Dear Rectors, Pastors and Church leaders,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has granted us peace and joy during this challenging time!
Lately a few of us have been busy trying to put together a virtual VBS for this summer. It has been much joy and fun as we try to record the different segments of each VBS station.
You’ll probably ask:
What is the purpose for this virtual VBS? And who are they for?
As in the past, I usually will be out in the field supporting and assisting different church plants to host outreach ministry events to children and their families for the summer. This year, because of the restrictions of the pandemic, it has made it difficult for me to do the same. However, outreach ministry cannot stop, and should not be put on hold. As I ponder on how we could continue to do outreach ministry during these difficult times, the words from the Lord to the people of Israel through Isaiah 43: 18-21(NIrV) spoke loudly to me:
“Forget the things that happened in the past. Do not keep on thinking about them.
I am about to do something new. It is beginning to happen even now.
Don’t you see it coming?
I am going to make a way for you to go through the desert.
I will make streams of water in the dry and empty land. Even wild dogs and owls honour me. That is because I provide water in the desert for my people to drink.
I cause streams to flow in the dry and empty land for my chosen ones.
I do it for the people I made for myself. I want them to sing praise to me.
After much prayer, and with God’s grace and mercy, we have decided to take a step of faith to do something that we have never done before — VBS online or called it the Virtual VBS. A group of dedicated brothers and sisters from three churches joint effort to put this Virtual VBS together. My appreciation goes to Good Shepherd Calgary, St. Matthias and St. Luke Church, and Good Shepherd Vancouver, and we are doing this to serve all our AMMiC churches and church plants; and possibly other churches, if they are interested.
Basically what this virtual VBS is about having different typical stations pre-recorded and allowing each host church to conduct VBS at their own schedule through online meeting. The resource materials are from the GROUP weekend VBS curriculum called “Anchored: Deepening Faith in God” 2020. Since that was not intended for online purposes, I took the liberty in rewriting some, changing some and putting together a possible curriculum, so we can do it online. Each day we will have 5 stations: Music and More (Opening), Sea Crafts station, Anchors Away Play, Deep Bible Adventures Station and Music and More (Closing). Normally it will take an hour each day, but it will depend on the host church as to when and how they will conduct the VBS.
Hope this helps to explain what this Virtual VBS is about. Would you like to give virtual VBS a try this year so you can reach out to your church families and their friends as well? Please send me an email or call me for more details, if you are interested.
Until then, join me to sing praises to our Lord, for He’s going to do great things among us,
Partnership in the gospel,
Valerie
Children’s Ministry Director
AMMiC