VBS days have been cut into 2..help

[maanki]

Hi My Gospel Light Friends,
This is my last year as VBS director after 10 years.I love it passionately,it is just time to pass it on as God is leading me in a new season of getting involved in other things that can be ministry ,but are outside the walls of my church.Excited but scared and no longer in my comfort zone, but God is with me :)
I had a meeting with my pastor's wife,who has never really been a big cheerleader for vbs.I have to allow her to make decisons this year as I let vbs go.
I want to have a big day type carnival outside to end vbs ,on the Saturday after vbs . It will be fun and can be a great neighborhood outreach.
Well, she is all for that and is going to help me organize it alot.
BUT..SHE CUT VBS DOWN TO 2 DAYS :( Thursday ,Friday and the big day.
This is no longer a vbs format and I'm worried as there is too much to cover in 2 days that was meant for 5 :(
Especially with the Bible stories and skits.These are soo important.
Any ideas ?
Thanks family :)
God bless you !

[TrinityJen]

Maanki - My friend! I just drove through Tulsa Saturday and thought of you!

I can only imagine the excitement of a new call from God. He has used you to touch many children's lives, as well as mine. I am sure HE has plans for this VBS too. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 (Sometimes we all need a reminder :o ). This week I am studying the importance of prayer.

Now this is GOD we are talking about, if your VBS will be 2 days, it will be a GOD FILLED 2 day VBS. If it is meant to be a 5 day VBS, it will.

We have a sister church that only does a 1 day VBS it is usually a little longer than 3 hours and covers 2 stories. It you did something like that you could cover 4 stories. Then again they are very small and usually only have 2 groups.

My prayers for supernatural wisdom and understanding are heading your way! ;)

[maanki]

Thankyou , Trinity Jen,
You touched my heart and I'm very tearyeyed right now.
I was ready to leave this site and suddenly your reply came up and it meant so much to me.
Thankyou for being such a good friend.
Thankyou for the words of encouragement that I soo needed tonight.
I cry way too much lately and know God is in control with one hand ,and then spending too much time looking at my other hand that says this can't work.
You are absolutely right..GOD IS GOD.and He knew this was coming before I did.
This was my first post this year ..that is def a sign that the season is changing ;p
Thankyou for giving me a peace and allowing Him to use you tonight.
This is going to be the BEST 2 days we ever had !!
So glad to be back on the board.
Loveyou

ps. I was in Wichita this Saturday ! Hope Tulsa was hospitable to you,my friend:)

[karenedits]

Maanki,

In the Director's Guide we suggest a Weekend VBS that might work for you. Our plan is to hold your five sessions on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Maybe you could have your sessions Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, Friday morning, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning before (or even during!) the big event.

Good luck!

Karen McGraw
Gospel Light VBS Editor

[jruckman]

Oh, see? You're all so good to make the best of where this is leading! I'd be hunting down new leadership to champion the cause and make a way for the full 5-day format with a big carnival too!

My first inclination is to put on the armor and go make it happen (the way I think it should be, rather than, perhaps, what divine plans there are!). If I have learned anything in 5 years as VBS director, though, it is that it all works out splendidly, and (I imagine) God gets a good laugh out of my delusions of being in control.

It will, Maanki, be a highlight of the summer for every child and adult you reach in those three days. And I'd even go out on a limb here and predict that someone will question why it is only 3 days and then step up to restore it to 5 days for '09. You have, I'm sure, set the bar mighty high in your 10 years, and it will inspire future VBS leadership.

All the best to you.
Janet

[flutist14_99]

I agree with TrinityJen and jruckman. God has a plan and a purpose for this. Maybe it will get some people involved and don't normally commit a week's worth or time or just get that one extra child there. Or......maybe God will intervene and 5 days will be yours! I would use this as a challenge if need be to see how this weekend VBS format works. I saw it this year and thought it looked nifty.
Good luck. And we'll be praying for you! :)

[maanki]

Thankyou soo much everyone.
You all are soo encouraging to me and I mean that with all my heart.
When and IF I get discouraged through this , yet another change , I will come right back to this thread and re read your kind and encouraging words.
I promise to give good praise report updates and give God all the glory !
God bless everyone on this vbs board :)

[TrinityJen]

Hey Maanki!

