Sharing God’s love with new friends brings great joy to the youth of Buckingham Presbyterian Church in Berlin, Maryland. For the second summer in a row, eight youth and five adults took an overnight trip to Baltimore’s Ronald McDonald House. They served a home-cooked meal featuring donations from local farms including some tasty corn on the cob. After dinner, they led an activity hour for the children in the house featuring games, fun and laughter. Then they had the privilege of getting a tour of the house to see the beautiful way that the Ronald McDonald House makes life a little bit easier for families who need to be away from home while a child is ill. After a very short night of sleep, the youth and adults were back up to make a hot breakfast for the early risers. This is always one of the favorite ways that the youth can remind their brand-new neighbors how much they are loved.
And this summer, the youth found another way to serve. Once a month, they went to Believe in Tomorrow’s House by the Sea to lead games and crafts for the weekly family barbecue. Believe in Tomorrow provides families with a child who is ill a week in Ocean City, Maryland, to enjoy the summertime fun. At the weekly barbecue, Buckingham’s youth helped each child create a memory seashell, applied countless temporary tattoos, played cornhole and mini golf. The laughter and shouts of joy from the children brought huge smiles to the faces of the families.
“Friends, since God loves us so much, we also ought to love one another” — 1 John 4:11. At Buckingham, the youth are encouraged to live out these words by loving other children and youth and families who are facing difficult circumstances.
Rev. Susannah DeBenedetto, Director of Youth Ministry, Buckingham Presbyterian Church
Let us join in prayer for:
Crystal Heath, Plan Operations, The Board of Pensions
David Heilman, Director, Web Development & Innovation, Information Technology, The Board of Pensions
Let us pray:
Loving God, it is because you love us that we know how to love. We pray today for children who are ill. Send your healing. Send your peaceful presence. Send your love. We pray today for families who live with a child who is ill. Send your grace. Send your Comforter. Send your hope. We pray today for those who care for children who are ill. Send your wisdom. Send your compassion. Send your strength. God, today we pray for all your children who need your healing and hopeful presence in their lives. Let them know they are loved. Amen.
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