Well, the 2023 Vacation Bible School, Twist and Turns has come and gone for our JIBC family and friends. I think I am pretty close when I say that this was the 74th Vacation Bible School in our church history. It would have been the 75th except for the Covid year. Our thanks to Kat Cumberledge, Joanne Brown and their amazing teams of volunteers. You all did a wonderful job. Until you volunteer at a VBS, it is hard to realize the stamina it takes to work all day and then come and love on kids for 3 solid hours. Well done, good and faithful servants.
Let me give you a few VBS numbers to rejoice over. We had 73 kids who attended. That may seem down from previous years. This year we did not have the three year olds or the teenagers. So, the number of children was just about the same as last year. We had 35 volunteers who helped make the VBS happen. Truly, we could not offer a VBS without the volunteers. Well done! I hope you all got a nap Saturday and Sunday. We had 13 children who were asking questions about becoming a follower of Jesus. We had three that made professions of faith and 1 that requested baptism. We had another one who immediately started working on the children’s discipleship guide.The VBS offering given by the children and adults was around $333.00. All of that will go to help buy school supplies for underserved children. For the last two years, JIBC has partnered with Emmanuel Baptist Church on Folly road to host a “Back To School Cookout” at the EME Apartments on Central Park Road. We help sponsor a cookout, music, games, speakers and then give out school supplies for the coming year. The end result is that we have children reaching children and churches reaching children. I love that we can do some cross cultural mission work right here in our own backyard. To God be the glory.
One more cool thing about VBS. All the VBS decorations that you saw and enjoyed have been passed on to a sister church for their VBS. I love that…recycle for the Kingdom. And any that survive their VBS will be passed on to yet another church family.
Your tithes and offerings make VBS a reality. We can purchase what we need and use it to share the Good News of what God has done for us... Your prayers help to make this possible. Thank you all.
It was a great 2023 Vacation Bible School. Take a deep breath…2024 VBS will be here before we know it!
Pastor Tom
