Letter written by Peggy Miller for June 21, 2019 Weekly Messenger.

This week started our summer camp programs: S.T.A.R.S. (for elementary students), Xcel (for grades 6th-8th), and Xcel Beyond (for students in 9th grade and above). It has proven to be a great week! 

S.T.A.R.S stands for Students, Talent, Arts, Recreation and Scripture. This is a pretty good summary of the variety of activities they will encounter in their 6 weeks with us. We currently have 26 children enrolled in S.T.A.R.S., and at least 11 of those children are first-timers! Two of the first-timers had such a good time at Spring Break Camp that they decided to return for our summer camp. 

Xcel, the junior high program, stands for Examining Christ in Everyday Living. We have 10 students enrolled in this group with 2 being new to our program. This is an active group with a lot of positive energy. 

Our newest program, Xcel Beyond, was created for the students who have aged out of Xcel but still want to participate in learning about Christ. In this program students learn how God equips us for everyday living by exploring various careers and examining what Spiritual Gifts and passions might be needed to be fulfill those careers. We currently have 4 students enrolled.

None of these young lives could be touched in this unique way without the many ways God blesses our congregation. We are blessed to have a facility that allows not only for programs, but program expansions. We have been gifted with resources such as vans, financial support, volunteers, and site directors. Additionally, we have been blessed by our conference with interns and grants to help cover their wages. 

This year, the Michigan Conference had a shortage of applicants for the intern positions. This meant they were only able to secure 3 of the 5 interns we need for our site. But, as we learn again and again, when we follow God’s leading to serve His people, God does provide! We were able to hire 2 recent graduates (1 from our own congregation!) and therefore complete our team. 

This Sunday we will be taking a moment before our worship time to recognize and commission our interns. I hope that you will be able to join us in prayer for them as they venture into this challenging and exciting time of ministry. I also hope you will continue to lift them in pray through their time with us. 

Speaking of prayer, our children will be filling out prayer request sheets throughout the program. Their completed sheets will be hung in the sanctuary. Please feel free to pick up a sheet, write a note to the child, return the sheet and pray for the child though the week. (If you have written a note on a sheet, place it back on the line BACKWARDS so we know it is complete.)

Thank you to all the support and encouragement we receive as we continue to to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Peggy Miller