Week 9 - The Mill Church

Rosamond 

In college, I learned that "Spiritual Formation" is "the process of allowing God to conform us to the Image of Christ". It is a process because it happens over the course of one's whole life. We must actively and willingly allow God to conform us, instead of sitting stagnant in our faith or struggling against God's directions. And throughout the process, the Image of Christ - his love, his compassion, his patience, etc. - becomes all the more evident in us. I have had the joy of seeing the fruits of a similar process occurring at Bible club Rosamond and in the lives of many of our kids.

Three apartment boys surprised me these past few weeks with how expressive and articulate their words can be. Having spent the first few weeks of the summer without so much as mumbling despite being 6, 8, and 10 - it is incredible to see such developmental growth in such sweet children. And little Kyleigh, who couldn't so much as sit in her group without crying to go home, now not only LOVES all things bible club, but helps other new children to find friends in her station. And even in more spiritual matters, children's lives are being changed. I have LOVED, this whole summer walking with a devotional work book with one of the older kids whom I've known since last year. And how could I forget the day (several days after) giving Joshua his new bible, him running up to club with it in hand - eagerly awaiting to read the next chapter in the book of Joshua!

And even across summers, watching Tri-Tri and Ni-Se grow taller and kinder (for the most part), or seeing the fruits of Amira's salvation two years ago and how she is becoming a kind hearted leader among her peers... it's all so sweet. And among the club as a whole, God has blessed it with lots of kids who do feel like club is a safe haven, and do enjoy each other's company, and do learn about Jesus! Our God does big things, things that take time. He has never changed my life in a day, but rather one day at a time. That is how God works here also, but none of it would have been possible if not for God's sending of workers - teams of churches and families. Every week, of every summer, of every year, and more.

Big thanks to all the teams I've gotten to work with this summer, and to the Mill Church for giving us a FANTASTIC Week 9 to end the summer with a bang. I'm talking 106 kids on Monday with an average of 94 each day! They were even kind enough to buy lunch for our kids all week in absence of our usual lunch program. But having ministered to nearly 200 different kids at Rosamond this summer, with 5 noted salvations and almost double that in returners receiving further discipleship - it's time for Street Reach Summer17 to close. Continue to pray for these children as life happens this school year. God is still here and He is still working, continue to pray for their Spiritual Formation and the advancement of His Kingdom near Rosamond Ave. In the Words of Jesus himself, "The time has come. The Kingdom of God is near." Mark 1:15

Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets to dwell. Isaiah 58:12

We are so thankful for each church, mission team, and missionary who came to serve in Memphis this summer! We had a total of 1,909 kids come out to the 12 Bible Club sites we were able to run, including a brand new site. What is even more amazing is that 30 of those kids accepted Christ this summer and 39 kids are beginning to ask questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Many of these children were discipled through the Discipleship Club this summer and are already taking what they have learned back out to their community.  

We truly could not have reached this community at this capacity if it was not for church groups coming to serve and for each of you who have been earnestly praying. Thank you for answering the call!

Week 8 - Western Springs Baptist Church, Lamar Baptist Church, Barfield Baptist Church, Park Place Baptist Church, FBC Hamburg, New Shores Baptist Church, The Bluff Church, & Wamego FUMC

Rosamond 

Street Reach 2017's penultimate week at Rosamond was a grand one indeed. Thanks to a brand new team from the Bluff Church, we got to minister to an average of 53 kids each day, with super cool crafts like a baby Moses in a basket, jump rope contests, dance competitions, and a presentation of the Gospel as analogized by the story of Moses. It always warms my heart to see people love these kids so well and so intentionally. One of my favorite moments - admittedly small and simple - was seeing Amira lead a chorus of older girls in dance choreography. With a smile on her face, she'd instruct and demonstrate and help when others weren't quite getting it. I've known her for almost 5 years now, and was there to see her accept Christ a few years ago. Seeing the young lady and daughter of God she is growing into was a little reminder on a hot day of why we do what we do. We have one more week of Summer missions as Street Reach 2017 comes to a close. Keep on praying; fully convinced that God will continue the good works He has started here. #RosamondsGotSoul

