The Prayerful Pause - September 28

We continue prayerfully exploring Union's mission statement by focusing on one keyword each week in our Midweek Update. This week, let's think about the word "shares."

Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.

Sharing the stories of faith in conversation with each other is vital. The Holy Spirit guides our conversations about the Bible, leading us to explore our own reflections and questions while also encouraging us to gain fresh insight from others. Sharing the stories of faith also means telling others who may never have read the Bible more about the story of God’s great love.

This week, I hope you will take some time to share and discuss something you have read in Scripture with someone else. I am sure God will grow you and those you share with through these conversations.
 
In addition to the stories of faith that we find in Scripture, we also have personal stories of faith to share with others. This week, I want to encourage you to think about sharing your personal stories of faith with others. Maybe it's a story of how God provided for you and your family during a challenging time. Perhaps, it is a story about how God encouraged you through your church family. Maybe it's your own story of forgiveness and restoration that was only possible because of God. Your personal stories of faith are valuable and so important in our life and ministry together.
 
In October, our theme in worship will be Family Stories. Please get in touch with me if you want to share a recent or past story about your journey with the Union Family. We hope to hear about how God led you to Union and why you have chosen to invest your life here. We will record these stories and archive them as part of our church history so we can share them and reflect on them for years to come.
 
Union is a remarkable family of faith. Let's keep sharing the stories of faith with each other, both those from the Bible and the one from our own lives too. I know our life and ministry together will be richer when we share these stories of faith with each other.

The Prayerful Pause - September 21

For the next several weeks, we are prayerfully exploring Union's mission statement in the Midweek Update. We will be focusing on a keyword from our mission statement each week. This week, let’s think about the word "learns" and seek to understand how we, as followers of Christ, learn the stories of faith.

Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.

The Bible is God's ancient word with a living story. It's God's grand love story, given to us for our benefit and for our transformation. Learning the stories of faith in the Bible is a vital aspect of our walk with the Lord. We can learn more about these stories as we read and study God's word in Sunday School, small groups, and in our own personal devotional time.

We learn the stories of faith as we discuss them and wrestle with them in community with each other. Yet, it's also essential to remember that all deep and meaningful learning involves listening. We learn the stories of faith in the Bible even more profoundly when we read them prayerfully. Prayerfully reading the Scriptures involves open ears and listening for God's voice to teach us as we read. Here are several questions that help me listen when I seek to prayerfully read the Bible.  

• Lord, what do you want to teach me through this passage of Scripture?

• God, what do you want me to understand about you from this passage?

• How do you want me to grow by reading this passage, God?

• Lord, how do you want me to respond to this passage of Scripture today?

• Is there a current situation in my life that this passage speaks to, God?

God has given us a treasure trove of stories in the Bible with so many wonderful things to learn. Yet, God also gives people today countless stories of faith to learn and share in conversation with each other as a family of faith. We'll talk about the importance of sharing our own stories of faith with each other in next week's Midweek Update.

Until then, I hope you will spend some time each day prayerfully learning and listening for God's voice in the stories of faith you read in God’s ancient word with a living story.

The Prayerful Pause - September 14

Over the next five weeks, we will pause to explore Union's mission statement more fully. We will focus on one of five keywords in Union's mission statement each week as a reminder of who we are as a church and as we imagine how God wants to use us in the world going forward. Below is our mission statement with this week’s focus word, called in red font.

Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.

God’s call can often seem mysterious. Yet, we can trust that we’ve been called by God both individually and collectively as a church. Jesus continually calls us to follow him on the journey. He leads us and guides us daily as we seek to abide in his love, grow in his grace, and follow his example. Jesus’ first invitation is to us as individuals.

Yet, we are also called into community with other Christians. We are called to be part of the Family of God, sharing both our life and ministry together. We are called to be part of the Body of Christ, finding unity in Christ even in our diversity. We are called to be part of a local church, offering our gifts, skills, and talents to build up the body and share God's love in the world together. Indeed, we have been called, Union Family! We've been called to follow Jesus and called to do life and ministry together as a church family.
 
This week, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on God’s call and prayerfully considering these three questions:

• How has God called us in the past?

• How is God calling us now?

• What is God calling Union to be and do in the days ahead?

