Weekly Newsletter Sept. 9

Have you ever believed one thing but after witnessing something wonderful, exciting or miraculous, changed your mind? 

I know I have plenty of times. And at times, I have witnessed other people having that same change of mind.

When I was in second grade, like most kids I loved recess. I enjoyed playing with my friends running back and forth until I could hardly catch my breath. One day it was time to go out for recess, and my classmates decided they were not going to play with me. I remembered a girl said, “Let’s not play with April today”. The class listened to her suggestion and when we got outside not one person played with me. For a moment I was upset, but it was RECESS!!! I decided I wasn’t going to sit on the ground and just watch everyone else play; so I started playing by myself. I was having a great time! I was having so much fun one by one my classmates started coming over and asked if they could play with me. Hmm imagine that. Of course I allowed each one to join in the fun. My classmates had changed their minds and we had a joyful time. It is possible they changed their minds because they realized they were wrong, but I suspect they saw or “witnessed” the fun I was having and wanted to experience it too.

I imagine this is how it was for the people in Samaria when Phillip told them about Jesus, the Messiah. The Bible says in Acts 8:6-8, “Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.” A little later in Acts 8:13 we read that even Simon himself believed and was baptized.

My classmates witnessed me having a good time playing by myself and wanted to be part of the fun. Now that I am an adult, I know people also have the opportunity to witness what I do; be it working with the children, making coffee or simply putting a liner in the trash bin. I hope they are able to see the joy I feel and perhaps want to experience it too.

I would like to leave you with this prayer: Dear God, thank you for my friends, family and church family. Thank you for all that you do. Please help me be a witness to others who don’t know you, so they too may change their minds and want to know more about you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.


April
Director of Children and Family’s Ministry

We are here to love God and all people so that all people may experience the

life-changing love of Jesus!

LOVE - We meet every weekend to experience God's love for us and show His love for others.

SERVE- We use our abilities, talents, skills, and passions for the good of others.

ENGAGE - We engage with friends to care for one another and to make new friends so they may experience God's kindness too. 

Stephen & Debbie Scholes, from northern England, have served our Lord as missionaries, church planters, evangelists and pastors. Their experiences of the joys and pains of life, of wonderous miracles and the depths of grief, all reveal the amazing and life-changing love of Jesus. Stephen and Debbie will be with us Oct 6-16. Pray that God will use their time with us to inspire and instruct us as we see Greater Things in Jesus' name.