Bare Necessities - A Savior

This is the first segment in the series "Bare Necessities" that examines what are the essentials of the Christian faith for kids.

In July of 2002, nine coal miners were trapped in the Quecreek mine in Somerset County Pennsylvania. The men were 240 feet underground waist deep in water. They had been forced into a small area to avoid being drowned when the shaft had been flooded. The was no way out. They needed someone above ground to rescue them. One man played a huge role in the rescue. Bob Long was an engineer who used GPS equipment to determine where the men were located and were the rescue shaft would be drilled. There was no room for error in locating the men. Missing their location meant that valuable time would be lost and so also the lives of the nine miners.

One hour and half later the drill broke through the tunnel where the trapped miners were located. The sweetest sound that Bob Long heard was that of the miners pounding on the drill bit signalling that they were still alive. Four days later the the miners were brought out alive one by one and not until all nine were out did the rescue team celebrate. Bob long and the rescue team became part of what is now called the Quecreek miracle.

That story reminds me of the most important bare necessity of Christianity - Christ!Jesus is the one who knew exactly where we were - dead in sin. He knew there was no way out for us. No matter how much we tried to be good, no matter the penance, no matter the amount of benevolence, no matter if we had perfect attendance at church, no matter how much we read the Bible or prayed it would not have been enough to rescue our souls from sin. We needed a savior to lift us out sin and death into forgiveness and life.a

This bare necessity is what we will share with the kids at VBS. We are all in sin and there is no way out. But the good news is Jesus knows exactly where we are and he came to earth to rescue us. Teaching kids to be good, obey their parents, to do good, get good grades, be kind to their neighbor, and attend church is all good but that will not save them from their sins. The bare necessity for salvation is Christ. Just as the miners were save by climbing into the rescue capsule at the Quecreek mine, the kids can be saved when they climb into the arms of Christ.

Bob Long and the rescue team were truly part of a miracle in saving nine men, but the salvation of millions and billions of people by Christ is such a greater miracle! Just think how sweet the sound of the kids singing praise at VBS will be when it reach Christ's ears. And what a celebration there will be when we are all welcomed one by one into heaven! Therefore, let us share the bare necessity of Christ with the kids this summer!

Bare Necessities

Hello VBS folks,

As the temperatures are warming up our thoughts turn to summer. It is getting time to start thinking about VBS, swimming, softball, the Reds and vacations. Unfortunately, the high gas prices are causing people to cut back on travel plans. Not only is the high oil prices effecting travel but family budgets. I have talked with people who are looking to save money by cutting things such as land lines, cable TV, and eating out. Tight economic times cause businesses and families to cut non-essentials.

That got me to thinking, what are the essentials of Christianity? What is the bare necessities that Christians need? Specifically, what are the Christian essentials that children need?

It has been tough economical times but it could get tougher. Our American culture is not real friendly to Christians. What if it gets even more hostile? What are the bare necessities needed for the church to survive? What do we want to pass on to kids who attend VBS and many of whom will be the church of tomorrow.

In the next weeks leading up to VBS we will see what the Bible says is the necessities of the Christian life. Let us look to the Word and be reminded of the essentials God wants us to focus on. May God also open our eyes to what the bare necessities are that we can share with the kids during our 3 day VBS this summer!

Heading to the Beach in 2011

Hello folks,

Our first meeting is over and we will be heading to the beach for this summer's VBS! This VBS theme fits well with our outdoor program and the fact that kids love to get wet. Gospel Light's Bible focus is completely on Jesus; Who is Jesus? Why can I trust Jesus? Why do I need Jesus? How can Jesus help me when I mess up? and What does Jesus want me to do? We will have a 3 day VBS so choosing from this line up will be tough!

Sonsurf Beach Blast looks to be Biblically solid and we plan to keep on using Group Publishing's music from their 2011 VBS program. Group does a great job of taking popular Contemporary Christian music and tweaking it for kids.

