Upward Basketball

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

         Upward Basketball is a ministry to “train” the children of our community. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and we need our village to support Upward Basketball through prayer, through scholarships, through volunteering to help with evaluation nights, and through volunteering to coach.

           Prayer is an essential component of any ministry and Upward Basketball is no exception. Traci Mize is the Prayer Commissioner this year, and she will be contacting church members to create prayer teams. If you would like to serve as a “prayer captain” in charge of a prayer team or simply serve as a prayer team member, please let Traci know.

          Scholarships are another important aspect of Upward Basketball. Registration is $55 per child. We don’t want a single child left out of this viable ministry, and last year we gave almost 20 scholarships. We expect to need that many this year if not more. If you would like to donate a scholarship, or even a partial scholarship, please contact Carol in the church office, place your donation in the offering plate in the envelope marked “Upward Scholarship,” or contact me.

          Evaluation nights are Monday, Nov. 2; Tuesday, Nov. 3; Thursday, Nov. 5; and Monday, Nov. 9. We need volunteers to help at the registration desk, to direct the children from station to station, and to run evaluation stations. You do not need to know a single thing about basketball to help!  Let me repeat—Upward Basketball is a ministry. Coaching is an avenue to bring children closer to Christ. You don’t have to be an expert in basketball; you just have to be willing to give up one night a week to practice and a couple of hours on Saturdays for games. If you love children and you love Christ, consider coaching a team. You will be spiritually rewarded beyond measure.

     If you can help “train a child in the way he should go,” contact me at jcoleman@ndisd.org or 903-843-5402.

John Coleman

Upward Director