-Kaden @ Rosamond 

National 

It's been 8 weeks. 8 weeks of hot days (sometimes rainy), piggy back rides, games, crafts, lots of silly songs, and lots of missionaries sent to preach the good news of Jesus. My heart aches as bible club comes to an end for the summer, but I am rejoicing thinking about all of the awesome things God has done this summer! Lamar Baptist joined us at National on this last week of bible club. The kids had lots of fun this week as they played uno and soccer, made a really cool bracelet at crafts, and learned some really cool chants to yell at songs. On Friday, I sat and asked the team about what they had seen God do in their lives this week. One of the team members talked about how he felt like God knew exactly what he was doing when he put their team at National. See, this team was very diverse and had many people from many different countries. National is also very diverse and has many different types of kids. The team thought it was so cool that in that way, they were similar to the kids and that they could bond with the kids over that. Between all of the team members, they could speak 5 different languages. Every day they would pray with the kids in English and then again in another language. The kids thought it was so cool and it was so beautiful to hear praises to God in different languages. At the end of the week, the team gave the oldest kids new bibles. It was so awesome to see how excited the kids were to receive their new bibles. DD, one of our older girls, came up to Katie and I towards the end of bible club and cried. She talked about how much she would miss bible club and us and the teams. Although my heart broke and I will miss her so much, I reminded her that even though we're leaving, God will always be with her. I was also reminded of how true that is. I know that even though our work is done here for the summer, God never stops working in their lives and he will never leave them. How beautiful is it that we can rest in that hope and truth? Thank you to every single team that came and served this summer. Seeds were planted and kids are being made into disciples who make disciples.. who make disciples. All glory to God! Pray for the kids as they go back to school and that Jesus will still shine so brightly in their lives. Well, I'm singing out for the summer. Thank you Jesus for choosing me for this. It's been real National. 

-Morgan and Katie P.

Guernsey 

Hey cool kids! G-Street had an epic last week of the summer with FBC Hamburg! We had 70 kids almost every day but ended with a high of 73! From dance parties in songs station to making cool bracelets in crafts and playing games like alien tag, it was evident that the kids definitely enjoyed their last week at bible club! One of the best parts about the last week was that the kids got to hear about how great, powerful, and caring our God is every single day! Let's pray that all the kids remember those characteristics of God as they go back into their normal routines and a new school year. Thank you FBC Hamburg for showing such a Christ-like love towards bible club Guernsey and the kids. We are so thankful you answered the call to come to serve in Memphis for a week! We pray that we see you again next year on G-street!

Peace out for the summer and all the love from the G-street crew,

Brooke & Hunter

Johnson

Week eight at Johnson… It seems the summer started so long ago but we got to the end so fast. What a great week to end a great summer on. A team from New Shores Baptist Church, who has helped us close out Johnson the last few years, came ready to help us say goodbye. We had a high of 66 kids show up and get to experience the Love of Christ through the passion of the team. God was moving in and around the group up until the last kid was dropped off. T…TJ…Terrion, whatever he decided his name was that week, made the decision to accept Christ into his heart. He was poured into all summer long and it was amazing to see how God worked on him throughout the summer. Thank you to all the teams that helped us have a great and fruitful summer. Over 200 Kids total came to club this summer at Johnson, please continue to pray for these kids and our community as the school year returns… Cause we are we are Johnson wooo…

-Marcus

Que Que 

Que Que parties had to come to a close this week and we couldn't have asked for a better team to help us. Our kids showed out this week as they were loved on like crazy by Park Place Baptist Church. With high temps and the chance of rain this week we had to rely on God to help bring us kids, and he sure did. Bible story was a hit as they broke down the gospel and challenged the kids with questions to receive cheese puffs. Games got the kids excited to work on teamwork skills as they passed hula hoops around with no hands! We always heard a singing happening in songs with a little bit of cuddling to! Our highlight of the week was crafts! The kids would even show up extra early to club so that they could make the early bird craft, and then the real one later. Our oldest girls loved it and started bring cousins and friends. Throughout the week Park Place students and leaders made it their mission to connect and love on kids. They showed who Christ is through their actions and their love. We are so grateful to you and hope to see you once again next year. As summer winds down and bible clubs end keep Que Que in your prayers.

-Katie W.

