Across the Nation: Burning bush for kids, ‘No Junk Food Challenge,’ clothing exchange and more quick takes

Across the Nation is our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ across the U.S. Got an idea for this column? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at [email protected].

Featured photo (above)

Shoes off, please — 4-year-olds learn about Moses and the burning bush: Julie Montgomery teaches a Sunday school lesson on Moses and the burning bush at the College Church of Christ in Searcy, Ark.

Montgomery and her husband, Jeff, created the bush out of Halloween and Christmas lights.

“I used a karaoke machine with lots of added reverb to talk to Moses,” Jeff Montgomery said, praising the “amazing job” his wife does of making the class fun for 4-year-olds.

Spotlight

Quick takes

ARKANSAS

NORTH LITTLE ROCK — “Singing with the Spirit” involves more than getting the words right.

Guest presenter Myron Bruce emphasized that message at a recent singing workshop hosted by the WindSong Church of Christ. Bruce is an associate minister for the Faith Village Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the Texas-Oklahoma regional development director for Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn.

“Myron did a remarkable job as he shared with us the importance of singing not just songs but singing with understanding,” said Keith Harris, the WindSong church’s preaching minister. “Our praise to God must be something that we understand as we engage our minds in worship.”

CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES — No chips. No potatoes. No doughnuts. No ice cream. No fried food. No white bread. No soda.

The Figueroa Church of Christ recently embarked on a 30-day “No Junk Food Challenge.”

Minister Vincent Hawkins came up with the idea as a way to combat diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity in his congregation.

For a month, participants eliminated two junk foods of their choice each week. Some members have changed their eating habits significantly since the challenge ended, Hawkins said.

MINNESOTA

RICHFIELD — “Extol” served as the theme for the recent Minnesota State Ladies Day, which drew 53 women from seven congregations to the Richfield Church of Christ, elder’s wife Renae Delamarter said.

Jana Rucker, vice president for university communications and enrollment at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., spoke.

“Jana challenged us to have our own mission statement and use it to guide our ‘marketing’ plan for God — to extol (praise enthusiastically),” Delamarter said.

NEBRASKA

YORK — In the beginning, the clothing exchange organized by the East Hill Church of Christ took up a single room and served 100 people.

Now, the twice-a-year undertaking requires every inch of floor space at the church building and benefits more than 1,500 people.

More than 80 volunteers — including York College students — helped make the most recent exchange day a success.

“Our goal is to be the hands and feet of Jesus by giving away clothing,” said Kimberlee Tandy, one of the organizers. “There are no income requirements, no background checks, no forms to fill out. We simply ask them to show up.”

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Quote of the month

“Just seeing my church family like this is rough. It’s truly rough. But the good Lord will replace it all.” — Kenneth Jordan, member of the Jenks Avenue Church of Christ in Panama City, Fla., on the devastation left by Hurricane Michael. Read the full story.

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