Thanks be to God for calling us individually and collectively as the Church. Amen!

The Prayerful Pause - September 7

Union Christian Church has an excellent mission statement! It’s printed at the top of each Midweek Update and prominently placed on the church website, too. You may have grown so accustomed to seeing our mission statement that you don’t notice it very much anymore. Here is our mission statement:

Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.

As I sought to discern God’s call about serving as your pastor, I remember prayerfully pausing to consider this mission statement. As I did, several words started to jump out at me. These five words began to tell me who you were and how God could use you in the world before I met you in person. Here are the words that jumped out at me:

• Called

• Learn

• Share

• Serve

• Welcome

Over the next five editions of the Midweek Update, we’ll pause and take a look at each of these five important words in our mission statement. As we unpack our mission statement a little more, I hope it will remind us of who we are as a church and help us discern how God wants to use us in the world going forward!

Each time you open your Midweek Update over the next five weeks or browse our church website, I invite you to read the mission statement and really take in all the words. Then, ask God to show you what these five key words mean for you as a follower of Jesus and for us as the Union Family together.

The Prayerful Pause - August 31

I wanted to share some updates about our prayer ministry at Union this week. As a church, we take praying for others seriously. We regularly pray for those who are part of our Union Family and for those in the wider community as well. Scripture teaches us that Jesus took prayer seriously as well. Jesus prayed for others during his earthly ministry, and he is praying for us right now, seated at the right hand of the Father. As followers of Christ, we have the unique opportunity to join Jesus in the ministry of prayer, lifting the needs of others to the Lord daily.

To help us be more intentional and specific in our prayer for others, our Elders have formed a Congregational Care Team. This team will come alongside of me to help us reach out and check in with the people on our prayer list for updates. This team will also help us reach out to those who may not be on our prayer list but need some love and encouragement. Evelyn Shelnutt, Wanda Maxey, Alan Hickerson, and Julia Beckwith will be serving on our Elder’s Congregational Care Team, and I am thankful for their service.

You will also notice a few changes to help you navigate our prayer list more easily in our Midweek Update. Our newest prayer concerns will be listed in the Midweek in blue just like it is in the Bulletin each Sunday. There will also be a button that you can click to access our complete prayer list at any time. Whether you are praying for those who have just been added to the prayer list or for those who have been on our prayer list for a while, please keep praying. Your prayers mean so much!

Finally, I wanted to share with you another group of Elders that will be serving on our Outreach Team. This group will come alongside of me to help us follow up with visitors and guests after they visit Union. I am grateful that Patti Clark, Patsy Orr, Donald Hansford, Dewey Collins, and Annette Saul will serve on the Outreach Team. As you pray for others this week, please also pray for those who are seeking a church home.

The Prayerful Pause - August 24

After much prayerful reflection during our 100 Days of Prayer, God led me to a focus word for us this church year. Our focus word for 2022-23 is FAMILY! Over the next year, we will explore what it means to be part of God’s family and the Union Church family in many different ways. We will explore our focus word “FAMILY” as we worship, fellowship, and seek to reach out to our community together.

To kick off our Family theme, we will have a fantastic fellowship opportunity for the whole church in September! I hope you will make plans to join us for our Intergenerational Game Night on Sunday, September 18, from 4-6 pm in the Fellowship Hall.

Our Youth and Cool Kids are helping us run Game Night, and it’s for anyone ages 0 to 100+! That age bracket covers all ages in the Union Family! Come play Bingo and enjoy several other fun games around the tables. Bring a snack to share and come dressed in support of your favorite sports team. 

Research has shown that families who regularly spend time doing enjoyable activities together have stronger relationships with each other than families who do not. We also need to have fun as a family of faith! It’s my hope that God will use this time to grow and strengthen our relationships with each other across the whole church family. I hope you will invite a friend to come with you for this special night of fun and games as well!

The Prayerful Pause - August 17

This Fall, we are excited to offer three Small Group Bible Studies with opportunities for both women and men to participate! All three groups will study the Lord's Prayer using Adam Hamilton's book, The Lord's Prayer: The Meaning and Power of the Prayer Jesus Taught.  
 
