T.G.I.F.

I'm convinced the expression, "Thank God it's Friday," originated in the Vacation Bible School (VBS). In case you don't know what "Vacation Bible School" is, it is a mixture of inspiration and madness. Churches open their doors for a week long series of Bible studies aimed at helping children learn about Jesus. We sing, dance, eat, craft, play, and most importantly, we learn about Jesus.

It's part inspiration because we are called to go into our world and make disciples. VBS is often used to build bridges with families and the surrounding community. You can often get children, who wouldn't normally come to your church, to participate in VBS.

It's part madness because kids often outnumber the workers. The kids are bursting with energy, since their days aren't spent in school. There is usually a mix of churched and unchurched children. Creative energy is released within the teachers. There is often a slightly different church atmosphere.

I'm not complaining. I love every minute of it. Even in the moments where things go wrong, or children erupt into a temper tantrum, there is a beauty in the madness. God is at work, shaping, stretching, teaching. Adults usually come to VBS to teach, but we can learn so much.

Monticello really takes VBS seriously. That's not to say it's not fun. We're serious about fun, too. We want the kids to connect to Jesus while having a great time. We have hardworking, creative people who really invest themselves in making VBS a success. We have several people who move behind the scenes that are vital to our success.

These things are truly a blessing to me as a pastor. The fact that so many people work so hard makes my job easy. I get to show up and play. When it is done right, VBS is a lot of work. But it is a labor of love. The effort expended is always rewarded. It isn't unusual for us to begin thinking about the next VBS, before current year's VBS is complete.

We know we're successful when the children have fun learning about Jesus. It's an awesome feeling when a child that has visited our VBS express their desire to return next year. Yes, we would love to get them into church much sooner, but to know that a child is making plans that far in advance is pretty amazing.

I thank all of you who have made VBS a success. I thank the families who allowed their children to spend their week with us. I thank God for allowing us to participate in his work. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I thank God for a wonderful week, for the strength to finish well, and for the arrival of Friday.  Now that VBS is over we get some time to rest and regroup.  Soon, we will once again begin planning for next year's VBS. But for now, thank God it's Friday!