Lifetouch is also helping “Feed the Need” in our community. For every family photographed, Blackhawk will be given $1, at the end of our photography sessions that money will be sent to a local food pantry of our choice. We ask that you also bring a can good item to your sitting, and again, that food will be collected and brought to a local food pantry. We are very excited with Lifetouch’s passion for the hungry right here where we live.

Sign-up on-line and receive a $10 coupon towards any pictures you may want to purchase (no obligation to buy). Seniors (60 and older), and those who are active military, police, and/or fire receive 20% off your purchase and can be used with your $10 coupon!

Don’t miss out! Be a part of our directory and sign up today!

For additional information or questions please contact Sue Stump at 260-485-6773.

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Whether at church, school, business or home, you are leading people and projects every day. You’re leading in a culture that is constantly changing and redefining itself. Leadership takes perseverance, dedication and a commitment to stretch your mind, expand your heart and use your God-given gifts to impact your world in real and powerful ways.

August 8-9, 2013 you’re invited to gather with thousands of leaders across North American for The Global Leadership Summit. Commit now to be a part of this annual event designed to stretch and challenge you with world-class speakers, interactive dialogue and practical training. We are pleased to host The Global Leadership Summit 2013.

If you attend Blackhawk Ministries and would like to register for The Global Leadership Summit, please enter the password you received in the box below and click “register.”

• Memorizing the monthly Bible verse in Sunday School.  In recent days, God has been impressing on my heart Psalm 119:9-11 which says:  “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  We want to make sure that we are doing everything that we can do to help kids hide God’s Word in their hearts.  Challenge your kids along with us by using the Parent Cue Cards at home.

• Prayer.  We are excited about broadening our kids understanding and use of prayer.  Our volunteers have been encouraged to dedicate time each week to teaching kids about prayer and helping them participate in it.  We want to be a prayer support to you as well. The Children’s Ministries webpage will have a prayer request link under the “parents” section, so that you can submit prayer requests for the staff to be praying over.

See you Sunday morning!

I love saying that out loud…forgiveness for free.  It quickly brings to mind the reality of what Jesus did for us.  I know that having something concrete or physical helps in remembering things, and so I gave all of the kids plastic spider rings.  It is supposed to serve as a reminder to willingly forgive others.  So, if you see a spider ring around your house, I hope it now reminds you about forgiveness and that you will use it to prompt your kids as they learn about and extend forgiveness to people.  I am even going to try it myself with real spiders!  Instead of yelling for someone to squash it for me, I am going to try and think of forgiveness.  Forgiveness that has been given freely to me and forgiveness that I should in turn extend for free.

Volunteers!  I wish I had time to hand write each of you individually, but I was so overcome with gratitude for you on Sunday that I had to let you know!  It is easy to get caught in the routine of Sunday coming every week, and it is easy for me to get lost in the “job” of filling volunteer spots.  Sunday was different.  God opened my eyes (despite the  busyness of the morning) to the awesome opportunity and subsequent fruit that we get to be a part of.  Not only did one of your fellow volunteers surrender their life to Christ, one of our kids did too.  On top of that, many parents and family members of our kids gave their lives during the worship Service.

 Sunday School is important.  What you do is important!  Crafts, coloring sheets, snacks and games are important.  They are important because at the end of the day, they help point our kids and their families to Jesus!  They point us to Jesus.  I hope that you are able to take a moment this week to praise God for all that He did on  Sunday, and thank Him for the unequaled privilege that we get in serving kids here at Blackhawk.

This week as I have been thinking about what I shared in the service about planting kids in good soil.  Although what I shared was in the context of kids through Compassion, it dawned on me that I am often talking to parents here about making sure that they are doing things that help dig deep spiritual roots for their kids.  Kids need more than to just attend church on Sundays to truly understand what it means to follow Christ.  They need to be building experiences and patterns that allow them to learn that God is a part of their every day life.

Consider sponsoring a Compassion child and not only impacting the life of a child who is in physical and spiritual need but impacting your own children with the reality of what it means to love and care for someone in need.  Check them out at www.compassion.com