It’s been a busy place around here! While many churches assume a slower pace during the summer months, Amberlea’s Family Ministry team kicks into high gear! And what an amazing team it is. I am so impressed by the calibre of these young leaders. If they are any indication...our future is in good hands!

See for yourself, pop into the church between 9 am and noon, Monday through Thursday. Be sure to make your way into the fellowship hall where you will see a room full of children from our community busy making crafts, playing games or hearing a bible story. Perhaps you’ll be fortunate enough to come by when they are singing praise songs. You’ll likely want to join them when you see them dance!

This year our Family Ministry team is meeting another need in our community by providing a full day summer Kidz Sports Camp during the last full week of August. It will be fantastic.

Regardless of when you come, you will see that these little ones are learning so much about the Creator of the Universe and having a great and creative time doing it.

Isn’t that the way it should be for adults too?

Getting to know the Creator of the Universe sounds like it could be a pretty awesome task but it need not be that complicated.

Here are a few great summer activities you can do:

1. Pop into the church during Breakfast Club or Kidz Sports Camp - you are sure to be encouraged by the energy of the children and leaders alike. I think we can all learn, from our children, how to praise the Creator with excitement and without inhibition.

2. If you are heading to the beach or park why not take along a devotional book and your bible? Read a passage, then take a good hard look at your surroundings. God made that. Reflect on how awesome God is to have created all that for you!

3. Going for a hike on a beautiful day? Why not download some praise songs/hymns on your iPod (or whatever device you have). As you hear songs of praise to God, and take in the beauty of the day, you won’t be able to resist being grateful to the Creator.

4. Out bike riding? Take time to stop and enjoy the scenery. So often we get obsessed with getting to our destination that we miss the beauty along the way. Stop, take it in and remember who created it.

5. Out swimming at the lake or in a pool. Listen to the water as you move through it. Relax your body and experience its buoyancy. God created that. God created you. Take a moment to thank God through a prayer.

There are a million ways to get to know the Creator of the Universe. The easiest is to experience and appreciate His creation.

As we enter the “dog days of summer”, don’t let a day go by without celebrating God’s creation. As you do, you will learn more about the One who created it!

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I will be on vacation and study leave for the next four Sunday's. While I am away, you are in for a treat as the pulpit will be filled by some amazing guest preachers:

Sunday August 2 Meg Paterson

Sunday August 9 Niven Harrichand

Sunday August 16 and August 23 Ross Lamb

Be sure to join me on August 30th for a very special service!

Happy and blessed August my friends. Mona's blog will return in September.