HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-22, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017. PAGE 17.
From the Minister's Study
What does Vacation Bible School mean?
By Pastor Andrew Versteeg
Brussels Community Bible
Chapel
I thought I would take my space in
the newspaper this week to let you
know what Vacation Bible School is
all about, and to encourage you to
send your children to one of the
many that will be held in our
community.
Summer is almost here and with
every new season comes the
beginning of activities that are
unique to that season. Vacation Bible
School (VBS) is one of those
seasonal activities that belong to the
summer. It is called `vacation' bible
school because it takes place during
the summer when the children are on
vacation from school. Some of the
churches call it `Daily Vacation
Bible School (DVBS) because they
run on consecutive days usually for a
week.
Soon you will begin to see
advertising regarding VBS. You will
see signs up at different churches
and at different places, you may
receive something in the mail, or you
may see ads in the newspaper, etc.
Someone may even approach you
personally to invite your children to
come.
Churches have been hosting VBSs
for as long as I can remember. 1 have
fond memories of our neighbour
taking us to their church in
Fordwich, and of another neighbour
who invited us to their church in
Wingham. I can still remember some
of the songs and the verses from the
Bible we memorized for prizes.
Some of the crafts we made hung on
the walls in our bedrooms until we
left home to begin our own homes.
What do the children do at VBS?
Most VBSs do three or four main
things: singing, Bible stories and
lessons, crafts/games and children's
stories with Biblical themes. Then
there are a lot of other little things
Living iwr
Cfirithan ? ell¢tuftip
June 25: Mt. 23:1-12
Outdoor Baptism & Membership
Service with Potluck at H&B Shannon's,
316 Hamilton St., Blyth, 10:30 am
g$ CHRISTIANS
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July 2: Worship at
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38382 Blyth Rd., Auburn, 10:30 am
Evangelical Missionary Church
Pastor: Ernest Dow -- 519-523-4848
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that go on: i.e. prizes for memorizing
a bible verse, prizes for bringing
friends, review questions from
previous days' teaching for prizes,
take home colouring sheets to bring
back for prizes, etc. The whole
experience is characterized by lots of
activity, variety and energy.
Each VBS will reflect the gifts or
talents of those helping and the
amount of resources that different
churches have available to do this.
Larger churches have a bit more,
smaller churches may not have as
much. Some churches team up with
other churches and share their
resources.
Why do we do VBS? We do VBS
as a service to our community that is
motivated by love. We do this
because we love God and we love
the people of our communities. VBS
is a lot of work for those involved. A
lot of planning and preparation goes
into the event, and the week of VBS
proves to be quite tiring. But we
love to do it and we love to do it for
our communities. We don't get paid
to do this, often volunteers give up
holidays to be available, and it takes
considerable resources of time,
energy, and finances.
When Jesus was on earth He
taught and prepared those who
would continue His ministry after
He left. He said this to them: "You
are the salt of the earth; you are the
light of the world" (Matthew 5:13-
14). That is what we want to be as
those who know and follow Jesus. At
VBS, we are open about our faith in
Jesus and our love for Him. Your
children will hear about Jesus. We
are quite open about the fact that
Jesus is God our Creator, that we
have been separated from Him by
our sin, and that He came to earth to
reconcile us back to Himself. This is
the message of the Bible that we
joyfully share with your children.
Parents are always welcome to
stay and watch or to ask questions.
'You're :9nnrite(I 70 join HS :i1 7'1 P (liorship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN F=
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
B LYTH
.Trinity
6* 9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JUNE 25
We invite you to join our church family in:
Worship & Sunday School - 11 am
Coffee & Snacks following the service
Our volunteers also have
background checks through the local
OPP and we follow strict protocol to
ensure safety for your children.
Your children will be loved and
cared for, and you might even get a
break for a few hours! I would
encourage you to consider sending
your children to a VBS in your
community this summer. Our
church, Brussels Bible Chapel is
hosting a VBS from July 10 -14 this
year. The following week, July 17-
21, the other churches in Brussels
will together host a VBS as well.
There are VBSs going on in Auburn,
Blyth, Seaforth and some rural
churches have them too. So consider
this as an invitation to a VBS near
you. I am confident that your
children will enjoy it very much!
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BRUSSELS
*United Church
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookings: 519-887-6377
Everyone welcome
VuLQ4efd eorxity 'i&e eitaftee
You're Invited
to come worshp
with us
Sunday, June 25
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers
during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
made possible by the Brussels churches working together.
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service
at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, June 25
Please join us
and see our
renovation process
making us more
accessible to you
All are welcome
OFFICE: 519-523-4224
Huron Chapel
Every Sunday @ 10:30am in Auburn
huronchapel.com
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph's
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.