Super Summer Slam Prayer Service

Celebrating Super Summer Slam this week and Herb his back. He's going to make french fries for us again. This year, right? It's actually good. We do have a couple of visitors with us today, so make sure you look around and say hello to everyone even Trish. Unfortunately, do have to get back to home, unfortunately. Otherwise we would have your French fries. But we are excited. This is our biggest Outreach Of The Year, actually. And almost our biggest I think Fall Fest last year, pretty much tied with the number of people coming out. And so we are looking forward to this week and then the upcoming events we do want to reach out to our community as we've been going through the book of Colossians. We saw that our purpose here is to be proclaiming Christ in this world. And the last thing that Jesus told his disciples before, he went back to the father was that we are supposed to be going and making disciples as we go and I'm teaching them and baptizing them in the name of the father Son and Holy Spirit. And so that's what we want to be doing as a church family. And and we do that we do it individually we have programs throughout the year but there are certain things that we do as a church family, where collectively, we work together to be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with people that we normally don't have a chance to interact with and Super Summer, Slam is one of those weeks. And again, we have about 100 tank kids sign up from the community about a third of those either, either from do Church, background or not Evangelical Church. Backgrounds were not necessarily hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So this is a great opportunity for the kids. And then also for the parents, Friday night is key said, we have the ice cream social Friday evening. We did this last year before we used to go back on Sundays and do. Our service is Joe, Terry on Sunday and invite the families come back, and we had some families come back, but not as many. So last year we tried going right at the end of Super Summer Slam and of course all the families pretty much stayed and so it worked out a whole lot better just to do it right. At the end of SummerSlam, the families are already there getting their kids and then we have a chance to share with the family. So we'll be doing that again, this year. So we'll have SummerSlam all the way from 9 to 4. Like we do the other days on Friday but it for a special program for the families and invite all of them to hear, The kids been learning during the week and then share the gospel to families as well. And so all of us have a role to play there as well. Even if you're not in one of the yellow shirts helping out with the kids or in the week, you can be there at the ice cream social and talk interact with some of the families that are there. Ask them you know what, their kids enjoyed about the weekend and learn about them and where do you live and do you have a go-to? You can even invite them out to our church and this is a place where every single one of us can be involved and reaching out to the community, so I hope you will come out on Friday evening. And again, we're going to be advertising our Fall Fest right now. We have it. Scheduled for October 29th and this is when we changed. We used to have a trunk or treat, but it got too crowded and people are parking out on the hill which not exactly safe. And so we move to Lackawanna State Park last year, we did it in the afternoon and we had a great turnout, even though it was a rainy day and we have a number of people come and they're like, wow you guys are serving food. I heard everything else cuz we had the potato pancakes and soups, and french fries, and, and all kinds of other things. And so will be doing that again this year. And again, with word of mouth, as people come out and learn these things were hoping that this year, will have another opportunity because of the kids go through and get their candy. We always have the last canopy where there listening and hearing the good news of Jesus Christ. Last year Jen did it with a pumpkin in God, cleaning out all the bad stuff in and through faith in Christ that we are saved. So it was a great Outreach and I already flipped it ahead. How do I do that anyway, then in the fall we have something new that we're going to be doing this year. And this one, I'm really excited about how many of you have ever heard of Walk Through the Bible. Okay, we have a few of you to have anybody here. Actually go through it. Okay. Few only a couple. Walk Through the Bible is no relation it started years ago. Actually, I went through this when I was a kid in the 70s. Yes, that was a while ago. But I still remember it. Okay, stop laughing. Stephen seriously. Okay.

I still remember and they really do a good job and just a few hours taking all the way through the Old Testament where you hitting every single book of the Old Testament and learning. What are the key elements of that book in the key story at how God has been at work. All the way through the Bible, to restore people back to himself. And it really is a great event. It's full of kinesthetic learning and everything else, and I can't describe it quite well very well. So what I did is I have a video. So we're going to show you a little video to explain a little bit better. What this is.

How many people don't read the Bible? Because culturally is so different that it's confusing. They don't have a context to understand. What if we could create an event that could make the Bible, come alive in a fun and creative way that would inspire people to read it everyday. When I heard about this at church, I said I have to go because I need Clarity. Everything, starting to make more sense to me, is helping me to understand more people to a timeline. To a bigger story, God's trying to reveal to his people, to be able to connect to these stories is huge seminar. Like this is really great at weaving together. The larger narrative for God story. People can locate how the Old Testament connect with the New Testament. Seeing how God's creation story moves leading up to Christ himself was very powerful. I've always look at the Bible to sleep, so complicated. I can't really read that language. I don't phonetically truly understand it. When it's done like this, when it comes to life, the hand size really resonate, it helps you to realize what's going on and what really happened? It puts things into perspective. As you're moving your remembering kinesthetic learning is a lot better than just auditory, or even visual learning. So if using that movement actually see, Reconstituted, trying to get across the body for the mind. And makes you remember even more King, David and King, Solomon, a part. I like that to me.