Whittier

Ain't no party like a Whitvegas party - that's for sure!! The party did not stop this last week of Whittier Bible club, despite the heat and chance of rain we had. Big shout out to Western Springs Baptist Church for giving up your time and energy to come show God's love and spread His gospel to His children. We truly could not have done it without you. The kids especially enjoyed the unique crafts such as a popcorn frame and a pretend sno cone. Also, Bible story seemed to have some super good conversations with kids, some even ending in salvations/decisions later on in the day. A few sisters of whom we have been trying to get to come to Bible club all summer finally started coming this week and on Thursday, the older 2 of the 3 decided and prayed to accept Christ into their lives. What more could we ask for in the last week of Bible club? This summer has truly been the sweetest blessing, getting to watch the kids grow meanwhile learning about Godly love from them all along the way. These kids have impacted me more than I can explain and I'm so thankful God has allowed me to witness such an incredible experience and such a wonderful love. I also thank God for all the teams He has provided and brought here to serve at Whitvegas this summer - couldn't have done it without y'all. Be praying for the kids this school year - for safety and that God will continue to move in their lives and bring them closer to Him. 'Til next summer, Whitvegas!!!

-Claire & Audra

Kendrick

Week 8 is officially in the books for Street Reach 2017. Barfield Baptist Church brought energy higher than the temperatures and definitely came to preach to the kids at bible club. From bible stories, to games Barfield brought the fun as laughter and happiness could be heard from beginning to end everyday at Kendrick. Relays, Elbow Tag, BEEFBALL, water games, and Mr. Bear could be heard all over club while each kid played with musical instruments at songs. Who can forget about roaring as they heard the story of Daniel in the Lions' Den. Crafts was unforgettable as slime,lanterns, magnets, and kaleidoscopes were huge hits for every kid. With a high of 41 kids this week along with a decision from a child to ask more questions about Jesus and how should he be followed. I can't think of a better way to end Kendrick Bible Club this summer. 

-Beef

Pope
P-O-P-E that is where we want to be! Week 8 at Pope started out with a bang with a summer high of 58 kids on Monday. It was a great closure week for Pope thanks to FUMC Wamego. The kids were able to learn about the good shepherd in bible story and play a relay game with it as well. In crafts they were able to make a cool find it game with a clear tube and rice. Wamego reached another summer high when they broke 60 with a high of 67 kids on Thursday. For the last day of club it was a rainy day but that didn't stop 65 kids from coming out. The kids made bandaids, coin pouches, and houses. During Bible story they heard the story about the Prodigal Son, The Parable of the Man who built his house on the sand. During games they played tips, Mr. Bear, duck duck goose. The kids got to use instruments during music and loved it! A big thanks to FUMC Wamego for coming and hanging out at Pope!
-Carly

Week 7- FBC Greenwood, Townville Baptist Church, Third Street Baptist Church, Lakewood Presbyterian Church, Lifepoint Baptist Church, The Gathering Place, & West Hartselle Baptist Church

Rosamond 

HEY!!!

...

You know you just did the Rosamond chant. Don't even lie to yourself.

Well while we're on the topic, WEEK 7 at Rosamond was a great one! With a high of 70 kids on Friday and an entire week filled with fun games, great crafts, and an obstacle course or two; the team from West Hartselle, Alabama knocked it out of the park. We had some rough patches with some of our older girls, but the team stayed strong. Filled with God's wisdom and patience, they never ceased to love each and every child on site. A special moment for me was getting to hear clear and articulated words from Keyvion and his siblings for the first time all summer. Seeing the fundamental growth that God can bring about from something as simple as playing with children is a reminder of the glorious things God has done and continues to do here. Keep on praying as Street Reach 2017 comes to a close. Stay strong in faith and in prayer that God will reveal all of His wonders. Next week... is gonna be GRAND!

