Whew! We made it to August. July sure kept us on our toes.
I cannot say enough about how great this congregation is. Over the past few weeks, everyone has worked together like a well-oiled machine. Within 28 days, we had Vacation Bible School (VBS), a booth at the fair, and a mission trip. Talk about being wide open!
There’s a saying most of us should be familiar with: Idle hands are the devil’s workshop (or playground). The meaning of that saying is: “when one has nothing to do, one is more likely to get into trouble” (thefreedictionary.com). Well, if there’s any truth to that, the devil had no time to work in our lives or the life of the church during July.
The greatest things about these events is not the fact that we were busy. It’s not the fact that we had three major events in one month. The greatest thing about these events is the meaning and purpose behind them.
During VBS, we were able to teach children (and adult workers) about how amazing it is to encounter Jesus in our lives. We brought little children to Jesus and helped them grow in their understanding of who Christ is. In addition, we witnessed first-hand, the children being excited about missions through
the “Shoe That Grows” project. When a child is willing to empty out their piggy banks to help others, you know that Christ is at work.
The fair booth brought opportunity after opportunity for us to interact with those who we otherwise may not get to. As we passed out stickers, pencils, and bracelets to children, we were able to speak with their parents about their lives and our church. We were able to give adults informational brochures, magnets, pens, and notepads about the church. It was a great time to speak with strangers and get to know each other a bit better while we worked.
Lastly, we have the mission trip going on. As you read this, the crew is preparing to bring Christ’s love to those in North Carolina that they will be working for. The mission team, supported by the prayers of those in Flora, will be taking part in work like roofing, installing sheetrock, and painting. But the
physical labor is not the greatest work they will be accomplishing. The most important part of this trip is being Jesus to those we encounter. The people whose homes they will be working on have been damaged by Hurricane Florence, but their spirits have been damaged just as badly. Many lost everything they had in the storm, and part of the mission team’s job is to bring the hope of Jesus Christ back to them. It’s a tall order, but we know that Christ will work through the prayers and the team to help those He loves.
Thank you to you all for working so hard for the Kingdom of God. Your love for Christ and others is overwhelming. I am proud to be your pastor and cannot wait to see what else the Holy Spirit has in store for us!
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Kim