I was wondering how you were going with your plans?

[ana]

Hello all...I decided to jump on the boards after being on a long and winding road. The first thing I came across was Maankis dilemia. I knew I should have come back to my little VBS family a long time ago...I have been going thru a VERY trying time the last few months and had to find peace again. I am just now getting back into the world of the living so to speak..Trinity your words to Maanki have touched me as well. I had made the decision back in December that it would not be a good idea for me to run VBS this year...there was way to much on my plate and I did not feel that I could spiritually lead such a big venture...I put it out there to the parish and no one wanted to take over VBS!! I am feeling a bit upset and very guilty right now because there will be no VBS at our church this year. A part of me feels like it was only important to me. I know that God knows how much I have touched childrens lives but I can't help but wonder why others will not step up. I have prayed long and hard but can not find peace about not having VBS. I need prayers!!!
PS Alison I sent you an email and the banner should be there soon....

[Teresa Peters]

Ana prayers from Canada. I will pray that the Lord will help you through this difficult time. If you feel called to do so you could find another well run VBS in your area and recommed it to anyone who asks. So the children will still have a fun place to be with God this summer. Stepping up can be hard to do for people, you may try and suggest a team approach. Again prayers are with you.

[JoleenTX]

Wow Ana ~ I am sorry to hear you have been going through such a tough time. I think it is an epidemic! I have found that it does bring you to a closer walk with Christ when your looking for Peace - ANY Peace at all~ my prayers are with you.

Maybe this year is just a growing time for you and you can come back stronger and wiser in the years to come and maybe He is just leading you in another direction all together. However, if your passion doesn't change, I would stick with VBS - You are truly an asset to the VBS ministry, the kids you touch and to us!

[TrinityJen]

.... I am feeling a bit upset and very guilty right now because there will be no VBS at our church this year. A part of me feels like it was only important to me. I know that God knows how much I have touched childrens lives but I can't help but wonder why others will not step up. I have prayed long and hard but can not find peace about not having VBS. I need prayers!!!
PS Alison I sent you an email and the banner should be there soon....

You said you have been on a long road, I am so sorry to hear that, my prayers are with you. ((HUG)) What stuck me most was when you said you were feeling guilty. I did a study not too long ago, and the topic of guilt came up. The study talked about guilt being something from the devil. That serpent is whispering in your ear and trying to break you down. If you are feeling guilty you are not trusting in God. Watch for the dark places the devil hides. If he can make you feel less about your self, and less time worshiping God he is winning. Tell him to GO AWAY!!!! Take some time in prayer to evaluate what you are not trusting God to handle for you. What are you holding on to that should have been let go of? Imagine putting it in a box, wrap it up, and hand it over to God. That is what He wants from us, all our worries, our problems, our doubts. He wants our TRUST.

We all have seasons we have to let something go, like directing VBS. Trust God to handle it. Listen for your part in this years VBS. Maybe it is as simple as to encourage someone that doesn't think they can handle the job. I loved Teresa's idea about finding another church to recommend to your church. Who knows, maybe that director is looking for additional help your church could provide. You might be the answer to another persons peace.

Pray, pray, pray, listen, listen, listen. Do NOT let doubt in!

