VBS 2007 - Galillee by the Sea - WOW!

What a week we just finished at Riverside!!! Our Vacation Bible School effort was a huge, unqualified success!

The children enjoyed gathering time in our auditorium (songs, announcements and the donning of period costumes by children and helpers alike) followed by Tribal Time, where they learned the story for that night...

Then the kiddos went outside to the living marketplace, Galillee by the Sea... there they found a village marketplace, including 12 shops (a dozen tents surrounding the town well, which served as its center) staffed by dozens of shopkeepers and helpers in full costumes, showing their shop wares and helping the kiddos 'live' a day in the life...

Their ears were treated to festive period music piped from hidden speakers as they were greeted not only by the shopkeepers, but by the beggar at the edge of town and the ever-present tax collector, who went around asking the 'shoppers' if they had paid their dues.

Adjacent to the shops was the village playground where the children played games from Bible times, and next to that was the Synagogue School which each child attended each night to learn about the customs and religious practices of the day...

Twice each night, a story was acted out around the well... This year's dramas included Peter and Andrew's parents having a lively discussion about their sons quitting the family fishing business to follow Christ... another found the momma of the little boy whose basket of food Jesus used to feed the multitude accusing Andrew of stealing her son's lunch! - incredible!

Then, after spending the majority of the evening in the marketplace and playground and school, the kiddos were alerted by the sound of an ancient shofar that it was SNACK TIME!!! ...because VBS would not be VBS without koolaid and cookies!

After a final gathering time in our auditorium, the kids were dismissed to go home... but not before we reminded them to come back the next night!

This VBS was the best ever! Over 100 people from our 220-member congregation volunteered their time to make this an unforgettable experience for those who attended... including all 3 of our Elders! Altogether, over 150 different children between the ages of 3 and 12 attended, with our largest night registering 132 kiddos!

God was glorified, the children learned about Jesus, and we were all made better by having played a part!

I am so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful group of believers!