Jesus Wrecks Sin – First Baptist Church on Friday wrapped up its annual Vacation Bible School by raffling off its wrecking ball “beachball” used as part of this year’s construction theme. The message for local children this summer was “Jesus! Our Strong Foundation!” A handful of other VBS opportunities are still available for local families.
(Seguin) — It’s the return to summer VBS for local children. After being forced to cancel most if not all Vacation Bible Schools in 2020, doors to local churches have reopened to help kids grow closer to God all while having fun. Kicking off the summer schedule have already been First Baptist Church and Living Waters Church. This week, kids are keeping busy with fun-filled activities over at Hillcrest Camp.
Several others still remain on the schedule including next week’s evening VBS at St. James Catholic Church. Joey Gutierrez, pastoral associate for evangelization and Catechesis, says he speaks for all churches when he says that VBS can play a unique role and be a memorable experience in any child’s summer no matter whether the church is their home church.
“I think the greatest thing about it is that for the full week, we are focused on the young church. We are able to sit down with them, bring the Gospel message to their level, do some really great activities. You know, what other time of the year can you tie the Gospel message with making arts and crafts and snacks all in one day. It’s a pretty fun time for them and aside from that, it gives them a chance to see that church can be fun. It can be playful and it can be a place of great growth when it’s done at their level. So, I think that would be the greatest message to give to those families, giving VBS a first try,” said Gutierrez.
Gutierrez says while most Vacation Bible Schools are during the day, others are held in the evening. He says this year’s VBS at St. James will be held from July 19-23 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. He says this particular year, they will be focusing on the Assorted Saints and the Virtues of Hope, Faith and Love.
“We are going to be traveling around the world in a hot air balloon and we are going to be visiting different countries and different saints who have exhibited just how to live out those virtues in their lives and the take away is to not only learn about sainthood and love but how to apply them in the children’s lives to become disciples themselves with a missionary mindset to change their world. A lot of people think of the saints being these older people, right? — that we see on stain glass windows and on religious cards but you know, some of our saints were very young people and when I say young people, I mean like in their early teens. We even have a newly beatified young man named Carlo Acutis who was only 15 years old so when he becomes canonized as a saint, he is going to be our very first saint that is dressed in distressed blue jeans, Chucks and a hoodie which I think is going to be something great for our little ones to look up to knowing that sainthood is something that everybody can accomplish no matter what age, no matter what level they are at. It’s all within everybody’s reach,” said Gutierrez.
Cost for the VBS at St. James is $15 a child and is open to incoming Pre-K 4 students and outgoing sixth graders. Scholarships for families needing assistance are also available. Registration is available online at saintjamescc.org or at the church located at 510 S. Camp St.
Although some local churches say the pandemic did impact their ability to pre-plan a VBS for this summer, they are looking forward to returning to the summer tradition in 2022.
Meanwhile, several VBS opportunities are still available this summer. They include McQueeney Baptist Church from 9 a.m. to noon on July 26-30; First United Methodist Church and La Trinidad United Church at FUMC from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 26-30 and Marion Country Church from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 2-6. VBS registration information can be found on each of the respective church websites or Facebook pages.
Families who want to join a VBS, again, don’t have to be a church member to participate. Families do, however, have to register as soon as possible as spots are filling up quickly. Other churches who are hosting events but who have stopped accepting registration are Faith Lutheran Church and the joint VBS being hosted by Emmanuel’s Lutheran Church, Spirit of Joy and First Presbyterian Church.