As a church, we know the Lord's prayer well and pray it together in worship each Sunday. But often, because the prayer is so familiar, we pray it without remembering the power of the words we are praying. This study will help us better understand what we are really asking God each time we pray the Lord's Prayer. 
 
Small Groups are excellent for building close and supportive friendships within the church family. Additionally, with all three groups studying the same book this Fall, we can also have conversations across the groups about what we are learning as we explore the Lord's Prayer together.
 
You can find more information specific to each small group below. To join a group, email us at office@unionchristianchurch.net or sign-up on the clipboard in the Gathering Space. You can pick up your book in the Gathering Space or at the first group meeting. I hope you will make plans to join one of our Small Group Bible Studies!
  

Fall Small Bible Study Group Schedule
Teacher: Pastor Heather

• Women's Evening Small Group- Monday, September 12 to October 24, 6:00 PM at the Webb Home with a Snack Supper. 

• Women's Morning Small Group- Wednesday, September 7-October 19, 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall with morning snacks and treats.

• Men's Evening Small Group- Wednesday, September 7-October 19, 5:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall with a snack supper. Concludes before choir practice.

The Prayerful Pause - August 3

It’s hard to believe that August has arrived already. It seems like only yesterday that summer started. Even as the summer season is winding down and school bells are ringing once again, we have many exciting things coming up on the horizon at Union.

This Sunday, August 7, we will celebrate Homecoming and 170 years of ministry as a church. Homecoming is a great day to invite friends and neighbors to “experience home” at Union with you. Many people have trouble finding authentic community and a sense of home in today’s fragmented world. Please pray that everyone will “experience home” and experience God’s love at Union on August 7. We also look forward to sharing a delicious fellowship meal after worship on Sunday and hope you will bring a covered dish for everyone to enjoy.

Our Blessing of the Backpacks will also take place on Sunday. This is a great time to invite students, teachers, and school staff to Union. During worship, we will offer a prayer of blessing for all students (preschool to graduate school), teachers, and school staff. We will also place a blessing tag on each school bag or backpack that morning as a reminder of the many prayers that go with those who learn and serve in our schools.

Indeed, even as the seasons change, God has great things ahead for us Union family! It’s a joy to journey with you!

The Prayerful Paul - July 27

I am excited about Homecoming and the Blessing of the Backpacks on Sunday, August 7! I want to encourage you to invite your friends and neighbors to “experience home” at Union on this special Sunday. As we celebrate 170 years of ministry as a church, this is a great day to invite friends and neighbors to experience the loving church community that we call home. Many people have trouble finding authentic community and a sense of home in today’s fragmented world. Yet, when our visitors “experience home” at Union, they also powerfully experience God’s love. We will enjoy a delicious Fellowship Lunch that Sunday after worship, and you are invited to bring a covered dish or two to celebrate.

Our Blessing of the Backpacks will also take place Sunday, August 7, during morning worship. That means it’s also a wonderful time to invite those returning to school in August. We will offer a prayer of blessing for all students (preschool to graduate school), teachers, and school staff; we will also place a blessing tag on all school bags. Please remember to bring backpacks and school bags to worship that morning.

It’s a joy to celebrate special Sundays with you, Union family! As we prepare to celebrate this special Sunday together, please join me in praying that God will help others “experience home” as well as God’s love and blessing at Union.

The Prayerful Pause - July 20

We have something exciting happening for our young adults at Union on Sunday July 31, at 5:00 PM!  All of our young adults are invited to hang out at Pastor Heather’s house for the evening. We will share a meal and just enjoy each other’s company that night.
 
Who are these “young adults” that I am talking about? Young adults are past their High School years and are generally anywhere from 18-40-ish. If you are a young adult, I hope that you will make plans to attend our first “Young Adult Hangout” on July 31. All of our young adults are welcome and encouraged to invite friends to join us for this special evening of fun and fellowship together.
 
If you are no longer a young adult, don’t worry. I have some important jobs for you, too!

• Please join me in praying specifically for our young adults at Union and for the young adults in the wider community. 

• Pray that God will guide and grow our ministry and outreach to young adults as a church family. 

• Send an encouraging note, card, or message to one of our young adults at Union.

• Invite a young adult for a meal with you and your family.  

