July 12, 2023
A Note from Michael Haney
The Best Week of the Year!
Dear Friends,
It’s here — Vacation Bible School (VBS)! Some say it’s the best week of the summer. I think it’s the best week of the YEAR!
For those of you that may not be familiar, VBS is a week-long experience for kids four years old through entering sixth grade. The three-hour morning consists of crews of age-group-organized kids going from station to station experiencing God and Jesus in a variety of ways including drama, games, music, and snacks!
Kids have the opportunity to sing, dance, discuss, and just be silly! As best I can tell from Facebook posts, I have been helping with VBS since 2009, mainly as one of the leaders during the opening and closing sessions.
Each year is different — with a different theme, different kids, different volunteers and leaders — but what remains the same is the amazing time that we all have together.
The Unfiltered Joy of the Children
For me there is nothing like seeing the unfiltered joy of the children as they sing and laugh and learn with new and old friends.
Don’t get me wrong, it is a lot of work to prepare and pull off the week (Lindsay Robinson is incredible!), and we all need naps during and after, but it is so worth it! It really is a fantastic week.
Why do I serve?
So why do I take the time to be a part of VBS? When I take a step back and think about it, it is not just the joy that has me coming back year after year.
If I am completely honest, it feeds my ego. I get to perform and be silly for a receptive audience for five whole days. Nothing like getting to be a temporary rock star!
VBS is making a real difference for kids
But mostly the feeling I get from VBS is that it is worthwhile. I constantly have the feeling that VBS is making a real difference in these kids’ lives. That in so many different ways they leave at the end of the week in a better place than when they arrived.
They might make a new friend, learn more about Jesus, get affirmed just for who they are, or gain self-confidence through one of the activities.
And most of these kids are not otherwise from our church community, so the impact spreads far beyond our walls.
In and outside of church we have the opportunity to serve in so many ways, and it is great to find something that gives us joy AND we feel is being effective. For me, that something is VBS.
Maybe VBS could be that for you also. There are so many ways to help — preparations in the weeks before, donating supplies, bringing kiddos to join the fun, serving in one of the many different roles during the week, or helping with cleanup in the aftermath. There is still time to help out this year, and next year will be here before you know it.
There’s a spot for you to serve, whether at VBS or elsewhere…
I know that VBS is not for everyone, so I would suggest looking at the church website and looking into all the other ways to serve. The church staff has done an amazing job of creating and documenting a wide variety of ways to get involved.
I believe everyone should serve in some way that gives them joy, and that they feel is making a real difference in God’s world for God’s people.
Who knows, maybe you’ll find YOUR best week of the year!
Michael Haney
