Here ya go, folks. A choice of videos for your viewing pleasure. Both show re-caps of our wonderful week of Music Camp. The first one is shorter and very well done by our own Clarence Rolle from church (works for Ministry of Tourism here). The second was produced by the Metro Life team and is quite a bit longer (and also shows a lot of their personal mission experience).
ENJOY!
http://vimeo.com/72848212
https://vimeo.com/72708139
Thursday 22 August 2013
Saturday 17 August 2013
finding our rhythm again
Happy Saturday to you. I am so thankful for the last few weeks of busyness and guests in our home! Just when we need it, God fills our lives with great people and wonderful experiences. Music Camp, the crew that came to serve from the U.S. Sovereign Grace Churches, and having Gracie Brown stay with us over the last two weeks were God's provision to us.
Gracie is a kindred- spirit- friend of Keaton's whom she met while we were at the Pastor's College. I will never forget, upon leaving Lancaster for the PC, John Haughery telling us of his special childhood friend whom he had met years before when HE was a boy in Gaithersburg. Same type of PC training model...families together for months, then sent out to churches all over. John's boyhood friend ended up being a friend for life and stood with him on his wedding day. Keaton had no such hopes for her year at the PC...yet God blessed her with Gracie.
Having her visit with us for two weeks was a reminder of how God can alter the course of our lives through relationships...and we never know when or where we are going to meet people who may become forever etched into our future.
These past weeks and days, we've also had the chance to bond more with Chris and Stephanie Jessee. Chris is the director of worship, youth, and children's ministries at Metro Life Church in Orlando. He stayed with us back in April? when the Orlando prophecy team came. We met up with he and his lovely wife and kids during our short stay in Orlando this July. Then we were able to work together during our week of Music Camp, and host them for a few nights after the rest of the team headed home.
We also met some wonderful adults and teens from Niceville, FL, Philadelphia, Clearwater, FL, Miami, FL, Charleston, SC, and Gainesville, FL. We were blessed to the gills when mission team members showed up with bags of coffee, 9 containers of Goldfish (which my girls requested), toiletry items, books, chocolate chips...the list goes on. They already were serving us so amazingly just by coming to help staff our Music Camp, but they went above and beyond by bringing us treats! God continues to amaze our children by the way he provides gifts like this that we often can't provide for ourselves. It's our "manna" we tell them. Can't keep it and horde it, but while it's here, let's enjoy it, share it, and give God thanks.
I meant to give a resounding "THANK YOU LORD!" for the amazing turnout we had at our Music Camp held August 6-9. All in all, 97 children came at one point or another to our camp, with an average attendance of 85 each day. Only 15 of those were from our church. So...70 or so visiting children were exposed to the gospel each day. Along with that, we had 83 children perform Friday night...in front of all their parents, siblings, and extended family. I have never seen our church so full!! We pray God will water and fertilize these gospel seeds that have been planted. In conjunction with this Music Camp, Keith would like to begin a Community Children's Choir with practices held in our church either weekly or bi-weekly. He mentioned this idea at the concert last Friday night, and it was met with hearty applause from the parents. This would be a way to provide underprivileged kids with an opportunity to belong to something positive and skill-related. They would receive musical training, social connections to Christian children, and ultimately be exposed to the gospel weekly. We pray God works out the details and provides all that would be needed for such an endeavor. Will you pray along with us?
Gracie is a kindred- spirit- friend of Keaton's whom she met while we were at the Pastor's College. I will never forget, upon leaving Lancaster for the PC, John Haughery telling us of his special childhood friend whom he had met years before when HE was a boy in Gaithersburg. Same type of PC training model...families together for months, then sent out to churches all over. John's boyhood friend ended up being a friend for life and stood with him on his wedding day. Keaton had no such hopes for her year at the PC...yet God blessed her with Gracie.
These past weeks and days, we've also had the chance to bond more with Chris and Stephanie Jessee. Chris is the director of worship, youth, and children's ministries at Metro Life Church in Orlando. He stayed with us back in April? when the Orlando prophecy team came. We met up with he and his lovely wife and kids during our short stay in Orlando this July. Then we were able to work together during our week of Music Camp, and host them for a few nights after the rest of the team headed home.
