Memories of Vacation Bible School
The theme verse of Vacation Bible School (VBS) is “Arise! Shine! Your light has come, the LORD’S glory has shone upon you!" (Isaiah 60:1). The children and youth gathered with the adults to learn more about the light of God’s Love that shines upon us and all around us. There were several new children and families who participated in VBS and there were many adult volunteers who’ve served over the years as teachers. The schedule for VBS was a little different this year—families gathered over four consecutive evenings to learn, laugh and share. Participating in VBS creates lasting memories of Bible lessons and friendships that last throughout our lives.
As children become experienced as VBS participants, they are often invited to serve as VBS guides and assistants. From these roles, the youth can become dedicated adult volunteers who serve as teachers, drivers, registrars, nurses, promoters, etc. In some communities, VBS is coordinated with other churches to (1) be offered at different times throughout the summer to provide continuous opportunities for children as youth to be engaged in meaningful experiences while parents are working and/or when parents are looking for meaningful experiences when school is not in session; (2) to utilize the same curriculum to take advantage of the repetition as a learning strategy or to use varying curricula to broaden the exposure of children and youth to various Biblical content; and (3) to provide a critical mass of children and adults for an enriching experience (i.e., some church’s have low numbers of children/youth to participate in VBS).
Some of the adults fondly recalled memories of summers spent visiting the VBS programs that were sponsored by their home churches or churches their friends attended. In some cases, children and youth would encounter their teachers and friends from school at VBS! It was surprising and affirming to learn of other key values that friends and teachers shared in common. Encounters with teachers, friends and neighbors in familiar settings reveal the strength and density of important social networks. When the values embraced by parents are shared with their children by adults that the youth encounter in other settings, the children are more likely to also incorporate these values into their lives.
The lasting impact of VBS is frequently overlooked. Consider the friendships and lasting lessons that you learned in VBS. What are the scriptures, values and other lessons that you learned? For some, VBS was an introduction to arts, crafts, geography, photography, music, martial arts and other lifelong pursuits. We can all learn more about people, places, parts of the world and perspectives that we’ve never fully considered. Continue to pray for the children, families and volunteers who help plant the seeds of transformation that enrich the lives of us all.
We’ll look forward to seeing you in worship, in class and in mission.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6)
In Christ,
Jon McCoy
