Hey everyone!
I'm the ministry coordinator at my church. I have been working at this church since August so this is the first time I will be helping out with the VBS program. At the church I attended before this one we always have done a VBS Sunday with the whole congregation and those who attended VBS.
How many of you do that? I'm trying very hard to convince those involved that we should host a VBS Sunday, but so far there's been only negative feedback. The most common comment being that it will be poorly attended since it's summer and vacation time. I have tried to assure them that even if only one family from the community walks through the doors on a Sunday, then that is a huge blessing!
I have been trying to find some examples of a worship service, and though there are plenty of videos, most involve a pastor leading a sermon. . . which brings me to my next issue. Our pastor will be on holidays the Sunday after VBS and many feel that that will make it also difficult to host a VBS service, especially since we are having trouble finding pulpit supply for that Sunday. So, have any of your churches hosted a VBS Sunday where there really wasn't a sermon, but maybe it was a VBS sing, with scripture reading, or skits or something along those lines?
Any creative ideas out there? I really see hosting a VBS Sunday as a great outreach opportunity, and any ideas would be helpful.
Comments
This will be our 3rd year doing VBS Sunday. It has been great! We invite all the VBS families to our Sunday morning service.
VBS is usually a 5 day program - we host VBS days 1-4 on Monday - Thursday, and Day 5 on Sunday morning. Following the curriculum/day 5 lesson, the whole congregation gathers together for Opening Celebration. After opening celebration the kids are dismissed to attend the VBS Bible Story Station and Craft/Activity (not games) station. During this time the adults stay in the service for the sermon (based on the same Bible Story the kids are learning about) and offering. After about 30 minutes, the kids come back into the sanctuary and the whole congregation closes out the service with the closing celebration. After the service we have a picnic lunch.
This will be our third year as well, and our church does things similar to Mindie's. We only have lessons 1-4 (Mon-Thur) during the week, inviting everyone to join us on Sunday. During the AM service, we leave up all of the decorations from the week in the sanctuary, sing some of the kids favorite VBS songs from the week, as the worship/praise hymns of the day. We also (during the offering), play a video/slideshow from the week's activities. Then for the sermon, I use the 5th lesson as the starting point of the message. So, a little more of a standard service then what Mindie is doing, but along similar lines (and it has been well received).
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