Wow, We're Growing

Back in April, People magazine reported the story of how a tv cop stopped filming to help a child. Mariska Hargitay has been playing the same fictional cop role for over 500 episodes of television, spanning over 25 years. Hargitay plays detective Olivia Benson on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She’s been doing it so long she can practically do it in her sleep.

So, it came to no one’s surprise last April when a little girl spied Hargitay, filming an episode wearing a realistic looking police badge, and mistook her for an actual law enforcement officer. Given her public persona, it was not surprising that Hargitay halted filming on the episode to make sure the little girl got the help that she needed.

The girl had become separated from her mother in a playground in New York City and witnesses say Hargitay took 20 minutes to find her mother and console them both upon their reunion. When asked about it, Hargitay insisted it didn’t take a whole lot of convincing.

Good for her! And good for all of those who understand the importance of children, especially to Jesus. Jesus said, “Let the little children come for of such is the Kingdom of God.”
(Matthew 19:14) I firmly believe that the health of a church is often reflected in the children that God has entrusted to it. Not too long ago a minister told me that the church he was serving would not exist in the next ten years because they had no little ones or young families coming to the church. He said it with remorse but understanding that the little ones reflect the future of our ministries.

Here at Ridgecrest, we don’t have that issue—praise God. In fact, we are growing with so many little ones that we are looking to expand our children’s ministry with an additional 3-year-old worship gathering during our Sunday morning Contemporary Service time. That means we need your help to start this gathering and to effectively minister to our children. So, we need more volunteers. Will you help us? We need about 10 more volunteers per month to launch this 3-year-old group.

Now 10 volunteers does not mean you serve each week. In fact, if many will respond, the service required could be as little as once a month, once a quarter or even less. This is such a blessed opportunity for both men and women. Frankly, because of the value that God has placed on children and the importance of connecting them to Jesus, I don’t believe you even have to pray about… just do it! Just sign up and say count on me and when many do, the children will be blessed and so will you. How do you sign up? Just stop by either our Welcome Center Desk or our Preschool Desk and fill out and turn in a volunteer form… we’ll take it from there. And let me say thank you in advance for your service to the children.

Monday night is our last Awesome August gathering at 6:30. Hasn’t it been good? It has gone so fast. Our dear friend Fred Luter will be our concluding speaker so you already know that it will be a fantastic gathering of worship and preaching. And remember that tomorrow evening we will bring food items for our SABA (Southeast Alabama Baptist Association) food pantry. Join us and be blessed. And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,
Pastor Ray

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