We kicked off our first full day by worshiping with our partner churches and sharing a meal with the congregations. This provided the opportunity for the BUMP teams from First EFC from Sioux Falls, North Suburban EFC from Illinois, and Northfield EFC from Minnesota to be introduced to the churches and their communities where they will be serving for the week.
We dove right into the communities, passing out fliers, painting signs, and inviting families to participate in the VBS and Sports Camps that we'll be offering. Prayer-walking gave us the opportunity to ask God to prepare the neighborhoods and cities, as well as our hearts for what He wants to do this week!
All of the teams then came together at the end of the day for the evening rally at New Salem. We played games, worshiped together, and participated in communion.
Pastor Larry then shared with us from the book of Luke, challenging us to look at others as Jesus looked at the woman who poured the alabaster jar of perfume on his feet: with love and acceptance, withholding any judgments that all too easily creep into our minds.
As we ended the evening by listening to Brandon Heath's song "Give Me Your Eyes", we sang it in our own hearts, as a prayer for God to open our eyes to what He wants to do this week both in and through us. It is our desire that God will enable us to see everyone we interact with this week with the same eyes that He always has, filled with love, compassion, and understanding. We pray that God would place in each one of us His heart for these communities, in which He has already been at work.
All of this to say, we are beyond excited to be a part of God's work in the Twin Cities this week! Thank you for partnering with us in prayer for our teams, our churches, and the Cities!
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