This morning a happy horde of little people will invade St. Paul's and we will be thrilled. The annual Vacation Bible School will get underway and leaders are ready -- or as ready as you can be given that a fair number of participants will just show up without preregistration.
Some parents see the various church VBS's as serial day camps to get the kids out of the house. That's okay. We see it as an opportunity to share the Good News of Christ with children in a setting that is fun and educational . Every year we are blessed with volunteers who could be doing a lot of other things, including sleeping in. I feel they make a huge difference in the lives of these kids, and I commend them.
My recollection of VBS is that it wasn't nearly as much fun as today but, hey, it was a long time ago. We had bible memory work contests that I didn't come close to winning.
What are you VBS memories? Are they still worthwhile in your estimation? Are you involved in some way?
Wow! Does your VBS program ever look interesting - kids/children love to cook!
ReplyDeleteWaht I remember about VBS was the upbeat - fast tempo - zippy songs and the new crafts! I loved the new songs I was being exposed too - and songs that I still hear being used with the children today in VBS and SS. I am sure there was memory verses but I don't remember that.
My brother learned a new mealtime grace that I still use and he made a planter that came home with a ivy type plant that my mom kept growing for 15 years or more.
My first teaching experience was teaching VBS class of SK/Gr1 students when I was 13 years old.
I have been a VBS director for 18 years and have discovered that games, crafts and especially cooking are the children's favorite classes! I love the planning stages and working up the craft samples for VBS.
After a 2 year break - I was the bible teacher at VBS this year and I enjoyed being involved in VBS.
And VBS is such a worthwhile project - many parents will send their children to VBS for a week but not to SS.
I never partook, but I know that my late grandmother assisted with the Vacation Bible School at the Hampton United Church for many years, a lifetime ago.
ReplyDeleteWe still eat bread from a basket I made at VBS in London in the late 70's.(I suppose that makes it almost an antique). I don't recall the themes and music being quite as fun, as it seems to me now as an adult.
ReplyDeleteWe have a great group of energetic campers again this year,including a few first timers.
And I second your appreciation, David, for our generous volunteers which number close to 20 and range in age from 13 to our kitchen coordinator of many years, who although I don't know an exact age is very wise, and could easily feign that she has more than paid her dues yet shows up happily year after year, and works with our teens in the kitchen.
We have a healthy batch of kids but if you were thinking about it, and didn't make it out today, we always have room for a few more.
It has become one of my favourite weeks of the year!
It's good to know that you're off to a positive start Laura.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminscences and the update on current involvement Susan.
It isn't too late for your girls Ian!