CCC Gainesville | Blog
**This Devotional is to be used along with VBS and the biblical materials your children will be learning throughout next week. If you are inviting a friend to VBS please let them know this is available as a resource for families to go through.**
Carry The Torch. VBS 2012
Can you remember watching past Olympic events? Share with each other your favorite past Olympic moments.
The Olympic games can be traced back almost as far as 776 BC. People from other nations competing in sporting events is not a new thing. Training for an event at big as the Olympics is not an easy task, nor is it to be taken lightly.
In a few weeks when the London Olympics begin we will see human beings do some amazing things physically. We will get to see world records set, the under-dog rise to the top, and nations at war have moments of peace. All because of sporting games.
One of my favorite Olympic traditions is the passing of the torch around the world, and ending up at Opening Ceremonies. Each Olympic year something amazing happens to light the Olympic Flame. One year that stands out to me is in 1992 Barcelona Olympics when the famous archer shot a flaming arrow into the basin to start the flame.
you can see the clip here:
This year our theme is Carry The Torch. Through this theme we will be talking each day with the kids about how by testifying of God’s grace to others we are passing the torch, carrying it beyond ourselves and into the world. Our memory verse this week will be:
Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Take a few moments to talk with your kids about this verse. Read it through a few times so that they may begin to memorize it.
Through out the rest of this week we will be talking about Paul’s race and what’s behind this verse.
Great day for our church yesterday. Praise God for His provision. And may He raise up more leaders in our midst.
The Next Step Class is a prerequisite to church membership, and is open to all. The six week session begins Wednesday evening September 12, and runs through October 17, 6:30-8pm in the adult classrooms.
Please contact the church office to register.
From our friend and global partner in the gospel
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Joshua Dickenson
Dear Friends and Family,
I have another urgent prayer request to pass along. I am stuck in Kampala registering my truck with the department of motor vehicles and I am urgently needed back in Bundibugyo. The short story is that the registration of my truck has fallen directly on the changeover from an old to a new registration system for Uganda. The original processing time was supposed to be 5-10 working days, which would have had the registration completed in June, before the changeover. However, the registration was delayed due to a misplaced e-mail from one of the agencies, causing the entire process to be complete, except the printing of the vehicle registration logbook. Since the logbook was not printed before the July 1 switchover, my vehicle had to be re-registered in the new system. However, the agency handling the new registration process has not processed any new logbooks yet due to problems with the new system. It has been over 15 working days since the process began and I have spent a lot of time waiting in Kampala. And there is currently no timeline that I know of for the process to finish.
This weekend a new urgency has arisen in Bundibugyo for me to return. There has been civil unrest between two people groups in my district that has turned into public demonstrations, the burning of motorcycles, and the intentional sabotage of the main public water system that I work with (that serves Nyahuka, Picfare, and Butoogo regions). The demonstrations have cooled, but the water system remains non-functional (the damage was done at the source on the biggest and most expensive parts of the system). Note this system in total supplies a population of over 30,000 (estimated). I have great concern that if the system remains non-functional that there will be an outbreak of waterborne illness (a few cases of Cholera have already been suspected in the district). Supplies for the repairs of this section must be obtained in the capital, where I currently am, but I must be able to transport them and myself back to the district.
Please pray urgently that:
-The registration of my vehicle would be expedited and finished ASAP so that I can return to Bundibugyo
-The situation would continue to remain calm in Bundibugyo and that essential infrastructure would not be damaged
-For the safety of me and my teammates who a ministering in Bundibugyo (we don’t currently have reason to believe that we are in any danger)
-That temporary measures would be able to be put in place by local technicians until I can return with for a permanent repair.
Thank you all for your prayers. I’m behind on responding to all of my e-mails, so I appreciate your patience if I haven’t gotten back to you yet.
In Christ, who is able to get vehicles registered and calm the hearts of men-
Joshua Dickenson, Ph.D.
Water Resources, Development, and Quality Consultant
World Harvest Mission
Bundibugyo, Uganda
