This picture was taken at a Jr. High (5th-8th grade) 5th Quarter and it has been on our minds and hearts ever since. 5th Quarters take place during the fall after home football games at Redeemer UMC in DeWitt, MI. They allow for a great time of food, fun and lots of friends! There is a time of prayer (after the long list of rules and expectations) but there is no Bible lesson or reading….just a bunch of crazy, energetic and sometimes smelly middle school kids with limited self-control having a blast! This picture captures a pretty cool moment for us; the first time we’ve been surrounded by over 200 5th-8th graders at Redeemer church!
We must admit, it is rather amazing to think
about that number, but it has been so much more than just a number. These are
preteens and teens. These are students. These are both Christians and
non-Christians. These are people who have a heavenly Father ready to have a
relationship with them. As with all people, not just teens, developing a
trusting relationship with someone who loves Jesus is what often opens them up
to learning about Jesus. And that’s exactly what we want….for students who do
not know Jesus to get connected with someone who does love Jesus, somehow and
somewhere.
We later learned that there were close to 25%
of the Herbison Woods and Junior High student population at Redeemer that
Friday night. That just blows our minds! Seriously, if you think about what that means and
the potential influence that can have in the schools and community, it is
astounding. That also means that 25% of the parents of 5th-8th
grade students were ok with their child attending a church event. And this is
just one of the many opportunities available to them.
So far this school year students have: Prayed for their schools, friends, sports,
teachers and families at their schools’ flag pole for See You At The Pole. Attended
Christian Education on Sunday Mornings and Tuesday Night Youth Group to learn and
grow in their faith, while bringing numerous friends with them. Received new Bibles and started to read them
on their own. They are serving in the nursery, on the Puppet Team and at the
Halloween Party. They have attended the Halloween Party and Fright Night on the
Farm while also inviting and bringing new friends with them.
We sometimes get glimpses of the Holy Spirit
working through the students and events….like when a child doesn’t quite fit in
at school and can come and fit in at church, or when things are rough at home
and they can escape for a little while and take a break from thinking about it.
When a student is angry or depressed and can come enjoy themselves for a bit
and gain a little bit of hope. When parents are feeling overwhelmed and they
bring their child to Christian Education so they are able to attend worship and
focus on God. For us, when we are having a bad day, the students seem to
somehow reenergize and refresh us just by being themselves.
It’s not the events or opportunities that
stretch, challenge, and grow these students though. It’s the Holy Sprit moving
in their lives that brings forth the change and growth and leads them to
inspire others. Each time a parent brings their child to an event, they are
delivering the message that church is important and God is important, even if
it means missing a practice/game or maybe choosing not to play on the team at
all. Each time an adult agrees to serve at an event or lead a class, they are
delivering the message that the students are important enough for their time,
even when it’s sometimes outside of their comfort zone. Each time someone opens
their home for students they are saying I trust you and that you are more
valuable than my things. Each time we spend money on events and offer
opportunities for the students, it’s the congregation that is supporting them
and delivering the message that they are worth every penny.
We can all remember the time we spent as
middle school students. Each of us have
good and bad memories from that period of our lives. What we are aiming to
create are positive memories for these particular students involved in this
ministry. Several times throughout the
year we hear stories of how students have felt welcome at Redeemer. We often hear that students feel at home and
how they can just let their guard down, have fun and be themselves while at a
Redeemer event. Having these types of
memories attached to a church such as Redeemer is a very important goal of
ours. We pray that later in the life of
these students, as they perhaps drive past Redeemer or another church as they
are searching for a church home, they will remember the times when they were
welcomed and encouraged and supported by the people of Redeemer. It is our hope that these memories will make
them comfortable as opposed to intimidated by entering a church building as
they get older, and that these memories will be a key step in them continuing
to build a relationship with the love and life of Jesus Christ.
We are so thankful for the Redeemer family
and the many ways they continuously support the Middle School and Jr. High
ministry! And we are forever grateful
for the blessing it has been in our lives.
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