Children across America have been looking forward to the end of June since the beginning of September. They all know that the end of June equals summer, and that means vacation. Time to drop the books and uniforms and get ready to play!
Well, life isn't all about playing, and summer isn't about doing nothing. The children need something constructive to do with their time and talents. True, children need to play. And it's also true that they need recreation. But temperance should prevail: don't give them too little to do and don't give them too much to do.
We at South Brooklyn believe that one of the most wholesome activities children can immerse themselves in during the summer months is Vacation Bible School (or just VBS for short). Our VBS this year is based on the "Castles & Crowns" evangelism curriculum. It runs for two weeks, from June 5 to July 16, 2010, from 8:30AM to 1:00PM. During that time, the children sing Bible songs, play Bible games, engage in physical activity like bike and skateboard riding, meet new friends, create arts and crafts, and make new friends, all under the watchful eyes of dedicated staff in a Christian environment.
You should see the children. They're enjoying themselves so much they don't want to go. Instead of reciting the words to songs that talk about negative lifestyles they're singing about Jesus being good to them. Instead of talking about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid they're talking about King Joash. Instead of running the streets they're riding bikes and skateboards.
Click the white triangle to see a slideshow
Elder Marcia Phillip, our Sabbath School Superintendent, implemented the program this year. She is supported by Sisters Diana Cato, Akesia Phillip, Anika McShine, Akilah Phillip, and a few volunteers. They are responsible for sharing Jesus Christ and a safe, Christian environment with your children.
Do you have children that would benefit from such a program? Maybe you know someone with children who would do well to enroll their children? Come out and join us. Spread the word. It's better for your children to be in such an environment instead of places where they would not get the same nurturing.
There's only one week left, so take advantage of the opportunity while you can. Once it's over there won't be another VBS until next year. We have a graduation planned at the end for all of the children who participated. Why not come out and support them? They would love it. (Stay tuned for details of the graduation.)
God bless you, as you bless others.
Elder Scott Hampton
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Not Independent, But Dependent
The United States of America is getting ready to celebrate Independence Day, but many Americans don't feel independent or free. They feel trapped, or enslaved, because they are without sufficient income, a decent job, a reasonable outlook, and are oppressed by financial worries. Such a burden makes them feel as if they are held captive by stress, colonized by woe.
Lifestyles have changed drastically since the economic collapse. Once thriving households are now single-parent income, not double-parent income (some have no working parents). Vacation plans have been scrapped because rent can't be paid. Nights out on the town have been replaced with meager dinners at home. Many areas of individuals lives are made to suffer because of a lack of sufficient income.
Thankfully, unemployment benefits became a reality for many, offering a cushion during the trying months of unemployment. Families were able to depend on the weekly benefits to make it through. Rent was able to be paid, Metrocards were purchased so job-readiness training could ensue, tithe was returned, and other activities could happen. Such was the case for a while. At some point, though, the money to fund unemployment benefits ran out. Lights out, the show's over.
Temporary extensions did materialize, but they were not to last. For whatever series of complex political and economic reasons, the decision to reinstate and/or continue unemployment benefits for the millions of unemployed could not be made. That, coupled with the lack of sufficient jobs for workers, created a devastating situation for the American people, New Yorkers in particular.
Next week, Congress will be taking a week-long break. If the house and Senate cannot come to a positive decision before then, another week of missed benefits will be the reality for the unemployed whose benefits have been terminated. Another week with no money means it will be harder to eat. It will be harder to make ends meet. It will be harder to sleep at night, too.
Why should you care? Laughably, for many reasons. One reason is that you may be next! There is no such thing as job security anymore. Even "good" jobs, like working for the city or state, are not guarnteed anymore. Another reason is that we are our brother's keeper. We have a moral obligation to assist them when they fall upon hardships like these.
So, what can we do? Why not turn to the most effective strategy available to us, as Christians? Let's pray and depend on God. Let's all join together and ask the God of heaven to work the situation out on behalf of the unemployed. For five days straight—July 5th through July 9th—let's pray once per day to God, asking Him to:
God bless you, as you bless others.
