Parable of the Sunflower Seeds

Parable of the Sunflower Seeds

By Director of Christian Education, Beth Fultz

 

Luke 13: 18 – 19

“He said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what should I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’”

 

Think sunflower seeds.   Think re-seeding and new growth.  Consider the cycles of plant growth in a continuum:  a. Seed Germinates;  b. Plant Grows;  c.  Plant Flowers;  d.  Plant Produces Fruit;   e.  Fruit Releases Seeds;   f.  Plant Dies and the cycle repeats and repeats.

 

The Youth of St. Stephen are headed to Kansas City, Kansas, the Sunshine State, for their summer mission trip, July 19 – 26, 2014.  The locations chosen by the Administrative Commission and Executive Presbyter of Heartland Presbytery are churches in transition, in the throes of the end cycles of church life hoping that new seeds sprout and take hold of the communities again.   Heartland Presbytery has offered us seeds, sunflower seeds, hoping that our gardening skills will forward the cycle of germination of the faithful and new church families begun.  Here is most of what we hope to accomplish these tasks while in the Sunflower State:

 

1. Formerly United Church of the Good Shepherd – with the new pastor’s direction, we will repaint the upstairs Sunday School Classes and offices, re-tile an entry way, replace a door, and buff and wax a large basement Fellowship Hall.
2. Bethel Presbyterian Church – this church is shrinking, yet it is still producing  valuable neighborhood services and fruit to the community.  A women’s non-profit group has made it their home too, and they need a large storage area framed and built, some restroom plumbing and fixtures repaired, and a kitchen demolished so it can be renovated with modern appliances and cabinetry.
3. Small yet quite active, Grand View Presbyterian Church, in a Hispanic part of town, needs a playground fence expanded from miniature to modest size; and needs 10 desk top computers (2005 -2014) for the community to use in tutoring, and communication.
4. Formerly First Presbyterian Church, Olathe, has died.  A recent theological  split forced this wonderful facility closed leaving a seed or two remaining.   We are challenged and charged to offer an All Day Vacation Bible School there to remind the community that this church has possibilities for birds and nests and a church family.  We have chosen to live at this facility as it’s big and beautiful and can handle our rowdy group for the week.  A new fenced playground and structures is hoped for and awaiting votes before we can commit a team to this task.

 

Our needs are simple:

Painters Paint Brushes Drop Clothes Paint Rollers

Repair makers Hammers Tilers Door

Framers Measurers Saws Patience

Desk Top Computers – 2005 or newer.  Workers Kindness

Fencers Post Hole Diggers Faithfulness Gentleness

Friendly Leaders Crafts Persons Recreation Leaders Cooks – 2

Bible Leaders Enough Adults Enough Youth $ to Accomplish Tasks

 

You may invest our in Parable by sponsoring us in Mission Stock; donating goods to our Annual Garage Sale; or send a child to St. Stephen’s All Day VBS in June.  Those monetary seeds send us to Kansas to grow more sunflowers for the Presbyterian Church and sturdy their branches for nests!