So what do you get when you add together one church, 50+ young children (5 years - 5th grade) and a passle of volunteers (teens to way beyond teens) and stir in catchy songs with motions, snacks, crafts, and Bible stories? What we have is one full week of relatively organized exhuberance otherwise known as Vacation Bible School. Friday will be the final day of this year's edition. Parents and family have been invited to a closing program and hot dog lunch to follow.
Yes, VBS takes an enormous amount of planning and volunteer recruitment - thanks, Jinny - lots of purchasing supplies - thanks, Susan - and lot of patience, hugs, caring, coraling, and above all commitment to children - thanks, Volunteers! As I've heard Jinny say almost every day, this group of participants in Vacation Bible School seem especially "energetic." And only a small percentage of this group have an association with University Pres.
So why do we do it? Why doe we spend the time, money and energy required to conduct five days of Vacation Bible School? How about because so many children are not associated with the church? Because every child needs to know that church is a safe and caring place to be, that there are adults who care for them enough to want them to know that God cares for them too. And because this is a ministry to families, trying in all kinds of ways to provide and care for their children, and parents who need to know that they have resources and support beyond their families.
I still recall memories of my Bible School experiences as a child. Even as a parent and pastor, VBS has always been a highpoint to the summer. May these children and volunteers take good memories and an experience of God's love from this week.
For more VBS photos, see my Flickr site postings: http://www.flickr.com/photos/threeseas/
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