The Sunday School Project for 2018/2019 has clear focus on blessing people in the places God has placed us. As we seek to be distinctive as God’s children we are reminded to look out for opportunities to bless the people around us.
This year we supported Maynooth and Zambia. Maynooth Community Church is one of the youngest congregations within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and celebrates it’s 11th anniversary this month, November’18. This young church has a vision a new building to serve the community, including a community cafe as part of the dream to reach out to the many people passing by. In Zambia, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) have realised as a church that most of their young children have no form of early childhood learning experience before they enter school at 7 years old. This year’s project raised funds to train teachers how to set out a nursery school properly and to teach them how children learn and develop and to be self-sustaining in the materials they will need for the play areas. The aim of the programme is to ensure that as many young children as possible have early learning experiences before they begin formal learning.
When asked how they’d like to raise funds for the projects, this year’s Bible Class decided on a sale. Something we’d never attempted before, and it was young Paul Torrens who had the light bulb moment quickly seconded by Olivia McAleese.
Olivia and Lois volunteered to make crafts over the summer and by September had produced loads of beautiful brightly coloured twisted and plaited bracelets, a promise jar and some slate pictures scripted with God’s Word.
Since our return to class in September we’ve been gathering box loads of “stuff” from the kids. The Torrens and Welsh households I can tell you will be significantly lighter of clutter this Autumn!! It feels great… highly recommended!!
The date was set, Saturday 6th October at Ballymoney Church of God. Needing the extra man-power Robin, Luke and Dale volunteered to come along to Ballymoney Church of God at 10:30 Friday night to carry in all the heavy boxes and lay every out across 3 tables in readiness for the madness of car booting the next morning!!
On the day, not all the class could make it mainly due to Saturday morning sports commitments but Paul, Lois, Olivia, Sophie, Robin, and Dale all bravely raked up willing to spend their morning convincing every passer-by they absolutely “needed” what we had on our stall!! Having had some experience of car booting I was well aware we needed all the help we could get so Judith Torrens and Megan Welsh stepped up to the challenge and had their first-ever experience of car booting too
It was great fun and every pair of willing hands were definitely needed. After much negotiating, bargaining and promoting our wares – and several cups of tea and buns later – a fabulous £155 was raised which we offer to God’s work in Maynooth and Zambia knowing He will multiply it greatly that many be blessed.
We continue to remain focused and always mindful of those around us whom God places on our hearts to bless. As Christmas approaches Bible Class will again be praying asking God whom, closer to home in our own community, we can bless. Together we will bake or make something simple and then, much more importantly, will call and give of our time with those God lays on our hearts.
As we seek God’s blessing on the lives of our young men and woman of Bible Class (Jonathan McAleese, Robin Morrow, Paul Torrens, Luke McMichael, Dale Boyd, Jacob Morrow, Erin Savory, Olivia McAleese, Lois McFeteridge, Katy McFeteridge, Sophie McAleese) please remember them in prayer. It’s my prayer each one lives a life on purpose, willingly stepping out for God in the community He has placed them.
Jacki Welsh