Gospel Light's VBS curriculum

[Josh1]

I was just wondering what all of the SonForce Kids VBS '007 VBS Directors will be doing for VBS 2008. Please add your vote and feel free to post.
God Bless,
Josh Trommer:rolleyes:

[maanki]

I'm not quite there yet...still watching the Sonforce Kids VBS's launching out and want to keep cheering them on !! I would like to make a decision by August though.

[TrinityJen]

I'll be doing SonForce Adventure Park! I really like the the theme park idea. A few years ago some of the kids wanted a theme park like King's Island. The ideas for decorating are already starting to form.


We have been saving curriculum for the past few years and the past VBS directore thinks it is time to start over. Only if she is comming back!!!! I talked to the new Ed director and we might be selling them instead. I get so much help from the boards, I wouldn't be saving any money.

I really like Gospel Light! I hope to see a few changes, but couldn't be happier w/ how this year turned out!

[AuntSarah4]

Our church has used SonTreasure Island and SonForce Kids for the last 2 VBS's. I must say, they went better than anything else we've ever tried and have been a resounding success. It's still early, but I'm really leaning toward the adventure park theme. It seems that some of the other curriculum companies have launched their theme "teasers" ealier this year, and I'm just not crazy about any of them. They really have to have the "whole package" for us: content, great skits, great music, and energy. It's hard to find the whole package. Will make a final decision after I learn more from Gospellight.

Thanks for the past 2 years of awesome VBS themes.:)

[houston603]

We just finished SonForce Kids, and everyone had such a blast! I am SO excited for SonWorld Adventure Park...the decorating ideas are starting to bubble....hmmmm.....swim noodles glued end to end to make roller coaster tracks....3D carosels to walk through.....bumper cars....maybe a midway....woo hoo!

Any idea when the site will be up?

[MWhite]

This was my first year as director of VBS, after volunteering for the last 2 years. I was thrilled with the SonForce Kids program. The theme verse and lessons were great, the crafts were affordable and the amount of information provided and the flexibility of the program were terrific. The theme was also exciting for all of the age groups. We had about 50-55 kids each night. The parents and grandparents are still telling me how much the kids enjoyed it and how much they love the "dogtags" with the verses. (we made homemade ones) I was really impressed that the kids noticed the memory verses were part of the music! The forum was also a great help and I am glad to be back.

I am looking forward to seeing the details of the SonWorld Adventure. I think it is great that we learned to have "courage" this year, and now we must also learn to "choose" this way of life!

May God bless all of our VBS programs!

[racheal]

We just finished SonForce Kids ... well our closing program will be on Sunday at our Contemporary Service ... but the HARD stuff is done. This was my second year participating. Last year for Son Treasure Island, I was Pre-k thru 2nd grade arts and crafts (wow) and this year, I was the Director's Right Hand ... woman. I've made the commitment, along with her to Lead next year's VBS. Even in our most frustrated moments one of us would say, "I'm not doing this next year!" and the other would answer with a "But when we do ...". So ... we're following God on this and taking the bull by the horns. We've PRETTY much decided to do Son Harvest Country Fair (even though we did it 4 years ago at our church). One of our Adult Sunday School classes just put on a HUGE production of HEEHAW for a Sunday nite fun nite and we have SO much set decoration plus materials from the previous VBS that we are leaning towards it. We're also teaming up with at least one other UMC in our town to plan, prepare, decorate, etc with. Share the care, the worry, the prayer. We're starting in September with our meetings. Can't wait! OK ... maybe I can ... just a little.

[JackieAS]

Also just finished SonForce Kids. It was awesome!! We even arranged for a REAL FBI agent to come and talk to the kids. And then he was nice enough to hang around and help them make their own FBI badges - in the craft book.
I would like to do the SonWorld Adventure Park, but I don't know if it will be as exciting as SonForce! I really wanted to do an Out of This World - Alien theme, but it seems no one has it.

[KimR]

I don't have the final vote at our church, but some input. We have not decided as of yet but look forward to making the decission as soon as school is up and running. I have always loved GospelLight's themes. This one is not as catching for me personally. However, I can't say I am awe struck by any this year. Like someone else said, the others don't always provide the "complete" package. There are probably a couple that we are looking at, at this point.
My prayer is that we choose what our church needs at that point in our journey.