It's very relevant for people at all stages of their walk with God. I think it works for all ages with each other celebrating together and they're doing it from such different Generations.

As we teach OT live in nclive, we see people walk away with such a passion. They don't just go home and it so well, that was nice. They go home and they read and pastors. Tell us about how their church is a change. Their having this type of event. The hope is that they're going to engage in scripture in a different way that they have a bigger picture. It's wanting to understand that I could share with a non-believer, an overall picture of the Bible and how it all fits together. I wasn't, I'm going to dig into the Old Testament more. I learn more definitely can see that. It's 1. 3 that God has written capture the Old Testament in 3 hours that went fast is awesome. And my husband, I wasn't really impressed after seeing what I saw today. I am so inspired, so encouraged to go in and dig deeper into my Bible.

Play, just what I have now of the whole Bible. It literally was a walk through the Bible.

Walk Thru the Bible, it's what it's called, its what it is, and I'm excited because there's so many people that again, in the world are like, what is the Bible all about and in what's, what's all the stuff in the Old Testament? Isn't God? Just a god of of like wrath and anger and Punishment. I come in like a flood and everything else was wiping. Everybody out, you know, and it shows the god of grace and mercy and peace and says, yes, there is justice, but in all ties together and it was in the world. Does does Gideon in Aiken have to do with Jesus? Anyway, you know, how does it all fit together in the fact that the Bible written over fifteen hundred years by over 40 different? Authors does all tie together into God's great story of redemption of how he loves each and everyone of us and all that. He did to bring us back to himself. That he would be our God and we would be his people then that's That's what I'm excited about it. I hope that you will actually plan to be with us. It'll be September 11th on Sunday, September 11th, they're going to do the first session here in the church service. And so everybody that comes to actually get a taste of what it is the first service. But only those who sign up with actually get to stay for the whole event which will go until about 3:30 in the afternoon. Now, in the middle of all that lunch will also be provided. So we'll have our worship service, we will go downstairs, we'll have some lunch and then we'll come back upstairs for a couple more hours and go through the rest of the Old Testament, but it is, it's fun, and it's exciting to see how God's word does all tie together. Now, this is an event that I would encourage you to invite your friends out to people who are believers and non-believers. Because again there's a lot of questions out there. What's the Bible about anyway, you know? And and what's the weather is us about God just like you know what just come out for a day, just give us 45. Hours and you'll get a really good grasp. And now I talked with the people that walk to the Bible, they say they do get a number of people out that are unbelievers and they have a good percentage of people that get saved through these events as they start to hear what the bible really is all about. Instead of the sound, bytes that you here or whatever else, actually get to see what it's all about, and God's great love for mankind and so this is not just for believers. This is something you can invite your friends and neighbors to that are unbelievers as a means of reaching out to our community again. So again, we're going to share this with all the family to come to Super Summer Slam and encourage them to come back on September 11th and wants more. Those who sign up for the September 11th will be all getting books for every day to go through on that day. But we're also going to be doing a campaign with all of our small groups. And Keith is getting this organized this summer. Now, to where the next six weeks will be a follow-up to the broken that we do on Sunday the 11th and it's all put together by Walk Through the Bible. For six weeks, they'll be going and studying more in-depth through the Old Testament. The things that we're learning about. And so, it's going to be a great time for us to get together and as it, if it all goes really well. My plan is in January to do walk through the New Testament. And so in just one school year, we're going to work our way through the entire Bible. And so I'm excited for that and hope that you will sign up and invite other people to sign up and join us as well. So I guess today is specifically going to be sharing with you a little bit about what we're covering is SummerSlam. And then also taking time to pray and Pat happened to be visiting with his they pat. Would you come on up here for a second and I'm bringing him up here. I forget to hang and basically he contacted me about a week ago and

