Kim Nicolaus stated in The Caller’s A New Spin on a Traditional Idea that “Summer Spectacular - VBS provides an opportunity for the church to reach out and serve the need identified by our community to train our children.”
Her quote reminds me of Proverbs 22:6:
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Central is offering our community a free, safe, supportive, and encouraging time for children, teenagers, adults that we call Summer Spectacular - VBS.
And we, as members of Central, have an important job to do because have been given the role to be trainers of children.
But I get it. It’s hard to make time to volunteer for church. It’s hard to make time for anything, really. Life gets busy and time is limited. But let me encourage you - volunteering can be so fulfilling.
During Summer Spectacular - VBS you will be overwhelmed when watching the children hear the Gospel, process it, and then try to apply to their life. It will be rewarding, I promise.
Jackie Henderson, one of the many volunteers of this event, shared why Summer Spectacular-VBS is so important for own spiritual life.
“The most rewarding part for me is seeing [the children] smile when you talk about Jesus and then seeing them ‘get it.’ Their innocence is so apparent. Loving Jesus is easy for them. I think their brains are like sponges and they learn more through fun and play. When you have a group of children together, fellowshipping in a place like VBS, they unite in thought and praise and love that’s different than in a school setting.”
We are called to provide an environment for these children to be trained to look to God for guidance. We are called to support these children as they seek God and begin their spiritual journeys. According to Jackie Henderson, we are called to plant seeds.
“It’s a safe place for [children] to experience the love of God in a way that we may not be able to do at home. Kids should come to VBS for us to plant that seed in hopes that someone will continue the watering so that they can grow. It’s a time that the kids can see that God isn’t just there for them on Sundays; they learn that He’s there all the time and that He loves them unconditionally,” said Jackie Henderson.
Participation of children is vital for a successful week of fellowship, fun, and spiritual discipline. This is an excellent opportunity to invite kids in your life, churched or unchurched, to experience the love and support of our servants and our God. These children may learn something new about God or learn about who God is for the first time.
I personally have experienced being a part of Vacation Bible School as a child, and now I have become a young adult servant. Being a child in VBS allowed me to enjoy other children’s company and be in a loving environment that was very different from school. The teachers were caring and loving. But most importantly, they taught me to think about God in every aspect of my life.
According to Children’s Ministry Director, Debby Long, the focus this year of Summer Spectacular-VBS will be on Ephesians 5:1-2:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
“We are His beloved children and we want every child to know how loved by God they are and that Jesus died and made the greatest sacrifice for them. His love is for everyone; NO ONE is excluded. Once they grasp this love, our desire is that they will become imitators of Christ and walk in His love,” said Debby Long.
Summer Spectacular - VBS is scheduled for June 4-7 from 6-7:30pm. The program is free and includes dinner for all servants and children. If you have not registered as a servant or for a child online, you can still come! We will register you or your child upon arrival.
Please come out and be a part of this important ministry.
Find more information about Summer Spectacular - VBS at centralmethodist.com/summerspectacular
*NOTE: Leaving your children with people you do not know can be a difficult decision. To ease your mind and to ensure the safety of all children, volunteers at Summer Spectacular – VBS are put through policy training that is required by the United Methodist Church. Central abides by the rules set in place by Safe Sanctuary and makes sure all volunteers are aware of these rules. If you would like more information about Safe Sanctuary, please contact Children's Director Debby Long at 865-986-7329.