Congratulations! You are planning for VBS 2021!

If you follow the Good News Movement (@goodnews_movement) on social media you may have seen a video this past week of a school aged girl receiving news that she would be returning to in-person learning. Her tears of relief and joy were heartwarming and heartbreaking. Our kids NEED social interaction with other children and with adults. We are hard-wired by God for connection with people.

Can I just encourage you: whatever you must do to get children and families together this summer, do it! I understand that geographical location impacts what this will look. I am in Missouri where churches are filling up more and more each Sunday and people are regularly going out to eat. Dear friends of mine are in Massachusetts and they have not eaten in a restaurant or attended in-person church since March 2020.

Regardless of where you live, the need for social connection amongst kids is constant. How churches meet said needs will vary and that is ok!

The VBS programs that are available through Christianbook come with many helps on how to meet the need safely and successfully for family and student connection. Some of these helps are from our team and other helps are directly from the publishers.

Resources are available to help you plan for:

1. In-person VBS
2. Hybrid VBS (in-person and virtual)
3. Virtual or At Home VBS

There are so many great tools and resources in 2021 to come along aside VBS directors. Thank God for the good things coming your way!

As you decide which approach to take, allow me to offer 2 suggestions:

1. Decide to host VBS in 2021 – Go ahead and commit to something. Many schools in the country have successfully had in person learning. Schools that were remote only are opening up either to a hybrid model or full time. You can learn from schools or camps in your area on what protocols to take or wording to use when communicating with the community. Bottom line – you can do VBS this year!

2. Decide with vision – I hope this does not sound too harsh. Hear me out. Your volunteer team needs to hear vision, excitement, and commitment to meeting the real needs of families in your community. People like to get behind vision and passion. Don’t be surprised if a half-hearted enthusiasm for VBS is met with a half-hearted commitment from your volunteer team. Jump in to VBS with both feet! VBS is something we GET TO DO.

VBS leader: we believe in you! And we believe in the power and strength of God to see you through this year.

– Holly Trewern, VBS Product Editor at Christianbook

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As we navigate our way through the challenges of VBS 2020, let’s take a look at the long and successful history of VBS for a little inspiration…

1866

The first origins of Christian Bible education to children (that eventually grew into vacation Bible school) is traced back to Boston just after the Civil War by Wheaton University education Professor C.B. Eavey. (1)

1873

Early roots of VBS date to the 1870s, when the Methodist Episcopal Church offered summer Sunday school institutes to the general public near Lake Chautauqua, New York. In 1873, Bishop John H. Vincent proposed the movement should include educational and cultural programs, and soon other Christian groups across the country followed suit with their own summer retreats, many of them offering services for children. (2)

1877

Other reports indicate beginnings of a summertime Bible program for children took place in Montreal, Canada. (3)

1894

D.T. Miles, a public school teacher and wife of a Methodist minister, wanted more time to teach the Bible to students, thinking the school system failed to provide enough time. In response, she started a daily Bible school to teach children during the summer. She enrolled forty students and it lasted four weeks in duration. Children paid one dollar to attend and the American Bible Society provided Scriptures to those who did not have a copy. (4)

1898

Virginia Sinclair Hawes (often identified as “Mrs. Walker Aylett Hawes”), director of the children’s ministry at Epiphany Baptist Church in New York City began an “Everyday Bible School” for immigrant children. Her first location was a rented beer garden behind a saloon during the mornings (324 East 71st Street, NY, NY) and it lasted six weeks. (5)

Professor C. B. Eavy described the early days of VBS like this:

“The vacation church school was started to gather idle children into unused churches where unoccupied teachers might keep them busy in a wholesome way in a wholesome environment.” (6)

“These summer programs in the eastern part of the country reportedly lasted five weeks and included not only Bible    content but also worship, music, open-air games, “expressional activities” like sewing, weaving, basketry and hammock-making, plus talks on patriotism and hygiene.” (7)

1900

Howard R. Vaughan, a Congregationalist pastor in Elk Mound, Wisconsin began a shorter summer program for children in the western U.S. that was shorter in duration and focused primarily on Bible teaching. (8)

1901

Dr. Robert Boville of the Baptist Mission Society, became aware of Mrs. Hawes’ summer program and recommended it to other Baptist churches. Boville established a handful of summer schools which were taught by students at the Union Theological Seminary (NYC). During one summer, one thousand students were enrolled in five different schools. (9)

1907

After the program spread to other cities, including Philadelphia and Chicago, Boville established a national committee. (10)

1912

While not under the title of Vacation Bible School, Dr. Abraham L. Latham of the Third Presbyterian Church in Chester, Pennsylvania initiated a five-week, four hour per day summer Bible school in 1912 which at its peak had 650–700 students. This has been claimed to be the world’s first summer bible school. (11)

1920s

Vaughan’s approach inspired a 1920 teacher’s manual published by Abingdon Press, The Vacation Religious Day School. (12)

1922

Nationally, 5,000 summer Bible schools were established and most lasted five weeks long. Dr. Boville founded the World Association of Daily Vacation Bible School.

