September 7, 2024
It’s Bible School week. One sip of strawberry Kool-Aid takes me back to VBS snacks on the creek bank behind Belfry Baptist Church in the early 70s.
We lined up outside, the girls wearing dresses, then marched in to “Onward Christian Soldiers.” We said pledges to the American flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible.
One of our eight-year-old dental patients last week announced that she got to hold the Bible at VBS the night before. Dr. Boyd and I knew exactly what she was talking about. She had the privilege of holding the Bible for the pledge. While she watched the television overhead and listened with headphones, he and I pieced together the words to the pledge to the Bible. Good memories.
Times have changed. Now before we begin, kids pile into pews while guides put info into Google docs. (A game-changer in registration.)
The atmosphere is electric with kids making new friends or reconnecting with classmates they haven’t seen all summer.
This year, I have loved seeing VBS through new Christians' eyes. We have a bunch of new believers who are serving this week. Some have never been to Bible School, let alone served in it. They had no clue what was about to happen.
Our administrative assistant, Tonya, was the director. She had used all of her gifts in planning and organizing this year. Everything flowed seamlessly. Countless volunteers worked together being Jesus’ hands and feet.
We sang songs guaranteed to stick in your head (and that was the plan): “We Can Trust Him,” “Love the Lord your God,” and “Every Move I Make, I Make in You.” Even as I type, I have the tunes running through my brain.
Many of the Baptist churches around here began from one woman’s Vacation Bible School 100 years ago. Dating all the way back to the 1920s, missionary Annie Allen had a deep desire to reach the children in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with the love of Jesus. Originally, she had planned to have “Sunday School” with the local boys and girls. The local religious leaders of that time were vehemently against it, some even saying it was “of the devil.” So, she had Bible classes in the summer when the children were out of school and everyone loved it. No one had realized it was the same thing, only in the summer.
Where there were kids, Miss Annie, as she was known, started a Vacation Bible School. Before long, adults wanted to learn and there was enough to start a small church. She worked the coal communities, making friends, and reaching out to those in need. Her deepest desire was to teach them about Jesus.
I’ve been thinking of Miss Annie this week as kids hear Bible stories, make crafts, and sing VBS songs. She would be thrilled to see so many children learning about God’s love.
One thing I especially treasure is seeing my beloved interact with the kids and all the workers. Decades ago, our pastor, Steve Rice, said, “How the pastor goes, the church goes. If he loves Sunday School, the church will love Sunday School. If he loves Vacation Bible School, the church will love Vacation Bible School. And on and on.” That’s so true. My beloved, our pastor, loves VBS. He knows it changes lives. He also leads The Chicken Dance. That’s not life-changing, but it sure is fun. The kids, and quite a few adults, lose their minds temporarily as we end with it each night.
This evening, the plan of salvation was shared. We had prayed for weeks that kids and adults would accept the precious gift of God’s Son. That’s what we had learned about, crafted about, and sung about. Seven boys and girls, ranging from third through eighth grade gave their hearts to Him! We are praising the Name of the Lord!
If you have served in VBS this year, or any year, thank you, thank you, thank you. It makes a difference!
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Dawn Reed is a pastor's wife and newspaper columnist. Reach her at preacherswife7@yahoo.com.
