While summer and the hot weather will continue for quite a while, the summer break from the school year is coming to an end. Kids return to school on or close to August 12 and Grace Covenant gets ready to resume our Sunday School classes and much of the regular programming of the church that may have taken a short break.
That doesn’t mean the church has been on vacation. Since the children and youth finished the school year last May, we’ve been busy! Vacation Bible School saw us travel “To Mars and Beyond!” and as usual, the volunteer crew put together a wonderful experience for the children. From the rockets and space objects that filled the hallways to the traveling planetarium and solar telescope (courtesy of Jerel and Kathy Williams), the children connected with ALL of God’s creation.
The youth had an especially busy summer! The 2019 Mission and Music Trip (M&M) was as fulfilling as it was challenging. The Coastal Bend area of Texas was VERY hot and humid, but the accommodations were thankfully cool at Parkview Presbyterian Church in Corpus Christi. That church is a regular host for crews working with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. At numerous work sites, our youth were warmly welcomed and appreciated for their hard work, and the music presentations no less so – at one senior living center, a resident said, “We need more groups like this!”
July didn’t see any slow-down as Senior High youth traveled to the Presbyterian Youth Triennium at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and the Middle School youth took their annual trip to Massanetta Springs Conference Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Triennium saw our youth join with thousands of youth from across the nation to do Bible study, open up to each other about the challenges they face, and to enjoy worship and recreation like nothing else they’ve experienced. The biggest challenge was housing with no air conditioning!
A great big thanks to the adults who helped on these trips, to Miles and Rebecca for leading another successful M&M trip, but most importantly, to the many church members who support our youth ministries in so many ways.
Peace to all, Mitch and Sue
