VBS: Ya'll Come

Posted by guest blogger, BroKen.

Hey boys and girls are you having fun during summer vacation? Are you enjoying staying up late and sleeping in the morning? Well, I want to remind you that since it is summer it is also time for VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!
Churches all around McLean County have been hosting intensive classes in Biblical values with themes designed for children. Everything creative, from jungle safaris to futuristic space travel, will amaze children in order to make the messages and meanings from the Bible memorable and fun.
But let me tell you about the Marketplace. For a couple of years now, St. Sebastian and St. Charles have joined with the Calhoun and Rumsey Methodist churches to put on a Marketplace Vacation Bible school. We transform the church grounds into a ancient market with vendors selling their wares and teaching children how to make them. For example, there’s a brick maker who lets the children work just like the children of Israel did for Pharaoh. And every year the "tribal mothers" (remember there were 12 tribes in Israel) explain what it was like to live in those days while the children fetch their own water and make their own bread with their tribe.
This year our theme is the Exodus (the children of Israel leave Egypt), the Ten Commandments (handed down from Mount Sinai), and the Tabernacle (designed by hand of God.) The grounds around St. Sebastian has plenty of room for all of the shops, the tribal dwelling places, the well, the games and the storytellers. Also, this year, the good people Calhoun Christian Church are joining with us, bringing their enthusiasm, their expertise and their children.
By transporting the children back into the ancient days when the Bible was written, the stories of deliverance from slavery and death, the personality of God described in the Ten Commandments, and God‘s plan of salvation expressed in the pattern of the Tabernacle, will be planted in their heads and hearts.
It all begins at St. Sebastian next week, Tuesday through Thursday, July 14-16. We‘ll start Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. for registration and go each day until 1:00. Wednesday and Thursday we‘ll start at 9:00 a.m. When the children are picked up on Thursday at 1:00, we’d like the parents to stay and tour the grounds to see what their children have been doing in the Marketplace.
It’s a great deal of fun for the children and the adults who pretend to be skilled ancient artisans sharing their knowledge with the next generation. But, of course, that is what Bible School is about whatever the theme around it may be. Faithful followers of Jesus pass on their faith to the younger followers who then pass it on to the next.
But perhaps the greatest thing the children will learn through this Marketplace Bible school, is not what it WAS like in ancient times, but what it IS like today when churches of Jesus Christ work together. That’s something it wouldn't hurt us all to learn!

Comments

[Dan Gill]

We've done a marketplace in the past, and it was a lot of fun for the kids, in addition to being educational.

What we do now is called Summer Spectacular. There is a story about a Biblical character. This year it was Esther. In addition to classes and activities for all the kids (and one for adults) we have a full musical that takes place over three nights. They tell the story in the musical, and it is a big, big production. But we get lots of folks. This year we ran the production twice, and we had 4800 people attend, 500 of whom were visitors. Awesome stuff!

[Mommynator]

Now THAT'S inspiring.

I've been involved in many excellent VBS programs, but usually not in conjunction with other churches in the area.

It's true - we should be working together.

Good job!