What a great weekend we had! Soccer games on Friday and Saturday and then the CSports Soccer Celebration on Sunday – all with the Pumpkin Patch drawing our kids to it for a fun Fall time – made it a busy and worthwhile few days! Our prayers go to the people in Florida who are preparing for Hurricane Michael this week. Things here may be a little wet and breezy but we hope to be fine.
A big Thank You goes to Pastor Jeremy Steele, our Next Generation and New Song Pastor, who presented a wonderful message to the big crowd at the Celebration telling us about God’s love for us. God loves us so much that He became just like us, being born, growing up, and then teaching us – because He loves us – and then gave His life so that we can be with Him in eternity. That’s pretty much the Bible’s message in a sentence.
I heard a story a while back about a dad who was in a swimming pool trying to get his young child to jump in. The child was scared and stood at the edge of the pool crying. The dad kept assuring the child that he would catch him and that he would be ok. People around began watching to see how this would turn out. After a long time of coaxing and pleading from the dad, the child, with tears in his eyes, jumped. The dad caught him and they embraced. The people around the pool applauded. What a touching scene!
1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes an old testament writing saying, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” What we try to do in this ministry, the majority of which you have been called to accomplish, is to get the children to “jump” into the waiting arms of the Savior; to embrace Him and to experience all that He has for them for the rest of their lives. Our successful efforts were demonstrated yesterday in the huge numbers present at the Celebration. We ended up having to put out extra chairs! Although not all of our participants were able to be present, of the ones there, the response cards indicated that 24 adults and 45 players accepted Christ as their Savior during the season. 81 adults and 61 players said that they grew closer to Christ during the season. 2 adults and 1 child would like to speak with a minister regarding their faith, and 3 families indicated that they are looking for a church home. Your faithful diligence has been manifested by these results.
We still have one more week to go! Keep up the great work! Let’s reach out to the rest of the players and families and let us continue the witnessing and mentoring that we’ve been called to do. Please remind everyone on your team that CSports Basketball evaluations are the Monday after this week’s last game. Get them registered. Also…as always…Mrs. Rose could use more coaches J
See you on the field!
In His Service,
Steve Ellisor, Recreation Minister
Christ United Methodist Church
251-706-3326
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:6