News from Nance
Happy and sad!
Driving out to Preble County for our first 5-Day Club® in that county in a few years, I was feeling happy. Happy because we have a ministry coordinator in that area now and happy because we’re doing three of our fourteen 5-Day Clubs there. We will also have a Good News Tent at the Preble County Fair.
On the way, I passed two small country churches which appeared to be closed; the signs were gone; no names on the buildings. How sad! The first was a church that sadly wouldn’t work with Child Evangelism Fellowship® because we are a “para-church” organization. They didn’t understand that “para” means “paraclete”, to come alongside, not “parasite”, which means taking from. I was saddened, that the church had not survived.
The next church, a block down the road, had worked with us. As a matter of fact, we had trainings there back in the day, 25 years ago. Last I heard, they sadly couldn’t afford mandatory water or sewer hook-up (I can’t remember which) and so the doors were closing. I wonder if they could have helped each other out. I hope these folks have all found churches to attend and I hope these old buildings don’t become something that would disgrace God, or as we tell the kids about sin, make Him sad.
Let’s not leave the cup half empty! It makes me happy when we are working a fair or a club with a team and a stranger asks, “What church are you from?”. We respond with the number of churches represented by the workers at the time; sometimes 2 or 3, or even 5 working happily together to further the kingdom for God’s glory. Can you think of anything happier than that?
Rachel’s Report
Out of the Ordinary
This spring, a local church in Dayton reached out to us seeking training and a VBS program for their children. Their denomination began in Africa and many of their church members were born in African nations, so a lot of the kids are in between two cultures. We met in the first week of July to discuss classroom management, involving parents in the church’s children’s ministry, and some of the unique challenges kids these days are facing. They have a wonderful group of teachers who are committed to teaching the children about the Word of God and it was such a blessing to learn together. The following week, we had a three-day VBS at their church. The kids are eager to learn, and one even asked, “are we having VBS next year?” It is a special gift to have the freedom to teach children about Jesus whose families are from countries hostile to the Gospel.
During the evenings of the second week of the 5-Day Club® season, we were at a church in Yellow Springs. On the first day, 2 kids came. On all the other days, no kids came! We did the club anyways for the adults from the church who had come to help. They were all enthusiastic students who did great at the review game and they even enjoyed some friendly competition. Their church cares about reaching out to their community and they really promoted the 5-Day Club but saw little fruit. Nonetheless, the time with them was an encouragement to me, and they said the 5-Day Club was an encouragement to them.
Praise the Lord For:
The freedom in the United States to share the Gospel with children
The opportunity to work alongside Christians from many different churches
Please Pray:
For joy and energy and a sound mind amid the busy summer ministry season
That churches who are reaching out to their community would see fruit