This year, Pastor Matt has been challenging us to take being “For Our Neighbors” to the next level by doing three things: Pray, Serve, and Gather. I’d like to ask you to do the same for one of our neighbors that’s close to my heart. It’s our literal neighbor, J.C. Booth Middle School. For some of you (including me) it’s been a while since you’ve been in middle school. But try to remember how much you were going through. It’s a tough time for a teen to start developing their identity and affirm their beliefs and value in themselves.
As the Director of Student Ministries, it’s part my job to help equip the key spiritual influencers in students’ lives. I can’t think of a more key position to influence students than at school. That can be a huge positive but can also be a big negative sometimes. Which is why it’s so important for us to not only support the students, but the faculty, staff, and parents as well.
Will you join me this year in praying for Booth? Pray for the students to learn their value in Christ and that the school can be a safe space for them to work out their identity and social circles. Pray for the faculty and staff, that they can find the best ways to reach the students and be people that the students can rely on. And make sure to pray for their families. A lot goes on at home that we don’t know about and some families just need the support of their community church to be there for them.
We are also going to be providing ways that we can serve and gather with the school community in different ways. Be on the lookout for opportunities coming in the near future. I don’t know about you, but when an entire school was placed on our back step I took that as a huge chance for us to be amazing neighbors to them. We can’t miss it.
