Amazing Sunday School!!

Today I had the joy of teaching the children at Miller Lane, grades 1-3. We started a new format for Sunday School, and the day started off a little hectic for me, trying to make sure everything was ready, getting into the 9 am service, which was AMAZING, seeing our intern, Allyssa, say goodbye, which was hard, and feeling God calm me and prepare me for the rest of the day. As the children began to be dropped off by families for Sunday School, it got louder and louder... as tends to happen with kids at this age!! The amazing thing for me today, these kids get it!! They really really can embrace the lesson being taught, and they can apply that lesson and the bible verse to their own lives. We did a really cool Faith 5 toward the end of class today, one of the children said the high point of her day was being able to come to church today, and the low point was that her friend was not able to come with her today. That little girl was able to apply the verse from the lesson, John 15:12: "This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you," and she said the way she could show love to her friend by telling her how much fun she had in Sunday School and inviting her to come with her next week!! Wow!! Another child in that class stated that their high point was being able to go to "early service" with her Mom, and the low point was the Miss. Allyssa was leaving today, and we wouldn't be able to see her next week. One way that she thought of to show love to Miss. Allyssa was to pray for her, send her a card, and just learn from her example, these kids are getting it, it was a truly powerful class today! I am always amazed at what God does in the most mundane of everyday tasks, but to see these kids living out their own faith and how they can impact others in their community was really a wonderful blessing for me! WE had so much fun today, we had a party to welcome Jesus into our new classroom, and into our lives, the kids decorated and made a welcome sign for Jesus, and we talked about how we would show our love for Jesus if he happened to walk through our classroom door!! Then we talked about different ways we can show others our love for them and for Jesus, and the class had great responses like, taking care of someone when they are sick, praying for those in need, being a true friend even when it is hard for us, one child even said he would help his sister clean her room up!! Just hearing these children talk about the people in their lives who love them and all the different ways we can show our love for each other was really awesome, it is amazing to hear them speak of their love for others and their love for Jesus Christ with such abandon and passion, no hang ups like adults often have. At the very end of class we all got in a circle for prayer, and the requests we had were all unselfish, focusing on others needs, and how just having the presence of God in a space makes things a little bit better no matter what the problem is. These kids are exposed to health problems within their families, friends that don't always treat them like friends, death of a loved one or friend, money issues, and making new friends at new schools, and even in the midst of all that they see and hear every day, these children are so joyful about God and His amazing love for them. They sang songs and danced and shared ideas on how to show others about the love of the Lord through everyday things, a hug, a card, sitting with someone new at the lunch table, inviting a friend to join them next Sunday!! That's totally AWESOME! Thank you God for the children, please keep them safe and may they feel your love every day this week!! Amen!
Heather N.

Camp Wesley

Boy is camp fun.... We are having a great time at camp this week. Some of us have gone canoeing, hiking, played field sports, played gym sports, made cool stuff in arts and crafts, had Bible study and time alone with God.

We work really hard to NOT waste food. We are trying to only take as much as we will eat. We can always go back for seconds, but we try and eat what we have taken. It was a bit hard for the little kids at first, but it got better as the week has progressed. The weather is great, the wind is blowing and the sun comes out occasionally. (at least today that is.) The kids swam in the lake yesterday, today we are going to go down the slip and slide. What fun we will have!!

It is a full day from 7:15- 10:30 each day we are having as much fun as 50+ people should be having. Continue to pray for us.

Love,

Marie & the gang