Summer Schedule

The schedule at our church doesn't slow just because it's summer.  Now, it does shift from a regular schedule to lots of comings and goings.  It seems almost every Sunday we are commissioning and praying over a different group that is headed out on mission trips.  It is wonderful to serve in a church that is so mission minded...from Vacation Bible School to middle school students to high school students to men on mission to trips over seas, it seems to be a constant ebb and flow of activity.


I have been in two different services where we prayed over our high school students in one and our 7th & 8th grade students in another.  The front of the church was packed with students, their parents and the mission trip leaders all on their knees as the church prayed over them and those they will be serving on their trips.  Yes, these students are going on mission trips.  They are doing Vacation Bible School in other communities as well as other service projects in North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.


These kids have to really want to go on these trips because there are training classes they must attend, scripture they have to memorize and they have to give their testimony of how they came to know Christ.  In addition, in some cases they are required to raise half the money for the trip themselves and they have to help with our church's VBS so that they will be well equipped when they do on their own trips.  All of these things are requirements for these kids to go on mission trips with our church.  My oldest will be able to go for the first time next summer as a sixth grader.  I so hope to figure out some way to be able to experience that with him.  What a wonderful thing for these students this summer...learning first hand what it means to selflessly serve in the name of Jesus!  Learning that it's not all about them all the time.  


We also have opportunities to serve around our own city. Our children's ministry allows 1-6 graders to learn at early ages what it means to put others first.  These students are doing way more than I ever did at their ages.  It's great to serve in such an active church, a church that doesn't believe in staying inside our four walls.


Can't believe the month of June came and went so quickly, we still have a lot of summer left and a lot of fun ahead of us.  Thanks for checking in on us.