The Pastor's Pen - The Zelienople Church of the Nazarene

"Mission: VBS "
June, 2004

As we take off in these beginning days of June here at Zelie Naz, we are going to embark upon a very special mission. That Mission is VBS! Our space station will enroll the likes of boys and girls of various ages. Their backgrounds will be diverse. Some may appear to come from another world. (pun intended) The reality is some will come from a different world than you may be used to.

Some may come from, as Paul stated, "the former life-form you once lived in". Your Mission is to LOVE these little ones.

VBS is our Mission. The very nature of this event is to begin a journey: a journey that will explore the very Life of a Living Savior, a journey that will explore the living Word of God; and memorize some of it. Our mission this VBS week is to help children find a loving relationship with you, a Christian, and desire to know more about your church and your Christ. Our mission is to show that this journey is life- long and has a very desirable eternal life. Imagine them exploring a new frontier and finding a saving relationship in Jesus.

Our mission in VBS, then, is to be very active in the training of these young heavenlings: the future form of earthlings. Your personal mission is to love, pray, exhort, encourage, give, help and love some more. Pray for an understanding of God's love, a desire to learn God's word and a hunger for His righteousness. Pray for student and teacher, student and worker. Pray that Christ will be seen in everything that is done. Pray for parents and for those looking for a church home. Extend yourself in love to the one seeking Jesus in you.

Make Mission VBS your mission. Launch out into this journey. It may be new for you, too. Pray! PRAY! PRAY! God will guide the voyage to a heavenly home –a new world yet to come.

Joyfully Serving,

-Rev. Gene Hill, Pastor