Thank you for another great year!

We would like to thank all the children, volunteers, and coordinators who made VBS 2009 a great success. We had a lot of fun with skits, songs, stories, snacks, games and crafts. But most of all, we had fun learning about God's love and forgiveness for us.

We hope you will be able to join the music team for song and fellowship on Sunday, July 12th at 9:50am. For all children, we extend an invitation for Sunday School, starting up again in September, and to VBS 2010!

If you would like some photos of your children taken at this year's VBS program, please email me at rebecca@lcgstranscona.org with your name, your child(ren)'s name(s) and grade(s), and I will email some to you.

Thanks again, everyone! Enjoy the rest of your Summer!

Day 5: the Unthankful Man

So far this week, we've been talking about God forgiving us. In this lesson, we are going to talk about what we need to do.

Jesus told his disciples a story of a king and his servants. One of the servants owed the king millions of dollars, a debt the servant could never repay. The king ordered the servants' wife, children, and all his possessions be sold in order to pay the debt. The servant pleaded for the king to be patient with him until he could pay back what he owed. The king took pity on the servant, cancelled his debt, and let him go.

When the servant left, he found a fellow servant who owed him a few dollars. The servant grabbed him and demanded the man pay him the few dollars owed. The man begged him to be patient with him and promised to pay him back, but the servant refused to listen. Instead he had the man thrown in prison.

Some of the other servants saw this, and told the king what had happened. The king called the servant in. "Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?", he asked. In anger, he turned the wicked servant over to the jailers to be tortured until he paid back all he owed.

Jesus said to his disciples, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." Sometimes this is hard to do. Maybe someone has done something so terrible to you that there seems no way you could ever forgive them. Maybe you can't forgive them, under your own strength. Maybe you'll have to ask God for help. If you refuse to forgive and live with anger in your heart, you will be the one to suffer.

"But if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Matthew 6:14


Daily Prayer

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen"

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honour Me." Psalms 50:15


Participation

42 Registered
38 in Attendance

Day 4: the Confessing Cheater

Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, sons of Rebekah and Isaac. The first-born, Esau, became a skilfull hunter, their father's favourite. Jacob was a quiet man, his mother's favourite. One day, Esau returned from hunting and asked for some of the stew that Jacob was preparing. Jacob offered to give his brother some stew in exchange for his birthright. Esau recklessly agreed, so Jacob cheated his brother out of his first-born blessing.

Another time, when it came time for Isaac to bestow his blessings on his sons, Jacob and his mother tricked and deceived Isaac into blessing Jacob in Esau's place. When Esau discovered Jacob's treachery, he was very angry. He threatened to kill his brother, so Jacob fled.

After many years, Jacob wanted to make peace with his brother, Esau, and ask forgiveness. With great fear, he packed up his belongings and his family and prepared for the journey back to his father's land. He sent messengers ahead to tell Esau that he was coming. The messengers returned to say Esau was sending 400 people to meet them. Afraid Esau was planning to attack him with his family, Jacob divided the family into two. But when Esau approached, he ran and embraced his brother.

In this story, Jacob realized that he had done something wrong. He had cheated his brother, Esau, out of what was rightfully his. Jacob could not live with his guilt any longer, and went back to face the consequences.


Daily Prayer

"And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

Day 3: The Returning Rebel

This is one of the parables Jesus told. Once there was a wealthy man who had two sons. They worked side-by-side on his land. One day, the younger demanded from the father his share of the inheritance. The father obliged. Shortly after, the younger son packed his belongings and moved to a distant land. There, he squandered his inheritance on parties and wild living.

At the same time, there was a famine in the land. With no work and little food, the younger son desperately sought a job feeding pigs. He lived and ate with them and, as he pondered his situation, he came to his senses. "How many of my father's hands have food to spare? And here I am starving to death. I will return to my father and ask him to forgive me and make me one of his servants." So he started the journey home.

While still a long way off, his father saw him approaching and ran out to him, embraced and kissed him. The son said, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father called to his servants to bring a robe for his son, a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. "My son was dead and now he is alive! He was lost and now is found!" The servants prepared a wonderful celebration with food, music, and dancing.

