VBS at My Church
What an exciting week we had experiencing Amazing Wonders Aviation at my church— Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN! When we entered the sanctuary, it looked like an airplane had come straight through the ceiling and was just hanging there! Great way to kick off the aviation feel each day. Our average daily attendance was 1,846 (1,380 kids plus 466 volunteers)!
I taught in one of nine kindergarten classes. We usually had 22 kids and six workers in our “Kindergarten G” group! (“Go G-fliers!”) Three of our helpers were teenagers who did not take on leadership roles, but assisted the three adult teachers. That was a great help! For many of the senior high students this VBS is “training” for those who will travel to Chicago to conduct VBS there.
Our church provided a training event called “VBS University” where all volunteers had an opportunity to receive age-group or rotation group training prior to VBS. Our leadership also provided enrichment sessions such as “Leading a Child to Christ,” “Using Teens Effectively as Volunteers” or “Guiding Behavior.” It was a great time to get folks excited and prepared for VBS.
This is not the only VBS that happens—it’s just the first. The materials are reused to conduct six other VBS events in downtown Nashville, Chicago, Georgia, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Israel. The missions offering taken during VBS goes to help support the ministry of these other mission VBS events.
Most importantly, 52 children made professions of faith this week. We expect that many other lives were influenced and changed, and that we will continue to see children ADMIT, BELIEVE, and CONFESS.
I served as director of an apartment ministry for at risk kids! We had a wonderful week spread out all over the lawns and the apt. We also had an adult vbs class of women which was well received! Prizes were drawn each day and the ladies enjoyed that as well and as a result plan to meet now for a weekly Bible Study onThursday mornings when the children go back to school. Students enjoyed the snow cones daily as well as the crafts and of course the mission study and Bible study with great music as well However the icing on the cake came when we had 10 children prayed to receive Christ into their lives and 8 of them followed in baptism at our Block party at the end of VBS We took a horse trough used for watering horses ( new of course) and one by one these students were baptized by a pastor who has a new work in the area! A drawing with tickets received daily for their attendance plus another for bring someone was held and a little girl won a new bicycle!Puppeteers from a neighbor church performed and Rep from our SC state legislator shared her testimony! Water slide inflatables sno cones pop corn watermelon and hamburger hot dog cookout with all the trimmings were served afterwards on July12 2012 in Camden SC Every teacher and helper received a hand written thank you note as well as the children baptized were given a framed certificate picture of their baptism along with Now I’m a Christian with the new 90 day journal feature is a great plus! I have always loved VBS and in the days of no A/C I made myself special sleeveless cotton dresses one for each day! Oops now you know I am old! Oh well someone has to be now it is my turn! Cannot wait until next year!