Due to every one's busy schedule I am going to try a phone conference for our next meeting and I will let everyone know the day, the time and phone number in advance so we'll all be ready.

In the mean time, please pray that God will draw our adult volunteers for this summer and that He would show us what 3 topics to choose out of the 5.

Most importantly, when you pray ask God to do a wonderful work in each child's heart that attends this summer's VBS.

First Meeting of 2011!

Hello everyone,

by August we will all forget how cold it is right now. Until then we can beat the cold by thinking warm thoughts about this year's VBS!

Our first meeting will be 6PM next Monday, March 29th at the Junction. We will catch up with one another and then make our decision on this summers VBS curriculum. Please keep this meeting in your prayers!

See ya there!

Spring is On the Way!

Hello folks,

I know it is hard to believe following an ice storm that spring is around the corner. But according to this years Groundhog Day we are in for an early spring because the little guy didn't see his shadow!You know what all this means don't you? That is right, it is time to start planning for VBS 2011!

This will be our ninth year - can you believe it! This year I am partial to Gospel Light's "SonSurf Beach Bash" theme. The Bible theme stays nice and tight in the gospel books as opposed to Group's "Pandamania" theme that seems to all over the scriptures. We will no doubt use Group's music if we choose not do their theme but I would like for you to give me your feedback by visiting these two VBS links:

http://gospellightvbs.com/sonsurf/

http://pandamania.group.com/

If you have seen other VBS curriculum's out there that you think might work well let me know. Please let me know what day of the week in February is best for our first once-a-month-VBS-meeting.

Remember, VBS will be here before you know it and accompanied by warm weather!

Eight Hope Builders for College Corner Kids: #8 - Education

VBS is over and a great time was had by all!The kids are back in school and I am continuing on with the last installment of an eight part series discussing what it takes to give hope to kids in CC.

Education

Kids have returned to CC Elementary and back to the books. One of the keys to breaking the cycle of poverty is an education. With today's economy the further one continues on in their education the greater the possibility to have a fulfilling career.

But if children struggle in school, specifically reading, the greater the chance of being stuck in a cycle of poverty. That is why we need your prayers for College Corner Whiz Kids. This ministry targets kids with reading problems and comes along side them to tutor and show the love of Christ.

This ministry saw on little girl come to Christ last year! This year we are in need of volunteers so that Whiz Kids is able to continue on. Please pray that the folks that heard about this ministry during the Junction Tour will get involved if God is calling them.

Let us pray that kids pursue an education so that they can use their God given abilities/gifting to become all that God created them to be. The goal is not an education in order to make a lot of money, but to be fruitful and use their vocation to bless others and glorify God!

This ends this series and I would ask you to pray that God would bring hope that lasts a lifetime in the lives of the children of College Corner!

Eight Hope Builders for College Corner Kids: #7 - Sharing Hope

VBS is over and a great time was had by all!The Unity Service attendance was over 215! As the kids get ready to head back to school.I am continuing on with the seventh installment of an eight part series discussing what it takes to give hope to kids in CC.

Sharing Hope

The VBS committee felt that God had laid on their hearts a message of hope for the kids in CC in 2010, and I believe we did a good job of delivering it. But hope doesn't stop now that VBS is over. Hope is a thing that God intends to be in constant motion because it lasts forever and never stops:

1 Corinthians 13:13
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love

It begins with the everlasting Father and flows from his throne to us here in CC. It flowed to the kids at VBS and it must continue to be shared. Hope is like a good (clean) joke - it makes us laugh and we enjoy making others laugh when we share it.

I am proud to say that the kids and those attending the Unity Service shared the hope of Christ by raising $620 for the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Cincinnati! God blessed Brandon Pierce through Shriner's and our community has responded with a great big thank you offering. Prayers were answered for Brandon's life and recovery and his story gives hope to others making their way back from a life changing accident. How sweet it is to know our kids and our community is sharing the healing hope of Christ to those in need! Hope is a verb, it is everlasting,and meant to be shared:

Acts 20:35
You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”