MISSION CELEBRATION
Wednesday, May 20, our Mission Friends, RAs, and GAs led a hands-on mission night in the fellowship hall to share some of what they’ve learned in missions this year AND provide opportunities to reach out to the needs in our own community – much like the CBF field personnel they have studied are impacting the communities in which they live and work.
In the six stations that participants rotated through: we tasted snacks that Afghan refugees enjoy (in particular, baklava and hot tea!); we assembled 50 plastic mason jars of dry ingredients needed to make macaroni and cheese and shared these with Urban Ministries Food Bank; we played a letter game to reveal a Bible verse from Acts, reminding us to share what we have with others; we wrote close to fifty notes of encouragement to folks in our congregation; we had a prayer walk with various stations in the garth area; and we assembled fifty goodie bags for teachers at Fuller Elementary, a Title 1 school in our downtown community.
And it’s worth noting how much a church-wide effort this night was! Not only did our preschoolers and gradeschoolers lead these stations, but our adult and children’s Sunday School classes happily and generously funded 100% of the school supplies that went in the goodie bags for teachers, and monetary donations that have come in have helped to offset the cost of the ingredients for the mac & cheese jars! Now THAT’S teamwork!
As we wrap up another year of missions education, I’m grateful for each of our Mission Friends, RAs, and GAs, and for the parents and grandparents who bring them here on Wednesday nights. And I’m grateful for our fabulous mission leaders: Elizabeth Riley, Valerie Moore, Anza Harker, Dawn Wade, Hope Phillips, Dorothy Holley, Daniel Rohrbaugh, and Wade Sasser. Here’s to a restful summer and another great year of missions beginning in September! -- Lynn Lingafelt |