-Kaden @ Rosamond

National

God truly blessed us with another awesome week as we had Lifepoint Baptist Church in town! I cannot even put into words the amazing love of Christ that was shown through this team. No matter how tired they were or how hot it was outside, they continuously fixed their eyes on Jesus and showed the kids his love so greatly. The team had so much energy at games and all of the kids were super excited to play literally every game they introduced. They also did a lot of fun crafts that always related back to the bible story that the kids were taught each day. As a staffer, one of the most beautiful things is to sit back and watch the relationships being made between the team members and the kids. This week I saw such a beautiful friendship unfold. One of the team members really connected with one of the kids. This kid is 5 and he hardly ever communicates at bible club. Rarely do I hear him talk and rarely do I see him smile. Every single day the same team member would go and find this kid and walk around with him all day. Suddenly, I saw the kid, who normally never talks or smiles, singing every song and smiling so big. What a beautiful divine appointment the Lord provided and what a beautiful representation of his love I saw through both the team member and child. Many seeds were planted this week because of the continuous love that this team poured out to the community. Thank you Lifepoint Baptist Church for answering the call and being the hands and feet of Jesus at National this week! Can't wait to serve alongside of y'all again! Please be in prayer as we go into the final week for most of our bible clubs. Pray that hearts will be changed and the kids will come to know our beautiful savior. 

-Morgan

Guernsey  

"Hip-hop let them see, Guernsey is the place to be!" Not only did the Gathering Place come up with this new song that the kids absolutely loved, they also made sure these lyrics came true every day this week! The Gathering Place kicked this week off with 63 kids but kept canvassing to reach a high of 83 kids! On Friday this week the craft was glitter mixed into hand sanitizer that the kids put on their hands to symbolize how when they could spread Gods love to other people. All day they would go around touching leaders and other kids to transfer the glitter and say "God loves you!" The kids also got to play tug-o-war for the first time all summer and they really enjoyed it! This week was especially great because we had four salvations! Javayah, Le'Darion, Le'Zarion, and William all made the decision to ask Jesus into their hearts and follow Him! Please pray for these four kids as they become our brothers and sisters in Christ! We are immensely thankful for The Gathering Place and their willingness to come all the way from Alabama to serve here in Memphis this week! We look forward to seeing you next year! 

-Brooke

Johnson 

Johnson had an awesome week with a group from Moody, Alabama skrollin in to club. The Gathering Place came in and crushed it bringing a high of 52 kids. There were lots of returners on the team, and the kids loved getting to see them again just as much if not more than the team members loved being back and seeing the kids. All the reunions didn’t slow down the new people from jumping in and loving like crazy. Every day they came out and made a great effort to explain Christ Love both with actions and words. This week’s stories all pointed to Obedience and it wasn’t just a story for them, they showed it by pushing through any obstacles this week. We also learned just how infectious Christ Love really is, it’s as infectious as glitter it gets everywhere. Even places you don’t realize or find long after. Please pray for our kids that the love we show them in our final days is long lasting and they continue to see it as bible clubs finish up next week.

-Marcus

Que Que 

This week at the Que Que partay we decided to celebrate the little things. Watch for the blessings in each moment. Praise God for each second. Crazy Fruit loop wars, toilet paper challenges and the bumping dance parties. Our high this week was 65 kids. Each child learned the memory verse for this week. We shouted it loud enough for the community center next door to hear. "For you formed my inward parts. You knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14. It was cool to see the children excited about memorizing scripture. They came back each day anxious to show their leaders that they had finished memorizing it. Thanks to Third Street Baptist Church our kids were able to hear about Christ and be fed for another week. Our kids love you and can't wait for you to come back! 

-Anna

Whittier 

Wow! We can't believe week 7 is already over. This week, at Whittier, we played hard, laughed a lot, and had lots of fun thanks to Lifepoint from Alabama!! We had a high of 57 kids and ended with a strong 43! We are so grateful that God sent us Lifepoint this week. They were full of joy and worked hard despite the heat and made it a truly great time for all of the kiddos with a really cool cup game, awesome mirror craft, and so much more! It was truly amazing to see Lifepoint intentionally share the Gospel, not only in Bible Story, but one on one. Their love and compassion for them was so evident through their interest in the kids and their lives. Thank you, Lifepoint, for all the fun, energy, and Jesus you brought to WhitVegas this week! As we wrap up the summer next week at Whittier, continue to pray that we are able to point the kids towards Christ and leave them impacted for eternity.

