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These kids’ rewards are in helping others


OXFORD, Miss. (BP)–For two summers, TeamKID members at First Baptist Church, Oxford, Miss., had collected rewards from the TeamKID store by earning points for such efforts as attendance, learning Bible verses and bringing visitors.
In the third year of the program, coach June Overstreet decided to ask the children if they would agree to converting the points they earned into dollars to help others less fortunate than they, instead of gifts for themselves. The money would be used to buy needed items for the Taylor Christian Community Center, a joint mission project of First Baptist, Oxford, and four African American churches in the area.
The children overwhelmingly agreed. (Even though their parents weren’t so sure they would.)
Working as hard as if they were earning gifts for themselves, the 40 to 60 TeamKID members were able to raise $600 for the community center.
Meanwhile, the TeamKID club at First Baptist Church, Morgan Hill, Calif., known for its outreach programs and missions projects, has gone caroling at six different convalescent homes in the area the past five years, mixing their TeamKID music with Christmas songs.
Last year, the children raised enough money to wear matching Christian Christmas sweatshirts (which they have worn throughout the year). Club membership at the Morgan Hill church runs about 125 to 150 with an average weekly attendance of 75.

Reprinted from Sidelines, a quarterly newsletter for TeamKID coaches.