This year was the first ever VBS at the Church of the Lutheran Confession in North Port, Florida. The teachers were Judy Stewart, Guilda Mitchell, Dorothy Garcia, and Pastor Stewart.
Our congregation is made up largely of retired folks, some of whom were a bit unsure about starting a VBS program. Would it be an effective outreach and worth the effort? Would it be too expensive? Would we be overwhelmed with children and be unable to handle them? Shouldn’t we limit enrollment to 20 or 25 before we begin? Yet even with all these questions, the vote was unanimous to begin.
All the fears and doubts were unfounded, of course. The Lord sent the children, the helpers, and the funds to cover the costs of lessons and crafts. And He sent the Holy Spirit and joy for our hearts. And what a joy it was to teach Christ and Him crucified in lessons, songs, crafts, and games!
We have made a beginning. Our only disappointment was that some of the families who planned to attend were away on vacation or were otherwise unable to participate. So we pray that the VBS of the Summer of ’95 will show their bright and shining faces in our picture of the joy of learning about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
— Pastor Karl Stewart