Thank you, Union Family, for being a church that welcomes and loves people at every age and stage of life!

The Prayerful Pause - July 13

Summer is a great time for slowing down and spending quality time together. Spending time in fellowship is at the heart of what it means to be a church family. We remember that the early Christians "continuously devoted themselves to fellowship" (Acts 2:42). The Greek word for "fellowship" is koinonia, which means "to have in common" or "to share." Union Family, we share in the rich blessing of knowing Jesus and each other. Spending time in fellowship as a family of faith reminds us that we don’t walk the journey alone. God has given us the gift of each other!

We have a special opportunity to spend some time in fellowship together this weekend. I hope you will drop by our house on Saturday, July 16 anytime from 3-5 p.m. for some fun and fellowship together! We will have some snacks and desserts and enjoy each other’s company. You don’t need to bring anything other than yourself, and all ages are welcome. Our address is 3147 Meadow Springs Dr. Watkinsville, Georgia 30677. You can park on the street or in the driveway when you arrive. We hope to see you this Saturday at our house as we press pause and enjoy some fellowship together!

The Prayerful Pause - July 6

This week, I wanted to share a few more ideas for simple, low-cost Summer Service Projects to help us be the hands and feet of Christ together in our community! We can share God’s love with others in our daily lives just by doing small acts of unexpected kindness from time to time. Here are a few ways to consider reaching out to folks in our community over the next few weeks, 

• Help Union’s Christian Women’s Fellowship collect the school supplies that our teachers have requested for students in need. You can drop your supplies in the Gathering Space during the month of July. Please be sure to check the list of supplies needed in this mid-week update before you do your shopping.

• Mail notes of encouragement to 3-4 people on the Union prayer list.

• Deliver some pre-packaged snacks to a local fire station, police station, medical office or business with a thank you note.

• Drop off some flowers, garden fresh produce, cookies, or another small gift on one of your neighbor’s porch with an encouraging note. 

No matter how you are led to do it, please keep sharing God’s love with others wherever you are and wherever you go! I am thankful to be on mission with you, Union Family! May God continue to bless others through your love, generosity, and service!

The Prayerful Pause - June 29

For the next several weeks, I will be sharing some simple ideas for summer service projects in the Prayerful Pause. My hope is that God will use these simple acts of service to share love and encouragement with others. All of these summer service projects will be low cost and easy to do from home with your family. For this week’s Summer Service Project, I invite you to pause and write a hand-written note of encouragement to a person serving in the military.

You can send a note of encouragement to an unnamed service member through a wonderful organization in Duluth, Georgia called Hugs for Soldiers. In fact, Hugs for Soldiers is a ministry of Duluth First United Methodist Church, and they share encouraging notes with active-duty service members serving all over the world.

If you would like to write a note, be sure to check out Hugs for Soldiers letter writing guidelines at https://www.hugsforsoldiers.org/cards-and-letters and then mail your card to:

HUGS FOR SOLDIERS
Duluth First United Methodist Church
3208 Duluth Hwy. 120
Duluth, GA 30096

Before you mail your letter, please pause and pray for the person that will receive it and ask God to encourage him or her as they serve!

The Prayerful Pause - June 22

Each one of us is an important part of the Body of Christ, and we each have various gifts, talents, and passions that God has given us for service and ministry together. The Apostle Paul’s words to the Church at Corinth remind us, “You are the Body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it” (1 Cor. 12:27).
 
As we turn the page and begin another church year, I want to ask you to pause and prayerfully consider some important questions:

1. What part of the Body of Christ are you?

2. How does God want to use you and your gifts as part of the Union Family?  

One great way to get plugged in and use some of the gifts God has given you is to serve on one of our Service Teams at Union! Below are some short descriptions of our Service Teams. If you are interested in serving on a Service Team, take a moment to sign-up on the clipboard in the Gathering Space or contact me for more information. I am thankful for each of you and for the many ways we have to serve together as the Body of Christ.

• Worship Leader Team- Lead the Call to Worship, offer the Invocation, and read the Opening Scripture during morning worship.

• Children’s Church Team- Teach a Bible lesson to our preschool and elementary aged children. A lesson plan with fun activities can be provided.

