Dear Fellow Children of God,
Vacation Bible School is being held at St. John this week. Over 100 children are in attendance learning about the love of God under the theme, “Big Jungle Adventure.” Every day children laugh and sing, run and play, and hopefully grow in the knowledge of God’s love for them in Jesus.
Among those attending are many children who are not members of St. John. That is one our hopes when we advertize our VBS in the community. Some of those children from the community are attending as students. Some of the older children are actually helping to lead and teach the younger students. Today I asked one of those visitors which church she attended. When she told me which church I asked when her church was offering Vacation Bible School. Her answer was, “We aren’t holding Vacation Bible School this year, there are not enough Volunteers.”
Finding volunteers IS a growing challenge as people’s lives get busier and as people have more options for their time and service. That makes those who are volunteering this week at St. John special blessings to God’s work at St. John, and special blessings to the children who are learning about Jesus. Do you know the time, the energy, the commitment, even the sacrifice it takes to help and lead VBS? Actually, all volunteering to help people in God’s name is a sacrifice of faith.
Jesus calls Christians to such service. 26 . . . whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-27) When we serve others we are responding to the call of our Lord who served us to the point of death so we might live. In fact, Jesus calls us to such sacrificial service especially for children.
46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all-- he is the greatest." (Luke 9:46-48)
That sounds like a Vacation Bible School volunteer to me.
THANK YOU, everyone who gives of their time to serve God. SPECIAL THANKS to all this year’s VBS volunteers!!!! You are a real blessing as we seek to share Jesus with his children!
A Child of God, Called to Serve by our Servant Savior,
Pastor Jonathan
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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.
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