Why I Love VBS by Teresa Miller
I have a tendency to get what’s called “earworms.” It’s when a song gets randomly stuck in your brain on an “infinite loop.” Sometimes it is a hymn from Sunday’s worship—and on VBS week, it is going to be a VBS song, and I don’t get to pick! On Thursday morning of VBS, my brain woke me up to:
“When I wake up in the morning, and the sun is shining, and I lift my head off the pillow
I know that God is in charge!
God is in charge!”
playing full blast in my head. But I’m OK with this mantra. God knows I need to be reminded.
In the seven years that I co-directed VBS at Holmeswood Baptist and in the few that I have been a part of since we moved back to Second, it happens without fail: VBS renews my love of my church and restores my core beliefs. It is a cleansing whoosh from the Holy Spirit. Every time.
This year I was especially heartened by the outpouring of help on Sunday setup day. Members of all ages stayed after church, patiently waited for direction, did not balk at my crazy ideas(!), solved logistical challenges, and worked and encouraged each other—it was a beautiful thing. I met some members I did not know! Set up finished in record time.
This week, as a crew leader, I had a ring-side seat to see the living, breathing body of our church in beautiful working order. Our staff absolutely embraced the VBS crazy for the week—the planning and unending work of our children’s pastor, and the ALL-IN participation of our Pastoral Resident and organist. The caliber of teaching these kiddos experienced was incredible. Every station was bursting with thoughtful preparation, imagination, and skill. Do you know how many elementary school-trained teachers we have in our congregation? Taking time out of their precious summers to pour into our children? The mothers and grandmothers who had a full day of childcare awaiting them in the afternoon? The MEN who gave up their week to play and be silly with our kids (who worked TIRELESSLY behind the scenes, others playing games in the heat, and even donning silly costumes!) It was a beautiful gift.
The snacks! The organization to provide allergy-safe snacks for 120 children each day is mind-boggling. And the snacks for the volunteers—well—I am still thinking about the brownies and margarita cupcakes with the homemade saguaro cactus mints on top … hoping for the recipe for that amazing corn dip too. This church loves with food. Message received!
And the youth. Our youth showed up in a BIG way. I watched as they sang, laughed, and played, and the kids drank it up like water on thirsty flowers. So many stayed after to help me reset rooms each day and clean up at the end on Friday. Many of these same youth were in my 3rd grade sunday school—now so grown up and towering over me. How did they do that? My heart is full.
It does not fall lightly on me that the Monumental curriculum was written in 2020—smack in the scariest part of Covid. I remember waking up every morning and thinking, “Ugh—this is not a bad dream; this is really happening.” The world was truly unhinged on so many levels, and I felt my young adult children searching my face for reassurance and words for answers that I did not have. Sending my husband to work in the ER felt like sending him to a battle I never dreamed he would be fighting. How did we get through it?
“Every moment, every second, every hour, every day
Oh God, you are in charge
Every moment of this journey, every step that I will take
Oh God, you are in charge”
I think back to last year’s VBS. All the extra work everyone did to make a safe semi-normal experience for the kids. How DID we get through that?
We did it with God in charge. Such dark days and yet so many silver linings. I received two more precious years with my 20-something children that, while not without challenges, gave me light years of insight into their adult selves. Our daughter, working remotely, retrofitted our Suburban into a camper and trekked all summer through the National Parks of the Southwest. As we built our VBS “Monument Valley” on the sanctuary stage and the slot canyon through the baptistry corridor, I thought of her journey often, an opportunity she would never have taken if not for Covid. Covid gave me the space to heal from broken relationships and the time to lean into other relationships that needed surgical attention. It is good to reflect on God’s handiwork.
This year’s Monumental theme of VBS took the story of Joseph and gently walked kids through his unthinkable life journey:
1 of 12 kids
his father’s favorite
sold into slavery for 12 years (longer than most of the kiddos have been alive!)
imprisoned for a crime he did not commit—only to ultimately sit at the right hand of Pharaoh, save his family from starvation and reconcile with his brothers.
How did he get through it?
“I’ll trust you through everything
With all my heart that you’re holding
I know you’ve got this”
As I sat on the floor with my kids Thursday morning, the Bible Adventures teacher carefully tied the threads together between the Old Testament story and Jesus. Threads in my long life that I have never considered:
Joseph the favorite - Jesus the Beloved.
Joseph, betrayed by his family and community. Jesus, betrayed by his friends and followers.
Joseph saving and reconciling with his people, and the promise of salvation we have through Jesus Christ.
I grew spiritually this week, and we hope and pray that the groundwork has been laid for the children also to grow.
“Every mountain, every valley, every sea, every sky
Oh God, you are in charge
You’re my father, you’re my savior
you’re the Lord of my Life
Oh God, you are in charge”
VBS is a disruptive, noisy, messy week. It is exhausting and hot. Some say that VBS is outdated and there is no time for it in our busy summers. But I am here to testify that we do some of our best and greatest work during this week. Seventy of the 120+ kids who came through our doors do not attend our church, and many do not attend any church. Let that sink in: seventy children.
VBS is a perfect expression of what Pastor Jason has called “radical hospitality.” With every piece of painted cardboard, every yummy snack, every blanket we got down on the floor and sat beside them on, every cool craft and fun-filled game or Bible story lesson, we were sending a BIG message—“Come in! Come in! We’ve been expecting you—and we can’t wait to spend time with you and get to know you! And we don’t care if you are busy, noisy, and a little messy. We love you.”
Parents are hungry for a church that will love their children and help bring them up in a vibrant community. I know I am. As I am praying for that church family in other cities for my own children, a parent in Liberty is also praying for someone to welcome their busy, noisy, messy child, love them, teach them about God and keep them safe. That someone is you and me.
To Children’s Pastor Angie especially, and all the staff, to ALL the volunteers, no matter how much or little you were able to contribute, I hope you will be able to put your feet up this week and hear God’s voice:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” And I hope that, in some way, VBS changed you for the better. I know it did for me.
“When the stars come a shinin’, and the moon starts a risin’
And I lay my head on my pillow!
I know that God is in charge
God is in charge ...”
For your own personal earworm pleasure, click here to listen to “You are In Charge.”