We also met some wonderful adults and teens from Niceville, FL, Philadelphia, Clearwater, FL, Miami, FL, Charleston, SC, and Gainesville, FL. We were blessed to the gills when mission team members showed up with bags of coffee, 9 containers of Goldfish (which my girls requested), toiletry items, books, chocolate chips...the list goes on. They already were serving us so amazingly just by coming to help staff our Music Camp, but they went above and beyond by bringing us treats! God continues to amaze our children by the way he provides gifts like this that we often can't provide for ourselves. It's our "manna" we tell them. Can't keep it and horde it, but while it's here, let's enjoy it, share it, and give God thanks.I meant to give a resounding "THANK YOU LORD!" for the amazing turnout we had at our Music Camp held August 6-9. All in all, 97 children came at one point or another to our camp, with an average attendance of 85 each day. Only 15 of those were from our church. So...70 or so visiting children were exposed to the gospel each day. Along with that, we had 83 children perform Friday night...in front of all their parents, siblings, and extended family. I have never seen our church so full!! We pray God will water and fertilize these gospel seeds that have been planted. In conjunction with this Music Camp, Keith would like to begin a Community Children's Choir with practices held in our church either weekly or bi-weekly. He mentioned this idea at the concert last Friday night, and it was met with hearty applause from the parents. This would be a way to provide underprivileged kids with an opportunity to belong to something positive and skill-related. They would receive musical training, social connections to Christian children, and ultimately be exposed to the gospel weekly. We pray God works out the details and provides all that would be needed for such an endeavor. Will you pray along with us?Thursday 8 August 2013
filled to capacity
Kingdom Life Music Camp 2013 started off with a BANG this past Tuesday at 9am. With over 80 kids in attendance the first day, we realized God had answered above and beyond the prayers we prayed for this camp's attendance. Today was day 3of 4 and we are still in the 80-85 marker for kids coming. WOW. That's a lot of kids, you know?
It feels as if every inch of our church building is filled with humanity. It feels as if every inch of our strength is being called upon to love and serve these kids the best way possible this week. Broken and spilled out...I think I said that a few posts back. We are so tired we can't think straight at night (sorry, 'cause nighttime is the ONLY time I have to blog!) I would love to be more eloquent, but for now I'll leave you with some names, numbers, and pictures.
J-quan, Dave, Savannah, Maquanda, Stephen, St. Clair, Jermaine, Samuel, Keni, Kennae, Alisha, Ephraim, Paris, William...just a few of the many beautiful children I get to love on this week...pray for them...pray for salvation...for their parents too...
85 children! We prayed for 60 and God gave us 85!
6 hours a day...long days...kids come early and leave late....
24 hours...24 hours from now the camp will be over, the concert will be over, and we will have shared the gospel with 85 kids and all the moms, dads, aunties, uncles, grandmothers, cousins, and neighbors who came to see them perform.
It feels as if every inch of our church building is filled with humanity. It feels as if every inch of our strength is being called upon to love and serve these kids the best way possible this week. Broken and spilled out...I think I said that a few posts back. We are so tired we can't think straight at night (sorry, 'cause nighttime is the ONLY time I have to blog!) I would love to be more eloquent, but for now I'll leave you with some names, numbers, and pictures.
J-quan, Dave, Savannah, Maquanda, Stephen, St. Clair, Jermaine, Samuel, Keni, Kennae, Alisha, Ephraim, Paris, William...just a few of the many beautiful children I get to love on this week...pray for them...pray for salvation...for their parents too...
85 children! We prayed for 60 and God gave us 85!
6 hours a day...long days...kids come early and leave late....
24 hours...24 hours from now the camp will be over, the concert will be over, and we will have shared the gospel with 85 kids and all the moms, dads, aunties, uncles, grandmothers, cousins, and neighbors who came to see them perform.
