Our VBS is in a week and I still don't even have all my volunteers. I have a very low number of kids registered and will have a lot of supplies left over which equals wasted church money.

Sorry this turned into a whiney vent, but you did ask

Heather

Religious Education Director from Washington

I had the opportunity to address our congregation...as a mission statement.

Last year, during Avalance Ranch, I was a crew leader.  One of my helpers was a wonderful 86 year old man.

Unfortunately, he passed away this April...but it was wonderful to present his family with pictures of him during vbs, group pictures with our kids, pictures of him during games and drama...so when it came my turn to speak, I focused on the fact that the vbs groups would be multi aged...and I also implored volunteers to step up, multi aged also.

The biggest draw for our power lab was having the decorations up by the sunday morning of the start of power lab.  The church members and teenagers showed up sunday night, just to take in part of the excitement.

Power lab is over now and I was able to let another church use all the decorations.

Good Luck,

sincerely,

Joanne

Heather, I am so sorry that you are feeling this way.  Directing VBS is very tiring work and one that most directors take very seriously and with great passion.  That is what takes so much out of us.  I hate that you are regretting choosing Power Lab.  After having sent my kids to another VBS this week, I am more conviced than ever that Group has the best VBS materials out there. 

As for your volunteers, can you make another plee?  Or can you just start approaching people one on one.  A horrible hard thing to do, I know.  But sometimes when people are asked personally it gives them a sense of entitlment and pride in what they are doing.  If they do it and wind up hating it in the end, that is their problem.   Your job is to get the people there and ready and I beleive that you can do that in a weeks time.  The blessing of serving our Saviour in that way is their's to receive if they will allow it.

As for your wasted supplies...only open what you need.  Unopened packages can be returned or sold later.  I held on to some stuff from Avalance Ranch last year and was able to sell it this year.  It may be an opener to the Church as a whole as well that the Church is going to get out of VBS what they put in to it.

Hang in there Heather.  I TRULY believe in the ministry of VBS in the lives of our young people.  The kids of this generation desperatly need to be taught the fundamentals of the Christian life and I believe that Group VBS does a great job at hitting these things home for our kids.  Know that what you are doing is for a higher purpose and even if things don't go exactly to the plan, God will receive His glory through your efforts!

Kellie, I agree with Joanne.  Some of the greatest memories I have from VBS have been seeing some of the seniors of our congregation getting involved.  I love to see them dancing and singing and praising along with the kids. 

As for your orders, at 3 1/2 weeks away you should be OK on recieving your things.  What did you order that is on backorder?  Do you have a Group representitive that you have dealt with in the past?  If so, contact them and see what they can do to help you.  Lots of VBS's are going on right now so people will start having leftovers as well that they can part with.  Start keeping an eye out and making plees.  Somebody will hear you!

To get your people motivated I would suggest showing your enthusiasm every chance you get.  When the Church body see's your enthusiasm and passion for VBS it is contagious.  They need to see that VBS is in full swing even though it hasn't even started yet.  In the end, if you don't have enough people, VBS still goes on.  It may be a modified version and you may have to choose to leave something out our have larger crews than you want...but the ultimate goal is for the kids to experience Jesus' Miraculous Power.  God is going to have His way in that and make sure that your kids do experience Him.  The kids aren't going to realize if your understaffed or not.  Your heart, passion, enthusiasm, and mostly your dependence on God are what is going to carry your VBS.  Keep up the hard work and make your desires known to God and to your congregation. 

VBS is a great ministry and you should be proud that you are sticking in there and making it work!!!

Stacy

Northport, AL

Stacy

We are doing our VBS at night from 6:00-8:30 pm.  We are doing crafts two nights and games two nights.  The last night we are cutting out that rotation and adding the time to our Faith Fusion Finale in hopes of having more time for a final night celebration.  Because we aren't doing crafts every night and that's when the elementary kids hear about OK2K, we are adding that to Faith Fusion Finale each night.  I feel there should be enough time for this because we aren't doing Spotlight Drama.  The big unknown though is whether or not we'll have time on the last night to add the closing production skit as well.  It looks like it would be really fun, but I hate to keep people past out 8:30 ending time.  I believe we'll have close to an hour on that last night, but we need to do the regular Faith Fusion Finale stuff before doing the closing skit.

Thoughts?

Coreen in Iowa