How is everybody doing today?
We had VBS at church this last week. VBS is always a fun, busy time. There’s something about seeing all those eager-to-learn smiling faces that lights a fire in my soul. I think we adults need VBS just as much as the kids do. Their enthusiasm helps shape our motivation.
My first real church memory from childhood is a VBS memory. I didn’t accept Christ that summer, but that’s where I learned to trust those strange churchy adults. That trust played a major role in my willingness to listen at a later date when one of those adults talked to me about Jesus. So while I wasn’t saved at VBS, I still think it played an important role in my childhood and, ultimately, in my salvation. I can imagine some the many different directions my life could have gone without Christ, and I’ll be forever grateful to God – and to the adults who followed His lead – for loving me enough to invest in me and show me a better way. The best way, really.
What about you? Do you have any good VBS memories (as an adult or from childhood)? Does your church do VBS – and if it does, is there anything special you do to help?
Wishing everyone a marvelous week!
Blessings,
Heather
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Heather Gray loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that order! She writes approachable characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have someone who's a coffee addict. Some things just can't be helped. Despite their different lives and situations, Heather’s characters have something in common. They're all flawed...but loved anyway.
Hi:) I grew up going to Adventurers, then Pathfinders (VBS but with a different name). The relationships formed with others my age and trusted adults had a huge impact on my life and my decision for Christ. I credit my involvement with these as keeping be sane during my teen years.
A fun memory I have is from one of our weekend campouts, we were practising our knots and building skills. We girls had somehow managed to raid the boys tents and steal their unmentionables that we then flung from a catapult into the prickles!! Hehe, while there was payback (in the form of a food fight!!) we felt rather smug with both our catapult building and our “skills” at absconding with the boys clothes.
That’s hysterical! I can just imagine the looks on their faces when they realized their unmentionables had gone missing…and then where they’d shown up. How funny! So glad you could visit today and start my day off with a good laugh! :)
Good morning! As a child, I attended VBS. I enjoyed the Bible stories and crafts. My favorite part were the missionary stories. From our area we had a Japanese missionary, Miss Miller and so we learned about the Japanese culture. When I was a teen I told the missionary stories at VBS. One year I did Japan, explained boy’s day and girl’s day. Because of Miss Milller and her life in Japan, I applied and was selected to a 3 week Fullbright Study trip for teachers in Japan in 2008.
For 25 years while my husband served as pastor, I often directed VBS. I enjoyed the Marketplace Series – life at Jesus times. We often had evening VBS with classes for all ages including adults. One year as we told the story Jesus the Good Shepherd, we had a local farmer, sheer a sheep. Since our church was 3 blocks from Lake Michigan, we had several sessions on the shores of “Lake Galilee.”
Now as a retired pastor’s wife and teacher, I take my three grandchildren to VBS. In our area the churches do several different programs and have VBS at different times, some during the day, some in the evening; giving children and adults opportunities to participate in VBS.
GOD is GOOD!
We had VBS this week , too. :) Lots of fun, I look forward to helping every year.
I think I’ve asked this before, but is anyone else having trouble listening to the blab recordings afterwards? I teach on Tuesday nights, but have tried to listen to June and July’s blabs a few days after without success.
Thanks so much for hosting the Sunday Editions in July, Heather! You are much appreciated.
I remember helping run VBS on reservations as a pre-teen. My dad was a missionary to the First Nations in northern Manitoba, Canada. We’d spend a week in each village, often sleeping on the floor of the school or church we were using for VBS.
Anyone else remember flannelgraph? Ah…
What a wonderful testimony of your faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to you! And what a blessing that He used the relationships He fostered through VBS to give you such amazing experiences. Thank you for sharing Renate!
I hope God blessed your church and all the adults and children participating in VBS!
I missed June’s and was able to listen/watch it afterward. Let me check, though, and see if anyone else is having issues, Priscila. Maybe I can put our tech guru in touch with you to help you get it sorted out. :)
Flannelgraph! We had a conversation in small group recently – we have one gentleman who had never heard of a flannelgraph and had no idea what it was. Granted, he’s on the young side (not yet 30 I’d say), but even his peers were shocked that he had no idea what it was. It’s now a standing joke. Thankfully, he’s a good sport! ^_^
You do have to sign into blab (either via twitter or facebook) in order to see the replays but otherwise it should work. If you are signing in and it’s still not working, I might try and see if there’s a contact from on blab that you can use. It looks like everything that we’re able to control is set up as it should be. Sorry!
While in college one summer, I worked for Rural Bible Mission and did 20 weeks of VBS. We used flannelgraph. Our local library uses flannel-graph as visuals in their preschool story time for counting and color recognition – 5 ducks or flowers, etc. It often is used to summarize a story read.
Our church had VBS a couple of weeks ago. My 15 year old son is part of the skit crew and I’m a behind-the-scenes Mom doing lights for the skit, making food, and helping with supplies. Last year he was a lab assistant. This year he played a “bad guy” for the first time: Mr. Octopus. The crew did a great job and the kids enjoyed the nightly skits. Since last year’s VBS, one kid at church continues to call my son “Sam”. He is making a difference and impacting young lives. God is so good.
Thank you for visiting today Julianne and sharing your story! How awesome that your son takes active part in VBS! I often think that it’s through the activities our teens choose (rather than the ones we choose for them) that we get to see into their true heart. What a blessings that your son is choosing activities that both honor God and help others to learn about Him!
Thanks to you both.
I’ve tried to sign in using Facebook, but it never got through. I’ve email their bug support, but I was wondering if it was just me–now I know that probably is. I’ll wait for their reply.
I remember going to VBS as a kid. My family attended a Lutheran church, I can’t say I remember anything about the VBS per say, but I’m sure I was excited to go. There was always some good activities.
Our church is very small so we don’t have one, but I know of a couple of bigger ones here in town that have VBS every year. Since I don’t have small children anymore I have no reason to go. Maybe when my grand-girl is older, I’ll see if my my daughter would allow me to take her :-)
Growing up I didn’t go to a vacation Bible study but my daughter went to a really good one close to home a few years ago!!