-Audra and Claire

Jackson 

I couldn't have asked for a better week to close out Jackson Bible club for the summer! From day one, the team from The Gathering Place poured out an abundance of God's love on the kids at Jackson Park, and it was a joy to be a part of. In Bible story this week, kids heard about people in the Bible who obeyed God and the importance of obeying God even when it doesn't make sense. Kids raced to Bible story everyday for a chance to tell the theme from the previous day to win a ring pop, and it was so encouraging to hear kids sharing God's truths that they had memorized! The team had the opportunity to take soccer club to Jackson park one afternoon to love on the kids a little extra, and several of the kids came to know Christ! Friday was a day filled with hugs and a few tearful goodbyes, but it was also filled with joy knowing that God has done so much work in the lives of these children. It has been a privilege to be a part of the work God is doing in the community surrounding Jackson park this summer, and I have loved seeing seeds being planted, grown, and harvested. Praise God for all the work He has done at Jackson Bible club! 

-Holly

Treadwell 

Butterflies, glitter, and the gospel a twitter that is what Treadwell is made of. Such was the case this past week when GP+Y came to town. Thursday Alana held a funeral service for her butterfly as the team used it to relay the gospel. They went on to tell about how just as the butterfly starts off as a caterpillar and gets a new body as a butterfly that we too shall receive a new body if we are followers of Christ, but the new body will never die. Bible story had the kids attentive and learning not just the great stories of the Bible, but also what it means for them and how God wants them to live their lives. I know many seeds were planted this past week and summer as an attitude of giving back to God was seen in kids even in the youngest group. Little Isaiah was playing with chalk, when I asked him what he was going to draw he looked up at me with a big smile on his face and proudly announced to me, “I am drawing something for God!”.  Please continue to pray for our kids, pray that God will continue to be taught and be made real to them in the off-season. Pray that workers will come so that God can continue to fight for his children through backyard bible clubs in the Spring and oncoming Summer. Most of all pray that a love for God that they cannot turn away from develops in each of these children’s lives. Thank you all who have ministered to the kids through teaching, loving and prayer. Until next year Treadwell my friends. 

““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:34-35    

-Rachael

Kendrick 

Week 7 brought Lakewood Presbyterian Church out to Kendrick Bible Club. It was an Arkin good time. From Noah's Ark at bible story to the ark at crafts, Arky Arky at songs, and having the Ark at games! Lakewood definitely tied the Bible stories together in every station and the kids loved it. Relays was the name of the game this week as each kid had the time of their lives at Bible Club. Each day the kids were able to have dance parties and were loved immensely. With a high of 43 kids, Lakewood made sure they could love on as many kids as possible this week. At the end of each day, each kid didn't want the day to end and were so excited for the next day a trip Bible Club. They were ready to preach and definitely had Jesus on their minds.  It was a great week at Kendrick and a big thanks to Lakewood, the kids had fun and cannot wait for another great week to close out the summer. 

-Beef 

Pope 

P-O-P-E that is where we want to be! Another great week at Pope has come and gone. It was a great week at Pope this week. FBC Greenwood brought the fun this week. On Monday in crafts they made "gutsy bears." The kids stuffed the bears with stuffing, a heart, and yarn for guts. They were able to learn about how God created us in a unique way. Zakiun was so excited about his bear he said he was going to sleep with it at night. Other crafts including gears where they were able to make their own creations, they made snowflakes and crosses among other things. Games they enjoyed Mr. Bear, duck duck goose, relay races, and tips. Little Red Wagon, Bazooka Bubblegum, Father Abraham were absolute hits at games this week. On Tuesday they broke the summer record at 53 and Thursday broke it again at 55. It was a great week thanks to FBC Greenwood for a great week 7.

-Carly 

Vernon

This week Vernon bible club welcomed Townville First Baptist all the way from South Carolina! It was a great week and the team was able to canvas the streets very well and bring new kids to club. Some parents only allow their kids to come to bible club when it is at the Vernon house so therefore I was able to meet kids who have never been to club before. The kids favorite part of club this week was crafts! On Monday the kids made rainbows to represent God's promise, and then were able to recite the entire bible story to me and what it meant to them. Then on Friday the kids made draw string bags and got the team members to sign the bags so they would remember them. It was very sweet to watch the kids love the team members just as much as the team loved them. This is a returning team, and they have been able to make relationships with the same kids for the past three years. The team also did a great job being intentional with each child, which led to several salvations this week! I am so glad I was able to run bible club Vernon this week, it was so awesome to watch these kids get one-on-one attention from the team members. A big thank you to Townville for serving this week! Please pray for all the bible club kids as the summer comes to an end. VERNON IS A BURNIN' CAUSE WE'RE HOT HOT!!

