Over the last several weeks, we've been talking about how our Missional Communities can live on mission throughout the Valley. Last week, we looked at organizations like HeartReach, MY House, and local senior facilities, and how our MCs might begin building relationships with people who are already serving our community.

This week, I want us to think about something that I believe can make a tremendous difference in how we approach mission. Who are we bringing along with us?

One of the things I love about Missional Communities is that we have people from different stages of life gathering together. Some of us have young children running around the house. Some have teenagers who seem to have more activities on their calendars than we do. (Believe me...we get this one) Some are empty nesters, and others are enjoying being grandparents.

And every one of those stages of life brings something valuable to our MC family.
But sometimes when we start planning opportunities to serve, we immediately begin thinking about which adults are available. We wonder who can take time off, who can help with a project, or who can volunteer on a Saturday. And we can unintentionally overlook some of the most important people in our MCs. Our kids.

I want us to consider what it would look like to intentionally include our children and teenagers in living on mission.

In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, God instructs His people to keep His words on their hearts and teach them diligently to their children, talking about them throughout the ordinary rhythms of life.

I think there's something beautiful about that picture. Our children learn what it means to follow God through more than the conversations we have with them. They're also watching the way we live.
They see what matters to us.
They see how we spend our time.
They see how we treat people.
They see whether the things we talk about on Sunday actually shape what we do throughout the week.

And that includes how we love and serve others.

Imagine a family in our MC that begins regularly visiting a senior care facility. Maybe the younger kids make cards or draw pictures. Maybe the teenagers sit down and listen to someone's stories. Maybe the adults help with an activity or spend time encouraging residents. Think about what those children are learning.

They're learning that older people have tremendous value. They're learning that sometimes loving someone means slowing down and listening. They're learning that God has given them opportunities to encourage others, even at a young age.

Or imagine our MC helping collect supplies for families through HeartReach. Our kids could help shop for diapers, organize supplies, or prepare something encouraging for parents, depending on what the organization needs and allows.

Now we're giving our children opportunities to participate in loving people they may never have met. And we get to have conversations along the way.
"Why are we doing this?"
"Why do these families need help?"
"Why does Jesus want us to care about people?"
Those are discipleship conversations!

We can explain how God has shown incredible compassion toward us through Jesus and how we now have the privilege of showing compassion to others.

Of course, we also need to be wise. Not every volunteer opportunity is appropriate for every age, and organizations serving vulnerable people often have important safety guidelines. We want to respect those boundaries and find meaningful ways for everyone to participate.

But I hope we won't assume that our children are too young to begin learning what it means to live on mission. And here's something else I love about this. Our MCs can become places where different generations serve together.

Maybe a teenager learns how to care for someone who's hurting by watching an older believer. Maybe a young parent learns something about generosity from a retired couple. Maybe a child asks a question that reminds the rest of us why we're serving in the first place. That's part of what it means to be a family of servant missionaries.

We have opportunities to learn from one another as we serve alongside one another.
And I think that's important because we want our children to grow up understanding that mission is part of the Christian life.

We want them to see that following Jesus shapes how we treat our neighbors, how we respond to people in need, and how we use the gifts God has given us.

So here's my challenge for this week.
As your MC begins thinking about opportunities to serve, ask this question:
"How can we involve the whole family?"

There are lots of ways to participate. And while we're serving, let's be intentional about helping our kids understand why we're doing it. And afterward, ask our children what they noticed and what they learned.

Because we're doing more than meeting a need in our community.
We're also helping raise up another generation of disciples who understand what it means to be on mission with Jesus.

Have a great week. I'm grateful for the way you're loving and investing in the families God has placed in your MCs.

And if you're serving with a bunch of kids, you might want to bring an extra cup of coffee.

Creekside Church
2201 S Knik-Goose Bay Rd, Wasilla, AK 99654, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM

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Creekside Church
2201 S. Knik-Goosebay Rd.
Wasilla, AK 99654

2 Samuel 12:1–18a, 24–25; Psalm 51:1–17

Good morning,

For a while now we've been talking about Life on Mission. We've spent time discussing our One, opening our lives to others, recognizing Gospel opportunities, and seeing the needs God has placed right in front of us.

Last week, we talked about moving beyond simply completing a service project and beginning to build ongoing relationships with the people we serve.

This week, I want us to get a little more practical. Where can our Missional Communities begin serving throughout the Valley?