Wasn't a week and a half ago. It does go fast but anyway, he contact me about a week or half ago, or two, or whatever it was. Anyway, why are we taking time to pray? How effective is prayer? Pat, its give us a little story, very effective in 17 and 18. We are working on a compressor station, right behind Mike's house, and it was a lengthy job in and Wes. And I were there. And I'll, we pray prior to the job, even starting for the men on that job, that it's supposed to be saved, and that we would be lights and be able to reach some of them. Well, the job came and gone and it almost seemed to be kind of fruitless in the matter of some of these and save, but about a week ago is Mike says I got a phone call out of the blow. Someone who I haven't talked to since then his name was Justin and he just called me just to say that. He knew that that I was a man of God and that he thought it would find that I would find it encouraging to hear that he got saved, you know? And it it really was. And then he also told me that, you know, there's another another man that we both know who who has a stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And then, you know, these guys are pipeliners like the guy was where lost souls before the Lord comes to an end. If you don't, we could be praying for for this man. Seth Hayes is his name who's got the pancreatic cancer and just don't ever give up on prayer. Like, whenever think that it, it's not, It's not being heard because you get a phone call three years. After the fact from somebody, who was a lost man to tell us, tell me that he was saved at the Lord saved them. It's really encouraged to know that I really appreciate that.

If that's why we're praying today, we're going to take time going to have the elders come up, and we're going to pray for all the kids. Now, on the way, in every one of you should have received our prayer guide to do, did you all get that? If not, we did print some more until we were running out in the back. But we do have a guy, it's just some, some suggestions, a ways to pray and and of course on the inside we have all the kids who are becoming to Super Summer Slam. And on the back we have most of the staff, not all the staff, use my spreadsheet to sign up. So I might have miss somebody. It's hard to keep track of all the names. But anyway, be praying for the staff at campers, everyone. So what is what is it that we're going to be sharing with the kids at Super Summer Slam the theme this year is called zoomerang. Kind of like sounds like Boomerang while you guys are good and it's actually kind of like set in Australia. So we're going to be sharing some fun facts about Australia and using those as a means to kind of Segway into sharing the truth about who God is. So the very first day we're going to be talkin about Mount. The largest rock in the world. Anybody other than the largest rock in the world, there it is. Ayers, Rock or lularoe, which you're calling it now because of returning back to the native languages and what they call things,

But there are some things related to The Rock about, okay. Well, how did people come to exist and they have some legends about that really use that as a Segway then and to God is the one who created us how did we come to be? And again there's people that believe all kinds of different things, including many people in our country that think people are just an accident, just an Axe and a dress. With the whole theory of evolution is you're an accident. No purpose, no value. You're just a freak accident and it's literally where Evolution goes. But we want to share the truth with kids that you are not an accident that you were created by God. You were created in His image. Now God doesn't have a body like you were me. So what's that? Mean it means god is glorious. You are glorious. God is knowledgeable and he created us to have knowledge specifically wants us to know him. God is one who communicates and he wants to communicate with us. He wants us to communicate with him. God is a god of love, he loves us, and he wants us to have a loving relationship with him. So we're going to be talking about how God is the one who created us and that is what gives each and everyone of us tremendous value tremendous value. The fact that we are created in His image and then the next day we're going to be talking about. Yes, the Boomerang, see why you guys are good. Just a little handle chassis, hand motions, work to learn things, come to walk to the Bible, the boomerang. And then we're going to talk about how. Wow, this Boomerang. Do you think you can just find these on any old tree to the boomerang trees? Were you just cut the limb off and you can throw it now. Doesn't work that way. They're designed, it takes very special design if it's going to work on the same way. You and I are. Just freak accidents of nature. We were designed by the Creator and we have very special amazing to get design. God created us with a Macy's in design and we're going to look at that. And celebrate, just how amazing it is. That God made us And then we're going to go on Thursday where you talk about. How God? Yes he created us. Not just In His Image. Not just an amazing design but he created us to be in a relationship with him and ask her to see her how we were separated from him. But how he said, Jesus Christ to restore that relationship by dying on the cross for us. Then finally, on Friday, we're going to talk about how God created us for a reason. He has purpose for us. That's one thing that people struggle with, what's my purpose? What am I here for? And again, when you start listen to the world with their ideas of evolution everything else and afterlife. Well, I don't know, the nothing I guess, just nothing is well then what's the point of living here for a few short years and what's the point?

