Vacation Bible School is about leading kids to Christ through
music, fun, science, shared experiences, scripture and celebration of our
faith. This third year of VBS at St Angela Merici Catholic Church welcomed 150 elementary age children, 12 preschoolers, 59 teens and more than
50 adults to learn that “Jesus’ Love is One of a Kind.” Coordinating VBS for the last three years has
been a true labor of love for me.
Everyone asks what makes VBS such a special experience and why I
dedicate so much of my time to organizing it each year.
My answer starts with my own children. I want my three kids to learn about their
faith, to have a relationship with Jesus, and to develop a prayer life. All these things are enhanced through the VBS
experience in a fun and exciting way.
Our faith comes to life during a week of song, snacks and more not only
for the kids, but also for myself as well.
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| My mom also helps out with VBS every year |
As an adult, too often I allow the hustle and bustle of life
to interfere with my spiritual life.
Volunteering at VBS helps me to step back, see the big picture, and
remember how God works through us in our day-to-day lives. At VBS we see kids excited to learn how God
loves them, teens actively discussing how God helps them, husband and wives
coming together to decorate a hallway, family groups serving together and
meeting new friends in the fellowship of volunteering.
Our kids learn not only from the many adult leaders but also
from each other and the teens. The
TEENS! It is amazing to watch these volunteers as young as 11 years old blossom into role models in action, words and faith.
TEENS! It is amazing to watch these volunteers as young as 11 years old blossom into role models in action, words and faith.
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| My oldest daughter with Shelly's girls at VBS |
Some may ask, do the kids learn anything “real” about
faith? YES! Everyday they learn about a
different Saint, an aspect of Catholic Social Teaching, Scripture and Bible
stories.
We celebrate Mass twice during
the week. If you want to see the good work
of VBS in action, celebrate Mass with us.
Watching 200 kids respond to the Mass with reverence, without being
under their parents watchful eye and sitting on the floor always brings the VBS
experience full circle for me. Mass at
VBS is what always brings tears to my eyes and God’s praise to my lips. This is my blessing that makes it all worth
it.
VBS is an opportunity for every adult and teen volunteer to
reflect Christ’s love to the kids and each other. We are the church. We are responsible for building us up in
worship and we can do that by revealing God’s love in a fun and engaging way to
children. The children respond by
radiating His joy back to us.
Through VBS we are building up the children and families of
our parish as God asked St. Francis to do through the San Damiano cross in
Assisi. We at St. Angela’s are building up the church as God calls us to do through our own San Damiano cross.
