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Bellefield Family,
Almost ten years ago, when our family first started coming to Bellefield, I signed up to volunteer with the Vacation Bible School team, at that time led by Mrs. Karen Shumaker. She had all of us come to a meeting where she went over policies and duties and handed out teal t-shirts. I felt a little at sea since I didn’t really know anyone. During VBS, during the skits and the snacks, the Bible memory verses and the songs, I slowly became more familiar with some of the other helpers and learned the names of all the kids. I had a great time even though wasn’t easy for me to jump into volunteering with people I didn’t know well. The schedule was a little tough and by the end of the weeklong extravaganza I was tired. But one thing I loved about being involved with VBS is the same thing I love about it to this day: it is the one thing I can point to at the church where all ages are working together towards a common goal. There might be one or two other things we do in church that involve everyone in the same way as VBS, but for me there is no better example of intergenerational fellowship, evangelism, and discipleship.
You are invited to get involved this year and see for yourself what it is like to spend four evenings out at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park, learning songs and watching kids listen to Bible stories, do arts and crafts, play games, and beg to run over to the swing set when they have free time. You might have a great conversation over a kid-friendly meal at a picnic table under the pavilion. You might hear the stories of Paul from Acts in a fresh way as you notice what the kids find interesting or funny. You might connect with other adults who don’t live near you or don’t go to the same small group that you do. You might come away from the experience with new ideas about what and who to pray for in our community. You might take the opportunity to invite some kids you know to participate, just because they might be happier to attend if you are there.
I hope you try it out. We need good people like you to help in all sorts of ways. If you like playing games or doing crafts, we need people to help with those things. If you prefer something behind the scenes and can help prepare and clean up the food we eat each evening, we need people to help with that. If you want to shepherd a group of kids from station to station, holding hands, being a peacemaker, keeping track of where to go next, and being a great role model, we need people to do that, too. If you decide to volunteer, or you want to register your children, you can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/47uuyt3e. I hope you do—I look forward to seeing you there.
If you are moved to help with VBS but being there physically is not possible for you, please pray for us. Please pray that the children who need to hear about Jesus and learn about Paul will be there, and that the rest of us remember why we do what we do: to share the gospel with children, and to make it stick. Vacation Bible School this year goes from Monday, June 19 through Thursday, June 22. Participants arrive at 6:00 and stay until 8:30pm. Volunteers arrive between 5:00 and 5:30 and stay until all the children are picked up. Please register today and join us for this great week!
Yours in Christ,
Tanya Carter
Director of Children & Youth
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