Carla Kaminga stood in front of a group of wide-eyed kids and held up a bracelet. It was made from woven threads of yellow, black, red, green and white. Each color of the bracelet reminded Kaminga of a story in the Bible, she explained to her audience.
“This yellow part here,” she said as she pointed, “reminds me of the streets of gold and of heaven.” She continued, “this black part here reminds me of the sins that Jesus died for.”
After she finished explaining what each color meant to her, she asked the kids if they were ready to have their own bracelet. The room erupted with excitement as arms shot up, each kid wanting to be the first to claim a gift.
The kids, age 4 through 5th grade, had gathered at Philomath Middle School for Vacation Bible School (VBS) held July 10-14. Hosted by local Evangelical churches, VBS is a specialized form of religious education that incorporates fun for kids to learn Bible stories, religious song, crafts, and skits. VBS is free.
“We have teachers from different churches, people that take the week off work for this—a lot of people that have come together to make this happen,” said Mat Phelps, Living Faith Community Church youth pastor.
Five other local churches teamed up with Living Faith to make VBS possible. This year there were 50 junior leader volunteers, youth in 6th to 12th grade, and 20 adult leader volunteers.
Attendance was among the highest ever, according to Kaminga, who has been involved with VBS for over two decades. Total registration was 250, exceeding last year’s 200.
“There’s a lot of kids who come that don’t have a church or don’t go to church,” said Kaminga. “We make it open to everyone.”
With several rooms of the middle school transformed for VBS, there was a story room for kids to hear Bible stories, a memory verse room to learn scripture, and a music room to practice songs.
This year’s theme was “Deep Sea Discovery,” so all stories and activities related to water and the sea. School lockers that lined the hallways were covered in blue paper, adding to the deep sea theme as kids traveled from room to room.
The school gym became the music room. Kids gathered in the center, facing a stage built by Philomath residents Christie and Ryan Vaughan. Using paper mache, a seascape of coral reefs surrounded the stage, with a large octopus made from pool noodles and orange spray foam. Jellyfish hung from the ceiling, and blue drapes in the background gave the feel of moving water.
The stage will be disassembled and taken to a church in Eastern Washington for another group of VBS kids to enjoy later this summer.
During story time the children heard stories of kids in other countries, such as Danielle, an impoverished girl in Mexico who came to know Jesus through people that helped her in difficult situations. Each day Kaminga read a portion of Danielle’s story, building up to the final chapter at week’s end.
“The kids love it,” said Kaminga. “Their eyes get big and they have so many questions. They’re just so empathetic.”
Each day of VBS started with a skit performed by the kids, incorporating the day’s theme. Theme days included inside-out day, crazy hair day, hat day, and flip-flop/water day. Volunteers planned months in advance for crafts, stories, and skits.
On Wednesday night, the children and their families enjoyed a Corvallis Knight’s game as an extracurricular group activity. On Thursday night, VBS hosted a barbecue in which the kids invited their family, friends, and neighbors. An estimated 400 people enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers, and shaved ice. The evening included games, a bounce house, and music. A local sheriff and police officers were present to talk with the kids.
“It’s just a big community party,” said Phelps. “We love it because it’s an opportunity for people to come together.”
At the end of the week, each kid received an Adventure Bible personalized with the child’s name to take home.
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