Living in Partnership
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” – Acts 2:43-44
Dear Friends,
I had SO much fun last Thursday! There were 150 adults and children, gathered together at the Washington Wild Things to cheer on the boys of summer. And it was a hoot! We ended up with two suites and a ton of the best seats in the house – I wondered if we made up half the crowd at the game, actually! And of course, in striking fashion, the Wild Things came back to win the game 4-2, as well.
One of the things I absolutely loved the best, was looking around and seeing all the different people who came to enjoy the game. There were church staff members, high schoolers and middle schoolers, there were babies and toddlers, grandparents – members and non-members of the church and there were a ton of our UP With Kids Daycare family there too! This was particularly gratifying to see the partnership between the church and the Daycare. It’s been growing and growing over the years as we recognize how much of a blessing the Center is to the church, and how much of a ministry we are to this staff and these families. We have all benefitted from this partnership and the closer we get, the more benefits we gain from each other.
One fun fact you should all be aware of is that the Center recently purchased a minivan to help transport kids to and from school (kindergarten, primarily), which opens up an avenue of ministry that hadn’t been available recently, since Canon-Mac remains half-day kindergarten only. It’s possible that this van might be available for other church ministries to use in the coming years as well, which is very exciting!
And speaking of vehicles – this Sunday at 1p, our Kids 4 Camp Ministry will be hosting a Car Wash! For a minimal $5 donation, you can have your car hand washed, sparkling and ready for a new week of driving! So, go grab your lunch and then swing back by the church for a cleaner car and a blessing to our Kids and Youth to attend Camp!
These types of partnerships are integral to our witness to God’s reconciling work in Jesus. They harken back to the founding of the church, as we read about it in the book of Acts, how believers shared what they had with each other and gave as people had need. I’m always struck by this beautiful image of a community… and I keep holding out as the goal for our community. First, that we’d do it and Second that we’d be known throughout our wider region as an embodiment of this ethic.
Thanks for all the ways you’re making it happen!
Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus,
Pastor Don