Vacation Bible School

July 24, 2009

Vacation Bible School this year was held June 29 through July 3. We were blessed with many new students throughout the week (about 200 total registrations by the end of VBS). Many of the new students heard about the ministry for the first time at our KidsBiz booth and through the poster and flier distribution on Grand Island. Behind the scenes, the church offered up many prayers corporately and individually for the week.

The night before VBS began the church discovered that the van on loan, from another ministry, could not be used. Despite the setback, most students were able to come. The Lord certainly reminded us this year that He is in control, and that this is His work.

The theme for the morning school this year was “Operation Space: A Close Encounter with God’s Word.” The lessons focused students’ attention on the uniqueness and value of God’s Word and the glory of God’s creation. Each day, the children sang excitedly about blasting off into God’s Word to explore the vast riches of it. They learned that it has the greatest impact on our lives, because in God’s Word we hear the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus. They also learned that the Bible is the only absolute authority for their lives, and they were challenged the last day to read the Bible daily over the next year.

Each day, the young people were challenged with the daily lessons. These lessons ranged from, the creation of mankind, sin, obedience, salvation through Christ, and the cadet challenge to grow in God’s Word. These lessons were reinforced by the various activities in the classes, such as: songs, crafts, memory verses, and games.

The Puppet ministry has been a hallmark of the Vacation Bible School Ministry at Bible Presbyterian. In keeping with the theme of “Operation Space,” the stage was set for an adventure in space. Students boarded the “USS Wisdom,” which accidentally blasted off on a voyage. This ship was unique in that it did not run on solar power or electric power, etc. It ran on Scripture power (Hebrews 4:12). The Jr. Cadets provided that power daily as they said their memory verse to the Admiral (Pastor Kevin). The crew of the ship had to work together to make their way back to earth, all along the way trusting in God to guide their way.

Several teachers have shared how students were so excited about reading God’s Word on their own and wanting to carry their Bible with them everywhere. Second through fifth grade students who did not own a Bible were each provided one, through the generous donation of one of our church members. Please pray for those who came to VBS this year, that God would continue to work in their hearts by His precious Word.

The theme for the evening school this year was “One ‘Way’ = Christ.” The lessons for each night were: “One Destination,” “One Truth,” “One Name,” “One Word,” and “One Life.” One of the unique things about the evening school is the “Breakout Session.” After each lesson, the boys and girls separated to further discuss the message’s application in their lives. The young people were encouraged to bring a Bible, bring friends, and learn memorize verses.

Of course, Bible Presbyterian evening VBS would not be complete without the amazingly fun (and sometimes messy) games. The games this year included the Highland Games, Soccer, Swine Night, Jello Fest, and bucket ball. See the photo album for a closer look.

The game time was not only a time for tremendous fun, but also an opportunity for the Harvest Team to talk to the young people about their spiritual condition. This time was used to discuss salvation and issues in the Christian life with the young people.

Praise the Lord for another great year of Vacation Bible School ministry. May He continue to work in the lives of the young people on Grand Island.