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It was in April when our Session at First Presbyterian in St.
James, Minnesota, first looked at the materials for the Pentecost
Offering. We had never participated in the Offering before,
but it seemed like maybe this year we “ought to” do
it. St. James is a community of about 4,700 people in Watonwan
County, one of the poorest counties in the state. Because of
many cuts that have been made in educational programs, this
seemed to be a wonderful opportunity for us to make a difference.
So we set out to take part, but because we were celebrating
our pastor’s 20th anniversary in the ministry on Pentecost
Sunday, we decided to take the Offering at another time. We
decided to dedicate it on our VBS Sunday, a Sunday that is geared
toward our young people, when they do a presentation of the
music and the Scripture that they learned in vacation Bible
school the week before.
After much discussion, we decided that our portion of the funds
would go to provide scholarships for children who otherwise
would not be able to participate in the various summer programs,
including:
- Saved By the Bell—Programming for kindergarten through
sixth grade, especially during the summer. Through this program
the young people are in a safe environment while their parents
work. Children have the opportunity to go on field trips,
including the Watonwan County Historical Roundup, where they
had the opportunity to learn what it was like in the days
of covered wagons and when horses were the means to get from
one place to another.
- Swimming Lessons— Especially important since we are
surrounded by lakes and have a city swimming pool. So many
young people would not have the opportunity to take lessons
without having scholarships.
- Sports Programming—For both boys and girls, including
softball, baseball, tennis, soccer, track, and field. This
is an opportunity not only to learn about teamwork, but also
the importance of being healthy and participating in activities
that contribute to good health.
- Summer Arts Programming—Craft days, etc. in the local
parks. Supervised activities keep the children occupied and
offer opportunities for creative expression.
We are glad that we were able to give well over
$100 to these scholarships.
First Presbyterian Church
St. James, Minnesota
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