The older brother returned from the field to see what was going on. "Your father is celebrating the return of your brother", said the servant. The older brother was angry and refused to join the party. The father pleaded with him. "All these years I served you", said the older son, "but this son of yours has wasted his inheritance and you treat him as an honoured guest." The father hugged his older son and said, "Son, you are always with me and all I have is yours. But now we must celebrate. Your brother was dead and is alive again! He was lost, but now he is home!"

When Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son, he was showing us a picture of how we act with God. We have all fallen short of perfection, and gone away from God. The Bible says there is no one who has not sinned (Romans 3:23). Just like the Prodigal Son, we have to deal with the consequences of our actions. But God is always waiting for us to come back to Him. The Bible says, when a sinner comes back to God, the angels rejoice in Heaven. (Luke 15:7)


Daily Prayer

"Give us this day our daily bread."

"He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate -- bringing forth food from the earth." Psalm 104:14

Day 2: the Forgiving Fugitive

Today's story was of David, the future king of Israel. When David was a young boy, he would tend to his father's sheep, playing his harp and singing God's praises. One day, King Saul sent message that he wanted David to play for him. Soon, David became one of his armor-bearers.

Saul was very pleased with David. That is, until David's highly-praised victory over the giant Philistine, Goliath. People were singing praises to David instead of Saul, which made him furious. Jealously burned in Saul's heart and he decided that David must die. David fled but Saul pursued him relentlessly. While being pursued, David had chances to kill King Saul, but both times spared Saul's life. Saul was humbled and said, "You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly." (1 Samuel 24:17). Saul later died in battle. When he heard about it, David wept, and later became king of the Israelites.

This story depicts true mercy and forgiveness. While being pursued by King Saul, David could have taken revenge and killed Saul to assume the throne. But he spared Saul's life after the opportunity presented itself twice. He wouldn't stand against Saul because Saul was God's appointed king of Israel.


Daily Prayer

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

1 Timothy 2:4: [God] wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."


Participation

42 Registered
36 in Attendance

VBS 2009 is underway!

A huge welcome to all the children and volunteers for this year's VBS program! As we kick off our week together, we are excited to learn about this year's theme, "Forgiveness: the Key to the Kingdom". Join us as we explore five powerful examples of forgiveness from the Bible; God's forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of each other.


Day 1: the Mistreated Dreamer

Jacob had twelve sons, and the youngest was named Joseph. Jacob loved Joseph very much, and gave him a grand present, a beautiful multicoloured coat. His older brothers were furious with jealousy. When Joseph told them about his dreams, the ones where his older brothers were bowing down to him, this made them even more livid. They plotted against him. One day they planned to kill him, but instead decided to sell him to some Ishmaelites for 20 silver pieces. They took his beloved coat, smeared it with animal blood, and brought it home to Jacob, claiming Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

Meanwhile, Joseph was sold into slavery to a man named Potiphar, an officer in the courts of Pharoah. He served Potiphar faithfully and proved to be a great blessing to Potiphar's household.
But when Potiphar's wife lied against Joseph, he was thrown into prison. After several years, Pharoah was plagued by bad dreams. Joseph was released from prison and brought before him to translate these dream; a premonition of a terrible drought that would destroy Egypt. Proving himself reliable and trustworthy, Joseph was made Governor of Egypt, second only to the Pharoah himself.

When the drought hit Egypt, neighbouring Canaan was also badly affected. Some Canaanites travelled to Egypt in search of food. They begged the Governor of Egypt for some food to take back to Canaan. They bowed down at his feet and pleaded. When Joseph saw them, he immediately recognized them as his 10 older brothers but they did not know who he was.

These were the brothers who had taken Joseph from his home, his family, sold him into slavery. Joseph had every right to throw his treacherous brothers into prison or have them executed. But he forgave them. He said to them, "What you meant for evil, God meant for good to accomplish what is now being done; the saving of many lives." What an amazing example of forgiveness.


Daily Prayer

"Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be Thy name."

2 Corrintheans 6:18: "I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."


Prison Fellowship Canada: Angel Tree

This year's mission project is Prison Fellowship Canada. The PFC's mission is to challenge, equip, and serve the body of Christ in its ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families and victims, and to promote the advancement of restorative justice. The PFC's Angel Tree Ministries connect with families and children of inmates. Check out the PFC's website for more information.


Participation

37 Registered
30 in Attendance