“A PERSPECTIVE ON SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES - MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL AND SKITTLES”

As I type these words, we are in the midst of our annual Vacation Bible School. As you read this, we will be just about through, but let me invite you to the Thursday night Family Celebration at 7:00. Our theme this year is a Hawaiian adventure. You’ll get to hear a lot of fun songs, hear how much the kids have learned as they play our exciting “Wheel of Faith” game (I’m the host “Fat Haystack” assisted by our lovely letter turner “Banana White”), and get a packet of free “Skittles” candy. You’ll even see me in a grass skirt over my blue jeans. (Real men in the islands wear them. Maybe it will start a fad here. Maybe not.) I’ll do just about anything to have fun with the kids. I’m just a kid at heart. Always have been ... always hope to be.

Let me explain about the “Skittles” candy. I have some Gospel visual aids that I use at Vacation Bible School every year. (And at children’s church camps, too, for over twenty-five years now ... but that’s another column.) A friend of mine gave me a traffic light, another friend wired it up to blink sequentially or individually, and another friend gave me an old-fashioned bubble gum / candy machine. (Raymond O’Neal, Andy Anderson, and Don Walsh of Malvern ... thanks again, guys.)

During Vacation Bible School, I use the traffic light and the candy machine to teach what many churches call the “A-B-C’s of Being a Christian.”

“A” - “Admit” that you are not perfect (a sinner) and need God.
“B” - “Believe” that Jesus is God’s Son and can save you from your sins.
“C” - “Confess” that Jesus is the Savior and let Him be Lord of your Life.

The traffic light is to remind the kids (and the adults) of the “Christian A-B-C’s.” Red light: Stop and “Admit” your sins. Yellow light: Be sure and “Believe” that Jesus can save you. Green light - Go and “Confess” to everyone that Jesus is your Lord.

The candy machine dispenses a handful of red, yellow, and green Skittles. But, these are not just plain old regular Skittles that you buy in the store ... these are prayed-over and blessed “Scriptural” Skittles that the kids are to share with someone and use them to tell the “Christian A-B-C’s” similar to the red, yellow, and green of the traffic light. (Don't worry ... I supply the coins and you get enough “Scriptural” Skittles to share and have some left over to eat.)

Come to our Vacation Bible School program Thursday night at 7:00. Everyone present will get a free pack of Skittles and you can even visit the candy machine and feel like a kid again. England First Baptist Church is located at 201 E. Haywood Street, one block east of the Post Office.

And next time you see a traffic light or eat some Skittles ... think of the “A-B-Cs” of being a Christian and the importance of Vacation Bible School is teaching the Good News of Jesus.

This is just one pastor’s (and one really big kid’s) perspective.

“A PERSPECTIVE ON SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES - THOUGHTS ABOUT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL”

Summer is a busy, busy time. I’ve been so busy that I didn’t write last week. As I tell preacher friends of mine who say they don’t have time to do this or that, a person makes time for the things they consider important. So, I’m making time to write this week.

Summer is hard on most churches ... attendance and giving suffers while many are away on vacations and outings and some stay home with friends and family visiting. However, there’s one summer church activity that brings folks to the church house ... Vacation Bible School.

How about a history lesson from wikipedia.com about Vacation Bible School (VBS). The origin of VBS can be traced back to Hopedale, Illinois in 1894. Sunday School teacher D. T. Miles, who also was a public school teacher, felt she was limited by time constraints in teaching the Bible to children. So, she started a daily Bible school to teach children during the summer. The first Bible school enrolled forty students and lasted four weeks. A local school was used for classes while an adjoining park was used for recess. In 1898, Eliza Hawes, director of the children's department at Epiphany Baptist Church in New York City, started an "Everyday Bible School" for slum children at a rented beer parlor in New York's East Side. (My personal note: What a great use for a tavern!) Hawes continued her efforts for seven years. Dr. Robert Boville of the Baptist Mission Society became aware of the Hawes' summer program and recommended it to other Baptist churches. Boville established a handful of summer schools which were taught by students at the Union Theological Seminary. During one summer, one thousand students were enrolled in five different schools. In 1922, he founded the World Association of Daily Vacation Bible School.

Today, most churches of all denominations have a week-long Vacation Bible School every summer .. just check out the newspaper each week and take your pick. Many kids “make the rounds” and attend several during the summer. Our Vacation Bible School at England First Baptist Church starts Sunday night, July 13, at 5:30 and will end with a special “Parents Night” on Thursday, July 17. Our theme is “Outrigger Island - Living God’s Unshakable Truth.” (It’s a Hawaiian “Survivor” kind of theme. See the logo pictured above.) Your children are welcomed no matter what church you do or don’t attend. If they need a ride, call us at 842-2688.

VBS - it’s a summertime activity of faith that is fun!

This is just one pastor's perspective (who never experienced the fun of VBS as a child but has great fun with the kids our VBS).