Vacation Bible School: Day 1

Tonight my church begins 5 days of Vacation Bible School.  Unlike the VBS of my childhood, we eat dinner at 6 and begin the activities at 6:30.  We stay until just before 9.  Well, the activities last that long; of course we stay until the last parent arrives to pick up their children. 

And then, unlike the public school teachers who make up the bulk of our staff, I get up in the morning and go to work.  I couldn't sustain the pace for very long, but it's worth doing for a week.

Who will come?  It's different each year.  Last year, we had about 70% of our children from outside of the church.  There was one memorable girl who loved VBS so much that her family went from church to church to church, picking up different VBS experiences along the way.

Our Worship Together service, the 9:45 service, owes much to VBS and the fact that kids love it so much.  We have skits, we sing songs, and we do arts and crafts.

I'm impressed with how much money our children raise year after year.  I hope that the children retain the importance of giving resources back.  I know a lot of adults who could use a refresher course.

When I tell people that I'm the VBS Arts and Crafts director, many of those adults look at me in confusion.  "But you don't have kids?"

Yes, but I do believe that we're all responsible for the next generation.  And VBS at my church needs us all.  Everyone who is available and mobile gets pressed into service. 

It's a huge undertaking, but it's worthwhile.  In fact, I imagine that VBS, much like church camps, is one of the more important outreach and spiritual formation activities that we do.

More details to come!