VBS Takes Different Shapes
For anyone connected with Christian education in the congregation, this time of year brings one thing to mind—time to begin planning Vacation Bible School!
If you want to get a bit inventive and create your own program, yet don’t quite know where to begin, let’s go behind the scenes to a few congregations in our synod and see what’s helped them serve their members and communities. We’ll be looking specifically at three congregations: Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Zelienople; Trinity Lutheran Church, Butler; and First Lutheran Church, Downtown Pittsburgh. While these churches vary in location and size, they also share commonality in their planning and faith emphasis.
Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Zelienople
VBS design begins at Oak Grove Lutheran Church when Director Tracy Shaffer creates the curriculum from scratch, with assistance from the Christian Education Committee and Youth Group. Pastor Nathaneil Christman notes that the exceptional group of volunteers is flexible, adaptable, and inventive. Knowing the gifts of those serving, they are able to make changes when needed, and find roles for volunteers where they will be successful.
Families register online, including options for age groups (3yo to fourth grade or fifth grade to 17yo). Older youth are helpers during VBS then participate in Youth Group activities that follow the VBS program. Adult volunteers have all necessary clearances. In 2021, approximately 35 families were served. Typically, their program runs Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon, during June. A unique feature in their structure is to offer the older youth activities from noon to 3 p.m. each day, and all day Friday. Last year’s event included a trip to Kennywood for 15 youth.
Oak Grove reaches out to their neighbors through social media and provides flyers for distribution by members to the community. Pastor Christman shares that they “constantly remind one another that VBS is not about the crafts, games, songs, science, and skits—VBS is about instilling faith in the hearts and minds of children and youth. Crafts, games, songs, science, and skits are tools to help us teach the WORD. At the end of the day the participants should be able to tell us about God’s story!”
First Lutheran Church, Downtown Pittsburgh
Kimberly Wilson agrees this is the time of year the committee members at First Lutheran Church begin to share theme ideas via email. Once a theme is selected, the week is planned based on an outline that consists of a daily story and lesson with the entire group, and then smaller groups rotate to different stations with the help of their teen volunteers. The stations are Imagination—further exploration of the story; Creation— a week-long craft is created, adding something to the theme/story of the day each day; Sal(i)vation—using the theme to create snacks, with the campers’ help, while talking about why and how the snack ties to the story (former tasty creations included pickles, shakes, and even communion bread); and Celebration—making a joyful noise with song and instruments. Following lunch, excursions are planned to match the theme as closely as possible. Past trips around town have included the sports stadiums, the cultural district, tours of city hall, and the fountains to cool off!
While Camp Downtown is initially planned by First Lutheran, it is considered a ministry of the downtown ministerium. Each church hosts the approximately 40 campers for lunch on a different day, but the educational piece takes place at First Lutheran. Ages of participants range from Kindergarten through sixth grade. Seventh grade and up function as counselors. Their program is held daily in June from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To stay connected with their participants, campers are invited back for a one-day Winter Ice-Fest during the colder months to get them excited about the coming year.
Trinity Lutheran Church, Butler
Are you looking for something completely different for your VBS program, while also supporting another ministry of the synod? That’s what Trinity Lutheran Church decided to try, and it has worked very well for their congregation’s VBS programming. Trinity contracts with Camp Lutherlyn to offer their participants a full-day program and, while utilizing Lutherlyn’s staff, have tailored the program to accommodate a wide range of ages by also having a group that is geared to preschool children for a half-day experience. In addition to the VBS offering hosted onsite at Trinity, participants also experience what Camp Lutherlyn has to offer for one of the days of VBS by visiting the camp to enjoy swimming, nature hikes, etc. Trinity provides lunch for the kids the day they visit Lutherlyn and a special pizza party on the last day with parents/guardians in attendance for a closing program.
Pastor Joel Benson notes this option of VBS has benefited the volunteers, the children, and the camp. The children enjoy the unique variety of camp songs, skits, and scripture lessons taught by Lutherlyn’s staff; the teens and adults can volunteer alongside the staff, and Lutherlyn has the opportunity to introduce the children to what camp is like. Trinity bears the cost for the families except for a small registration fee. (Contact director Deacon Deb Roberts and see lutherlyn.com/summercamp/daycamp.html for specific details on how this program might work for your congregation.)
For those of you who prefer “boxed” VBS kits, there are plenty to choose from again this year. Two great places to begin looking for an overview of 2022 kits and other helpful resources: buildfaith.org and childrens-ministry-deals.com. Other options that are popular in our synod include VBS programs from Illustrated Ministry (illustratedministry.com); ELCA Lutheran World Hunger, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (elca.org), and growcurriculum.org.
There are many published resources out there; connect with the Resource Ministry at the synod office for more assistance. And please do contact these churches for any additional information that might be helpful. Hopefully these ideas will inspire your team to create a memorable VBS in your setting!
