Your EFCA students have been
very busy here at BUMP NYC! At First EFC in Brooklyn, Northern Valley EFC (Cresskill, NJ) and Marshalltown EFC (Marshalltown, IA) are working with the church at "Summer Splash," a day-long summer program that ministers to around 100 children a day. The BUMP groups are in charge of the Vacation Bible School portion of the day, in the morning, and they assist in the academic enrichment portion of the day, in the afternoon. After about an hour to clean-up and wind down, the groups have a training session on an aspect of urban or cross-cultural ministry, followed by dinner, then a time of worship to close out the day. Their evening is free for ministry prep and time to relax.
Oakdale EFC of Meriden, IA is serving at Vroom St. Church in Jersey City, NJ - just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. During the day, Oakdale has part of their group that have helped in the kitchen during the day at Vroom St., for their July Jamboree VBS. The rest of the group comes into Brooklyn and meets with the group from Faith EFC (Mountain Lake Park, MD) for work projects at 2nd EFC. Vroom St. has been helping with cleaning, painting, etc., and doing their ministry prep during the day. After their training time, worship and lunch, Oakdale EFC heads back to Jersey City to set up for their evening soccer clinic for 8-13 year-olds in the neighborhood. The Oakdale students lead the children in stretches and skill drills, have a snack and devotional time, then play a game of soccer to end the evening!
Faith EFC (Mountain Lake Park, MD) starts their day off at 2nd EFC (Brooklyn) with prayer walking in the neighborhood. Small groups cover each block in the neighborhood in prayer, as they observe what's going on around them. On their return to the church, they come together with the Vroom St. group (Meriden, IA) for work projects. In addition to painting and cleaning, Faith is doing some drywall repair both at 2nd EFC (in the basement where most ministry happens) and at First EFC (in what will be the Immigrant Hope office). Faith EFC receives their training with the Oakdale students, they worship together, and they fellowship together over lunch. When Oakdale EFC heads back to Vroom St. Church, Faith EFC begins their ministry prep for an evening VBS at 2nd EFC.
Please continue to pray for BUMP NYC! The BUMP students have full days but are doing an amazing job not just "holding up" but putting their all into the ministry they're involved in. They are ministering to - and within - cultures that are very different from their own. Some students are teaching Bible lessons for the first time! Others are sharing their testimony of faith in front of others for the first time! They are showing the love of Christ to children and adults alike as they "seek the welfare of the city" where God has sent them this week.