Elder Scott Hampton
Lifestyles have changed drastically since the economic collapse. Once thriving households are now single-parent income, not double-parent income (some have no working parents). Vacation plans have been scrapped because rent can't be paid. Nights out on the town have been replaced with meager dinners at home. Many areas of individuals lives are made to suffer because of a lack of sufficient income.
Thankfully, unemployment benefits became a reality for many, offering a cushion during the trying months of unemployment. Families were able to depend on the weekly benefits to make it through. Rent was able to be paid, Metrocards were purchased so job-readiness training could ensue, tithe was returned, and other activities could happen. Such was the case for a while. At some point, though, the money to fund unemployment benefits ran out. Lights out, the show's over.
Temporary extensions did materialize, but they were not to last. For whatever series of complex political and economic reasons, the decision to reinstate and/or continue unemployment benefits for the millions of unemployed could not be made. That, coupled with the lack of sufficient jobs for workers, created a devastating situation for the American people, New Yorkers in particular.
Next week, Congress will be taking a week-long break. If the house and Senate cannot come to a positive decision before then, another week of missed benefits will be the reality for the unemployed whose benefits have been terminated. Another week with no money means it will be harder to eat. It will be harder to make ends meet. It will be harder to sleep at night, too.
Why should you care? Laughably, for many reasons. One reason is that you may be next! There is no such thing as job security anymore. Even "good" jobs, like working for the city or state, are not guarnteed anymore. Another reason is that we are our brother's keeper. We have a moral obligation to assist them when they fall upon hardships like these.
So, what can we do? Why not turn to the most effective strategy available to us, as Christians? Let's pray and depend on God. Let's all join together and ask the God of heaven to work the situation out on behalf of the unemployed. For five days straight—July 5th through July 9th—let's pray once per day to God, asking Him to:
- Restore unemployment benefits to those who are without until they find work
- Open up a job for the unemployed so that they can resume a normal American way of life
- Heal the nation's economy so that fear and lack of faith doesn't drive many to despair
- Allow the unemployed to see God's Hand of Mercy throughout this ordeal
God bless you, as you bless others.
Elder Scott Hampton
Friday, June 25, 2010
Dirty Hands
As the First Elder of South Brooklyn, I maintain regular office hours. This time is set aside as a ministerial service on Friday nights from 7:00PM to 8:30PM for consultations, prayer, and encouragement for the church members and general community.
While I prefer to be on time for my appointments, I understand that distractions do come about (Murphy's Law, anyone?), so I expect to see distractions. I don't always know what to expect, though. In one instance before office hours I was confronted with Murphy's Law and received a very powerful object lesson for my time.
I was busy grouting tiles earlier in the day with a rich, dark, charcoal grout. I am more flexible and dexterous using my bare hands, so I did not wear gloves. I had a great time spreading the grout and working it in between the tiles with the grout float, my hands getting messy from the grout. When I finished, I stood back to admire my hard work. Then I realized the time. I was late to pick up the children from school, so I quickly showered and got ready to leave, not realizing that my hands were still terribly stained from the grout.
Even after the shower, the edges and under my fingernails looked terrible. It looked as if I had been digging for diamonds in a mine. I scrubbed my hands as hard as I could, even using an old toothbrush to scrub away at my hands. It didn't work. I tried using oil to emulsify the grout residue. That didn't work, either. Despite my best efforts the grout simply would not come out.
I rushed to pick up the children and had to sign them out. Embarrassed, I signed the sheet to claim my little ones. I saw the after-school teacher's face when she saw my hands. "Odd", she must have thought, "this fellow is dressed up but his hands look atrocious". I couldn't hide my filthy hands, no matter what I tried to do.
Back at home, I tried scrubbing again. Nothing worked. I only got frustrated with my unsuccessful attempts. I thought of many different ways to hide my hands so no one would see them: keep them in my pockets, keep them under the desk, hold them at odd angles...anything to detract from the pitiful condition of my hands so that no one would notice them.
