“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).