Hey Friends and Family!
I think it’s about time I update you on some things that have been happening the last few weeks! A couple of weeks ago, we kicked off our weekly young adult and youth summer studies! The young adults meet on Wednesday nights and the youth group meets on Thursday nights.
In the young adult study, we are reading through Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I actually had never read Mere Christianity until now – and wow, it has been good and challenging. Charlie (the other intern) and I start each study by summarizing the chapter(s) and then ask a discussion question for each chapter. There have been around 12-14 total of us that have been meeting each week which is such a praise! UCC (United Community Church) kicked off the young adult ministry at the beginning of the year, so this is the first summer study they’ve done. It’s really cool being apart of it and being able to help lead it. The past few weeks, we’ve discussed objective morality, why everyone has a sense of “right and wrong”, and how evil is a corruption of good – all pointing to our sin nature. Jesus was the only one who could have paid the price for our sin – the perfect, spotless lamb. My love for Jesus in what He did for me on the cross has grown so much the past few weeks.
In youth group, there have been more students coming than what we first thought. In the summer, many people go on holiday for weeks on end and it can vary how many show up (similar at our church) – but there have been 15 or so kids that have been coming each week! Praise God! We are going through a book study titled “Set The Example” – it’s a deep dive study into 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity”. The first week, we discussed the overall message of this verse. Then, in the following weeks we are discussing more about what it looks like to be an example in all “speech, conduct, love, faith, purity”. The chapters of this book are not long, so when we gather, we read the chapter all together and then we split up into guys and girls small groups and talk about it. I’ve enjoyed leading the girls and connecting with them.
Thank you to all who have been praying for me while I’ve been here. I’m so grateful, and I feel like I’ve adjusted well. The church staff here has been great to work with and they’ve made me feel so welcomed. God has heard and answered many prayers: making friends, being faithful in the little things (such as helping me make it on the train in time haha), helping me adjust, and teaching me to rely on Him.
Prayer Requests: please pray for Charlie and I as we continue leading – that we would allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us, pray for the young adults and youth- that they will grow in their faith and love for Jesus over this summer, pray that I have confidence in the gifts God has given me and that my faith would be stronger than my feelings, protection from the enemy, boldness to share the gospel, and that I enjoy and soak in every moment while I’m here – time is flying!
I love and miss my church family. Thank you all for your love and support. God is and has been so good to me.
