Vacation Bible School, Part One: Please Pray

Submitted by Jennifer Power

I am taking a break from my normal style of blogging to bring you a three part series about Vacation Bible School 2015.

Today, I am asking you to take time out of your day to pray for our VBS, which is taking place here at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in just FIVE short days!!! I have been involved in many VBS programs in the past, but never in the role as a director. I would never have imagined all the work which must go in to making VBS happen!

However, despite all the details (big – such as 18 foot high decorative mountains – and small) which still need to come together, I am not requesting today prayers for the details.

There exists in our world and culture today both a spiritual hunger and a spiritual dryness. I am not saying these two are independent and exist in two separate groups of people, rather I get the sense people are hungry for God and failing to find that hunger satisfied. Disillusionment, frustration, legalism, and emptiness often result.

I am therefore asking you today to pray for the children who enter St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for Vacation Bible School between the dates of June 15^th and 19^th from 9:00am-12:00pm.

Pray the children would:

1. Experience the presence of God. Many kids I talk with know facts about God but either have not experienced His presence or are not aware they have had such experiences. Children (and people in general) must have actual experience with the presence of God for faith to become more than head knowledge and ritual. We all likely know the story of Jesus calling the children to come to Him, but we sometimes think children are not as able to experience the presence of God in their lives because they are young. Jesus tells us this is not so. Matthew 19:14 says “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Kids most definitely can experience the presence of God – please pray they will encounter Him as they enter our building for VBS.
2. Be driven to seek the Kingdom of God with their whole hearts. Once they have experienced the presence of God and are aware of such experiences, it is my prayer these children will be given the deep desire and hunger for seeking the things of God with every fiber of their beings their whole lives long.
3. Be kind to one another. My heart breaks when I see children being unkind to one another. I pray the hearts of kids will be softened in this time of coming together with one another – that they may seek to speak words of kindness and inclusion rather than words which harm and exclude.
4. Understand the Gospel calls us to sacrificial living. Now, I know this may seem like a tall order for children, but if they do not learn such living at a young age, it will only become more difficult as they grow up. The Gospel calls us to be compassionate, to seek justice more than comfort and luxury, and to consider the needs of others more than our own. I pray the children who gather for VBS will move forward in their understanding of sacrificial living.

I am also asking you to pray for our Vacation Bible School volunteer team. Pray they would be used by God to accomplish His purposes during this special week.

Pray also for the families who enter our building. Over the past couple weeks, I have heard many stories from people who began their faith walk with Jesus as a result of a Vacation Bible School somewhere.

May this time be encouraging. May it be transformative. May it bring healing, joy, hope, and love. May it contribute to a new zeal and movement in our day for people living as sold out disciples of Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your prayers.

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Stay tuned next week for midweek pictures and updates from VBS 2015!

To register for this year’s Vacation Bible School “Everest”, please call the church office (217)423-6955 or go to: https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/SHiNeSPLDecatur

For more information contact Jennifer Power, Director of Children’s Ministry at (217)423-6955 or jennifer@spldecatur.org

To stay up to date on everything going on in SHiNe Children’s Ministry check out our Facebook group: St. Paul’s Decatur Children’s Ministry