One of the things I love about living here is that we have some incredible people and organizations who are already doing important work in our communities. There are ministries helping families, organizations caring for vulnerable young people, facilities serving our elderly neighbors, and people working every day to meet needs that many of us may never even realize exist. And I think there's a tremendous opportunity for our MC's to come alongside them.

In Jeremiah 29:7, God tells His people to pursue the well-being of the city where He has placed them and to pray for it. That passage was originally written to God's people living in exile in Babylon, so be sure to understand that context. But there's something worth considering as we think about our own communities. God's people were called to care about the place where they lived. And we should too.

We have the privilege of living in the Valley. This is where God has placed our families, our jobs, our neighborhoods, and our church. We want to be people who genuinely care about the well-being of those around us. So what might that look like?

Maybe our MC has a heart for young families. HeartReach Center here in Wasilla provides pregnancy and parenting support, education, and practical resources for families. What if we connected with them to find out how we could help? Maybe it's collecting needed baby supplies, helping with a facility project, supporting an event, or discovering ways to serve consistently.

Maybe our MC has a heart for teenagers and young adults. MY House works with young people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. They provide practical assistance, meals, support, and opportunities for young people to begin building a more stable future. What would it look like to ask their team where volunteers or resources could make a meaningful difference?

Or maybe our MC could begin building relationships with seniors throughout our Valley.
Think about the residents living in senior care facilities. Some have family nearby, but others may have very few visitors. What if a few people from our MC began visiting regularly, playing games, sharing stories, helping with approved activities, or simply sitting down and listening? I imagine there are some pretty incredible stories we could hear from people who have spent decades living in Alaska. And honestly, they could probably teach this family how to survive the darkness. :)
 
There are food banks, organizations helping families experiencing homelessness, recovery ministries, schools, and community programs that could benefit from people who are willing to give their time and talents.

But here's what I really want us to consider.
Every MC doesn't have to serve in the same place.

We have different people, gifts, schedules, and passions represented throughout our church. That's one of the beautiful things about the body of Christ. God has given us different gifts, and those gifts can be used together for His glory.

What if we began looking at the gifts represented in our MCs and asking how God might use those gifts to bless our Valley?

And I want us to remember what we talked about last week. We're looking for opportunities to build relationships.

If we begin serving with an organization, let's get to know the people who work there. Let's learn about the people they serve. Let's ask how we can support their work rather than arriving with our own agenda.

Some opportunities may involve regular volunteer commitments, training, or background checks. Others may involve gathering resources, helping with events, or supporting a particular need. That's okay. We want to be helpful partners who respect the work these organizations are already doing. And as we serve, we want our lives to reflect the Gospel.

We can demonstrate the compassion of Jesus through our actions, build genuine relationships, and remain ready to share the hope we have in Christ when opportunities arise.

So here's my challenge for this week.
At your next MC gathering, spend some time discussing three questions:

1. What needs in our Valley stir our hearts?
2. What gifts, skills, and resources has God placed within our MC?
3. Is there an organization or group of people we could begin serving consistently?

Then take one step.
Make a phone call. Send an email. Learn about an organization. Ask what they need.
We don't have to figure everything out this week. We simply want to begin exploring where God might be opening doors.

And please keep me in the loop! I'd love to hear what organizations your MC is considering and how we can help encourage and support you.

Imagine what could happen if our Missional Communities began developing relationships with organizations and people throughout the Valley. Different groups serving in different places, all united around the same mission.
Glorifying God.
Proclaiming Jesus.
Making disciples.

We're a family of servant missionaries, and God has given us a pretty incredible place to live out that calling.

Have a great week! Grab another cup of coffee and start dreaming about how God might use your MC to bless our Valley.

What happens after we serve others that are important to us? 
I think one of the things the Church has gotten pretty good at is organizing service projects. We can gather volunteers, collect supplies, make a plan, and spend a Saturday doing something wonderful for our community. And I love that! There are people throughout our Valley who genuinely need help, and I'm grateful that we have people at Creekside who are willing to roll up their sleeves and serve.

But I've been thinking about something I want us to consider as MC leaders. What if the greatest opportunity for mission begins after the service project is finished? Think about it.
We help someone move.
We bring a family a meal.
We help repair something around someone's house.
We volunteer at an organization.
We spend an afternoon meeting a practical need.

Those are all wonderful expressions of Christ's love. But what happens next? Do we ever see those people again? Do we know their names? Do we know what's happening in their lives? Are we continuing to pray for them? Have we created an opportunity for a relationship to develop?