1923

Standard Publishing produced the very first printed VBS curriculum. Enough material was provided for a five-week course for three age levels (kindergarten, primary, and junior). (13)

1950’s

An estimated 60,000 vacation Bible schools existed, teaching approximately 5 million students, and including 500,000 volunteers. (14)

1997

Estimated 80% of churches offer Vacation Bible School in the contemporary format (According to a Barna group report in 2013)(15)

2013

An estimated 67% of churches offer Vacation Bible School (16)

2017

According to one VBS publisher alone:

■ 21,376 churches reported a VBS

■ 2,494,059 people enrolled in VBS

■ 65,301 salvation decisions from VBS

■ 835 decisions made for vocational ministry at VBS

■ 160,926 prospects discovered through VBS

■ $7,012,010 given to missions during VBS

■ 78% of churches use VBS as their largest outreach to unchurched kids in a given year (17)

2020

Another year of lives changed for life and eternity! For about 140 years, God has worked through VBS to impact the eternal destination of children all over the world. Much has changed. Much more remains the same.

References:

1. “A Brief History of Vacation Bible School”, Chris Gehrtz, June 20, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2020. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2017/06/vbs-brief-history/
2. “From Beer to Bibles to VBS”, Steven Gertz, June 2, 2003. Retrieved May 21, 2020. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/juneweb-only/6-30-43.0.html
3. Gerhtz
4. Gerhtz
5. Gerhtz – also http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/EpiphanyBapt.html Retrieved May 21, 2020.
6. “In the beginning: The connection between a 19th century beer garden, VBS”, Jennifer Cohron. July 21, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2020. http://mountaineagle.com/stories/in-the-beginning-the-connection-between-a-19th-century-beer-garden-vbs,12315
7. Gerhtz
8. Gerhtz
9. https://happytoknowhim.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/the-history-of-vacation-bible-school/ Retrieved May 26, 2020
10. Gerhtz
11. http://www.oldchesterpa.com/churches/thirdpres_bible_school.htm Retrieved May 26, 2020
12. https://happytoknowhim.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/the-history-of-vacation-bible-school/ Retrieved May 26, 2020
13. “The Legend of VBS” by Mike. January 13, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2020. https://lookoutmag.com/2013/the-legend-of-vbs/
14. Gerhtz
15. “Why Fewer Churches Offer Vacation Bible School”, Abby Stocker. July 21, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2020. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2013/july/barna-why-fewer-churches-offer-vacation-bible-school-vbs.html
16. “The State of Vacation Bible School” Research Releases in Family & Kids, July 9, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2020 https://www.barna.com/research/the-state-of-vacation-bible-school/
17. “It’s Worth It Presentation Outline” Lifeway Publishing, adapted from It’s Worth It: Uncovering How One week Can Transform Your Church, Landry Homes, Lifeway Publishing, 2019.

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Dear VBS Director in Uncertain Times,

As the old hymn reminds us, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. “ We hold fast to Christ and we strive to be ambassadors of Jesus in the midst of uncertainty and rapid change. As a VBS Director, you know that VBS is the perfect vehicle to do this. Not only does VBS unite people of all ages, it is one of the most exciting ways to share Christ with children and families. This summer people will have a great desire to gather and reconnect with friends, giving the church a wide open door to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. This could truly be the best year ever to invite kids, teens, and adults to volunteer and participate in VBS. However, VBS planning may look different this year and you may be wondering how you can adapt to the current situation.

Here are some helpful suggestions.

What do you already know?

• VBS fulfills the Great Commission by sharing the Gospel.
• VBS is an important outreach opportunity to your community.
• Parents search for healthy activities for their children during the summer time.
• People of all ages will be excited to gather again whenever that time comes.

What schedule adjustments can you make?

• Possibly postpone the decision to have VBS. Communicate online when a decision will be announced.
• Publicize registration if your VBS is currently scheduled for late June, July or August.
• Reschedule VBS from early summer to late summer and advertise it as a “Back to School Bash”.
• Schedule VBS during Labor Day Weekend and call it “September Surprise” or “Summer Do-Over”.
• Plan for an evening VBS that can still happen after school begins.
• Make VBS a Fall Family Festival during Columbus Day weekend.

What are some alternative ideas?

