Abington-area churches hold VBS kids’ programs

It was the end of June but the beginning of summer. Many kids took a week from their summer vacation to attend Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) during the week of Monday, June 23 to Friday, June 27. They learned a verse per day and its meaning through arts and crafts, games, and Bible lessons.

SWAG was the theme for Dalton United Methodist Church’s VBS. it was short for Saved With Amazing Grace. Kids were taught Bible stories that deal with grace and mercy such as Joseph forgiving his brothers for selling him to slavery and the prodigal son’s father welcoming his son back home after running away. The church’s sanctuary was decorated like a garden filled with flowers. Each day had a character that represented God. Annie the Ant emphasized the strength of God. Henry Honeybee represented the prodigal son because no matter how much a bee travels to collect nectar, it knows its way back home. Larry the Lightning bug was about Jesus being the Light of the World. The butterfly emphasized the transformation from Saul to Paul.

SWAG’s purpose was “Be a Blessing to Someone Today.” The VBS took on a project, in which Kathy Elkins, friend of VBS director Chandra Lenz, is collecting birdhouses for an upcoming birdhouse installation at Nay Aug Park. She is looking at collecting 3,000 birdhouses for it. She currently has 2,000 birdhouses from VBS programs, senior centers, and women’s centers. The VBS collected monetary donations for another project called Shelter for All. The donations are going to Equines for Freedom. Younger kids pick out which horse to help while the older kids select which horse supplies to give the horse.

The Joe Terry Civic Center in Montdale hosted the annual Super Summer Slam. The kids enjoyed being outside and playing in the center’s big backyard. They rode trains, played gaga ball, and went to the stream in the back to look for wildlife. New this year, there were a dunk tank and rubber ducky races. They also made arts and crafts inside the center. Kids made little trains to go with the theme called Wonder Junction. They also had dolly races in the gymnasium. Visitors entertained the kids in the afternoon. One day, Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den showed up with five different reptiles such as a cane toad, rock iguana, a red tegu, and a Dumeril’s boa.

The kids learned Bible verses along the way. They learned Luke 2:52, in which Jesus shared his wisdom with teachers and leaders in the temple. They also gathered around to listen to church member Jenn Measley read a book about missions. This year, they listened to the story called David Brainerd A Love for the Lost. It was written by Brian H. Cosby. Set during the colonial period, it was about a man who was expelled from college after sneaking out in order to attend church. He became a missionary sent to spread the word of God to a Native American tribe in northeastern PA.

Servant Church of the Abingtons’ sanctuary was designed like a town from the Wild West. The hallway’s wall was filled with facetious wanted posters depicting the church members. It was the theme Wonder Junction. An American animal represented each Bible theme for the day. The first day, Tiny was a baby cougar representing Jesus’ coming to Earth as a baby. Kids made little mangers in the arts and crafts station. A grizzly bear waking up after hibernation and coming out of its cave was a sign of Jesus resurrection and leaving the tomb. Kids made structures out of Legos in Dr. Dynamite’s Lab. “Dr. Dynamite” taught the kids about earthquakes telling them that an earthquake happened right after Jesus died on the cross.

The VBS staff put on a skit called “The Wonder Junction Gang” at the sanctuary. It was about two bandits hiding out in a Wild West town. Needing a place to stay, they are housed by a pastor who lets them stay for a few chores. It correlated with Joseph and Mary needing shelter during their departure to Bethlehem.

Our Lady of Snows had their VBS at their affiliated Church of St. Gregory. Their theme, Major League Believers, was about baseball. Day One was called “We are All called to be on God’s team. It was about Jesus gathering his disciples to be on his team. Day Two was called The #1 rule of God’s team. It was about learning and following the Ten Commandments including loving God and your neighbor. Day Three was called Teamwork makes God’s dream work. It was about working together in God’s team. Striking Out was the name of the VBS’s fourth day. It’s about how even the best have sinned such as the disciple Peter denying Jesus. The kids learn that God forgives even when we fall short. Day Five was called Homerun. It was about Jesus knocking out of the park with his miracles such as calming the seas, raising Lazarus from the dead, and raising from the dead himself.

The kids played baseball in the churchyard as well as kickball and jump roping. They also made and decorated frames to place photo of themselves one day. They also designed baseball caps and created team pennants.

The VBS collected monetary donations for St. Joseph’s Baby Pantry. The VBS led to assistant pastor Michael Boris throwing the first pitch at the Railriders game on Friday, June 27.

There you have it. A few of the VBS programs came and went but there are still more upcoming one in the future. Countryside Community Church will host its VBS called “Road Trip: On the Go with God” from Monday, July 7 to Thursday, July 10. First Presbyterian Church will have its VBS called “Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace” from Monday, July 14 to Friday, July 18. Clarks Summit United Methodist Church will host its VBS called “True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World” from Monday, July 21 to Thursday, July 24.