Escalon Covenant Church was the site for Vacation Bible School, giving kids the chance to ‘Shine’ this past week. The VBS theme was Shine and it ran from Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29 at the church on Escalon Avenue and drew dozens of local youngsters for a few hours of fun and learning about God’s love each day.
With games, crafts, Bible stories, snacks and the ‘funky beats’ music portion of the VBS, the youngsters were kept busy each day. On Friday, they performed a special drumming and musical program for parents and friends, followed by a hot dog lunch. Bounce houses were also brought in for the kids to enjoy.
The largest group during the week was the youngest 4- and 5-years-olds, with 46 VBS participants registered. There were 40 6- and 7-year-olds, 30 8- and 9-year-olds and 25 10- and 11-year-olds, adding up to nearly 150 youngsters, most of them attending each day of the five day VBS program.
Attendees learned about the five Heavenly crowns – Righteousness, Victory, Life, Glory and Rejoice and worked on craft projects designed to fit those themes.
“At 9 a.m. we have the whole group come together for worship, dancing, singing and skits,” said Paige Kay, one of this year’s leaders. “We talk about what they’ve learned. At the end of the day we come back together for more songs, give out prizes for the kids who have brought a friend, and have a word of prayer.”
Monday through Thursday, the older kids headed from VBS to the nearby Escalon Community Pool and enjoyed swimming until 2 p.m.
“The very first day, we gave them buckets and they decorated them and brought them to ‘Funky Beats’ class,” Kay said of the musical portion of the VBS. Each child had a specific part to learn to add to the program’s finale.
Kay noted that the hectic pace was fun and kept everyone upbeat.
“You wake up every day and you watch as God moves and seeds are planted,” she said of reaching children with the message of God’s love at an early age. “Relationships have been formed with kids and adults and our leaders have been taught lessons as we go.”
After a whirlwind week, Kay said she was tired but it was “a good exhausted.”
Kay and Maria Gervase served as co-leaders this year and Kay said the youth volunteers were a special blessing.
“These youth leaders have been so patient and kind to these kids, I am just so blown away by them,” she said of the 12- to 18-year-old helpers. “I am so grateful for every person that has given their time … they make the load lighter.”
Escalon Covenant will host its Awana program for youths beginning Wednesday, Aug. 24. More information is available at the church or by going online to www.escaloncovenant.org.
