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Howdy, Friends!

It was an incredible week on the Ranch at Trinity Church this last week, and we are all changed people because of it.
What happens when 400 children register for VBS in the last moments, and because of that, there aren’t enough materials, snacks, space, or volunteers to meet their needs? God steps in and provides, demonstrating his powers of multiplication…
At VBS (and The Blast! for our 5th-6th grade students), Jesus was high and lifted up in these ways:

• 726 children came and got to dig into the Bible, looking for answers to big questions. 
• 213 volunteers served kids this week; 104 of those were student volunteers.  Students are at different phases in their maturation, but we had overwhelming instances of outstanding student service.  Research in our culture shows that adults who served others as students, are the ones who will be serving in the church as adults.  Hooray!  This is a win for the kingdom. (And this volunteer number does not include the dozens who prepped materials for the week, set up,  cleaned up, drove a vehicle, or provided snacks.)
• 15 children, 3rd–6th grade, made the decision to follow Jesus and become forever friends with God.  37 of these students made decisions, or recommitments, to more closely follow Jesus, living for Him every day.
• 10 children came from Bingham Elementary School neighborhood and the MSU Spartan Village. 9 Bhutanese children came and experienced VBS as part of our church body.
• Flexibility reigned among volunteers and staff.  Multiple times, volunteers approached us and thanked us for the opportunity to serve during the week, telling us how well supported they were. 
• Parents were grateful.  So many parents, in a variety of ways from cards, to personal greetings, to phone calls, expressed their gratitude for the week.  Parents were so grateful for the love, the care, the teaching, and the partnership of our church with their families and they made sure we knew.  (Which, of course, is encouraging to all of us.)

It was a fantastic week.  We are encouraged and thrilled by all that God did in our hearts and lives.  For those who prayed for us or donated stuff or served:  we are eternally grateful.  Thank you for your partnership in ministering to children and families. We pray, “…that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding.”  ~Philippians 1:9 NLT

On behalf of the children’s ministry team, and our VBS team, thank you!

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