%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 17 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 19 0 R /GS4 20 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 1.0.2 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250809220305+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250809220305+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1514 >> stream xW]4}ﯸ ZOƎ`Yhin&Ib'[1rN;Bq#6jKczjO鋻 JDDЏO0)Fq_PQ iO}=x> 3_/B^9Pdٚ@1jqΡdn%QqL"-Cx}dȇ5b0wwy41K4*et.қ^֊=VOCEx)Aϥ+$Jra< zZZ6գY%i0]M%AO7N"pOVPƴvO "_gǹ́;yT2KKeF"gBpOXI00O%"u9'E"ur/%-ꯌ4c[;9I7ןSd=)S<qyPNVU$YK]Khg}jMТ:y|m9Zb= y]섆R!i} ąܳ@? ^eÝ's$J=;̃)7sFa[eP]v˽=HC_:Iڪ=zZdC=Iz"u*~\i)[&_4+U."^5<)C)I+ꦭkűcZȇjwm$i;io']~fŤٱ+4zW`ƦU֨rFۡOCYW]ˀH^W`czݚ³ė>ylp{bMB7Ad,7dG<Ҵol=.%9@y~7)U{Dy,'wp $ٶU.)PwFt$Lsߎ^c,6NF@bRI3>}#-jDnr53I,9%׬Hg(4mgݲCさ':dž>8:nL ru<9;eħf r*4qddkq%Wxs)جC>5|=U*hl} 6ċ76co Ol쵅 8!C=H*qSiF8mQy' |dBOkVI]M;rme8'޻w,αp[YS%LEMVw3i' ]~nd-iNb/|#A`3e"/X3~3;U3yM}]"a:ގ ƮZǢݗېjOǃkd3wz*z"d endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 18 0 R >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1057 >> stream xVM6ﯘc ش$KK,tErrĬDeWipg(-k6m}̼yސw׻ջ54)nmsfw[l`k q""Kbhͫ=߆"O@J4]E7eMparxBW-p[@1:x^ ?" 0@m,_rۤ@rt(Z|'Z6.n`OWew׶gF!/( IN#VbfȎ20:Y;ˡl`Mce Ng(;I!I6"D$6RoZUPJqN{ひpBF4i;_CG]0(CA;(і?w֪#KWfzQ:ɵp _V^9UK-,8C,/鿷@90e9c{\&I"-> qC qHKJ<jw(;9 d)yHΎ@=ɷtk'vɞlZف .K#0di:iUtZA! 3ٺ h@QgE֐A絁LygF|BpLljI )LQ2tqG5'7qA,($WoCh{CN7H o%Ǧɲ)_Qcd(?ΥRynse4t9w "wƫ1%ۉm}kI{Hi3S-tan>]:1sb_"5׏y`ڤHȎN[EJn̖'UoXR4 ў*xˡM͌ȻBx|=By3x!$%l\gL[oڙ&$l}~v1sjU89-;:}R>2_ؑms({>SL3G sM"n& /E endstream endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj xref 0 21 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000401 00000 n 0000000430 00000 n 0000000579 00000 n 0000000682 00000 n 0000002269 00000 n 0000002376 00000 n 0000002484 00000 n 0000002594 00000 n 0000002707 00000 n 0000002823 00000 n 0000002852 00000 n 0000002962 00000 n 0000003021 00000 n 0000003080 00000 n 0000003185 00000 n 0000004316 00000 n 0000004373 00000 n trailer << /Size 21 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[<30112501ce37f2369fb9398170165829><30112501ce37f2369fb9398170165829>] >> startxref 4430 %%EOF Basketball brings them in | Caring Magazine

Vol. #28

Grace Uncovered

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Basketball brings them in

April 25, 2008
2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

Concord’s basketball teams are introducing kids to Christ.

by Clay Gardner, Major –

Players participate in a YMCA league team sponsored by the Concord, Calif., corps.

I’ve had fun in my life, though I’m not sure ever as much as watching our corps sponsored basketball team play in the kick-off game for the local YMCA league a few weeks ago. It seemed as though a couple of our 7- to 8-year-old players weren’t much bigger than the basketball!

The idea to sponsor basketball teams in the YMCA spring league was the idea of Will Harper, youth ministries director. Once a junior college basketball coach, Will worked for the Boys & Girls Club before coming to the Army. I remember him saying, “I’m just going to do what I know how to do,” at the job interview.

We hung a sign at the corner of our property and within a month had 33 kids signed up to play.

Last fall, we introduced the team on a Sunday morning. Most of the team made it—and so did a number of parents, many even attended Sunday school. One of those parents is now in our soldiers’ class, brings friends and has a daughter headed to the youth councils. Several of our young basketball players now come for church every Sunday.

On a recent Sunday, the kids presented over a thousand dollars they raised in a “shot-a-thon” for World Services. These teams have enthused our congregation.

The 9- to 10-year-old team is undefeated and we are looking forward to cheering them through the season. When the basketball memories fade from these children’s memories, the fact that we have introduced them to Christ remains.

Reflection by Amy Herrero:

My 9-year-old son Cody really wanted to play basketball this year, but I missed the sign-ups for the city leagues. When I saw the banner announcing The Salvation Army was offering basketball, I was relieved. Cody had already been attending the after-school program, so this wasn’t an unknown organization, which was nice. I signed Cody up and took him to practice.

Coach Will asked all the teams on Sunday to be at church, and for them to arrive for Sunday school. I dropped off my son and headed back to the car. On my way back to the car it occurred to me, “I’m already here, so why not?” I turned around and went to the Sunday school class.

I enjoyed the class immensely and everyone welcomed me. It was the first time I had looked at a Bible in a long time. Then the church service was even more on target for exactly what I needed to hear. Everyone was welcoming and invitingeveryone practiced what was spoken about in the class and the sermon.

Cody, my daughter, Amber, and I have been coming faithfully ever since. It has brought God and Christ back into all of our lives in a way that I never allowed before. I attend everything I can with the church, and Cody, Amber and I incorporate God and Christ into all that we do. I guess you could say that basketball brought me back to Christ.

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like