"God is great, to Him we belong.

God will make your light shine strong."

This is what the children cried out to Little Star at the Community Bible School last week as they rescued Little Star from the evil Darkon.  And this is what our congregation demonstrated so clearly to the children at our Community Bible School.

The excitement started with an inflatable space maze and face painting.  Delicious dinners each evening provided not only healthy nourishment but also a relaxed time for families to visit together.  Mission Control used humor and adventure and technology to tell the old, old story.  The Star Patrol had everyone on their feet with their message of God’s abiding love.  Bible leaders shared the Word and craft leaders gave each child the personal attention that illustrated the message of the day.  From the handmade “SHINE” keychain gifts from our congregation at the beginning to the glow-in-the-dark SHINE keepsakes at the end of each evening, we communicated the possibilities and mysteries of a living relationship with a loving God in concrete ways the children could understand.

Adults attending the Lasting Values in a Changing World seminar exclaimed that they “felt ministered to” as parents and wanted their experience to continue.  Additional sessions have been scheduled for this group in July. 

We served children from all parts of our community.  One family read the poster in the Eagle’s Nest convenience store.  Another saw our poster at the library and another at the toy store.  Door to door visitors from our congregation followed up by our church van brought children from another neighborhood.   The faces of the children truly tell the story of our Community Bible School.  We wanted the children to know that with God’s help they could “shine like stars in the universe.”  Our congregation worked together, from all age groups and all worship times, as the body of Christ to bring the powerful message of God’s love, forgiveness, and might to the children of our community.  Praise God from whom these blessings flow!

photo album

Thank you’s-

So many people helped make this year’s community Bible School a success.  I hope we haven’t left anyone out in this list:

Planners:  Jane Sutton, Allison Best-Teague

Coordinators: Jim and Heather Francis, Steve and Stephanie Wampler, Leah Crisp, Elizabeth Haynes, Ashley Davis

Mission Control: Steve Brown, Lyn Sorrells, Jack Ewing, Allison Best-Teague, Cheryl Sorrells, Angela Dove, Ryan Evans, Brian Rogers

Star Patrol: Maria Rivera, Catherine Messer, Elizabeth Rogers, Erik Evans, Timber West

Bible Study Leaders :Mike Bohleber, Jeannine Van Gorp, Dot Burford, Peggy Evans, Dottie Gibbs, Kris Nyland, Deni Dainty, Charles Matlack, Tom Dainty

Craft Leaders: Darwyn Van Gorp, Shannon Newell, Debbie Brown, LaVerne Bohleber, Gale and LeRoy Roberson, Maleta and Woody Griffin, Dawn Melrose, Rick Bohleber, Andy Bartleson, Neil Ferguson, Savannah Swanner

Star Guides: Cynthia Ewing, Judy LaFontaine, Kathryn Young, MaryLee Sease, Pat Koonts, Anna King, Beverly Brown, Nancy Ferguson, Bob Haggard, Mary Haggard, Matthew Blackburn, Mary Margaret Johnson, Lee Messer, Jan Hartman, Kristen Hammett, Betty Lou Hubbard, Wilson Strickhausen, Judy Starnes, Dianne Goodgame,

Turner Cathey, Catherine Messer, Elizabeth Rodgers, Eliza Sease, Brandy Schumacher, Kevin Teater, Sadie McClure, Rachel Sease, Nicole Trader, Alex Medford, Emily Melrose, Sarah Rogers, Maggie Rogers, Jennie Kimel, Christopher Lile

Meal Preparations: Catered by Kanini’s, Jen Leichssenring, Erin Patton

Serving Meals: Tristan Leichssenring, Katherine Patton, Kathryn Ray, Taylor Switch,

Liz Bodemann, Margaret Rogers, Pat Koonts, Leah Crisp, Rachel and Eliza Sease

Nursery: Donna Plexico, Lena Swanger

First Aid: Thomas Howell, Donna Plexico

Young Children: Angela McHenry, Debbie Ray, Leah Sawvell, Beth Butler, Danielle Treadway, Sherri McDowell, Mark Scott, Jean and Julia Skelton, Maggie Rogers, Kristina Cope, Natalie Howell, Lee Cope, Kristi Blackburn, Carolyn Smith

Adult Workshop: Michael Blackburn, Jane Baker

Publicity: Melanie McConnell, Maria Rivera, Elizabeth Haynes, Barbara Iversen

Evangelism: Toni Mullaney, Celeste Reyes, Ginny McNair, Mary Brown, Wilson Strickhausen,  Judy Starnes, Judy Lafontaine

Transportation: Millie Herschensen

Decorations: Tammy Cox, Anita Strickhausen, Leora Schermerhorn, Ginny Patten, Deni Dainty, Beth Stovall, Shelia Sumpter, Nicole Sumpter, Maria Rivera, Catherine Messer, Elizabeth Rodgers

Prep work: Steve Wampler, Cathy Ellis, Tammy Cox, Deb Mock, Ashton Mock, Kerrie Mock, Maria Rivera

Costumes: Jane Sutton, Maria Rivera

Set-Up: Debbie Ray, Donna Plexico, Jane Sutton, Ed McFarland, Steve and Stephanie Wampler, Andrew and Adam Wampler, Madelyne Sawvell, Leah Sawvell,  Fred Baker, Maria Rivera, Ryan Evans, Brian Rogers, Mike Blackburn

Volunteer recruitment: Education Committee

Take down:  absolutely everyone, thank you!

Registration: Carolyn Smith, Karen McClure, Melanie McConnell, Rebecca Massie, Mary Brown, Laura Linger

Maze:  Bill Rinehart, Rebecca Wiley

Traffic: Jane Sutton, Steve and Stephanie Wampler, Jim and Heather Francis

Photography:  Marie Metcalf, Jennifer Santoro

Follow-Up: Hugh Burford