• Children’s Chat Team- Share a short Bible story or object lesson with our children during morning worship.

• Nursery Team- Assist in caring for infants and toddlers in the church nursery during morning worship.

• Greeter Team- Welcome guests and members to Union in a warm and friendly way. 

• Sanctuary Prep Team- Prepare the Sanctuary and Communion Table for morning worship.

• Hospitality Team- Help provide food and hospitality during times of illness or bereavement.

• Building Maintenance Team- Troubleshoot and work with a team to tackle the maintenance and repair and needs of the church building.

• Safety and Security Team- Secure and monitor the church building and parking lot on Sundays.

The Prayerful Pause - June 15

As many of you have seen, there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our church family. Despite feeling fine while at church on Sunday morning, David Webb tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday evening, and I have now tested positive as well. Thankfully so far our cases are mild and Jyoti has tested negative. However, if you attended Worship or Sunday School on June 12, you could have been exposed to COVID-19. 
 
We are hopeful that the risk is low; however, we are asking everyone to maintain personal diligence and monitor yourself for any COVID symptoms including:

• Fever or chills

• Headache

• Sore throat

• Cough

• New loss of taste or smell

• Fatigue

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Congestion or runny nose

• Muscle or body aches

• Nausea or vomiting

If you develop any symptoms after being at church this past Sunday, June 12, please stay home, talk with your healthcare provider, and get tested. Please also notify Pastor Heather or Nickie Pearson in the church office of any confirmed positive COVID cases. 
 
Please also note that the Open House at the Webb Home that was scheduled for this Saturday, June 18 has been canceled, but we look forward to another chance to fellowship with you very soon.

We will postpone our regular Church Council meeting. Instead, we will meet next Thursday, June 23 at 7:00 PM. 

At this time, we are planning to hold worship at 11:00 AM on Sunday, June 19. Parrish Myers will be our guest preacher and members of our Union family will lead worship. Should we need to make any adaptations to Sunday morning, we will communicate that later this week. 

Sunday School will not meet this Sunday, June 19, since I am the teacher and have some of the materials at home. 
 
Finally, please be in prayer for the health and well-being of our Union family and for my family, too. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns in the days ahead. I am thankful for you and I am blessed to be your pastor. 
 
With every blessing, 
Pastor Heather 

The Prayerful Pause - June 8

Union Family, I am blessed to be your pastor and so thankful for our ministry together! My heart is absolutely full this week. Our Adventure Island VBS has been great! We’ve had a great group of kids and a fantastic group of volunteers each night. This week has been an answer to our prayers!
 
We’ve seen children excited about being at church. We’ve seen children learning important lessons from the Bible about love, trust, faith, hope, and joy. We’ve seen God’s love shared and received in amazing ways. The children have felt so loved while at Union, and that just makes my heart sing with joy! In response to all these blessings, I can think of nothing better to do but to pause and thank God. Please take a look at some of the pictures below then pause and pray with me.

• Thank God for a wonderful week and praise God for making it all possible.

• Thank God for all 28 children who came to VBS during the week!   

• Thank God for the volunteers who served and the supplies that were donated.  

• Pray for the children who attended VBS and for all the seeds that were planted in the hearts and minds of these little ones.

• Ask God to continue to water and grow to seeds that were planted during VBS.

The Prayerful Pause - June 1

Summer is finally here! It’s time to enjoy some warmer weather and fun with family and friends. We also have a lot to look forward to as a church family this summer at Union. I hope you will jump in and participate as God leads you!

Vacation Bible School starts this Sunday, June 5, at 5:30 PM and runs through June 9! Thank you to all who have volunteered and shared supplies with us for VBS already! Adventure Island is going to be a lot of fun as we go on a quest in search for God’s great light together! Please pray for the children and all the volunteers who will participate in VBS this year. Ask God to bless them and grow each one in His grace.

This month, I also want to encourage you to prayerfully consider coming alongside our Christian Women’s Fellowship in their effort to raise funds for Week of Compassion’s ongoing work with the children and families of Ukraine. The CWF has already pledged $500 for this cause. If you would like to share a gift as well, you can do that until June 15. Just make sure to mark your gift for Week of Compassion. This year, our VBS Offering will also help support this vital work.

