Another VBS Over

This past Thursday evening we finished our Vacation Bible School. I will fully admit that I was very nervous going into it because it was my first one at this church. There was a lot of learning that went on both on my side and the side of the volunteers.  But it went really well. In fact there were a couple of times that  I had that eerie oh no feeling, you know the one you get when you leave home for a trip and just know you forgot something, but it all turned out to be ok. 

At the end of the week we ended up with just over 100 kids in attendance at VBS. That may seem like a lot  to some, and to others just a drop in the bucket. I am very pleased with the number of kids we had in attendance. We had a faithful group of kids that came every night. We had some times of great discussion in our zoo crews and I believe that some friendship were made. We had such an awesome group of leaders that were truly there for the kids, and it showed in everything they did. I am so thankful and blessed to have each of them on my team.

On Wednesday night we shared the plan of salvation with the elementary children in a brief meeting prior to their normal evening rotations. The children were very attentive in their listening, and I know that there were seeds planted within them. As it stands right now no salvation decisions were made. But I believe in the promise that God's word will not return void. I know that the Holy Spirit will keep working in them until they day they make their choice.

Though VBS can be a bit tiring after going full speed day after day, I must say that now that it is over, I kind a miss it. I miss seeing the kids every day, singing and playing with them.I miss the fellowship with the workers that occurred. But it guess it is all of those things that makes VBS special. The stepping away from the normal to spend more time focusing on God in a fun and exciting way.

Thankful to be Growing at the Grove!

Miss Megan

Happy Fathers Day

I know I am a day early but I wanted to make sure that I got this posted before the craziness that is Sunday in Children's Ministry.

Fathers Day is a very special day to me because I have a very special dad. I don't know if there are many girls out there who can say that their dad is truly one of their closest friends, but I would honestly have to say that my dad is one of mine. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I am an only child and so therefore it has always just been the three of us. But the great thing is that even at 28 years old that has not changed. As I have grown and matured, there have been changes to our relationship but my dad still remains to be a constant source of support, encouragement, honesty, care,  and friendship.
I love spending time with my dad because he and I have the same sense of humor, in fact a lot of people would tell you that we are just alike in a lot of ways. We laugh and joke with each other, and inevitably egg each other on. But I can also talk to my dad about anything. He always listens and asks the important questions, and shares his opinion with me. My dad has always led our family to be in church, to serve with a glad heart, and to be active within the body. He has shown me that strength comes with kindness. He has taught me to honor God by working hard, and to show Christ in all that you do. And most of all he has shown me that love knows no end.
I am so blessed to have the Dad that I have, and I thank God for him all the time.

Gratefully growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan

Why I love VBS

For those of you getting to know me one thing you will quickly find out is that I am VERY passionate about Vacation Bible School. I love that for one week each summer we have the opportunity as a church to be wild and crazy, fun and exciting and completely stray from the normal while learning with Jesus all with the excuse that its for VBS. It has been a joy in years past to see some of the more straight laced, serious adults in the church show their crazy, wacky side to the kids during the week of VBS. Adults that were once seemingly unapproachable or even scary now are no longer that way because now we can see they are just normal people like you and I.
And though this is one of my favorite parts of VBS, the true reason why I love VBS is simply this. We have the opportunity to spend 5 days straight telling the kids that come about Jesus. We have the opportunity to tell kids that may have never been inside the walls of a church before about an awesome savior who came to die for their sins. This is an AMAZING opportunity that I do not want to take for granted.
A few years back I heard a speaker talking about the importance of VBS, Shane Garrison is a professor at Campbells University and speaker who is very knowledgeable when it comes to the Bible. And the cool thing is, he was saved as a child at VBS.
One summer his grandparents were tired of him sitting at home doing nothing, so they decided to send him to the church down the street for their VBS. He had never been inside of a church before, he had no idea what they even did in there. His family didn't even have any grand purpose in sending him to VBS other than to just get him out of their hair for a few hours but God had a plan.
Here is his story:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcU2Y0CsGCw

We have the opportunity to be that bridge to the Gospel to the children in our community. And that is why I love VBS.


We are preparing for our VBS next week and I am absolutely looking forward to teaching each of the children that come on our campus about the awesome love of God. It may be stressful getting everything organized and prepared, recruiting staff and doing training, but the end result is so worth it all! The privilege of teaching the future generation about our awesome, amazing, loving God, that is why I get up in the morning, and that is why I love my job.

Looking forward to growing more in The Grove!

Miss Megan

adult choir

I arrived early to church this past Sunday evening to clean up/move some things. I had stashed a few of my VBS back drops behind the built in puppet stage and I had to move them out of the way for puppet practice tonight. 

Since I had to be at the church early to do that I decided to stick around for the hour until church starts. Though I do live super close, at the other end of the parking lot, I decided to forgo the trek back home. Instead I decided to sit in the sanctuary and listen to the adult choir practice. As I said in a prior post, this is the church I spent my formative years in. And as I sit here and look up into the choir loft I see new faces, well new to me, and I see faces of those who were in the choir 6 years ago when I was here last. In fact I see people in the choir who have been in there for many years. It is a testament to those who are faithful to their ministry. Every Sunday morning they are in the choir loft leading the worship and every Sunday evening they are at the practices, preparing for the next week. Many of these people  are ones I have looked up to, ones who have been models to me on what it means to be an active member of the church. I have been blessed to grow up in a church that had so many role models of what it means to serve in the ministry God has called you to.

I sat there humbled and blessed to see those faithful servants giving of their God given talents. Being in Children’s ministry myself, I am unable to be a part of the choir or, often times the adult worship service, but I still hold a great appreciation for those in the choir each week. This is another of those ministries that can often go unappreciated. The congregation just expects the choir to be there but they do not consider the time sacrificed or even all of the individuals it takes to make up the choir itself. I am so glad to be a part of a church that still sees the importance of a choir and it is just one more thing that gives me the comforting feeling of “home”. I am blessed to be in a church that worships our God through song together each service, with a dedicated group of servants to help lead us to the throne of God.

I want to do my part to help raise the next generation to recognize the importance of worshipping God through song, and of being a part of something like the adult choir. The Bible tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, and that is so easily done by singing with fellow Christians.

Looking forward to growing more together at The Grove!

Miss Megan