Saturday 3 August 2013
community day
WOW! It is hard to imagine that just a year ago, we were doing our mall "Community Day" presentation for the first time. Keith's parents and nephew Jess were here for it. Today the same bench where they sat was just across from our booth, and I looked longingly at it, thinking, if I just stared long enough, Jackie would re-appear there. But she didn't. She's with Jesus. And I wouldn't take her away from Him for anything.
In honor of her, I wore the blouse we bought her for her birthday on that trip. I was able to reclaim it on our trip to Florida last month. And how Jackie would have loved to hear our Children's Choir singing today... And maybe she did?
We must have handed out a hundred balloons today, greeted many families, and invited their children to our upcoming Music Camp/VBS this week. I believe we received about 15 more registrations today, bringing out grand total to 69. We were praying for 60, and 69 would be wonderful!
Our worship team sounded exceptionally good in the mall, proclaiming the goodness of God and the kindness of our Savior. Many people gathered around for songs such as "How Great Thou Art" and "Blessed Assurance." Keith was even interviewed on a Christian Radio station! He had mentioned to the radio guy in passing, that this kind of religious activity would never be welcomed at a mall in the U.S. The man found that interesting, so they began interviewing Keith. Cool? I think so. It also provided an opportunity for him to pitch the Music Camp one more time! God's ways are definitely higher than ours.
All in all, we had a full but wonderful day as a church. Gracie Brown, Keaton's dear friend she met at Pastor's College in 2011 is here for 2 weeks, and already she's been a blessing. We look forward to our time with her and all she will add to our mission this week!
The girls and I will be serving dinner again out at Adventure Learning Camp this week, filling in for dear Mindy who just had her knee operated on. Have no fear, the Bunting Girls (and Gracie) are here! The camp is where our mission group from Florida is staying anyway, so by cooking out there, we'll only get to spend more time with them!
Pray for us as we step into this week of serving, morning, noon, and night. We know we will make some amazing memories and see God move in ways we haven't yet. Pray for stamina, safety and health, resources, children to be saved, and for those of us who know Christ to be drawn closer to Him. We couldn't do this without you all praying!! Keep up the good work. 'Til next time...
In honor of her, I wore the blouse we bought her for her birthday on that trip. I was able to reclaim it on our trip to Florida last month. And how Jackie would have loved to hear our Children's Choir singing today... And maybe she did?
We must have handed out a hundred balloons today, greeted many families, and invited their children to our upcoming Music Camp/VBS this week. I believe we received about 15 more registrations today, bringing out grand total to 69. We were praying for 60, and 69 would be wonderful!
Our worship team sounded exceptionally good in the mall, proclaiming the goodness of God and the kindness of our Savior. Many people gathered around for songs such as "How Great Thou Art" and "Blessed Assurance." Keith was even interviewed on a Christian Radio station! He had mentioned to the radio guy in passing, that this kind of religious activity would never be welcomed at a mall in the U.S. The man found that interesting, so they began interviewing Keith. Cool? I think so. It also provided an opportunity for him to pitch the Music Camp one more time! God's ways are definitely higher than ours.
All in all, we had a full but wonderful day as a church. Gracie Brown, Keaton's dear friend she met at Pastor's College in 2011 is here for 2 weeks, and already she's been a blessing. We look forward to our time with her and all she will add to our mission this week!
The girls and I will be serving dinner again out at Adventure Learning Camp this week, filling in for dear Mindy who just had her knee operated on. Have no fear, the Bunting Girls (and Gracie) are here! The camp is where our mission group from Florida is staying anyway, so by cooking out there, we'll only get to spend more time with them!
Pray for us as we step into this week of serving, morning, noon, and night. We know we will make some amazing memories and see God move in ways we haven't yet. Pray for stamina, safety and health, resources, children to be saved, and for those of us who know Christ to be drawn closer to Him. We couldn't do this without you all praying!! Keep up the good work. 'Til next time...
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| Keva and Kristin...kindred spirits |
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| Beautiful Tia...2 weeks 'til college! |
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| Kendall and Sarah...fun friends |
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| Donovan loves Pastor Keith! |
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