I love you sister!
Jen

[maanki]

It is soo late and I should be asleep,but it's been heavy on my heart to stop by the forum here.I have missed you all so much and your responses have brought tears to my eyes.Hugs to everyone.And Trinity Jen, I haven't made any new progress with my vbs plans and as a director who has always been passionate about vbs and still is,it's hard to reply with an answer like that.
I am embarrassed and sad.I always have started my plans even before I had the starter kit.
I only have 2 days still to do my vbs and that will consist of only 2 evenings and the big outside day on Saturday. I would just say forget it if it wasn't for all of you and your encouragement. I have so much to fit in so little time.My helpers are youth and they are more focused on youth camp right now, which is coming up 3 weeks before vbs. My pastor's wife has been out of town for a few weeks now and I have to get a meeting together with her again to see what she has done so far..as she has stepped in alot ,instead of letting me have full directing responsibilities.
God has opened alot of doors for me lately and I have been walking through them afraid and alone,but I know He has led me in that direction.Not getting any moral support from my pastors either,who seem to believe ministry has to be inside the 4 walls of the church.
Anyway,please keep me in prayer as I have you all in my heart and prayers.
I so miss you all and I am trying so hard to keep my eyes on God with this.I KNOW He will be in the midst of those 2 days..He knew this was coming.
It's just hard.
God bless my wonderful vbs family.I hope to have real updates soon and praise reports.
Love you all.

[maanki]

Hi family,
Today was the last day of my vbs and I promised to come back and give an update !
It was very hard to try to use everything that SonWorld had to offer in 2 days. Because it was my last and because I wanted most of the finances going towards a "carnival" on Saturday (today)..I used all the leftover decorations from my previous vbs's.So the games area looked like a jungle,crafts looked like a safari ,the kitchen had a Sonharvest look to it and the snack area was a combination of a fiesta ,a fishing theme and a polar theme ! So it in a way it looked like an amusement park !
I had to squeeze 5 lessons in 2 days and we pulled it off.
This week felt like orange juice in a can..just add water.
My teachers did a really great job. The rich young ruler story,she modernized it to a young rich man at an airport who wouldn't leave his laptop, rings,cell phone,ipod to get on the plane with Jesus.
We had prayer and one boy raised his hand to accept Jesus into his heart.
All the hard work we all put into a vbs is nothing compared to the one heart we change !

We only sang the theme song,but we played the other songs as intros to the Bible stories.And I gave everyone a cd.
Instead of crafts, we built a snack.We served the children pizza and sub sandwiches during the regular snack time.During craft time,the children made "Dirt" (crushed choc cookies/choc pudding/gummy worms) and Friday they made banana splits . And then they ate them. It was alot of fun and very yumm !
We had a very small group of children come ,only 1/3 of what we have had come in the past.But I think alot of it had to do with vbs being only 2 days.
The children had a really good time though.
I have run through a bunch of emotions this week as I directed my last vbs.

I have to share this with you. Before vbs , God introduced me to a vbs director in my neighborhood so passionate about what she does and it is a church right down the road from mine.I know God was telling me that my neighborhood children would be okay even if the vbs ministry should die in my church.

My SonWorld starter kit and left over frames and music will be heading down to Texas
this week to minister again.

I feel like this a goodbye to all of you and you are my family. Thankyou for your love and prayers and encouragement..you are all soo special to me and will always be in my heart.
And I will come back to check on you all and keep you in my prayers.

I am soo excited knowing that God has placed this ministry in soo many hearts all over the world.You are changing lives and making a difference :)
Thankyou.
God bless everyone,
Maureen Kinney (aka maanki) :)

[TrinityJen]

Oh- Maaki I am SO happy to hear that you had a successful VBS.

But I DO NOT want to say good-bye. :(

[Josh1]

Maureen,
I'm glad you had a great SonWorld Adventure Park! It'll be sad to see you leave as a VBS Director but I'll still be in contact with you and ask you questions for my VBS.
Thanks so much for your love and encouragement!
God Bless,
Josh:rolleyes:

[Alison from Australia]

Dearest Maureen, it certainly has been great "getting to know you" over the last couple of years. I'm glad to hear you have been encouraged by another VBS in your area. I know God will continue to bless your ministry in other ways. Love and hugs, Alison from Australia.