Vacation Bible School
This summer, hundreds of school-aged children across the Diocese of Shreveport will take part in a beloved summertime tradition: Vacation Bible School. The list of planned activities differs from parish to parish, but they almost always include crafts, songs, skits and games in addition to age-appropriate Bible study. Usually, the week-long, day-camp-type setup revolves around a central theme that’s connected to a Bible story or verse. No matter what, kids around the diocese can’t wait for the opportunity to learn about their faith in an atmosphere that’s decidedly more relaxed than the Parish School of Religion (PSR) classes that they attend during the year. Thomas Dean, age 10, said, “We learn about praying and being nice to other people.” His brother Elliot, age 8, said, “We get to make lots of new friends.”
In the past, Vacation Bible School was mainly a Protestant activity, but more recently Catholic churches realized the value of using part of children’s summer vacation to further their religious education in a fun environment. Thus, Catholic Vacation Bible School programs are more readily available than they were in the past. Many parents and other adults around the Diocese have fond memories of Vacation Bible Schools from their childhoods, so finding volunteers is rarely a problem. “We have people who call us year after year,” said Kim Long, Director of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Pines in Shreveport. “Volunteering for Vacation Bible School has become part of their summer traditions.”
When St. Mary of the Pines decided to institute their Vacation Bible School program, Long found that there were few Catholic Vacation Bible School programs available, and they were very expensive. So she and Marcie Rankins, Director of Spiritual Formation at St. Jude Catholic Church in Bossier City, got together and wrote their own, piecing together elements that they liked from other Vacation Bible School curricula. Since they also wanted to keep the cost to parents very low, they researched and made up crafts and activities using items that were either very inexpensive or readily available in almost every home. For instance, last year, the children made models of Paul’s shipwreck using crushed Styrofoam egg cartons. “Marcy and I worked together for several years, writing programs and putting things together to meet our needs,” Long said. “Sometimes we order a program and then tailor it to our needs.”
“This is the time of year when we have fun. It’s not as regimented as religious school during the rest of the year,” said Long. This year’s theme for Vacation Bible School at St. Mary of the Pines is “Mary Said Yes.” “It’s about how Mary said yes to God and how we say yes to God,” she explained. One of their past themes was “Calling All Heroes,” which they based on the Philippians 4:13 verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Other themes from around the Diocese include “Baobab Blast: God’s Great Get-Together,” “Set Sail With Saint Patrick and the Holy Trinity” and “High Seas Expedition.” Often, these themes are extensions of the lessons the children learn in their PSR classes during the school year.
All the children work on the same activities and lessons, but the teachers tailor the activities for each age group. In their parish, the teachers remain at their assigned “stations” while the children rotate from room to room. Some of the past favorite activities have been crafting sock puppets and making t-shirts.
While many of the children are too young for deep theological discussion or intense Bible study, the teachers nevertheless emphasize basic messages about God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice for mankind. “We usually have about 50 kids under the age of 12,” said Long. “Once they get older than that, they usually want to help teach the little ones.” At St. Mary of the Pines, the cost to parents is only $10 per child, though they never turn a child away because of his or her inability to pay. “The money just pays for their snacks and a few supplies,” she said.
Traditionally, Vacation Bible School classes took place in the morning (usually from 8:00 a.m. to noon or so), but some parishes in the diocese are holding their Vacation Bible School classes in the evening, either from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to better accommodate working parents. “We’ll feed them dinner, usually sandwiches or hotdogs,” said Long. Also, most Vacation Bible Schools will do anything necessary to adjust for special needs like food allergies.
In an encouragingly ecumenical trend, cities and towns where individual churches don’t have enough children to have their own Vacation Bible Schools are banding together for community-wide Vacation Bible Schools. In Long’s hometown, for instance, the Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and Assembly of God churches have banded together to teach their children about God and Jesus. “There’s no doctrine being taught,” she said, “but the kids can still learn about God together. They learn that Jesus loves them and how Christ wants us to treat one another.”
If you’re interested in finding out about Vacation Bible School opportunities for your children, call your parish office to inquire about dates, times and costs.
by Kelly Phelan
Catholic Vacation Bible Schools In the Diocese of Shreveport
June 7-11: Mary, Queen of Peace Church, Bossier City,"SonQuest: Rainforest"
Jacquie Bierwirth 318-752-5971
June 14-17: St. Mary of the Pines, Shreveport, "Mary Said Yes," Kim Long 318-687-5121
June 14-18: St. Matthew Church, Monroe, "Set Sail With Saint Patrick and The Holy Trinity"
Lindy Brasher 318-557-8649
June 21-25: St. Jude Church, Bossier City, "Ancient Egypt" Marcie Rankins 318-746-2508
June 21-25: Jesus the Good Shepherd Church, Monroe, "High Seas Expedition"
Heather Vidrine 318-267-0382
June 21-25: St. Paschal Church, West Monroe, "Baobab Blast: God's Great Get Together!"
318-323-1631
July 6-9: St. Joseph Church, Shreveport, "Ship Ahoy!" Julia Norton 318-865-5125
July 12-15: St. Pius X Church, Shreveport, "Hero Headquarters," Susan Lanier 318-222-2165
July 11-16: Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport, "Totus Tuus"
Megan Stratton 318-221-5296.
July 12-16: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Shreveport "Baobab Blast: God's Great
Get Together!" Cathy Cobb: 318-798-1887
July 12-23: St. Ann Church, Stonewall, "SonQuest: Rainforest," Jo Ann Beason, 318-872-1158.
2010 Diocese of Shreveport