Good morning. It has been a while since I blogged and I don't know if I am back to every week or just at random times. I did want to take a minute and update you on Children's activities. Let me start with Sundays. Diane Robinette has now been teaching the 4 yr olds- 1st graders for several weeks. She has done a fabulous job adding some new touches to the classroom. The little kids seem to have adjusted well to having a new teacher and I am excited at how that class is moving along. I have to tell y'all a funny story about the first Sunday Diane taught on Baby Moses. Most of y'all know that I keep a little baby during the day. Jami was sitting in his recliner & Jack looked over at Jami, very seriously, and asked him," was he going to hurt the baby?" Jami of course looked confused and shocked and said, " No. Why would I hurt the baby?" Jack proceeds to tell us about the King (Pharaoh) wanting the babies dead and Moses floating in the river in a basket. Jami looked at him and said, " Son, I am not a King and if I was I don't think I would be the kind of King that would hurt babies." That was it. Jack had no other questions but Jami and I was very excited that he came home from church telling us a Bible story.  I believe both SS classes have had good attendance which is great after lower attendance over summer. I love a full class! As most of you know we have Children's church every week and that is normally for all kids 4 yrs -5th grade, which is a wide age range to teach. Vicky and Clifton came forward and wanted to teach the younger kids some Bible songs so for the past 3 weeks the 4, 5 & some 6 yr olds have gone with them and started learning songs. They plan on singing for the church October 12. For those parents with kids in that group go ahead and tell the grandparents, the aunts and uncles & the rest of the family. You know they will want to see their favorite little one sing! Children's church for the older kids is going great too. We started a new program at the beginning of September and we are also working on memorizing the books of the Bible.

Wednesday nights in the Kidz Zone is going great too. We have changed some things up this year and so far I am pleased. We have 2 different classes depending on the child's age, both have the same    lesson but the younger class lesson is on a preschool level. After both groups have the lesson we then   split up for Bible drills or Bible buddies depending on the age group.   I am looking forward to seeing the children grow in their Bible skills.

I know it seems like a long time  until Christmas but the children's dept. is planning for it now. Our Christmas musical is called " Unplugged Christmas" and Ashley will begin practice during Children's  church in October. We will also do Sunday evening practices like last yr. I'll give you the start date for those practices and a time as we get closer. The children will perform the musical Sunday night, December 7. Put that on your calendars.

As far as upcoming events we have a few to mention. Friday,  October 3, will be family movie night in the gym. We are having a double feature, "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit." Both are animated, G rated movies. FREE concessions will be available at 6:00, movies will start at 6:30. Feel free to bring a chair or blanket. This is a great opportunity to invite grand kids, neighbors and friends to join us. On Saturday, October 11, the kids dept will go to the Green Farm Pumpkin Patch. We will meet at the church at 9:30 & follow each other to the Pumpkin Patch which is in Southside. The cost is $10 for kids and $7 for adults. This includes a hayride, nature trail, fun maze & zip line. The pumpkin you chose is extra. I think this will be a fairly quick trip so I am looking at lunch for us but haven't decided on a location yet. The last event for October is the Trunk or Treat. It will be October 25, from 6-8. This is a church wide event and there will be a meeting Sunday right after preaching to see how people can help. For those of you new to WBBC and the Trunk or Treat, we gather our cars with trunks decorated and pass out candy to kids, we have games, a real train, face painting, inflatables, hayrides, live music, bake sale and free hot dogs. Our youth normally work the games. I know I need someone to do the hayride, someone to call and try to get a few donations, someone to work the popcorn machine, and free cornstalks would  be great if someone has access to some. I believe Amy Martin is going to handle the bake sale as a  fundraiser for the youth.  We had so many people show up to eat last year that we have decided it would be simpler to only serve hot dogs and chips and not do chili this time. I will go ahead and say that we have a small budget for all we do for T or T, so if anyone would like to donate hot dogs, buns, chips, 2 L drinks, candy, mums, pumpkins, corn stalks and hayplease get with me. Each car supplies their own candy for their trunk but we need tons of candy for the games. Start thinking of costume ideas for yourself and your family. Please remember we need to wear church appropriate costumes.  Whew.. I think that is it.

Please continue to lift the Harwood's, McBurnett's & Runyan families up in prayer. Each of these families have mothers/grandmother's who are very ill. Please continue to pray for my family. Mother was so helpful to me in the early years of the trunk or treat. She gathered donations for many years, would give me her mums to use, order cakes from Cothrans for the bake sale, made chili, and always dressed up & decorated her car. We spent many yrs together planning & decorating for trunk or treat. Driving to SAMs to get hot dogs, decorating on Thursday & Friday nights before T or T on  Saturdays, getting Dad the stuff to grill the hot dogs and cleaning up after it was over. I think she even won the chili cook off one year. Those in her family got a good laugh out of that. She loved the T or t and I can still picture her dressed up last year. Just remember us in your prayers. God hasn't failed me yet so I know He'll give me the strength to get done what needs to be done. Pray for the women tomorrow night as they have an If: Prayer Event. I wanted to also give a BIG shout out to the  youth and adults who delivered furniture to a needy family yesterday and to those who donated items. Way to be the hands and feet of Jesus!!! It is awesome to see teens and adults helping those in need! Please remember that we also have a continuous food mission project for RMS. When you buy groceries pick up a convience item like Poptarts, snack cakes, crackers, fruit snacks and small containers of spaghetti & ravioli so we can help feed students who do not have food after school hours. I hope you all have a great week and I hope to see your child in the Kidz Zone Wednesday night!