Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  The back2school project for 2026 is happening, and tonight is the last opportunity to register students.  Each of the locations holds registrations, and each location is getting ready for the best outreach and serving more students so that this school year will be awesome. So how can you help?  Thanks for asking! SHARE about the event.  The picture with this e-devotion has the details.  You can also send us an email with your questions to emailback2school@gmail.com.  Please tell others about the event. PRAY for the event.  Pray for those who will be served.  Pray for those who are serving.  Prayer is vital to our success because this is an event God led us to start and is all for His glory.   HELP out by volunteering.  You can help at the big event days as one of the locations.  You can help pack backpacks on Tuesday, August 4th.  There are several ways to serve and make a difference. SPONSOR this incredible project....

  This Saturday begins a very special time for our church and many of our partners.  It is the first registration for back2school 2026.  In fact for us it includes VBS (Vacation Bible Saturday) and a tell gate grill (giving our burgers and praying for people) that will happen at church.  Please pray as we serve. Each of these are a part of who our church is.  It is our 20th year of back2school, and that means we have served thousands of students who are getting ready to go back to school in August.  This Saturday is registration when parents and guardians can get their children signed up. Registration begins at 9.  VBS begins a little later.  Tell gate grill is the entire time.  Volunteers arrive at 8:30.  Come out and help! Why do we serve?  Thanks for asking.  Jesus said serve others!   1 Peter 4:10  NLT God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ...

  Pray for the students.  This week and the past few weeks have reminded me of the important investment and incredible opportunity we have to love students.  Every age from the very young to college age students are around us. Choose to be an agent of change and strengthening.  This could be words of encouragement or even some time well spent with students.  Teach them at church.  Shoot basketball with them.  Go to summer camp as a counselor.  Do something to impact the younger generation and support the ministries that work with them. Graduations are happening or have happened.  College students are moving in the work force or getting ready for more study.  High school students are seeing opportunities for college, work or more years of study.  And others are having the joy of summer and such. Pray for these students.  I found an article that encouraged us to pray in some certain ways for students.  Use these as a guide: ...

  It is time to start planning our largest outreach of the year, and it is our 20th year of the church and of back2school.  That makes it even sweet.  So, why back2school?  That is a great question.  I challenge you to listen and step in to this blessing with me.   Matthew 19:14  NLT   But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”   It is for the kids!  That is the first and obvious answer for back2school.  Each student twill receive a new backpack with school supplies, new shoes and socks as well as hear the Gospel.  We cannot wait to wash each students feet and tell them about Jesus.   Job 11:18  NLT   Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.   It is for the families of each student!  This is just as important.  If you are a parent you know that blessing my children, ...

  Matthew 19:14  NLT   But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” It is almost time for back2school 2025.  We have planned for months and been sharing this outreach for 19 years.  I still get excited and nervous.  But what I know is that I do not know it all. Let me explain. The stories and things that happen around back2school are incredible and could only be utilized together by our good and gracious God.  Because of that fact there is something that I have been reminded us that I want to pass on to others.  This applies not only to this back2school event, but this applies to everything our God does.  Here we go … Expect God to work! I mean really.  Expect God to open hearts and eyes.  Expect God to meet needs and go beyond what you think possible.  Expect God to speak when things and times seem silent.  Expect God to change live...

It is almost time for back2school, this Friday and Saturday.  Over the next few days I am going to share part of what students will experience during the back2school program and how it got started.  The first years was only school supplies.  Then we added backpacks.  Then came shoes and lots of locations where students are served. More than 20 years ago I heard a missionary from Appalachia share about serving students, and that testimony sparked something in my mind.  That next summer and after starting The Community Fellowship we have been serving through back2school.   More than 15 years ago I was at a meeting where a friend introduced me to the ministry of Samaritan’s Feet and it’s founder Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme. That ministry serves people around the world by giving shoes, washing feet and sharing the Gospel.   We began partnering with Samaritan’s Feet that actually sparked the first mission trip to Cuba.  You could say that the rest is histo...

  It is that time of the year once again.  This Saturday begins registration for back2school.  Parents and care givers can come to any of the outreach locations to register their students to receive the items given out. For more information go to www.gob2s.com or send an email to emailback2school@gmail.com to find out all ab out it. The back2school outreach is one of the greatest things we have ever been part of and invited others to be part of.  It is part of the DNA and identity of The Community Fellowship, and it is out favorite outreach of the each year.  I continue to be in awe of how God uses this project to serve others.  Lives have been and will be changed once again.  Churches and volunteers are challenged and stepped up to serve.  The stories are endless.   One reasons we lead out in this project is because working with other like-minded believers is something God commands us to do.     We are stronger working togethe...

  Wednesday.  Today.  It is the first day of school for our local school systems.  That also means that my lovely wife begins teaching with 18 or so students in her 1st grade classroom.  And I think about all the classrooms and all the schools. What should we do?  We should pray.  We should support.  We should encourage.  And there is more.  But I ask you to do those things, but begin with prayer. Students.  Teachers.  School workers.  Families.  Pray for each. Guiding that prayer I give you a few verses that have stood out for me.  They all come from Colossians 3.  Read on and pray though. Colossians 3 NASB 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another w...