It’s Vacation Bible School week at EPUMC. This Sunday we are going to hear all about it with kids singing and leaders explaining and me preaching about ordinary people doing extra ordinary things. I want to encourage you to be in worship to hear this story. VBS, as we call it, is a 5-day, morning-long experience. VBS literally takes over our church for a time. I heard that this year we had close to 60 kids from our church and community and over 40 helpers. But it’s not only the people and activities that “take over” our space…it’s something else.
The theme of VBS this year was “Hero Central: Discover Your Strength in God.” We’ve had Superheroes like Superman and Wonder Woman and Batman running, and I mean running around the place all week.The crafts and videos all relate. The cityscapes Deb and others created are amazing. All of these parts of VBS work together to create a positive, exciting… engaging and really fun learning environment.
It’s that energy I believe that takes over our space in a more obvious way for the week of VBS. You see, my role is to walk around and talk to kids and helpers… I get a lot of high fives during VBS week. Oh, I’ll do a skit on Friday, and I sit in on the closing every day, but mostly I get to observe. And what I’ve observed again this year is how there is a certain presence involved that is hard to explain. There is a spirit of childlike intention that allows kids and helpers to be taken up in all that is going on. There is atmosphere that you sort of breathe in at VBS….you can’t help it. This is I believe the presence of the Holy Spirit.
But here is the thing…you don’t necessarily have to be present at VBS to breathe in this experience… This presence I’m talking about sort of lingers in our space for a time. You’ll experience what I mean on Sunday. There will still be a lot of stuff hanging around from VBS: the cardboard taxi cabs and the Legos and all the songs and crafts will be there. All of these have helped kids learn that they have been created and formed by God with many good gifts to share.
I believe that VBS also lingers in our hallways and sanctuary and fellowship hall the rest of the year in the memories of children and the inspiration of helpers. VBS is one of the most important things we do as a congregation for our community and our own spiritual growth as a congregation. I so want to encourage you to be a part of it this Sunday morning when we celebrate VBS and the kids and leaders and helpers who were open to the Holy Spirit this week. Experiencing VBS is a wonderful way to be caught up in the energy, the atmosphere the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
The theme of VBS this year was “Hero Central: Discover Your Strength in God.” We’ve had Superheroes like Superman and Wonder Woman and Batman running, and I mean running around the place all week.The crafts and videos all relate. The cityscapes Deb and others created are amazing. All of these parts of VBS work together to create a positive, exciting… engaging and really fun learning environment.
It’s that energy I believe that takes over our space in a more obvious way for the week of VBS. You see, my role is to walk around and talk to kids and helpers… I get a lot of high fives during VBS week. Oh, I’ll do a skit on Friday, and I sit in on the closing every day, but mostly I get to observe. And what I’ve observed again this year is how there is a certain presence involved that is hard to explain. There is a spirit of childlike intention that allows kids and helpers to be taken up in all that is going on. There is atmosphere that you sort of breathe in at VBS….you can’t help it. This is I believe the presence of the Holy Spirit.
But here is the thing…you don’t necessarily have to be present at VBS to breathe in this experience… This presence I’m talking about sort of lingers in our space for a time. You’ll experience what I mean on Sunday. There will still be a lot of stuff hanging around from VBS: the cardboard taxi cabs and the Legos and all the songs and crafts will be there. All of these have helped kids learn that they have been created and formed by God with many good gifts to share.
I believe that VBS also lingers in our hallways and sanctuary and fellowship hall the rest of the year in the memories of children and the inspiration of helpers. VBS is one of the most important things we do as a congregation for our community and our own spiritual growth as a congregation. I so want to encourage you to be a part of it this Sunday morning when we celebrate VBS and the kids and leaders and helpers who were open to the Holy Spirit this week. Experiencing VBS is a wonderful way to be caught up in the energy, the atmosphere the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
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