ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 6, 2023
VBS — Vacation Bible School. The first day is in-the-books. As I sat at my desk, I felt a sudden urge of curiosity to explore the history of VBS. I knew it had existed for as long as I’ve been alive, but how much longer? Of course, there are some differing opinions on where it first got started, but some folks point to 1873, when the Methodist Episcopal Church offered summer Sunday school institutes to the general public near Lake Chautauqua, New York. Chautauqua has now become a summer camp for adults (and families—a place I hope to experience next summer). But the one really considered to be the creator of VBS is a woman named D.T. Miles, a Methodist. In 1894, she was compelled to use the summer to teach the Bible beyond what kids would usually get on Sunday mornings. It lasted four weeks, and she had 40 children participate in her first year. Each child was asked to pay $1 for the four weeks, but no one was turned away. And the American Bible Society provided Bibles for those who did not have one. It was deemed a great success, and more than a century later, it is hard to find a church that doesn’t have a VBS of some sort. All that said, I want to give a big THANK YOU to Mariah and her team for making this happen. A lot of time and energy goes into making sure you have everything needed for crafts, music, snacks, silly games, and, of course, the dance moves that go with the VBS songs. Continue to lift up in prayer our adults, youth helpers, and all the VBS participants.
Continue to teach us, O Gracious God, using whatever it is that will best instill your message of unconditional love. We desire to do more than learn. It is our greatest hope to be informed and formed in the way of love. Amen.
