Vacation Bible School 2022: Discovering the Wonders of God’s Creation

So, what are your child’s plans this summer in June? If it isn’t discovering God’s wonders at Vacation Bible School (VBS), you just might want to get out your pen and mark the dates on your calendar!

“The VBS program is such a fun way to help the kids to get to know the Lord and learn to see Him as a friend,” says Sheri Bacher. “It is a great way to start off the summer as well. Although many of the children who come to VBS go to the parish school, some of them do not. This is a unique opportunity for the public school students to learn about their faith alongside other children and stay connected to our parish.”

This year’s VBS theme is God’s Wonder Lab: Jesus Does the Impossible, where the children will learn how God can make the impossible possible. It will be held this year in the gym from Monday, June 6, through Friday, June 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The gym and classrooms will be transformed into science labs, while experiments and other forms of scientific exploration will enable the children to see how God made the world. According to the program’s official description, “At God’s Wonder Lab, kids will discover that in Jesus’ ministry, He did things that are impossible to explain, performing many miracles throughout His lifetime. Jesus shows us that He loves us by using His power to do marvelous things!”

Through a variety of wonderful activities, this theme will be vibrantly brought to life before the children’s eyes. The typical day at VBS will open up with an assembly, including a prayer and a short video and/or lesson. Then the children will be divided by age into groups, and travel to five different activity stations, guided by teen leaders. They will also enjoy doing crafts, having snacks, singing inspirational Christian music, and playing outdoor games. The day will end with a closing assembly during which the children can share about what they have learned, and enjoy dancing to the song of the day.

Vacation Bible School is facilitated by a group of adult and teenage volunteers who generously do their part to make each day a memorable experience for the children. Volunteers such as Sheri, who has helped with VBS in past years by coordinating the snacks and Bible stories, find that giving their time and talent to this ministry is deeply rewarding.

“I really enjoyed sharing the Bible stories with the children,” Sheri says. “It gave me a way to use my teaching skills and talk personally to the children about Jesus. During Bible time, the kids have time for quiet reflection, storytelling, and skits. They really seem to like it, and it helps them to take the Bible stories into their hearts.”

From a parent’s perspective, Sheri believes that programs like VBS help mothers and fathers to live out their vocation to educate their children in the Catholic faith. Overall, it provides an amazing way to catechize our parish children and helps them understand that they are part of a loving parish family.

“My children went to VBS, and I started getting involved when they started going,” Sheri says. “I believe that we have a responsibility as adults to provide faith experiences for our children.”

VBS is open to all children ages three through those in fifth grade, whether they attend our parish or not. Little ones must be fully potty trained. Registration forms are available at immaculate.net or through the parish office. Volunteers who are of high school age or older are needed to help throughout the full five days of VBS. For more information on how to sign up to volunteer, please call Barb Schoen at 440-946-5939. Further details will be also included in future parish bulletins.