Sooooo....the other day I was at the church office and the secretary said she had something to ask me. I have been procrastinating about organizing a baby shower for a friend (who goes to our church) and for some reason I assumed it was going to be about that. But instead she asked me if I would be the VBS director this summer. She asked me because right now we have no pastor and she ends up being the one in charge of all the details right now. I totally was not expecting that - in fact last year I taught a very rowdy 5th grade class and after VBS I told Rob that as soon as the dates were announced, I wanted to plan an out of town trip to coincide with VBS. Well, now I'm the one picking the week. I mean I could have said no - and I didn't hear an audible voice from God on this decision, but Rob said I should do it and I have no real valid reason to say no. At least I won't end up teaching the 5th graders again.
But I look towards all this with heaviness. There are some things that we have "always done" at VBS that I've never really liked. There are some people in our church who feel very strongly about not changing tradition. Rob - never fearful of confrontation - says, do what you want, change things! And really there are things that need to change. I just don't want to be the agent of change. I don't enjoy being on the defensive.
Well all that aside - here are some issues that I'll be dealing with:
Our VBS is at night and at some random week in the summer. I am of the opinion that which week is not very relevant - except not the very first week or the week of the 4th of July. Both off the table completely. The first week is a no because most of the churches in Miami have their VBS that week - most of the day camps do not start until the 2nd week and it is seen as a free week of "camp". These VBSes are always 9 to noon - ours will be 6:30 to 8pm. At least I think this issue cancels out the first week. Even our kids will probably go to another church's VBS that week.
Another issue is that for several years now, the kids have done a musical at the end of the week - in my opinion the musical eats too much into the other nights of the week - they have to practice and have a rehearsal on Thursday night. To me - a musical put on in a week would be good for a music camp, not VBS. I'm not sure what kind of reaction I'm going to get to cutting it. I'd like to find ways to add to the worship rally and in the musical's place have some other parent involved event on the last night.
We have never done recreation - due to time. I'd like to include it, even if it isn't an every night thing. We do have crafts, and usually they are Oriental Trading Company crafts that I throw away as soon as they get home. I would really like to see something more come out of craft time. I know crafts are messy and OTC projects with all their stick on foam are easy, but I throw that stuff away as soon as it gets home. I bet most of the other parents do too. So I'm thinking maybe we could rotate crafts and rec so that each class gets two nights of each and Friday they'll do neither.
I guess those are my biggies. When I was a kid I remember doing turtle races the last night of VBS and that was a lot of fun, but I don't think that's a very practical suggestion :)
I think your ideas sound good. And, if enough people are truly upset about your changes, you won't have to worry about directing VBS again!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the musical. The VBS we go to cuts Friday's routine short and has a family picnic and games. Before the picnic, the parents get to hear a few of the songs they've sang during the week, see a slide show with pictures snapped during the week, and can go see their deocrated story room. After that we all go outside for hotdogs & chips, and water balloons. We toss a lot of the craft projects, too. The ones that stand out that we didn't toss are a Jesus backpack the kids decorated with markers (we still use them), stuffed felt bears (all were donated to a kids' charity), and little wooden boxes the kids decorated & use to hold "treasures". Good luck!!
Thanks Lori! You're right :) I've never liked doing the same VBS job year after year anyway!
DeleteI like the idea of them visiting the rooms where they have the Bible study. I'm not sure how that might work for us, but it might. I still have a lot of thinking to do.
Lori's right on. If they don't like the changes, you won't have to worry about doing it again. Of course, there's the other side of the coin and you could have a permanent position. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou'll be great at organizing that! They wouldn't have asked you if they didn't think you would be. I will pray the crazy church ladies don't come at you! I think your changes sound good too. I think a musical is way too ambitious for a week's time. Here we have a recap of the VBS on Sunday morning and it's short. Slideshow, a couple of songs and a memory verse quoted.
ReplyDeleteMeredith, knowing you are a music person and understand how I feel about the musical gives me hope that others will be accepting of the change :)
DeleteCutting music? Leah, how could you?!!! just kidding :) i think you are on the right track with your ideas. Resistance to change is proportional to age :) and how are traditions started? sometimes by breaking old ones br
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't intend to cut "music", just the "musical".
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