-Katie P.

Week 6- Calvary Church, The Brook, Silverdale Baptist Church & FBC Jamestown

Rosamond

Bonjour! Hello! Aloha! Hola! And Que Pasa?!

I hope everyone has had a great week, because we have had a FANTASTIC one at Bible Club Rosamond. A score and a half of missionaries came from Jamestown, Tennessee to educate our Bible Club kids on scripture. And what better way to learn about scripture than with SCIENCE and SUPER HEROES?! I literally took that exact class in college for my physics credit. The kids this week looked at heroes of the scriptures to learn that real heroes have Heart, Courage, Wisdom, Hope and Power: all of which are found in God and God alone. And with a special FIFTH station called "Missions and Science:" all these truths were displayed with fascinating object lessons. It was incredible to see how many children could come back and quote the bible verse(s) from the previous day(s). And to end the week well, each child was sent home with a back pack of various goodies and supplies, as well as an age appropriate bible. My personal favorite moments of the week, though, were with Joshua. Having given him a Bible on Tuesday,  the two of us began reading/walking through the book of Joshua one chapter at a time. Each day, he's shown up with his Bible in hand and asked, "Mr. Kaden are you ready for chapter [insert number here]?"

All in all, it was a week I am happy to have been a part of. Please keep praying for Joshua - that the scriptures will speak to his heart - as well as for the rest of our kids. God is doing amazing things, and He WILL continue them. #RosamondsGotSoul 

-Kaden @ Rosamond

National

Wow, what a great week it was! National did not run last week, so it was super exciting to get back out there and see the kids. This week we were extremely thankful to have a team from Calvary Church serving at National. This team came in eager and determined to share the gospel with every kid and person they encountered throughout the week. That's exactly did! They started off every single day praying that the Lord would bring us kids to bible club. And every single day, I sat and watched each person on the team love the kid that came so greatly. The kids absolutely loved games this week as they got to play uno and soccer. Some of the older girls at Bible Club are on a dance team and they choreographed a dance to show the team at games. The team loved it and the girls loved the fact that these people were so interested in things they loved, such as dance. Bible story was also super great this week. The kids were extremely engaged in the story every day and were always able to tell me what they learned. They also had memory verses to remember and they would get candy if they could recite them back. What a joy it was to listen to my bible club kids remembering and reciting scripture word for word. Jesus shined so brightly through each team member this week and I watched as their love for our Savior constantly overflowed into our kids lives. They were intentional and just simply loved every single day with every single kid. And it was beautiful. Thank you Calvary for showing the kids so much love this week. Can't wait to serve alongside of y'all again! 

-Morgan and Katie P

Guernsey

It was a great week at Guernsey bible club, Calvary definitely rocked it despite the extremely hot sun! Every day this week saw a few more kids than the day before. On Monday this week we had 53 kids and by the end of the week we climbed up to 80 kids! This week the kids learned about the armor of God. The craft this week was making the piece of the armor that they learned about at bible story, they loved it because they felt like super heroes every day with their new armor! The kids were also introduced to a couple of new games this week including freeze tag and capture the flag. The kids really enjoyed both of these new games! Thank you Calvary for being willing to answer the call to come serve in Memphis for a week at Street Reach! We truly appreciate you and look forward to seeing you next year!!

Blessings,

Brooke & Hunter 

Johnson 

Good morning again my brothers and sisters in Christ! We had Calvary Church Middle School bring the energy all the way from the St. Louis area for our Bible Club kids at Johnson. And trust me, the kids were loving every second of it! They had so much fun in songs this week singing and dancing “Right Whip! Left Whip!” to Father Abraham. The kids loved getting to learn about and create all the armor of God. You could see them all running down the street wearing their breast plate and swinging their swords from the crafts this week. The biggest thing Calvary brought to Johnson this week though was love. You could see the love of God pour out from every student and leader into every single Bible Club kid. I pray that God continues to send missionaries with a true heart for the community. 

1 John 4:9-11 states:

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that he might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

I am so thankful for Calvary Church bringing love such as this to Memphis this week. Please continue to pray that we are able to continue to show this kind of love to as many children as we can possibly handle. 