Now, there is a point. Created you to have eternal life with him and here. And now he has things for us to do. He has a purpose for you and me, and for us for the storage part of the purpose is Super Summer Slam because again he is the one where you Proclaim admonishing and teaching everyone with always do so we resent everyone fully mature in Christ and that's what this week is all about. We want to Proclaim Jesus Christ, and his love for these kids for these families as they come out and we can't just do it on her own. Can we? Because it gets long, it gets hard just like life does every single day and so when we do this we have to make sure that we do it strenuously contending with all the energy of Christ. So powerfully Works in us, that's what we need to do, we need to rely on him. So I feel again why we are praying for taking time to pray for these kids to hear the truth because they need to hear these true. So they know they're valuable. So, you know, their purpose. How many lives would be spared and how much tragedy would be avoided if kids knew this I just think of our world, people are hurting, they need these truths, and we need to share them with them and we can't do it all. We need Christ's strength as we do. This is that was thinking about this and and all that we're going to share with the kids. It did remind me of Psalm 8, and so I'm going to just share this with you from the scripture this morning. So I'm a soul mate, where David says, Lord our Lord. How Majestic is your name in all the Earth? You upset your glory and Heaven through the praise of children and infants, who have established a stronghold against your enemies to silence the phone, the Avenger. And yeah, I love that through the phrase. An infant's man is as he's can't hear about God, who created them, as they get these truths and hear that doesn't that make a stronghold against the enemy in the attacks, the world against them for the rest of their lives? Absolutely, we need to share these with these kids. When I consider your Heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars. What you have said and placed, what is Mancow I need your mind for them human beings that you care for them. Yeah. What is the point? Why what's so special about people? You made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with Glory and Honor. Again, there's sometimes actually read an article this week, we're where they were talking to Christians, they just generally ask the Christian audience. So, you know, what would you say, how would you describe Mankind? And just a few words, I would use do it and they get what they came up with worthless centers. Sound familiar. Something you might hear from Christians, but is it true? Synergy address. Worthless. No, extremely valuable. Extremely valuable.

Extremely valuable, crowned with glory and honor. God, created us in His image to have great value. You may their rulers of the works of your hands, you put everything under their feet, all flocks, and herds the animals of the wild, the birds, in the sky, the fish, in the sea, all the swim, the path of the Seas, Lord, our Lord. How Majestic is your name in all the Earth? Again just God created us with great value. There was another song that I I ran across as I was thinking about this this week so I'm 49 and encourage you to read this. I'll put it on faith life for the homework this week. Reese's no one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them. The Ransom of a life is costly, no payment is Ever Enough.

And again in the context he's talking about how you know what we are all destined to die and people are going to die in the things that they get, all the riches, everything else they can't possibly buy their life or buy more time. Death is going to come separation from God, will come to all those who do not receive Christ, and no matter what they try to offer God, whether it's good things they do, or I'll look at all the walls and everything else. I have God looked in the cannasseur in our culture. Don't we look at people. We sailed look, this person is valuable because look at their status or look at how much money they have her. And we base value upon these external things. Forgot that, you know what all that is worthless? Because no matter how much status you have no man out how much riches you have. That can't buy you a single day. I cannot buy you eternal life. Know a life is costly, it's more valuable than anything else.

So what's our hope, it's all 49 later on. He says, you know what, they may trust in those things, but me God will Redeem Me from the realm of the dead. He will surely take me to himself. He will surely take me to redeem. He alone can save us, Grand US, eternal life. And how did he do that? Well, Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness to purify for himself. A people that are his very own eager to do, what is good? And that's what we're going to be sharing with the kids that God created you with infinite value, value beyond what anybody, cuz they don't let anybody ever tell you. You are worthless or valuable that you are just an accident of nature. You are not God created you invaluable unfortunately he created us to be in a relationship ever since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God, it said you're what? We don't want to listen to you, you're the Creator, you know what's good for us. But we don't care what you say. We want what we want and they disobeyed God, they failed to live up to his image to live up to what he created them to be. Will God instead of scrapping is his creation, which he could have done, they would have been just enjoying. So anybody ever make anything? It didn't turn out quite the way you wanted what you do with it.

If it's woodworking a burn it and start over. If it's a clay pot you smash it and start reforming it. God didn't do that. God says no, you're too valuable for me just to scrap. I still love you even though you disobeyed me even though you broke the relationship, I still love you and you're so valuable that. Jesus Christ came down here to Earth. Lived as a man lived, a perfect life, never never sitting never doing anything country. We got said perfect life so that he could lay down his invaluable life. To pay the penalty for our sins. To make it possible for whoever will receive him whoever believes in his name. To be restored, become a child of God, to have eternal life. That's what we want to share with the kids with the families this week. And we want to encourage you to come out and be a part of what's going on and we can all be a part of what's going on. Even if you can't come out during the day, you can come Friday night, but you can also all week long. Be a part of this outrage through prayer and so we're going to take the next few moments of our service here. I'm going to ask the elders to come up and eat the elders is going to pray and I'm going to ask you to pray along with them. Come on up, man. I'm just continuing to talk until you get here. We're going to ask the elders to come up and pray and in every one of you can pray. And again we have some prayer suggestions and encouraged to take it this week. I will be putting up some supposed on faith life for each day. What we're going to be covering so you can pray specifically for the lesson pray. Specifically, the kids will learn the truth from that day, but I will go ahead and let Jim start. Then we'll just pass the mic on down. You play one after the other.

