MainKids Camp Out 2016

By Dolores Rader, Minister to Children

Our fourth and fifth graders are at a point in their lives when they are ready to exercise their gifts of leadership and to dig deeper into the practices of corporate and personal worship. Camp Out at Artesian Lakes is the perfect place to safely and boldly lean into these two ideas. Below is a sentence or two from each of the 9 4^th and 5^th grade girls on what their favorite aspect of Camp Out is, but before you read on to their favorites, let me briefly share some of my favorites.

I love that we bring high school youth to serve as the perfect role models to the children in how we lead with a servant’s heart. They work REALLY hard and at the same time swim and play games establishing relationships to ease the transition to the Youth Group, sing songs around a campfire introducing them to Youth music and traditions, and sit side by side in worship praising and praying together.

One of my other favorite elements of Camp Out is our tradition of “Circle Time”. Every child, youth and adult gets the opportunity to sit in the middle of a big circle surrounded by all the rest of us, where we each, one by one, sisters and brothers, boys and girls, best friends and new friends, offer a sincere blessing which begins “What I like about you is…”. It is a beautiful gift of affirmation to receive and a empowering gift to give. This tradition is life giving and life transforming.

I could on and on about all of my other aspects of Camp Out, but for now hear straight from the kids and counselors themselves…

 

My fav part of camp is riding the horses. It’s fun. #horses

Gillian Tinsley

I love to ride things mainly horses, and Lily G. Hot coco in my mouth is the best! J Playing games in circle time is great!

Isabella Campos

During camp, everyone has a secret helper. Their secret helper is extra nice to them and pushes them in the right direction.

Elaina Mays

The absolute best thing about camp out is the opportunity to watch each and every child be authentically and completely themselves! We have the BEST kids!!

Amanda Villasenor

I love the outside space at Artesian Lakes. Our house is huge, and I love how big our living room is. #lake

Lily Gribble

I loved the pool another favorite is the slide and finally the store the best of all the three!

Kiran Harper

One thing that I love about Camp Out is swimming. I also love the Gratitude Cafe. I also love circle time.

Lily Durden

The absolute best part of camp is quiet time when all my friends come in my room and we have a snack party and talk. It is nice being new to the church and getting to know everybody. I love circle time a lot. I also enjoy swimming.

Jessie Horton

One thing I like so far in camp is hanging with my friends. Another thing I like about camp so far is Gratitude Café. The last thing I like so far in camp is the swimming and the alligators.

Kayden Nickel

 

One of the many things I love about Main Kids Camp Out is Gratitude Café. First thing in the morning, everybody in the house gathers to make crazy drinks – topped with sprinkles and whipped cream, and talk about the many blessings for which we are grateful. Gratitude Café allows us to really reflect on the joys in our life, from tangible objects to our friendships and opportunities. This daily morning ritual fills our hearts with thanksgiving and prepares us for the day.

Anna Rader

My favorite things about Camp Out are:

-Swimming in the lake

-Circle time outside

-Free time

Rachel Kee

My favorite thing about Camp Out every summer is watching the development of every child’s leadership skills! I have especially loved so far this week seeing both the fourth and fifth graders be and grow into incredibly mature and thoughtful members of our church family, and I am so excited for the future of the youth group and the church in the hands of such open-minded and knowledgeable Christians. The respect and care for which each and every child treats their peers and counselors and their unrelenting curiosity and joy has made Camp Out this summer an unparalleled experience!

Elysa Tulek

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A Measure of Grace

By Tom Williams, Church Administrator and Minister to Senior Adults

I admit that it is difficult to think of ourselves as graceful in our daily life.  It is easy to assign gracefulness to a woman but not easily applicable to men.  Therefore, we are challenged to think of gracefulness as an action word and not just a visual practice.  Also, it is hard for us to recognize our own gracefulness because it feel uncomfortable and a bit self glorifying.