-Marcus and Joseph

Que Que

We were so excited to be back at Que Que this week with Silverdale Baptist Church. The team prayed for kids to show up by the dozens and they sure did! We were able to hit the high of this summer with 105 kids on Friday! The kids were loved on like crazy and got a few extra goodies to go along with it. Throughout the week they were taught the gospel in both crafts and bible story. In songs they were able to be music makers as they had drums and shakers to beat to the song. Games was full of sharks and minnows and some bean bag tosses. The team fought to share the gospel in every part of club with these kids resulting in an amazing amount of salvations, all of which received their own Bible. One of our favorites, Jaquavious, ran up to Anna and I letting us know with exciting news!  He told us he had a conversation with Jesus about not only being invited to his life but also his birthday party. We are so excited about the work God is doing in the Goodwill Village! He has been transforming the hearts of kids each week and it has been a joy to watch! Thank you to Silverdale for pouring out on the kids this week and even giving them some yummy snacks! We can't wait to see y'all again! 

-Katie W. & Anna

Jackson 

Week 6 was another amazing week full of loving on kids at Jackson park with the team from Calvary Church! This week our kids had the chance to learn about the full armor of God, and they were loving it! Each day in Bible story a different piece of the armor was related to the kids' lives and to a Bible story while the crafts corresponded to the piece of armor so that kids would have a tangible reminder of what the armor of God was. Kids were able to make their own helmets of salvation, shoes of the gospel of peace, breastplates of righteousness, shields of faith, and swords of the spirit in crafts. In songs kids could be seen dancing and singing their hearts out while the games station played many great games of duck duck goose, death ball, and Simon says. The kids were so excited to get to see one of our staffers from last year, Mr. Tedder, that many of them knew and loved well! With a few more weeks of summer left, we are looking forward to continuing to watch the seeds being planted in the hearts of our kids grow. 

"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor." 1 Corinthians 3:7-8

-Holly and Audra 

Whittier

If I had to describe this week of Bible club at Whittier in one word, that word would be incredible. We were unbelievably blessed to have Calvary West Campus from the STL area with us this week and they crushed it. Each day was filled with high energy and no holding back in serving and loving these kids. We had our highest numbers of the summer so far including a day of 56, 61 and a high of 62 on Thursday!!! The kids were having so much fun everyday that they kept coming back and bringing new friends with them! We met new families and reached new kids every single day, all week long. The kids loved getting to make the different parts of the armor of God throughout the week and also seemed to love songs station even more than usual. Songs station consisted of yelling classic Bible club songs and dancing including the game "Bobs and Statues." We can't thank y'all enough for spending a week of your summer here in the Memphis heat so that His kids over in Nutbush could have Bible club and learn more about Him this week. We hope to see y'all next year!! We know God is doing and will continue to do amazing things in this city every single day. 

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

-Claire & Special K

Treadwell

We had a major storm at Treadwell this past week as, “grace like rain poured down”. The Bible Club forecast was a high of 47 kids, and this storm front called the gospel shows no signs of moving away from Treadwell. Thanks to The Brook and their willingness to pour out Gods’ love onto the children many seeds were planted this week. The Brook not only wanted the children’s hearts to stir for Christ, but the entire community’s. Each day the kids were given a flyer of what they had learned to take home with them. Not only were the children able to teach their families the daily lessons, but it is now possible that they could teach the Bible as well because on Friday the kids were given The Jesus Storybook Bible! This bible is very kid friendly and easy to understand without the help of an adult; this group was intentional about teaching with the goal of the children understanding the gospel. Their wholistic approach to teaching and their passion to reiterate the lesson in a fun manner led to the creation of a hybrid songs station. In this station, every bible story had a game to go along with it that they did and then they sang a song or two. The kids loved the competition and bible story then had an example to pull from to help make the story relatable. Games included a pool party relay where they had to put on a pool floatie before they could start running and the kids were the most hyped up and excited to play that I have seen all summer. Thanks again The Brook, we look forward to seeing you again!

-Rachael

Pope

Week six has come and gone. No doubt that Pope was the place to be this week. Thanks to Calvary Church we reached our high of the summer on Wednesday with 48 kids and consistently stayed in the 40's the rest of the week. The kids learned about the armor of God and in crafts they actually got to make their own armor. Songs was once again a favorite station because the kids played instruments along with the songs. Games was a favorite where the played games like duck duck goose, Mr. Bear, and tips (a game where kids stand in a circle and they toss a ball across the circle). This week was great and the kids are ready for next week. I'm excited to see what week 7 brings! 

