Howdy Tribe!!
I figured it was ABOUT TIME I contributed to this blog! I have been surprisingly busy the past few weeks, even though I still have yet to find a full-time job. Ah well, I can’t complain too much; God has been blessing me in amazing ways since graduation! Especially with the opportunity to help out with Vacation Bible School at my new church this week! So that is what I want to write about today!
As some of you know, I was beginning to feel God was calling me to leave my old church while I was away at school. I began looking into other churches in my area during breaks and such, but never really found anything I was comfortable with…that seemed like “home.” Then one night at Master’s, by God’s grace, I was talking about Yucca Valley (my home town) at tribal supper, and Caleb (who I just barely knew at the time) piped up and asked me how I knew about Yucca! He explained that he came up here last year to help with a VBS at a church that is pastored by a Master’s graduate. I was floored…and completely intrigued.
This church, First Southern Baptist Church of Yucca Valley, is unlike any I have attended in the past. The congregation is very small (about 50-70 people) and mostly elderly. But in my short time here I have found opportunities to serve and ways to connect with people I never could in 1,000+ person congregations. I now have a pastor who knows me by name and is personally involved in what is going on in my life. I am excited to go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays and hear the Word of God preached solidly, rather than politics or off-topic rantings. I am so happy and incredibly blessed to be a part of this church! Not to mention that it is really cool to have a pastor’s wife who lived in DIXON!! OH YEAH! I could be wrong, but I believe Pastor Stephen lived in Waldock too!
Anyhow…all that to say that our biggest children’s ministry outreach is about to kick off tomorrow morning! Our theme is “The Big Apple Adventure” where we are going to use New York City as a means of teaching the kids how to “connect” by believing in Jesus Christ (connecting through faith), accepting Him as their Saviour, and telling others about Him (connecting with the world). Pastor Stephen said on average we get about 50-60 kids for this VBS. Although it is only a three-day event, we are excited to be hosting a “family fun night” on Friday where we will do an open house for the kids’ parents to see what they did all week. It will be a great outreach to non-Christian families in our area who were only looking for free childcare for a few days. From past experiences in VBS’s in the desert, I can say that the rate of kids who come from non-Christian, abusive, and/or broken families is extremely high. Yet God is so good and loving to continue to bring them into these church events and allow them the opportunity to hear the gospel at a young age.
So how am I personally involved in this event? I will be co-teaching the 5th-7th grade class with a guy named Erick! I have to admit this responsibility scares me a lot. I have taught Sunday school classes for the young kids in the past, and am very comfortable with preschool to about 3rd grade. This age group doesn’t only take me out of my comfort zone…it rips me out by the hair. I feel like, although there is great responsibility in teaching a child the Word of God at ANY age, these preteens are getting to the point where they are so much more intelligent and inquisitive. Our responsibility is even greater to present the Gospel accurately and clearly for them…no more spoon-feeding like the little ones.
Please pray for Erick and me as we meet this afternoon to plan our lessons for the week. Pray that all the teachers can make the studies fun and interesting to hold the attention of these little ones and that God would do a great work and touch many hearts and the lives of their families through this. Pray for Caleb as he arrived Saturday night to help out this week as well. Pray that God gives him strength and patience to serve the kids, for a refreshing visit with my pastor (who is also his former youth pastor), and for a safe travel back home on Thursday.
I am so excited to be a part of this! And so excited that Caleb and I get to share this with all of you! I miss you all so very much and hope to see you soon. Each one of you has contributed to my life in such amazing ways and I know God has each of you in a special place this summer to serve Him in a way that pleases Him and brings Him glory whether it’s while eating noodles in Korea, writing computer programs in Texas or Canada, or studying for the MCAT in Alaska. I’m so proud to call you all my friends…and my tribe.
Our classroom decorated in a Central Park theme!
Wallldooock!!
ReplyDeleteAnnie!!!! its good to hear from you! you will definitely be in our prayers, as will the children who will be under you and Erick's teaching.
Praying for you, Annie, as well as all the other helpers!! =) May God be magnified and glorified through your work in His family.
ReplyDeleteAnnie! It's so good to hear from you! I was wondering if you were ever going to get on and post :) VBS is pretty fun! I helped out at one last week at my church here. I was actually going to post on it, but you beat me to it! Teaching is a huge responsibility. It makes me realize that I really can't "get" to the kids, but it's going to have to be God. Praying that God uses you to draw those kids to Himself!
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