Aldersgate Experience 1
Connecting Knowing Loving Growing
THE VISIONS BECOME A REALITY We drew up plans in 2006 to expand and improve our facilities here at Aldersgate. In the fall of 2011 we voted to build a columbarium, an outdoor ministries field, a picnic shelter, a new parking lot, buy a bus, and renovate the youth and scout area in the Family Life Center. A capital campaign was started to help pay for this project. It is now the fall of 2014 and I wanted to share with you how that project has allowed us to do ministry that would not have been possible otherwise. Walk with me through one evening in the life of our church - Tuesday, September 16th. Around 5:15 pm I walked over to get the Aldersgate bus to drive to Oxford Manor. Upward Soccer was starting that night with its first practice, and we had made arrangements to pick up some kids from Oxford Manor that would not have had transportation to participate in the program otherwise. I returned from Oxford Manor around 6:00 pm to find a lot of activity at Aldersgate. I parked in the new parking lot behind the Family Life Center. It was completely full. I looked over to see kids, coaches, and parents gathering on the Outdoor Ministry Field for the start of soccer practice. But there were others gathered in the picnic shelter. A program called Girls on the Run which helps teach character and confidence to elementary school girls through running was coming to a close for the day.
October 2014
Experience
At the same time, boy scouts were gathering to meet. There were well over 100 people between the picnic shelter and the field. After dropping the kids off at the field, I went to check Everett out of afterschool to participate in Upward. I saw people from church who had volunteered as coaches. Upward is different from most soccer leagues. We stop in the middle of every practice and game to teach something about the Christian faith and have a prayer together. At the end of each game the kids don’t decide who was the best player on the field; but who showed the most effort, displayed the best sportsmanship, and who was the most Christ-like. On this first day of practice the parents were very encouraging. They supported their coaches and cheered for the players on all teams. Many people were talking and getting to know one another. Some were snapping pictures and others decided to go for a walk around the track that surrounds the field. As I mentioned, the scouts were also meeting. They used a different part of the field and learned how to use a fly rod for fishing. I don’t think they had much luck catching anything in the grass, but it was a great place to practice. Afterwards, they went upstairs and had the rest of their meeting in the renovated youth and scout room. (continued on page 2)