fbpx
×

Log into your account

We have changed software providers for our subscription database. Old login credentials will no longer work. Please click the "Register" link below to create a new account. If you do not know your new account number you can contact [email protected]
Greensboro churches combine school efforts
Bob Burchette, Special to the Recorder
August 02, 2008
2 MIN READ TIME

Greensboro churches combine school efforts

Greensboro churches combine school efforts
Bob Burchette, Special to the Recorder
August 02, 2008

GREENSBORO — Eight churches that joined

forces in mid-June to conduct a successful Vacation Bible School(VBS) are working together for a community-wide “Back To School

Community Day” Saturday, Aug. 16.

The event will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in

a field between Southside Baptist Church and Motel 6, off U.S. 85 on the

south side of Greensboro.

The goal is to attract at least 500 children to

the event and provide them bags of school supplies, said Matthew Bowden,

youth director at Southside That was approximately the average

attendance each night for the VBS, according to Patrick

Fuller, Southside pastor.

Pastors of the

eight churches reaped great spiritual rewards and established

fellowship during that program, Fuller said. So they decided to work together

again for the back-to-school block party.

“We found out we can get a lot more accomplished working together than

competing for the attention of the children in our neighborhoods,” Fuller said.

Three black congregations and five predominately

white churches sponsored the VBS at Southside. Seven are Baptist

churches, and one is an Assembly of God.

Each church has taken responsibility for getting

various supplies, and for helping invite children to play games, and enjoy

popcorn, cotton candy, ice cones, refreshments and play game, Bowden said. The

area is being blanketed with flyers inviting participation. Mail invitations are

being sent to those who participated in the Bible school.

Success of VBS has cleared a

lot of hurdles for all of the churches involved, according to Rodney Mitchell,

pastor of Rocky Knoll Baptist Church.

“The most exciting thing about it

was that it showed what could be done by working together,” he said. “It

was an opportunity to see what can take place when churches get together in a

common purpose for the Lord. I looked out across the children gathered each

night, and it was like a glimpse of heaven with the diversity of people there —

white, black and Asian.”

The churches also included

Groometown Baptist, Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist, Water of

Life Community, Whosoeverwill Baptist, Pinecroft Baptist and Central Assembly of

God.

The hand-in-hand work among these churches won’t end

with the back-to-school party. “We’re now talking about doing a Christmas

program together,” Bowden said.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Burchette, a retired

editor/writer for the Greensboro News & Record, can be reached at

[email protected]).