Father God.

Lord, we we ask that you would look down with Mercy on all of the efforts that will be put forth in this week to come. We we pray for 14 for a good weather or do. We pray that there's very few things that can demonstrate to everyone that you are The Sovereign of the universe other than other than the weather? This is this is it if we ignore everything else, but you are the one who controls the weather and whether there are hurricanes or tornadoes or rain storms, or wind storms or beautiful weather, you control it. And there is no denying that and we ask you for your mercy that you would look down lord and understand that that the effort that is being that is being done here. Lord, For Your Glory, for the furtherance of your kingdom and we pray that you would hold back on the rain. In the end, the end, the wind. Severe weather Lord with it, you would bless us with good weather with moderate temperatures, and clear skies, Lordan and that you would help us to be able to have a good successful a week weather wise Lord. We we pray also for the safety and the safety of all the folks who are coming through Super Summer Slam and the staff and other folks who are coming to put on presentations, we ask for safety for traveling Mercies. We pray that everyone would not do not encounter anyone, any any type of traffic issues, Lord or vehicle problems, but that you would keep your hand of blessing upon upon the Sanford. Lord. We also pray for all of the all of the logistics that are involved in all of the moving of things and people from one point to another, there are a lot of things and, and people that have to be moved from point A to point B. And Lord, we pray that you would provide the feed, the people, and the vehicles. And and, and in trailers and everything that that's need to, to be able to get the things where they're supposed to be. Or we also pray for the folks who are going to be giving presentations for the teachers and the instructors in the counselors. And also, for the special ones that we have coming will be making a special special presentations, special guests or the that that you would give them good success that you would bless their efforts Lord and, and, and just help everything to work out. Well, Lord. And, and, and, and we just, we, we just We would ask that we would all keep in mind. This is for the year further glory and the furtherance of your kingdom. Pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Dear God. I would just ask that, you would be with us each one. Every person that will be responsible for working with children in this week ahead. Pray. Also, for these children, the children will be there in for their families and ask that you would be working in each one of us in Mighty ways touching our hearts Opening Our Eyes. Helping us Lord to be aware of every moment that you're giving us opportunities to be an example to these children. And we pray that you would give us the wisdom to see what things we can do. And what things we can say, to help these kids have their eyes opened more wider to, possibly would hope see you clearly and to see you at work in their lives and in our lives, as we work with them, every moment of every day of the Super Summer Slam program, we just pray that when that time is through many of these kids and hopefully their families as well will have had a close encounter with you so that they will know very well and very clearly who you are and for all this I just pray and ask you for this to be brought about in Christ's name.

or they say Amen to the prayers that have already been lifted up to you and I would add that you would bind Satan has hands as this week moves forward, And Lord, we know that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and authorities, the powers of Darkness would try to do anything to try to disrupt what takes place and pray that none of this would happen and that the Lord Jesus Christ would prevail. Thank you. That greater. Is he? That is in us than he does in the world. And Lord, I pray is the creation story is taught and salvation that it would penetrate the hearts of all the children that are there. Especially as for Mike mention over a third of them might not know you was Lord and Savior. We pray that none of them would leave unsaved. Pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Father, we do, we seek you with all of our hearts Lord. This cannot happen without you. We are merely your, your hands and feet your servants. And, and where we need you to be the one to lead and guide us, and give us your strength. And that's what I really want to pray for this week. Lord, that you would give all the leaders Strength, that comes from you. Wisdom that comes from your wisdom to share the truth about you. With these children. And Lord that the children's heart to be open to receive that truth. For all the teaching times in into small groups, for those 20-minute times of of being in your word Lord and and seeking your spirit to do that work, I pray for each one of the groups that that you would be mightily at work doing the things that we are asking you to do in their hearts and Minds. And in the hearts and Minds at the L.

Father, we trust that you will be the one who is glorified through all of this. We trust that the outcome. And all these details that were asking you, how pain will be a result of your Mighty work. And where we we asked you would continue to bring people into your kingdom and that we would be used as your instruments to to be a small part of that work that you are doing. As our Lord, we thank you for all that you have already done. Continue to recognize all of that in and give you. Thanks and I'll praise honor and Glory. That's in Jesus name. I pray amen.

Could I ask everyone now? We're going to take some time to sing a song. We're going to prepare our hearts. We're going to celebrate communion. We're going to actually take time to celebrate. What it is. We're sharing with the kids this week price with