Summer Opportunities

Weekly Update – May 1st, 2025 

Summer is often a great time for ministry, as people are outside, kids are on break and church programs take a different pace.  Though many of us will take vacations, trips or take time to simply relax, the mission of the church continues to press forward.  Therefore, as we are now in the month of May, I want to update you on a couple of key opportunities that will be happening in the life of our church in the upcoming months.

First, Harry’s Hay Days. Every year on the first weekend of May, our church hosts the children’s area for the city-wide festival called, Harry’s Hay Days. There will be a number of stations set up for the children of our community, right in our parking lot, and we will be specifically encouraging those who come by to register their children for Vacation Bible School.  There are hundreds of people who come through our area, providing us with numerous opportunities to connect, invite to Vacation Bible School and to church, as well as share Christ.  We always need a lot of help on this day.  Come and join us anytime from 10:00am-4:00pm on May 3^rd. 

Second, the Clothing Giveaway.  Many of the ladies of our church work diligently every week to keep our clothing closet organized and ready to serve our community. If you don’t know much about our clothes closet, you should spend a few minutes on a Sunday morning and simply walk down to the basement and take a look around.  It is an incredible sight, especially when all of the tables are full.  This is a great ministry to be involved with, so keep up to date with how you might be able to help.  The next giveaway is scheduled for May 17th, from 8:00-11:00am.

Third, Vacation Bible School.  This week is probably the biggest week of the summer for our church.  The reason I say that is because of the amount of effort it takes from the numerous volunteers who are involved and because of the number of people outside our church that it reaches.  Vacation Bible School will be held from June 16^th to June 20^th, 5:45-8:00pm, with dinner being served at 5:15pm.  We will conclude the week on Friday evening with our annual Family Fun Night out front in our parking lot.  The theme for week is “Magnified”, and every area, Lord willing, will display this focus.  By God’s grace we have a lot of our volunteer slots filled, but we could always use more help. Come and be a part of this outreach or come on Friday night at 6:00pm to our closing ceremony. 

Fourth, Youth Summer Camp.  During the week of June 21^st-25^th, 10 youth and 3 leaders will be heading out to Carlinville, IL., to Ascend Camp.  Throughout the week, students will get to hear solid, expositional preaching, sing Christ-exalting songs and play in a variety of exciting games. Pray for our students as they prepare to go and pray for Daniel and Abbi Holsten and Pete Bolen as they lead and chaperone our youth.  Thank you for helping us raise the necessary funds to allow our youth to attend. Your support for our youth will have eternal results! 

Lastly, Church Picnic.  Every year, our church hosts a mid-summer picnic.  It is a great opportunity to connect with others in a very casual environment.  We will have lots of food, games and a park for children to play. This year, our picnic will be on June 29^th, starting at 5:00pm at Freedom Park.  Make plans to join us!

As we seek to fulfill our mission to proclaim and display the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be thankful that the Lord has given us many opportunities to do so.  I hope and pray that you are involved somehow in what our church is doing in these summer months and that you are seeking to unite with us in as we build each other up and reach our community for Christ. 

Serving Him with You,

Pastor Michael Nelson