Bus Ministry

Mark and I have been very convicted about church events for church people...

We don't want to do VBS exclusively for "the club." Typically, we want the community to come out so we can share Christ and love on them. Let's pray about being even more radical than that. Let's pray about going to them.

This was a discussion we had during the planning stages of "Trading Places" in 2007 and we want to revisit it with fervor this year. We had talked about doing a registration event at a nearby apartment complex and then offering a shuttle from that complex each evening of VBS. It only takes a moment to come up with a million objections or barriers to this plan...cost (buses are expensive), liability, crowd control, etc.

Dave Ridder preached yesterday about the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan went out of his way to show mercy to someone in need. He was the neighbor who obeyed the Law to "Love your neighbor as yourself." We are not good neighbors if we only show kindness, mercy and love to the one who is next door. We are neighbors in the spirit of Christ if we GO OUT OF OUR WAY to show kindness, mercy and love. Let this challenge be at the forefront of our prayers in these weeks where we are dedicating our resources and developing the character of our program.

Let me rephrase that...
Let challenge be at the forefront of our prayers
EVERY DAY
as we dedicate our resources and
developing our character.

Cricut Cartridge-Animal Kingdom

Does anyone own this cartridge? If so, it would be ideal to use for making nametags for our theme since it has the various forest animals. Let me know.

Craft and Decorating Needs

Recycled

*old pair of hiking boots
*scrap lumber (1"x '2'approx)
*aluminum pie tins
*paper towel & tp tubes
*1-1 1/2" PVC tubes, 2-3' long

Natural

*firewood logs
*lg. pinecones
*sm. pinecones
*palm-sized rocks
*quarter-sized rocks
*natural materials, such as
pods, sprigs, nuts
*fairly straight twigs (3-4")

New

*12 oz. bottles of water
*contact paper
*monofilament
*1/2" googly eyes
*1" grosgrain ribbon in 1 yd. lengths
*26-28 gauge wire
*natural wood beads
*raffia

To Borrow during VBS week

*5 laundry baskets
*artificial Christmas trees (no bigger than 9')
*tents
*clothesline
*lanterns
*fire pit
*hiking boots
*fishing vests, hats and short poles
*needle-nosed pliers
*wire snips
*small canoe
*red/black plaid blankets

Craft Schedule

Craft Schedule by Day and Age

Click to enlarge for readability.

Modified Classroom Plan 2 HRS

After reviewing the director's resources and lining up the suggestions with recent years' experiences, here is our preliminary plan for a two-hour, evening VBS. We will determine start time together a little later. Each boxed-in heading represents an activity. Students will move between the activities with the possible exception of the "THEME" activity going into the Pre-K Center/Class. "Class" designates a flexible time-slot for Bible work, crafts, and snacks.

Click on the document to enlarge for readability.

Staff Needs

Please click on the document below for a preliminary staffing needs list.




ADD: PROPMASTER 2/13
ADD: PREVIEW EVENT LEAD 2/15
ADD: BUS MINISTRY LEAD 2/15

Crafts...Already!

Of course, I've already read the crafts book from cover to cover! I went to look at Oriental Trading Company for something specific, but found they have a VBS camp theme...with a number of project very similar to those described in our program. Here were my favorites.

Racoon Frame
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=48/5827&prodCatId=383465&mode=Browsing&erec=27&No=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=383465&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Camp+Raccoon+Photo+Frame+Magnet+Craft+Kit

Racoon Magnets
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=48/3702&prodCatId=383465&mode=Browsing&erec=39&No=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=383465&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Raccoon+Camp+Magnet+Craft+Kit

Compass Necklace
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=48/3106&prodCatId=383465&mode=Browsing&erec=49&No=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=383465&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Compass+Necklace+Craft+Kit

Kingdom Collaboration--ERC and SLPEFC

It is an awesome blessing to set out on this endeavor together, but that is TOO MANY INITIALS! In order to help us communicate, I've set up this blog. It would help me immensely if each "stakeholder" would subscribe to the blog, so that everyone is recieving the same information at the same time. The format is more flexible for me and you can still get your notifications via e-mail. (You can also delete those in your in-box and the blog will keep track of the conversations for you!)