Vacation Bible School has become my favorite annual event at our Golf Course Road Church. It’s predictably chaotic and crazy, understandably loud and messy, always a lot of very hard work, and SOOO consistently encouraging and uplifting,

 

 

 

 

 

We were blessed by our God with almost 200 children in our building four nights last week–more than half of them are not members of our congregation–singing and dancing, learning and growing, playing and praying as we talked about what God is doing in and through our Lord Jesus. Davy Wavy the Shark made his typical appearances, delighting both young and old as he bungled through the memory verses each night. Tracey and Kayla led us in powerful worship. The youth group did an outstanding job in the gym organizing the games and showing the littles how it’s done. Judy and Peg killed it with the crafts that made each night’s Bible story come to life. Bailey and her expert snack crew somehow managed to turn those tables over every time without missing a beat or a kid’s allergy. Ryan and Alicia expertly coordinated the children as they packed boxes and bags for Mission Agape and Family Promise. Tracey and Kristin and Ashlee, of course, did their remarkable work in planning and organizing and leading us through every minute. And our God was there every single night, just like he promised, transforming all of us, inspiring us, drawing us closer together and making us more like him.

 

 

 

 

 

Whitney, Addie, and I were assigned to lead one of the 4th and 5th grade groups. We were the Green Knights, the cool kids in the back. We were the ones starting all the chants as we marched from station to station, extolling our own virtues, praising the snacks, and proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. We said coloring with crayons was beneath us, and then fought over the colors we wanted. We packed double the boxes and bags at the Mission Station. We laughed at Davy Wavy and made fun of Doctor Tentacles, the “villain” who made his GCR debut Tuesday. And we took care of each other, we used our manners, and we learned more about how Jesus really is The Way.

 

 

 

 

 

We also learned that it only takes a tiny amount of blue food coloring to do the job. One little squirt can turn a fist-sized mound of whipped cream into a stormy sea on which Jesus and Peter, played by two Teddy Grahams, walk. AND permanently stain everyone’s teeth, tongues, and lips.

 

 

 

 

 

We learned that running the 4th and 5th graders all around the gym for 20-minutes and then moving them directly into the least-ventilated room in our church building for 20-minutes of crafts is not a good order of rotation. That room still smells like a JV-football locker room after summer two-a-days.

And we learned that Mr. Mark likes to sprinkle old TV and movie references into his stage show: “Daaaavy Waaaavy! Come out to plaaaaay-aaaaaay” Brilliant.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what I love the most about VBS at GCR. I love watching those who have been at GCR for a long time and those who just got here in the past couple of years or months working together for four hard nights. I love watching our people get to know each other and start to love each other while they’re serving together. One really cool thing about VBS is that everybody there really wants to be there; nobody is there against their will. So everyone is smiling while they serve; everyone is laughing while they worship; everyone is positive and seeing the good in what God is doing all around us. And rejoicing in it. Together.

VBS at GCR is such a great joy, such a wonderful blessing from our God. If you are one of the dozens of folks who made last week around here so great, you have my most sincere gratitude and admiration. Thank you. The work you do for these Kingdom Kids matters today and generationally and for all eternity.

I can’t wait for next year. And I’m glad we’re not doing it next week.

Peace,
Allan