[iddorlando]

WOO HOO... we live in orlando, fl so ideas are everywhere today was our graduation for sonforce and it was awesome... i am the set designer and assistant director and we are excited ideas are flowing... out of the 5 years of VBS we have used gospellight for 4 of our curric. and found the total package.... we can't wait tfor the site to be up we are thinking of taking a 2 week break and then start full force for SonWorld...

[Sherri Welch]

We will probably do SonWorld. I was wanting to post some pictures from our VBS that finished up Friday, I cannot figure out how to do it though. Help!

[Flutterfly57]

The level of support this year was disappointing. I have enjoyed all the VBS's we have done from your company as far as the content. The lessons were great and the children loved the music.

Technical support for the web site and the ease of use has diminished. Customers should not be asked to critique something they have paid for to assist the next year and find no resolutions with the current situation. Those who have a fairly good understanding of computers found it very frustrating. If Gospel Light is going to offer this feature it should be user friendly or offered for free until you work out the major bugs in the system and have the personnel to address the issues in a timely manner.

These issues have caused us to reconsider the use of a Gospel Light curriculum for 2008.

[Esscie]

We allowed our attendees to vote on next year's theme. Although staff overwhelming preferred SonHarvest, the children selected SonWorld Adventure by a 2:1 margin. Since the vote was by secret ballot there was some talk of "cheating," but honesty won out & we went with what the kids selected. HOWEVER we are going to order *both* programs and do SonHarvest in 2009. We decided this year to go with a five year cycle of the curriculum instead of reinventing the wheel (all those beautiful backdrops!) every year. It is our hope that Gospel Light will bring back some other favorites: Kingdom of the Son and SonTreasure Island to round out our five-year program, since we didn't save most of those materials. Honestly, SonForce Kids has been by far my least favorite program, but if we're going to start recycling we need to start somewhere.

[houseparent]

I am currently going back and forth between Sonworld Adventure Park and a laboratory/science theme from another publisher.

Looking at the preview site, I am not overly excited about the backdrops for Sonworld, but I am sure I could supplement them with my own stuff and ideas from this board.

If it were not for the music and the fact that they don't have a reproducable CD it would be a slamdunk for the other theme, mainly because I am a science/techno geek and all my lights and gadgets would work great with the other VBS.

The one thing that keeps me leaning toward Sonworld is the music. I have come to realize it is one of the MOST important aspects of the VBS. I have kids that have worn out their Sonforce Kids CD, it is still the most popular CD in our house, even over High School Musical 2. My grandson calls it his "heart song" I hear kids singing it all the time and it has helped them memorize and retain the scripture from Sonforce kids.

Sonforce kids was one of the most successful VBS's our church has ever done, and I really liked that they provide most everything you need in the starter kit.

I guess I still have a month or two to keep researching and praying about it.

[houseparent]

I am currently going back and forth between Sonworld Adventure Park and a laboratory/science theme from another publisher.

Looking at the preview site, I am not overly excited about the backdrops for Sonworld, but I am sure I could supplement them with my own stuff and ideas from this board.

If it were not for the music and the fact that they don't have a reproducable CD it would be a slamdunk for the other theme, mainly because I am a science/techno geek and all my lights and gadgets would work great with the other VBS.

The one thing that keeps me leaning toward Sonworld is the music. I have come to realize it is one of the MOST important aspects of the VBS. I have kids that have worn out their Sonforce Kids CD, it is still the most popular CD in our house, even over High School Musical 2. My grandson calls it his "heart song" I hear kids singing it all the time and it has helped them memorize and retain the scripture from Sonforce kids.

Sonforce kids was one of the most successful VBS's our church has ever done, and I really liked that they provide most everything you need in the starter kit.

I guess I still have a month or two to keep researching and praying about it.

I have decided. I am going to use Sonworld. The more I think about it the more I like it. The Decorations will be easy, the theme seems fun, and every kid gets a music CD. I think I will order my kit right now.