Bethel Lutheran Church

We made it to Providence! We started off the morning with worship and an amazing teaching about the Holy Spirit from Pastor Rick at Mestizo Church! 

Arts and Crafts crew!! 

Today we split up into our VBS to plan out our stations!! 

We got invited to the Connect Fest tonight by one of our Partners for the week Providence Rescue Mission!! 

The concert was a great time of fellowship and fun as a team. Starting the week off worshiping the Lord alongside a few hundred other believes! 

Such an encouragement!! 

Praise God for this opportunity! 

Don't worry we aren't just here for fun! We are happy to serve Connect Fest tonight as soon as we wrap up. We get to be on the stage crew!! Tearing down all the equipment and tables. 

Often this event is a few individuals doing all that by themselves and takes a few hours. Stay tuned to how fast the 60+ of us can tear down and clean this venue up! 

Some of our PPM staff cheesin with Jenn from the Mission who invited us all to the event!! 

You're the best Jenn! Looking forward to serving alongside you this week! 

Praise and worship with Austin French was the best!

Helping tear down tonight was such a practical example of what mutual blessings can look like in our lives. 

Our team came here to serve alongside the local church by working and partnering with them and other ministries. One of our ministries this week blessed us by inviting us to this awesome event, and we were able to bless them with our many hands in helping take down everything. 

How beautiful is the church?? 

We are ready for what God has for us tomorrow as we hop into VBS and work projects!

Ladies: "Can you ask Austin French if he can take a picture with us?" 

Thanks to Fuse Ministries our ladies (and some of our guys) got their wish and got a great group picture with the mainline artist for the night! 

Thanks for leading us in worship tonight Austin! Blessings on your continual impact in the music industry.  

We kicked off our week of ministry with VBS at two local parks this morning, in partnership with Mestizo Church. We had an amazing time getting to know the kids who came, playing games, making bracelets, learning about God's love and forgiveness, and eating yummy snacks with them.

Today we got to meet Max and hear his story on how he had found Dorcas International as well as what Dorcas is. He explained how refugees are brought to Rhode Island and how Dorcas finds a new home and a new opportunity for that person/ family. Away from persecution, fear and war. With their main role being to help them with the first couple of months of rent as well as a furnished apartment. 

Today we were able to organize and label some furniture and home goods. To be able to find things to bring to the apartment tomorrow for the family that are on their way! 

Another group of our team members went to Providence Rescue Mission this afternoon. We organized their "thrift store" room to make space for more clothing donations so they can be available to people in the community. With great teamwork and efficiency, we were able to complete that and also sort bread and soda donations. Last but not least, we had the privilege of hearing from the founder of the mission about the heart behind the ministry and their desire to reach the struggling members of the community with the love of Jesus. Praise God for the work He is doing here and for the opportunity to be part of it!

One team went to RFK elementary school to help prepare for students back in the fall! We built desks, whiteboards, cleaned out closets and organized classrooms! It was so amazing being able to serve here!

Because of the rain today’s VBS is being held inside, but that doesn’t mean 4 square can’t happen!

This group is going around sharing how God has shown up recently in their lives! 

Philippians 2:13

”…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

To get the energy going this morning, we sang a song about a moose, led by Tori! The song had some super fun actions to go with it and we loved seeing everyone's moose antlers.

Hanna, Brady, and Anna are leading the kids in crafts this morning! We're painting crosses to remind us of what Jesus did to save us and how He is always with us. Some of this artwork will also become decorations in apartments for refugee families through Dorcus International!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9

Today a group of us are staying at our partner church Mestizo and helping deep clean, organize, and do outdoor work! Here is a group washing dishes and scrubbing the stove!

Here is Landon, Addisu, and Ed doing an amazing job weeding outside the church! Good job making a lot of progress!

Cheerful smiles from Campbell, McKenna, and Liv as we served this afternoon! At Providence Rescue Mission, we got to organize a container full of donations for the ministry and clean the parking lot. What a blessing it is to continue serving and building connections with this ministry!

We got to take a small group to an apartment, that needs to get ready, for the family that are coming to America. We were so excited to help bring in furniture and even set up a place for a family to live in! We are looking forward to seeing the end results!

After we finished getting the family's home ready we were not only able to leave welcome home letters but we were able pray over the family and home. 

Happy Birthday, Dylan!!! After last night’s meeting we celebrated Dylan’s birthday with some Oreo and Reese’s ice cream cake! It was an awesome celebration! 

Psalms 118:24

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Game time! Nothing like a giant group activity to start our morning of VBS!

...I make in You! 🎵 Thank you to Lily, Emily, Lyla, Landon, and Reece for leading the kids in Bible stories and songs!

For our last day at Providence Rescue Mission, we got to clean their chapel and dining area for their guests to enjoy. Then, we got to hear a testimony of how God has been at work in David's life. David graduated the program here at the mission and now works as an RA, overseeing other men currently in the program. What a blessing to hear about God's faithfulness!

Today would sadly be our last day helping Dorcas International. But we didn't waste any time! We were able to help 2 other families by deep cleaning and adding some furniture into their new apartment. We were so blessed to be able to help another family to come into a furnished and clean home. May God continue to bless this family on their journey!

Perfect night for a picnic in the park! Praise God for this gorgeous weather!!

Today's the day everyone has been waiting for: making slime for our VBS craft! We had a blast helping the kiddos create slime in their favorite colors.

For the final activity of VBS at Donigain Park we had a water balloon fight! Everyone had so much fun (and were soaked by the end too)!