When I was hungry…

Back in January, we made a decision about the Mission Activities Plymouth Creek would pursue in 2009. Following our year’s theme (A Table Before Me: God’s Open-Armed Adventure), our Mission Gathering decided the 2009 would include a Mission Adventure- Table Hospitality. As I hope you’ve noticed since, we’ve focused our mission activities and conversations in different ways- Adopt-a-Room, SouperBowl of Caring, MN Foodshare, etc- though each has had something to do with opening our Table in service to our neighbors. We’ve shared money, time, effort, and food with folk who need it, and I pray lives have improved by what we’ve done. Now it is mid-July, and this 2009 Mission Adventure continues. Table Hospitality remains our focus, and it’s exciting to anticipate what Fall will bring. I’m writing today, though, not just to recap what has happened, or predict what might happen. I’m writing because I want us to think more about the children.

Or maybe I should say, “The Kid’s Table.” Remember that? When I was young, and my family went to visit Grandma Ray, my sister and I joined rarely sat at the dining room table for dinner. We ate in the living room with our cousins, who were of similar ages, because that’s where Grandma set up the Kid’s Table. To be honest, we preferred sitting there, and not with the adults. After all, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Uncle Dan, everything they talked about was soooo boorrrriiiing when I was eight. The Kid’s Table was much more fun. For we had more important things to discuss. Also, because the rooms had two doors and a hallway separating them, we would even eat the chicken and green beans with our fingers! Sometimes…. In other words, I have fond memories of the Kid’s Table. Perhaps you do too.

This August, we will speak about food with children, though it will seem slightly different than the Kid’s Table at Grandma’s House. In fact, it will be much different. Our Vacation Bible School curriculum this year is combining with 2009’s Mission Adventure, and together, from August 7-9, we will learn more about hunger and abundance. The title of the curriculum is “Hunger No More,” a resource produced by Bread for the World that Kimberly Wilburn located. Thanks Kimberly! Basically, over these three days, through fun activities, crafts and conversations, we hope to teach one another about one of God’s greatest blessings- Food. And we’ll talk about the many children of God throughout the world whose tables are empty more often than not. That may not sound like typical VBS stuff, but that’s why I’m glad we’re doing it. Hunger and the well-being of all God’s children are important topics to keep in mind. And to teach our children. Because if there was one thing that always happened at Grandma’s Kid’s Table, it was that we left the table stuffed and satisfied. I believe that is what God hopes for all.

The thing is we can’t do this learning without one another. We need your help, your laughter, your insight, your creativity. If we’re going to offer these activities to more than just the children in our sanctuary, you’ll need to invite your friends and neighbors, or help do some advertising. And, most especially, we will need adult volunteers to lead activities, cut out paper, read Bible verses, and to love the children who attend VBS. Again, those dates are Friday night, August 7th, through Sunday afternoon, August 9th. On Saturday evening, August 8th VBS participants (and ANYONE who can make it) will travel to Feed My Starving Children for some good and fun work that feeds people around the globe. I did it earlier this year and had a blast. I hope you join in. I also hope you sign-up to help make VBS a success this August. Contact Kimberly at the church office, or call me (763-458-1578), and we’ll plug you in!

So how about it? Will you join me and others at the Kid’s Table this August? Learn hunger and abundance, and loving our neighbors? I hope so, and I very much look forward to it. In all things,


Grace and Peace,

Shane