So, perhaps one way that we as Christians can”Give Grace” is to state and applauded it in the lives of others.  Let us commit to acknowledge gracefulness in the life of others and tell them what a blessing it was to see me sharing, caring and giving.

Each day we are blessed by seeing others live a graceful life in front of us.  Let them them of their gracefulness so that they are encouraged to continue to be God’s channel of grace to others.

Have a graceful day!

HOPE for Haiti

From our Pastor, Dr. Steve Wells:

“I believe the hope of the world is the local church. As you consider how you will respond to the tragedy in Haiti, I encourage you to send monies that will partner with Haitian churches. Long after other relief agencies are gone, congregations will still be there making a difference one life at a time. SMBC will give through Baptist World Aid and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.”

You can give at our church’s giving link: http://www.smbc.org/giving.html.

There is HOPE for Haiti.

God’s Hand Revealed – By Maggie Hill

Katrina had just ripped through New Orleans and many survivors were camped out in Reliant Stadium. My husband Henry contacted Mike Williams of St. Lukes Hospital. He was in charge of the “goings on” at Reliant. Henry ask if they had a need for shoes for the children. Mike assured us that there was.

Henry and I rented a truck and drove to Dallas to the Buckner  Ministries shoe distribution center. The workers filled the truck with new shoes, socks and teddy bears.
The next morning when we arrived at Reliant we noticed signs on the fence stating that no more donations were needed. Henry called Mike and he said that there was still a big need for shoes and directed us through several check points to the gate that would lead to a loading dock. He met us there and invited us in to see the sorry selection of shoes available. I declined and said I would wait with the truck.
As I waited, a lady pushing a cart came up to me and ask if we might have some ladies underwear in our truck. She shared with me that she was from California and that her husband was a medical doctor. When he heard about the situation in Houston he had decided to come to Houston and see how they could help.  That morning he was working in triage and after treating a patient all bedding and clothing were discarded. She had been sent out to collect things they needed and she had been successful in her search except for the womans underwear.

As she was talking I was watching a black limo pull up to an unmaned gate. I was puzzled as the driver got out, opened the gate and drove over to the loading dock.  Two men in black suits and sunglasses with large shopping bags under their arms walked over to us and one said, “I don’t know what this is about but as I left home this morning my wife gave me these and told me to bring them to Reliant.”  We opened the bags and found they were filled with ladies underwear.

My new friend and I did not miss this GOD WINK.

Since her mission was complete she moved on her way.

The next morning on the front page on the Houston Chronicle was a picture of a little girl boarding the school bus at Reliant with a teddy bear in her arms.  I couldn’t see her feet, but I am sure she was wearing new shoes.

Hotter than a Stolen Tamale (Mission Trip Updates)

It’s hotter than a Billy goat in a pepper patch.

It’s hotter than a pipe wrench left in the sun.

It’s even hotter than a stolen tamale.

Read more at: http://www.smbc.org/NEWSITE/missionsblogeaglepass09.html

In honor of our Mission Trip this week…

You scooped up the dust with your hands and formed it into a man, then graciously shared the breath of life in a gentle whisper.  By your hand and in your breath we are alive.
We are your children, for your world.
You guided us with your mighty hand and unchained us from slavery and bondage, even parting tumultuous waters that we might find freedom in the strength of your mercy.
We are your children, for your world.
Then you entered our world with the hands of a babe who grew and walked among us—those hands calmed the seas, fed the multitudes, cast out demons, healed the broken, gave sight to the blind, drew sketches of forgiveness in the sand, and then were pierced to reach our selfish souls.
We are your children, for your world.
And then you touched our hearts and calmed our fears and bid us to go…to offer our own hands for your work, to be used by you to continue to touch the world, to reveal our love for you as we feed the hungry, visit the sick and imprisoned, and deliver your living water to all who thirst.
We are your children, for your world.  Help us to go in the spirit and strength in which you send us, that we might have sight restored to our own blind eyes, that our brokenness might be made whole, that our hunger and thirst might be quenched, and your glory echoed on earth as it is in heaven.