• Use VBS materials for a series of “Parents Night Out” on Fridays for a month after churches reopen.
• Use VBS materials for a series of Sunday afternoon events after churches reopen.
• Conduct VBS online.
  • Ask high school or college students to help you maximize digital and social media options.
  • Try VBS “take-out”. Create family packages with student activity books, craft supplies and give-aways for parking lot pick-ups or home drop-offs.
  • Run large group sessions using video conferencing or other live streaming platforms.
  • Run small groups using video conferencing, or provide instructions for parents to teach the Bible lesson at home.
  • Check back with us for updates, as many publishers are considering digital-friendly options that we can make available to you.

What are some budget-friendly options?

• Use your VBS Director’s Guide to adjust a 5 day VBS to 3 days.
• Purchase a Two-Day Weekend VBS, or another economical VBS .
• Create an online shopping registry and ask for donations.
• Ask families to save items for you as they do spring cleaning.
• Ask creative friends and family to begin working on decorations right now. Encourage kids at home to help!
• Plan a craft that utilizes empty toilet paper rolls and ask families to save them. J
• Revise your budget with our Budget Worksheets.

At Christianbook, we are more committed than ever to provide the resources you need to keep moving forward. We’re here to help you succeed in being the church – with or without a building. We’d love to hear your suggestions too. Please share your ideas on our Facebook Kid Min page, here.

Finally, if you need a little encouragement about the impact of VBS on lives may I suggest the book It’s Worth It: Uncovering How One week Can Transform Your Church. This is a Kairos time in history. Together, we can make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

Blessings,

Maryl

VBS Editor at Christianbook

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It’s safe to say, we’ve probably all spent hours trawling Pinterest being inspired by the incredible decorations shared by fellow VBS directors and volunteers. We are constantly in awe of some of the creativity on display – some of the VBS décor is so detailed it looks like a stage production!

But, what if your budget just doesn’t stretch far enough? What, if like many other churches across the country, you have to pull together a VBS program with very little funding? Fear not! We’re here with some top tips to help you do more, with less.

Choose a Centerpiece

Pick one decoration that will be your statement piece and make it a real feature. Something that will make kids and parents alike say, “Wow!” when they enter! If your theme is Roar, perhaps it is safari Jeep cut-out. Yee-Haw is your theme? No problem! What about a cart with hay? By focusing on one key decoration, it will help you maintain your budget without sacrificing the impact factor. Looking for some decoration inspiration? Check out our Pinterest Boards by clicking here.

Do-it-Yourself

This one probably goes without saying, but as a VBS volunteer with limited funds, DIY is your best friend! There are so many resources you can utilize out there on the internet – our go-to resources are YouTube videos and Pinterest DIY infographics. On these channels, you can find detailed step-by-step instructions on just about anything! We’ve created some of our own DIY videos to help get you started – click here to view.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle! 

Does your church have decorations leftover from VBS programs of years gone by? Use them! Even if the items are from a completely different theme, often they can be repurposed to fit your current theme. When decorating on a budget, it’s all about pulling from as many resources as possible and reusing just about anything you can get your hands on. Use your imagination and you’ll see potential everywhere!

Keep It Simple 

Don’t overcomplicate things. We know how easy it is to get distracted by paper plates with lions on them, or balloons with cowboy hats on them, but these items can be more expensive. You’ll often find it is much cheaper to buy these VBS staples in a plain color without a pattern or theme. In the long run, saving on these VBS essentials helps you direct the budget in other areas!

Stock Up on Staples

If your church has storage space, slowly stock up on items that you’ll use again and again. Many decoration elements fit into all sorts of themes, such as rivers, mountains, trees, etc. Did you discover fabric that looks like water? Buy yards of it. Find a great deal on re-useable evergreen trees after Christmas? Stock up for you next camping or mountain VBS theme!

Collect Boxes

The decorating potential of boxes is ENDLESS… and they are free! In preparation for your VBS program, start collecting as many boxes as possible – and ask your volunteers and church congregation to donate them wherever they can. Same goes for paper bags! These are the kind of items that can be shaped and formed to just about anything you can put your mind to. Boxes can make stalls, houses, as well as become the foundation of key installations like waterfalls! Paper bags on the other hand make great filler and can create texture. Paint the bags blue and create a watering hole, or scrunch them up and stick them to boxes to create rocks. Like we said… the possibilities are endless!

Borrow Items 

Don’t be afraid to put the call out for help. Ask friends, family, and members of the congregation to donate any items they can to complete your VBS theme. A good way to go about this is to write down a list of the items you need and publicize it on any platforms available to you. Your church’s Facebook page, your personal Facebook page, the church newsletter, and bulletin boards are all incredible resources to tap into.

Visit Yard Sales

Who doesn’t love a good yard sale? And what better excuse to spend your weekend’s trawling through yard sales than for VBS decorations. Items found in yard sales are often very effective and sometimes you can find some real gems. It may take some hours and a little legwork from you and your team – but it’s so worth it!

Find more VBS resources and information by clicking here!

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