Another great day of C-Sports Soccer is in the books. Thanks for your work and sweat! Good things are happening in the lives of our players and families. Not this week, but next week (9/23 – 29), our church is celebrating C-Sports for the whole week. You should see our pastors circulating on the fields during the week and on game day. The following Sunday, September 29, will be C-Sports Sunday here at the church where we hope all of our families can come to one of our services and be recognized and thanked by our congregation. Please inform your teams (players and parents) that we have an 8:00am service in the sanctuary and 9:15am and 10:40am services in the sanctuary and gym each Sunday. Some of your families may want to come to an earlier service so that they can make it to a service at their home church afterwards. Remember, this is the 29th…not this coming Sunday. Please encourage everyone to show up.
I was going through some of my paperwork and came across a “Rec Min” message from back in 2008. I was moved by the Spirit to let this be my message to you again this week. Please see below…
I’ve always felt it was important for coaches to encourage parents to participate, or at least be present, in the team devotions during each practice. The messages are for them, too! I want the coaches to include their own stories and add to the written materials; to personalize the experience as much as they feel led or feel comfortable doing. Let the children, and families, SEE the message as much as they HEAR it.
One of my favorite songs, and here I go getting teary eyed, is Some Things I Must Tell The Children by Gloria Gaither. I sang it to my kids at bed time when they were little. I’ve performed it at baptisms. The words remind us of the important things we must tell our children. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, and when you lie down and when you get up.” When you deliver the devotion, lead a prayer, or spiritually mentor children (with family members listening close by) you are planting seeds that you may never see bear fruit. This is our service to God. He does the rest. Our job is to first see that we, ourselves, are open and receptive to His Spirit and then to pray for His guidance as we deliver messages and interact with his people.
Prayer Partners are praying for you daily. I hope you are praying for your team and for this ministry as a whole. God is good and the Holy Spirit is at work because you committed to be His agent of love, grace, and instruction to your team. May He richly bless you for what you are doing for His kingdom!
I hope this week cools off for us all. Thank you for all you do.
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