My First Bible & A New Director of Kids Ministry // M-Note 10.6.23

I still remember receiving my first Bible in church. We were called up on the stage, the pastor said something (I don’t remember what), and then they handed me a brand new Bible. When I got home, I took a red marker and wrote my name really large on the inside just to make sure everyone knew it was mine. I still have it on my bookshelf today, as does my wife Jess.

I think some people believe reading the Bible is only for adults or too complicated for kids. But, the opposite is true. I find that kids often have an easier time letting go of the need to understand everything right away, are more easily drawn into the stories, and demonstrate a natural curiosity that motivates them to read. But none of this happens if we don’t foster and encourage it.

At The Gathering, we want to encourage kids to read the Bible and begin to see just how relevant and meaningful it can be to their lives. That’s why on Sunday, October 15, we’ll be giving a brand new kids Bible to every one of our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders during Sunday worship at all of our sites! If one (or more) of your kids fall into that range, make plans to be there. It will be a special Sunday.

I’m am also excited to announce that Dr. Elizabeth Hogan is joining our staff as the new Director of Kids Ministry at McCausland. She will be starting on October 30. I’m eager for Gathering parents and kids to get to know Elizabeth.

She is a longtime member of the church, makes regular appearances in the worship band at Clayton, and is a Gathering parent herself to two elementary aged daughters. Elizabeth has experience working with learners of all ages in non-profit, K-12, and higher education settings, having earned her PhD in Learning Teaching and Curriculum and a BS in Education from the University of Missouri, as well as a Master of Music degree from Michigan State University. Having someone with this level of professional expertise in addition to personal knowledge of The Gathering in this role is an incredible gift, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come under Elizabeth’s leadership.

Finally, we’re kicking off a new series this weekend, No Regrets: Moving Beyond Mistakes. Pastor Charity will be preaching, and you don’t want to miss it. The beginning of a new series is a great time to invite someone new, and this series will be especially relevant to a lot of folks who struggle with regret or who are trying to move on from past mistakes in their life. I hope you will be there!

Blessings,

Matt

P.S. As I write this, I am on a plane traveling to Mozambique with a small team of people from The Gathering. We’ll be visiting the refugee camp where we recently funded a well through our Christmas Eve offering, along with several other recently completed wells. I’ll be posting updates throughout the trip on my Pastor Matt Miofsky Facebook Page. Follow me to be sure you see them. I’d also really appreciate your prayers for the trip. If you would, please post them here in the comments so I can share them with the rest of the team. I look forward to seeing you all and telling more about the trip when I return!