AROUND THE FLAG POLE

Once again it is time to bring our community together in prayer for our children, and school staff, as they start another school year!

Please join us as we gather around the flag pole at Union School on Sunday, August 12, at 1:00p.m. for a time of prayer and fellowship.

PRAYER: It may be said that prayer is an indication of the spiritual condition of the soul; It being to the soul what breath is to the body.

With Love in Christ Jesus

An Answered Prayer

Did you realize that we were part of an answered prayer on Sunday? Yes we were, and not just any prayer. We were answering Jesus prayer for His church:

I'm praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they'll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, And give the godless world evidence That you've sent me and loved them In the same way you've loved me.

John 17:20 - 23 MSG.

The pastors did a great job as well as the kids! I thank God for His Spirit working in us to bring about the ministry of College Corner Community VBS. It is through Christ, by Christ and because of Christ that we are all in the family of God. Thank you all so much for your hard work and time spent in obedience to Christ prayer that we be one!

One to Remember

VBS 2007 has come and gone and I would have to say this was one of the best! From the planning back in February through to the last day here in August it has all went incredibly smooth. The fire department showing up to hose down the kids at the very end will make it one to remember.

My prayer is that the kids would remember these few warm days with the heart full of thankfulness to God many years from now. I pray all the volunteers and leaders will remember these hot days in late December and January and their hearts would be warmed with the love of God. When it is all said and done and we all sit down in Heaven with the Father we will look back with Him and remember with joy the songs we sang and the service we gave to these children. All that we did it was done unto Him!

(P.S. An overview of 2008 VBS curriculum's is in the "Cool Links" section next to this post)

One More Round!

All right folks, one more round! We are fighting the good fight of faith! Some time in the heat and chaos of VBS one can begin to wonder if all of this is working? Are they listening? Do the kids understand the message? Is this just a big fun and games thing?

The truth is the kids don't listen sometimes. The message is sometimes over their heads. A big part of VBS is fun and games.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:

When we proclaim that Christ is God's son, that He lived, died and rose again the power of God is moving among the kids and when they believe salvation happens! Our job is to preach it and then God takes it from there bringing salvation to whomever, whenever and wherever and He chooses.

So let us fight the good fight of faith through the heat, through the humidity, through the bugs, through the sweat, through the loud music, through the short attention spans, through the water squirted on your back, let's keep fighting the good and wonder-working fight of faith for one more night!

Prayer Needs Surfacing

Hello folks,

We are three days into VBS and amidst all the fun and water the needs of some kids and adults are coming to the surface. We had a child who has a learning disability feeling overwhelmed, a teenage helper having issues with another teenager who is not attending VBS. There is a Lifeguard who had to miss day 3 due to a recurring health problem with an immediate family member. We had one adult volunteer overcome by the heat and one boy who keeps wanting to leave on his own each night before VBS is over (we contacted his mother).

As God pours out joy let us ask and believe that He will also pour out His healing virtue on these souls and others as their needs surface.