D.A.T. #2 | Camp Service & Harvest Festival

Hi there Awesome Kids and Hot Chocolate Club! Welcome to this week's D.A.T. (Digital Awesome Time)!

Hope you are well and looking after one another.

This Sunday was supposed to be our Camp Service and Harvest Festival. So today we will celebrate both of those things, and there will be some challenges for you to do at home with your family - and the chance to be in to win prizes too!

FIRST, 

Check out the video message below.

D.A.T. #2

WATCH and listen to Mel read 'RED, A Crayon's Story', with a message from Rev Anne:

The crayon, ‘Red’ had pressure from every side to be something that he wasn’t. There were lots of tears, and lots of anxiety and lots of trying, but he couldn’t be what everybody wanted. And do you know, that each and every one of us is a bit like that.

God has made us in a special way and God says ‘you are beautifully and wonderfully made’ and you need to find out who the true and real you is inside, and to be that person, no matter what anybody else says, to remember that you are made and deeply loved by God, and to find out who God wants you to be and what God wants you to do.

WATCH and listen to prayers from some of our campers:

WATCH the OFFICIAL CAMP VIDEO here:

DO THE CHALLENGES:

1. CRAYON ART

Make a drawing or artwork using crayons. If you don't have crayons at home, pencils or felts are fine too.

2. HARVEST FESTIVAL VEGGIE CHARACTER

Make an animal or character out of vegetables. Take a photo and email it to me.

3. MASTER CHEF

Make a meal for your family. Take a photo, including the menu, and email it to me.

4. 'RED' QUIZ

How much of the story can you remember? (You might have to go back and watch the video again).

Click HERE to do the online quiz.

STAIRCASE FOR BOATS

From Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones

When a riverboat needs to go up a hill, it navigates through a lock (which is basically a staircase for boats). The boat enters a sealed chamber. Gradually, the water level is raised, lifting the boat up, until the water inside is at the same level as the river ahead. The gates open and the boat continues on.

But from the boat entering the lock - you can't see the river ahead. It looks like a dead end!

And the Bible says we can't see everything God is doing in our lives either. But what looks like a dead end, is really God lifting you up. Because there are no dead ends with God. Only new beginnings in disguise.

I think this is really fitting at the moment. Lots of things have closed, we are 'locked in', we can't do many of the fun activities we are used to. It's hard to see the way ahead. But in this time of dead ends and closed doors... how about we look for new beginnings? There are so many awesome things starting up and people showing amazing creativity and kindness right now. Let's celebrate that, and let God lift us up and move us to take up a new challenge, be creative, show kindness and love to others. 

Love and blessings,

Mel