Looking Ahead to VBS 2010

I know what you are thinking. . . I cannot begin to think about VBS, I have Sunday School knocking on my front door, not to mention teacher training, organizing small groups, youth kick-off, resources to order and organize, DO NOT MENTION VBS RIGHT NOW! It is too early to plan for VBS 2010, however, while the Vacation Bible School experience is still fresh on your mind, gather some of this year's VBS servants together and have a brainstorming session.

A few things you may want to ponder together:

• Are you satisfied with the Publishers of the curriculum you are using? Does the theology fit the vision and mission of your congregation?


• Does your VBS have an outreach component?


• Are your doors open to the children in your community? Youth? Adults?


• How would you evaluate your publicity of your event? Was it effective or in-effective?


• How can we grow our current Vacation Bible School model into a significant step in Disciple making?


• Did you struggle getting "servants" (vs. volunteers) to sign up to help?


• Is your current model of training, supporting, and thanking your servants effective? If not, what do you need to change?

A couple of months ago, I invited churches in the WNCC to share about their Vacation Bible School experiences, curriculum used, as well as the inclusion of a mission component. If you click on VBS - it will lead you to the responses I received from folks in our conference. I am certain they would be more than happy to be a conversation partner with you and your coordinators.

Educators and Missionaries in the Western North Carolina Conference have been working to create a VBS based on missions which includes the life and stories of children in Southeast Asia. Our goal is to have this curriculum available in the spring of 2010 as a PDF down loadable format. Stay tuned for upcoming posts of this VBS curriculum.

Until then, have fun dreaming together of ways we can truly vacation in the words, visions, and dreams of the Bible come to life.