VBS

My wonderfully over-involved, ever-energetic husband and I are coordinating VBS this year again! Why am I mentioning this now, when it’s 25 degrees out and VBS doesn’t come until those gloriously warm days of summer? Because the VBS Curriculum Fair is this weekend. (Yes, there exists a curriculum fair for VBS. Can you believe it?)

I remember my times at VBS as a child very fondly. My sitter took us to every one in town. Didn’t matter if they were Baptist, Methodist, or other, we were there. (Now that I have kids, I understand why she did it – free childcare for the childcare worker!) No matter how many we attended, I remember loving all of them. I loved the songs, the games, the crafts, the time with other kids. What I’m sure I don’t remember is a THEME.

What’s with the themes? Every year we have to change our church into some new VBS Wonderland! It’s been a farm, an Egyptian cave, the ocean, a circus, a desert, … We’ve had so many, I don’t even remember all of them!

I’ve been told to have a theme to make it memorable. But what are they remembering? I’ve been told to have a theme to make it fun. But isn’t recreation time fun no matter what? I’ve been told to have a theme for continuity. But doesn’t the Bible provide that?

Is it enough that our visitors remember our church as the place with the slide coming out of the baptistery? (Yes, we had that last year – it fit our backyard theme!) Are we focusing our energies in the right direction?

I’m torn on this issue. The themes are fun – they’re fun for me! Give me a theme and I’ll take it as far as I can run! But I’m sure it should not be the driving force behind curriculum choice. And it won’t be. I’d be lying, though, if I said it won’t be a factor.