Nazarene Theological Seminary’s Nurturing Care initiative partnered during this summer to support over 200 children through several Nazarene gatherings.

Collaborating with regional leaders like Mindy Schemrick, and Equip to Engage Ministries leaders Trey Brooks & Beth Bidle Rush, Nurturing Care supported children as they participated at regional Pastors and Leaders Conferences (PALCONs) on the campuses of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Point Loma Nazarene University.

Children received Nurturing Care water bottles to assure kids remained hydrated during the hot summer activities. The bottles, and other resources, also supported worship and prayer activities during the regional gatherings.

Also, Nurturing Care supported the Northern California District during a Kid’s Camp (age four to 5th grade) hosted by Eureka Church of the Nazarene under the direction of Nicole Johnson. The camp included children from other district congregations, supported with scholarships and travel funded through the grant.

Reverend Johnson reported: “This year at Kids Camp the kids learned how to draw near to God with Thanksgiving through songs of praise, reading scripture, and prayer. Pastor Becca shared about Joshua and the walls falling as God’s people shouted, about David who didn’t need the King’s armor but God’s armor, and about Daniel in the lion’s den who chose to do what was right even when it wasn’t easy.”

The camp curriculum included gratitude themed prayer diaries drawing upon scriptures that address gratitude. The notebooks offered options from coloring gratefulness for younger kids, to writing activities for older children to give thanks in prayer. These options allowed kids to extend prayer and gratitude experiences at camp by bringing the diaries back to their homes following the week of camp.