The National Woman’s Missionary Union is inviting kids across the country to get involved in hands-on ministry in their communities through Children’s Missions Day on September 16. The designated day is geared toward children in grades 1 through 6. WMU launched Children’s Missions Day in 2008 to move children out of their churches and into their communities to do missions.

HORSESHOE BEACH, Fla. — Known as a laid-back, friendly fishing village, the quaint community of Horseshoe Beach found itself directly in the path of Hurricane Idalia’s 125 mph winds and 10-foot storm surge. The catastrophic devastation has left the fishing and boating community in pieces. Picking up some of those pieces is Robin Hoffman. Hoffman’s family has owned a home in Horseshoe Beach since the early 1970s and is a longtime member of First Baptist Church Horseshoe Beach—the only local church within 20 miles.

DALLAS — The Texas Baptists Executive Director Search Committee has announced Julio Guarneri, lead pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, Texas, as its nominee to assume the role of executive director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The identity of the committee’s nominee was announced in an update posted to the Executive Director Search Committee webpage of the Texas Baptists website.

The opening chapter of the Gospel of Mark describes a Savior who wasted no time beginning His ministry. In quick fashion, Jesus received baptism, went into the wilderness and was tempted, proclaimed the good news of God, called the sons of Zebedee to follow Him, taught in the synagogue with authority, cast out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue, healed Simon’s mother-in-law and cast out demons.

Some games we played as children seem to be as old as time itself. We would be hard-pressed to trace the origins of hide-and-seek. The rules are obvious and the winner is clear. One person secures a clever place to hide and after the warning count is completed, the seeking begins.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — In the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, residents of south Georgia have been turning to Christ for hope, comfort and salvation. “When people get into these kinds of life-or-death situations, they start thinking about their own mortality,” said Bob Sprinkel, a longtime volunteer with Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief. “When a hurricane hits, people need hope, and Jesus is that hope.” Disaster Relief volunteers reported that nine people had made salvation decisions in the Valdosta area as of Monday.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Lt. Col. Scott Smith’s regular job is flying F-15s for the U.S. Air Force, but during the long Labor Day weekend he was manning a chainsaw for one of the Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief crews helping Valdosta residents clean up in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. “I don’t know that I have a whole lot of the spiritual gifts the Bible talks about, but God has given me a strong back,” said Smith, a member of Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins. “I feel like manual labor is one way I can serve.” People from all walks of life have joined forces through the Disaster Relief ministry to help hurricane survivors in the Valdosta area, where thousands of trees were toppled by Idalia’s winds.

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. — Why would a senior adult church with no children’s ministry hold Vacation Bible School at the church? And how could they possibly do it successfully and even bless other churches year after year? For Green Valley Baptist Church, located in a senior adult community 30 minutes south of Tucson and next door to Sahuarita, a newer community filled with young families, VBS is the event of the summer.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — In Georgia’s hurricane zone, the long Labor Day weekend has been no walk in the park for Disaster Relief crews who are volunteering their time to help storm victims. Sweat soaks their conspicuous yellow shirts as they balance on sweltering rooftops, sawing away fallen trees that had been toppled by Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday.

OZARK, Mo. — “What would Vacation Bible School look like for participants in their 80s, 90s, and 100s?” That’s a question Baptist Home leaders in Ozark had to answer before offering Vacation Bible School to their residents in June. They decided it didn’t have to look much different than for children as many residents already had fond memories of experiencing VBS.