One of the things I love about Jesus' ministry is how intentional He was with people. He didn't simply address the immediate needs around Him. He spent time with people, entered their homes, shared meals, listened to their stories, and invited them to follow Him.

In Matthew 9:36, we read, "When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd."

Jesus saw more than the needs people presented. He saw people who needed a Shepherd. And I think that gives us a beautiful picture of how we can approach Life on Mission.

When we serve someone, we're demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ. As relationships develop, we also have opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel and introduce people to the One who has transformed our lives.

That's where I want our MCs to begin thinking differently. Imagine that our MC discovers an elderly neighbor who needs help maintaining their property. We gather a few people, spend a Saturday helping with yard work, and make a tremendous difference for that person. That's great! But what if we went back?

What if someone stopped by the next week just to visit?
What if we invited that neighbor over for dinner?
What if we remembered their birthday?
What if we continued helping when needs came up, but also began developing a genuine friendship?

Now we've moved beyond completing a project and begun building a relationship!
And that relationship creates opportunities for conversations, prayer, encouragement, and eventually sharing the Gospel.

The same thing can happen when we serve alongside local organizations. There are some wonderful ministries and nonprofits throughout our Valley doing important work. Many of them need volunteers, resources, and people who are willing to serve consistently.

What if an MC decided to build a relationship with one of those organizations?

Instead of showing up once, we began serving regularly. We learned about the people they serve, their staff and their volunteers, and we discovered how to come alongside what they are already doing? And over time, we became people they knew they could count on. I think there's something powerful about that kind of consistency. It communicates that our love and concern extend beyond a single event on the calendar.

And it also gives our MC families opportunities to serve together, using the different gifts and abilities God has given each of us.

Some of us are great at organizing, or fixing just about anything.
Some of us are gifted at listening and encouraging people while others are wonderful at cooking, teaching, or working with children.
And some of us are really good at carrying heavy things and following directions. There's a place for us too.

When we bring those gifts together, we can serve our community in some pretty meaningful ways. But I want us to remember something important.
The people we're serving are never projects to complete. They're people to love.

We serve because Christ has loved us. We show compassion because we have received compassion. We share the Gospel because we genuinely want others to know the Savior who has redeemed us. And sometimes, the relationships we build through serving will take time.

We're not trying to manufacture results or rush people toward a decision. We want to faithfully love people, proclaim Christ when opportunities arise, and trust the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.

We don't need every MC to start a new ministry. We simply want to see our groups become more intentional about loving the people and communities God has placed around us.

Over the next few weeks, we'll begin looking more specifically at ways our MCs can partner with organizations throughout the Valley. My hope is that we begin seeing these opportunities as relationships worth investing in, rather than just another event to attend.
Because at the end of the day, we're a family of servant missionaries. And families stick around.

Have a great week, leaders. Keep loving people well, and don't forget to grab another cup of coffee. Especially if it's GROUND RELIEF. :)

Summer is officially here with schools being done!  We will still have the Rainbow and Fireweed Rooms open through the month of June (that’s care for your babies through those finished in Kindergarten).  Fireweed kiddos are going through an adaptation of The Pilgrim’s Progress.  

Trees and Mountains (1st-5th graders) are to sit with their family in the sanctuary.  There will be new clipboard activities every week, including kid friendly sermon notes!

June 30th we will resume all Sunday programming and that will be when kids will switch classrooms (if they are moving up to the next room).  

Sunday, June 23rd - Wednesday, June 26th we will be hosting an evening Vacation Bible School.  6-8:30 PM.  This is a time for kids to come, hear the Gospel, sing their hearts out to Jesus, do science experiments, and have fun!!  This year, those entering 1st grade through those entering 5th grade are able to attend.  The theme is Scuba / Diving into Friendship with God. 

Those who just finished 5th grade can sign up to volunteer!! 

Childcare for babies and toddlers will be provided for those volunteering.

A Fireweed VBS will be provided for those who are turning 4 by October 1st through those entering Kindergarten.  Only volunteers who are serving the week of VBS will be allowed to enroll their kids in that Fireweed VBS.  

Sign up here to volunteer and/or register your kids!!

Our last Wednesday night program is happening tomorrow night (same time, 6:30-8 PM).  We will be watching a movie and snacking on popcorn! I’m thinking we will watch Prince of Egypt (going retro!).  All the age groups (Rainbow, Fireweed, Trees, Mountains) can be dropped off in the Kids Chapel.

You are welcome to send a snack with your kiddo if they can’t have popcorn, but we ask that you do NOT send nuts as we have several that have nut allergies.

