By Brenda Brazee, Assistant Director of Released Time Ministries
We at Joy El are very grateful for your partnership in sharing God’s love and His Word and His Son with the students in our Released Time program. It is our prayer that God will bless you and give you eternal fruit this year. We are praying this scripture over you.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13
Every week Gloria Devonshire prays that this would be the day that one or two children
would begin a relationship with Christ. “And let today be the day they would do that.”
At her Released Time, Gloria was working with a little boy who struggled for 2 weeks to come to Released Time. Each week he had to be coaxed to get off the bus and come in. The second week this happened, she sat with him and asked why he was upset. He shared that Released Time wasn’t what he expected.
Gloria replied to him, “You know I began a relationship with Jesus when I was 20 years old. I wish I was your age or even younger when I did that.” She shared, “Every volunteer is here because they want boys and girls to know the Lord Jesus the same way as they do. That is why we have Released Time, so boys and girls can know the Lord Jesus and His Word.” He said, “How do you begin a relationship with Jesus?” Gloria explained how he could pray to do that and asked him if he would like begin a relationship with Jesus. He said “yes.” In his own words, he prayed and invited Jesus to be His Savior.
At home that night after reflecting on this, Gloria confessed to the Lord, “Lord, I pray every week almost like a habit that the children will come to know You. I have to confess that I wasn’t expecting it.” She told the Lord she was ashamed for being surprised when He answered her prayer. Gloria says, “Now when I pray, I want to be expecting the Lord to answer.”
The Released Time Bible Program has many blessing or benefits for all involved!
For the Volunteer:
- Training equips volunteers to be effective in ministry.
- Great Commission focus helps them to fulfill their calling/purpose. (Eph. 2:10 Mat 28:18-20)
- Weekly opportunities to invest in the next generation ingites them to seek God.
- Weekly service with other believers provides fellowship, encouragement, and spiritual growth
For the student:
- Children in these mentor/mentee relationships are equipped to make good choices.
- Children grow and develop spiritually and academically.
- Scripture memory develops mental sharpness to help them live the abundant life.
We are so grateful for the eternal, spiritual, and practical value your partnership with us provides to both you and the children of Released Time. God is on the move! Merry Christmas,
The Joy El Released Time Staff
PS. If you are not currently volunteering with us, there are lots of opportunities to begin. We will plug you in where your skills and interests lie. For information on volunteering, contact us at 717-369-4539 or email [email protected].
