FBC Winters LOVES VBS!

As I have told you before, one of the most rewarding aspects of my job is being privileged  to hear and read the great stories and reports of churches witnessing and experiencing transformation through the ministry of VBS. Here is one such story:

“I have a wonderful report for FBC Winters (California) Amazing Wonders Aviation VBS this year! We had a total of 69 children attend AWA VBS in June, which we conducted as a 5-day, 3-hour evening program. The kids had a ton of fun, of course, but the most exciting news is that 20 children were saved during VBS this year. Praise The Lord!

My volunteer staff of 55 workers and I really enjoyed the aviation theme this year. We’ve all been flying high for Jesus ever since, along with plenty of the VBS kids. With prayer and staff evaluations guiding me, I decided to extend 2012 VBS with a weekly summer VBS program, held on Wednesday nights for eight weeks. The attendance of this ‘pilot’ project was also a success, with an average of 15-20 children attending each week.

This has lead to a new ministry at FBCW for elementary age children – Wacky Wednesdays! There has been a ton of support from the FBCW congregation to get Wacky Wednesdays up and flying. A unanimous vote at our church business meeting to approve this new ministry, hundreds of dollars in designaed donations, snacks provided by our church food closet, and a talented volunteer teaching staff have Wacky Wednesdays taking off! Now, every Wednesday night from 6:30 – 7:30, the children of the Winters community have an opportunity to worship The Lord at an abbreviated VBS-style evening program. All because God’s good and faithful servants have once again come together to do His work.

FBC Winters LOVES VBS!

Sincerely,

Julie

VBS Director”

Julie, to you and the thousands of leaders (faithful servants) who make VBS possible – THANK YOU!

VBS & Fall Fest

Could there be a more perfect way to reuse VBS decorations than at your church’s fall festival? LifeWay Kids had our own fall festival last week… complete with food, candy, and games. Candace & I put our own spin on the classic “fish for a prize” game and totally decked out Candace’s office door with decorations from the Great Barrier Reef (Amazing Wonders Aviation).

You can check out more of the great games, booths, and decorations from our fall office party on the Kids Ministry 101 blog all this week!

We want to hear from you… Does your church do any kind of fall festival? How have you reused VBS decorations for other church/community events? Give us all some inspiration!

Happy Quiznos Day!

We are privileged at the LifeWay office in Nashville to have an employee cafe  that is open for breakfast and lunch. The cafe is convenient (especially on rainy days), nutritious, competitively priced, and usually quick.

While the menu varies, most days are pretty much the same with a salad bar, pizza station, grill, and meat and vegetable station. It is good. It meets a need. It is safe and predictable.

But occasionally, on a day like today, it is Quiznos Day at the Cafe! Let the party begin!

On Quiznos Day you get to the cafe when they open the doors or else you stand in a line that snakes out the door and into the lobby. All it takes is one person to return to their office floor with a Quiznos sandwich and the word spreads. People shout the news down the hall. People talk about it in the elevator. People who never step foot in the cafe run with haste trying to be the first in line.

Is it that Quiznos is so much better than the daily fare? No, not really. It is just different and makes lunch seem a little more special.

Vacation Bible School is like (or at least can be like) Quizos Day. Most churches offer great Bible student 52 weeks of the year. It is not that the Bible stories and study offered during VBS are better than those offered each Sunday. They are just different and as a result seem just a little more special.

To all of you who love VBS like to make it special, a very Happy Quiznos Day!

Foto Friday. . .Zippin Pippin

 

Did you know that I’m from the Memphis TN area? Did you know that I had never been to Graceland until I moved to Nashville and met my wife and took her there while we were visiting my parents? Do you know what roller coaster was Elvis Presley’s favorite? The Zippin Pippin! I got to enjoy riding the Zippin Pippin (at Libertyland) several times when I was a kid growing up in the Memphis area.

Unfortunately, Libertyland is a thing of past but thankfully, the Zippin Pippin lives on! Enjoy the video of our (Elvis and me) favorite ride!

Thank you, thank you very much!

 

Time to Start Thinking VBS 2013

Now that Labor Day is behind us and we Southerners have packed away our summer whites, it is officially time to start thinking VBS 2013! Of course, most of you reading this post are like me and have been thinking (dreaming, contemplating, planning) VBS 2013 since at least June 4!

There are two great opportunities to be one of the first to see, touch, and experience the fun of Colossal Coaster World.

The first is KMC (Kids Ministry Conference) at Ridgecrest, North Carolina, October 8-10.  Just click on KMC to learn more.

The second opportunity is at one of four VBS Preview locations in January and February. VBS Preview is your Fast Pass to Colossal Coaster World. You don’t want to miss it! Click on VBS Preview to learn more.

Hold on tight! This ride is ready for take off!