If your child was working in their AWANA book and you want them to get awards for what they finished, have them bring their book tomorrow and we will make sure they get whatever they’ve earned.  This is their last opportunity.  

Kids Connect on Wednesdays in the fall are going to look a bit different.  I will let you know what that means when I’ve got a solid plan :)  However, we will not have ANY AWANA books/awards available.  Rather, we will be strengthening our monthly discipleship take home papers :)  

Those who just finished 5th grade are welcome to join the Creekside Youth Butte Hike (see details here).  

We really need crew leaders.  Really, we should call them group parents.  This volunteer works with a group of 5-8 kids throughout the week, helping them get through all the stations and works to get to know the kids and get them connected!!

Sunday, June 23rd - Wednesday, June 26th we will be hosting an evening Vacation Bible School.  6-8:30 PM.  This is a time for kids to come, hear the Gospel, sing their hearts out to Jesus, do science experiments, and have fun!!  This year, those entering 1st grade through those entering 5th grade are able to attend.  The theme is Scuba / Diving into Friendship with God.

Those who just finished 5th grade can sign up to volunteer!!

Childcare for babies and toddlers will be provided for those volunteering.

A Fireweed VBS will be provided for those who are turning 4 by October 1st through those entering Kindergarten.  Only volunteers who are serving the week of VBS will be allowed to enroll their kids in that Fireweed VBS.  

Sign up here to volunteer and/or register your kids!!

As of this past week, there is a new clarification for those who belong in the Rainbow Room vs Fireweed Room.

The Rainbow Room is for kids who are birth - 3 years old as of 10/1/2024.  
—If they turn 4 during the school year of 2024-2025, they will remain in the Rainbow Room until the summer promotion date in June 2025.  

—If they turn 4 before 10/1/2024, they will promote to the Fireweed Room (preschool & kindergarten) on June 30th.  

We are no longer allowing kids to move back and forth between the rooms.  We are also no longer allowing kids to move over as soon as they turn 4.  Our Wednesday night policy in the fall will match this, which will alleviate a lot of the confusion we are seeing.

For those that are in the Fireweed Room already (due to Wednesday night being different this past year) or the kids moved over right as they turned 4, those kids can continue to check into Fireweed.  

Fireweed is more structured with musical worship, lessons, prayer, and activities.  If your child is not potty trained, they are still welcome to join, but we are providing 2 bathroom breaks for kids (and of course, emergency runs to the bathroom).  If your child needs help in the stall or has a diaper issue, you will be called for help.

Those finishing Kindergarten can continue to be a part of the Fireweed class on Sunday mornings through June 23rd.  After VBS, when the 1st-5th grade classes resume on June 30th, those entering 1st grade will check into the 1st and 2nd grade group (Trees)!!

Those finishing 1st-5th grade are invited to sit with their families in the main auditorium for Sunday mornings, starting May 26th.  We will provide clipboards for the Sundays of May 26th-June 23rd.  After VBS, we will have a summer Sunday program for the 1st-5th graders during the service starting June 30th.

Sunday, June 23rd - Wednesday, June 26th we will be hosting an evening Vacation Bible School.  6-8:30 PM.  This is a time for kids to come, hear the Gospel, sing their hearts out to Jesus, do science experiments, and have fun!!  This year, those entering 1st grade through those entering 5th grade are able to attend.  The theme is 

Those who just finished 5th grade can sign up to volunteer!! 

Childcare for babies and toddlers will be provided for those volunteering.

A Fireweed VBS will be provided for those who are turning 4 by October 1st through those entering Kindergarten.  Only volunteers who are serving the week of VBS will be allowed to enroll their kids in that Fireweed VBS.  

Sign up here to volunteer and/or register your kids!!

On Wednesday night (5/15), your 5th grader will check into Creekside Kids.  We will start our program with them and then we will pray a blessing over them.  Then we will take them down to the youth program at 7 PM.

Since they will then be a part of youth group, they do NOT need a sticker/parent to check them out.  Creekside Youth does take attendance and marks when kids arrive, but there is no official check in/out system like we use with the littles.

Your 5th grader can come to Creekside Kids on Sunday, 5/19.  On 5/22, they are welcome to join Creekside Youth at the Butte for their first summer hike.  There will be no more Sunday class for them after 5/19 and they can sign up to help at VBS this year!!

If you want your 5th grader to participate in Creekside Youth, please fill out the parental consent form ASAP :)  Click here :)