Finally, I want to remind you that we have 30 days to go in our 100 Days of Prayer for Union. Let’s keep praying and trusting God with every aspect of our life and ministry together. God has great things in store, Union Family! I am thankful to be your pastor!

The Prayerful Pause - May 25

Today our hearts are breaking as we think about the horrific violence and loss of life that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas yesterday. We also are grieving the deadly violence that occurred in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York just a few days ago. We continue grappling with the violence of war that has been so devastating for the people of Ukraine over the last several months. We find ourselves asking, what should our response be as followers of Christ when there is so much tragic violence in the world today?

As faithful followers of Christ, we grieve with those who are hurting. We pray and ask God to comfort those who mourn. We ask God to bring violence to an end and to help us live in peace with one another. We pray, "Lord have mercy." We pray, "Christ have mercy," and we know that God hears our faithful prayers.

Yet, as we pray, may we also remember that God wants to use us to help answer the prayers that we pray. We may think we have nothing to offer the Lord in the face of problems that are beyond our human understanding, but God sees things much differently. Yes, God wants to use us as we yield ourselves to be instruments of peace in God’s loving and faithful hands.

So, this week as we pray for those impacted by horrific violence in the world, let’s also ask God to use each of us as instruments of His peace. Let’s ask God to use us as instruments of peace in our own homes, in our community, and everywhere we go. Let’s also ask God to use us together as Union Christian Church as an instrument of peace in every aspect of our life and ministry together. May we, as the people of God, live in such a way that others experience the love and peace of Christ each time they come in contact with us individually or collectively as a church family.

For as we yield ourselves to be instruments of peace in God’s faithful hands, I sense that we will hear the promise and the challenge of Jesus’ own words found in Matthew 5:9 ringing in our ears and in our hearts, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Keep us in your faithful hands and use us daily as you answer the prayers we pray. Amen.

The Prayerful Pause - May 18

Have you ever felt like you wanted to talk with God, and you were not sure what to say? That happens to all of us from time to time. Any time I am searching for the words to say to God in prayer, I go to the Psalms and read them prayerfully.
 
There are 150 poems and songs in in the Book of Psalms and you can find every single human emotion there. Those who penned the Psalms did so with such authenticity and honesty before God. So, when we can’t find the words to pray, we can look to the Psalms for help.
 
This week, I’ve included a few Psalms for us to prayerfully read together. Find a quiet spot with your Bible and pray as you read each Psalm. I’ve also linked the passages below if you would like to read them on your screen as well.
 
No matter when or how you read these Psalms this week, you can do so trusting that God understands the prayer of our heart and knows what we would like to say even when we can’t find the words to express it fully.
 
After you read each of these Psalms, try to spend some time just sitting still with God and taking some intentional time to listen to God as well.
 
Be encouraged as you read and listen prayerfully! God is listening and God is speaking because God loves us!
 
Psalms to pray together this week:

• Psalm 8

• Psalm 46

• Psalm 61

• Psalm 121

• Psalm 150

The Prayerful Pause - May 11

Our young people are an important part of the Union Family! This Sunday is Graduate Sunday, and we look forward to celebrating our graduates together! We will present Bibles to Maya Allen and Joseph Drube, as our two High School Graduates on Sunday. We will also celebrate the accomplishments of Brice Eades, Kendall Green, and Shelby Thomas as our College and Graduate School graduates this year. All of our graduates have worked hard and we are proud of their achievements! Please take a moment to pause and pray for Maya, Joseph, Brice, Kendall, and Shelby as they begin new chapters in their lives. Pray that God will guide, uphold, and encourage these dear ones every day. Pray that our graduates will always remember that God is with them wherever they go.

Our children are also an important part of the Union Family! It was so wonderful to see so many children in church last Sunday and it filled my heart with joy! In just a few weeks, our Vacation Bible School will be here so I want to pause and encourage you to invite your friends and neighbors to join us for Adventure Island, June 5-9 from 5:30-8:30 pm! We still need volunteers to help lead the children around from station to station during VBS. If you can help that week, please talk with Angie Eades or Holly Green! Please also be in prayer for our VBS. Ask God to bless the children, the volunteers, and all we will learn together during VBS week!