-Carla

Kendrick 

Extra Extra Read All About It! Kendrick was off the chain this week as Calvary Church came to preach at bible club. With  a high of 31 kids and different kids each day it was a guaranteed good time. Learning about the Armor of God, the kids learned how the armor protects through bible story, games, and crafts. Even Goliath himself couldn't stop Calvary from loving on the kids. Being Knighted in the army of God was a highlight to Patrick as he was so excited to assemble his sword at crafts. A good ole game of deathball that was deemed BEEFBALL was a hit among the kids at Kendrick. Ending the week with each child receiving bible verses from throughout the week to take home was a major highlight to all the kids. 

-Beef

Week 5 - Union Grove Baptist Church, FBC Liberty, and FBC Gleason

Rosamond 

It's always a sobering thought to know that the Fourth of July week at Street Reach marks the halfway point of our summer. Amongst the fireworks and celebration, the reminder that the summer is finite sets in. The realization that each moment matters will become more and more evident from this point forward. For that reason, I give so much gratitude to "The Unit" from Union Grove, North Carolina for pouring out all their love and attention on these kids. From amazing games and beautiful crafts, to water based music activities, even down to the one on one conversations: it's always a blessing to see the intentionality these missionaries come prepared to exude. And to make things sweeter, 80 kids came out to hear about the birth of Jesus Christ on Thursday as we celebrated Christmas in July! It's amazing to see the good things God is doing, but the best is yet to come. So keep praying for a bountiful harvest this summer, for the prayers of the righteous are powerful.

-Kaden @ Rosamond

Guernsey 

Fourth of July week at G-Street was da bomb! This week we hit a summer high and set a record for Guernsey! The week which started out small kept growing so that by Friday FBC Liberty had gathered 102 kids to play games with, tell about Jesus, and feed lunch! One of the cool things at club this week was seeing how FBC Liberty did a great job of matching the craft to the Bible story every day. For example, one day the Bible story was about Palm Sunday so at craft station the kids made and decorated palm branches. This was especially cool because for most of the kids craft station was before bible story station so they could hold and interact with their palm branches during the story! The kids would hold up their branches and yell "HOSANA, HOSANA"! We are so grateful for FBC Liberty and their continual willingness to come serve in Memphis. We pray they have a safe trip home and continue to come serve for years to come! 

Blessings,

Brooke, Hunter, Carla, Anna, Rachael, and Marcus!

Jackson 

What a wonderful week at Jackson with FBC Gleason! All week the kids were able to hear about the story of Noah and how God used Noah to build an ark. The kids learned different truths about God through the story, such as how God protects His people and how following God's instructions always works out for the best. In games, kids of all ages loved playing death ball, a group version of monkey in the middle, and the older girls' group had a blast playing many intense games of Simon says. Kids were cooling off in crafts using their new decorated fans and wearing their jewelry that they made while the song station sang loud and proud everyday. The Fourth of July fell on Tuesday of this week, and so many kids came to club to celebrate the Fourth with us! We had PB&J sandwiches that the team was able to help make for the kids, and the kids ate them up! At this point in the summer it's awesome to still be meeting new kids that are coming to club and getting to hear about Jesus, and we can't wait to see what fun adventures the summer still holds! 

-Holly, Special K, Katie, Claire, Beef, and Audra

Union Grove, FBC Liberty, and FBC Gleason did it up big for the week of the Fourth of July! Kids were coming from all across Memphis for Bible Club and we had some record numbers this week! We truly could not have ministered at this capacity if it was not for these missionaries who answered the call to come to Memphis, so thank you! We are amazed at what God has done and is doing here in this community and we are excited to see what He will do in the second half of the summer! Please continue to pray for the missionaries that He is sending in to His harvest here in Memphis. 

As we start the second half of this summer, we will be starting up Discipleship Club! Many children that have been attending Bible Clubs have accepted Jesus and we want to disciple them! Be praying that God will continue to draw these kids towards himself and that they will learn how to be disciples who make disciples as the go back into their homes, families, and schools in the next few weeks!