Are you talking about Summer VBS already? Yes I am! It is important to get excited early, and prepare yourselves for supporting this Summer’s VBS opportunities…that’s right, plural…we are excited to promote TWO VBS’s this year, with participation opportunities for both children and teens. In order of appearance, the first will be…

WINGS LIKE EAGLES (Early June): WLE is an independent, Christian-run horse vaulting camp that incorporates Bible teaching. It is essentially a VBS for roughly ages 6 to 13, but with horses. Also, ages 14 to 18 are the leaders! Like a typical VBS, there is singing, a devotion, snack time, and a game station. But instead of moving to other typical VBS stations (i.e. crafts or a “storyteller” time), children learn simple horse vaults. Horse vaulting is essentially gymnastics or static poses on a moving horse.

While adults are on site and overseeing, the teens are put in charge of running all of the stations, including the devotionals. This develops teaching and leadership skills. High school staff also must attend the theological preparation prior to camp. Last year, WLE asked me to lead the staff Bible studies, and I led a six-lesson series, “What Is the Gospel?”.

Neither high school staff nor young campers need to have any experience with horses or horse vaulting prior to camp. There is a separate safety & handling training for the teen staff in addition to preparatory bible studies.

WLE is held at a local horse ranch in Monument, the residence of Duncan & Michele Bremer. Several families participate that are within or connected to FPC in some way. The camp has two separate iterations of 6 days (Saturday is a horse vaulting “performance” day where all families are invited), and the 6 day iterations are slated to likely occur in early June…More confirmation on that is pending.

SUMMER FUNNER (July 12-16): Summer Funner is an established (over 25 years) non-profit that has approximately fifteen original Biblically-based musicals. It is a 5-day, theater style VBS where students ages 4-18 rehearse a Bible centered musical which culminates in a performance on the last day.

Participants rotate through stations to practice choreography, rehearse lines, enjoy a snack, create theme-related crafts, learn basic drama skills, and hear Bible truths that support the theme of the show. Students are divided into age groups and led by teen participants through the stations. Teen leaders are mentored in Christian leadership as they begin each morning with a devotion and prayer time before younger students arrive.

The beauty of this style of theater is that it welcomes and encourages students with little to no theater experience, but is still enjoyable to those who appreciate theater. At minimum, each participant is given one or two lines, while teens or more experienced participants may play a larger role. All students learn the songs and sing/dance together for the performance. The goal of this style of VBS is to create an engaging, Christ-exalting experience where the children are encouraged to learn basic tenants of the Bible (maybe for the first time) that will hopefully stick with their hearts for years to come.

Unlike WLE, Summer Funner will be held on site at the church building.

COSTS: We plan to offer participation in each program for $25 per participant. For both programs, this includes a shirt as well as all of the other materials (and horses!) used in the VBS events. The actual cost of both VBS programs is significantly higher. FPC is subsidizing some cost, and there is also a regular donation “auction” at the end of the WLE performances on Saturday which is meant to help soften the cost of maintaining the horses for WLE. If anyone has any financial difficulties that prohibit participation, please reach out to me!

The FPC Christian Education Team is very excited to promote involvement in both of these VBS opportunities. Above all, we pray that God would use it to glorify himself by drawing little children and teens to himself in repentance and faith, and in sanctifying them, training them, and using them to proclaim his name among all nations for the work he has wrought through the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.