Finally, it dawned on me. Jesus was trying to reinforce a major truth to me in a remarkable object lesson: "What can wash away my sin? Nothing, but the blood of Jesus!" Isn't that the way it goes with sin? Typically, when someone is confronted with their sin, they do their best to discount or belittle the effects and impact of their sin. There's cover up. There are excuses. There is denial. Through it all, the sin is seen by others and there's no escaping it.
That, my friends, is where Jesus comes in. Listen to what He says in the Bible: Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." That's a relief, not just from the fruitless scrubbing and fig-leaf knitting, but from the problem of trying to hide the sin! Jesus says that we can just sit down and have a good, old-fashioned pow-wow with Him, Mano a mano. He tells us to come to the negotiating table and He'll assume all of the odds, all of the losses, and let us emerge as a winner. Now that's a deal!
I have some dirt to scrub off. Some crimson stains, and I want to get this embarrassing dross off of myself, once and for all. How about you? Remember, there's not much to it. Just ask Jesus to clean you up and start over fresh. Tell Him your sins, ask to be forgiven, and walk away clean. If you ned help, stop by our church. Our Pastor and Elders are more than willing to coach you along.
God bless you, as you bless others.
Elder Scott Hampton
While I prefer to be on time for my appointments, I understand that distractions do come about (Murphy's Law, anyone?), so I expect to see distractions. I don't always know what to expect, though. In one instance before office hours I was confronted with Murphy's Law and received a very powerful object lesson for my time.
I was busy grouting tiles earlier in the day with a rich, dark, charcoal grout. I am more flexible and dexterous using my bare hands, so I did not wear gloves. I had a great time spreading the grout and working it in between the tiles with the grout float, my hands getting messy from the grout. When I finished, I stood back to admire my hard work. Then I realized the time. I was late to pick up the children from school, so I quickly showered and got ready to leave, not realizing that my hands were still terribly stained from the grout.
Even after the shower, the edges and under my fingernails looked terrible. It looked as if I had been digging for diamonds in a mine. I scrubbed my hands as hard as I could, even using an old toothbrush to scrub away at my hands. It didn't work. I tried using oil to emulsify the grout residue. That didn't work, either. Despite my best efforts the grout simply would not come out.
I rushed to pick up the children and had to sign them out. Embarrassed, I signed the sheet to claim my little ones. I saw the after-school teacher's face when she saw my hands. "Odd", she must have thought, "this fellow is dressed up but his hands look atrocious". I couldn't hide my filthy hands, no matter what I tried to do.
Back at home, I tried scrubbing again. Nothing worked. I only got frustrated with my unsuccessful attempts. I thought of many different ways to hide my hands so no one would see them: keep them in my pockets, keep them under the desk, hold them at odd angles...anything to detract from the pitiful condition of my hands so that no one would notice them.
Finally, it dawned on me. Jesus was trying to reinforce a major truth to me in a remarkable object lesson: "What can wash away my sin? Nothing, but the blood of Jesus!" Isn't that the way it goes with sin? Typically, when someone is confronted with their sin, they do their best to discount or belittle the effects and impact of their sin. There's cover up. There are excuses. There is denial. Through it all, the sin is seen by others and there's no escaping it.
That, my friends, is where Jesus comes in. Listen to what He says in the Bible: Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." That's a relief, not just from the fruitless scrubbing and fig-leaf knitting, but from the problem of trying to hide the sin! Jesus says that we can just sit down and have a good, old-fashioned pow-wow with Him, Mano a mano. He tells us to come to the negotiating table and He'll assume all of the odds, all of the losses, and let us emerge as a winner. Now that's a deal!
I have some dirt to scrub off. Some crimson stains, and I want to get this embarrassing dross off of myself, once and for all. How about you? Remember, there's not much to it. Just ask Jesus to clean you up and start over fresh. Tell Him your sins, ask to be forgiven, and walk away clean. If you ned help, stop by our church. Our Pastor and Elders are more than willing to coach you along.
God bless you, as you bless others.
Elder Scott Hampton
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