Third year of no VBS at my parish - Page 2

DiZent · #16 Jun 10, '12, 7:04 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catholic1954

That is a good start! See if you can get a few more parents on board for next year and try again. One parish that I sometimes attend on the weekends, starts fund raising for their VBS very early in the year. They put together a list of items needed for craft projects and snacks and ask for donations, and they start raising money with bake sales, raffles etc.... By Summer the whole parish has some how contributed to the program and it is a big hit every year.

I had the opportunity to speak to our DRE yesterday, and she is definitely interested in having it next year and was happy that I will "shadow" the director at the neighboring parish this year to learn all I can about running it. I absolutely agree that the process starts in the fall. I developed a survey for parents that I want to send out in September or October, to gauge parent/parish interest. Then we would need to choose a program. The cost varies, and though the Catholic version of the big box programs appear to cost less, they may not be the best bargains overall. I am learning how to keep costs down & still present a quality program from other VBS leaders. Then we have to get volunteers - adult & youth, early bird registration discounts, discounts for children whose parents volunteer, service hours for youth volunteers, etc.

TheRealJuliane · #17 Jun 10, '12, 8:00 am

VBS is not Catholic to start with, so don't expect a lot of excitement about it. I believe it started out Baptist, and spread to other denominations. Catholics have only recently decided to participate. I don't like the idea of it, frankly. If we are going to do a summer program we need to make sure it is thoroughly Catholic. I don't want our Church to just tag-along onto generic Christian or worse, anti-Catholic programs.

DiZent · #18 Jun 10, '12, 8:50 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

VBS is not Catholic to start with, so don't expect a lot of excitement about it. I believe it started out Baptist, and spread to other denominations. Catholics have only recently decided to participate. I don't like the idea of it, frankly. If we are going to do a summer program we need to make sure it is thoroughly Catholic. I don't want our Church to just tag-along onto generic Christian or worse, anti-Catholic programs.

But there is nothing un-Catholic about offering a summer program as an adjunct to religious ed. I have done my research. The Catholic version of Gospel Light has an imprimatur & links to the CCC, & is offered by Ligouri publications - a Catholic publisher. The Group program advertises as "Totally Catholic" & is offered by by Our Sunday Visitor/Harcourt - another Catholic publisher. I have looked at both the Catholic versions & the Protestant versions of these programs and they are different. The Bible stories are the same, but the lessons reference the Sacraments & CCC as well as the scriptures. Here is the rub. The Catholic version resources - Saint Cards, CD with Catholic songs, etc, cost extra. My biggest problem with these is that because the title is the same, people see the Protestant church down the road offering what appears to be the same thing for free & the Catholic parish charges; I have paid as much as $50/per grandchild when my parish did offer it.

OTOH, there are 3-4 authentically Catholic VBS programs that are not offered as Protestant VBS programs - Growing with the Saints, Cat Chat & K4J(Kids for Jesus). These appear to cost more initially than the big box programs. I like the idea of 2-3 parishes joining forces to offer an authentically Catholic VBS as an adjunct to their religious ed program. Since our DRE is on board for next year, I will send her my survey to hand out to the parents in the fall.

TheRealJuliane · #19 Jun 10, '12, 9:15 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiZent

But there is nothing un-Catholic about offering a summer program as an adjunct to religious ed. I have done my research. The Catholic version of Gospel Light has an imprimatur & links to the CCC, & is offered by Ligouri publications - a Catholic publisher. The Group program advertises as "Totally Catholic" & is offered by by Our Sunday Visitor/Harcourt - another Catholic publisher. I have looked at both the Catholic versions & the Protestant versions of these programs and they are different. The Bible stories are the same, but the lessons reference the Sacraments & CCC as well as the scriptures. Here is the rub. The Catholic version resources - Saint Cards, CD with Catholic songs, etc, cost extra. My biggest problem with these is that because the title is the same, people see the Protestant church down the road offering what appears to be the same thing for free & the Catholic parish charges; I have paid as much as $50/per grandchild when my parish did offer it.

OTOH, there are 3-4 authentically Catholic VBS programs that are not offered as Protestant VBS programs - Growing with the Saints, Cat Chat & K4J(Kids for Jesus). These appear to cost more initially than the big box programs. I like the idea of 2-3 parishes joining forces to offer an authentically Catholic VBS as an adjunct to their religious ed program. Since our DRE is on board for next year, I will send her my survey to hand out to the parents in the fall.

The Baptists, etc. don't charge because their programs are underwritten and staffed by volunteers who have done it for donkey's years. I think the *concept* is great. I also think we Catholics need to book it as something better than/different from VBS because the connotation would be that we are "copying" them or just doing exactly what they do. I don't know, maybe that's just me, but I think marketing it differently might help some people. Just the name "Vacation Bible School" is off-putting to me.

Julia Mae · #20 Jun 10, '12, 10:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiZent

I have developed a parent survey that I want to send out in September, to gauge whether there really is interest.

I have only one question: are you doing this with the full knowledge and permission of your Pastor? If you end-run the boss, it tends to not work out very well. Besides being exceedingly rude.

Julia Mae · #21 Jun 10, '12, 10:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

The Baptists, etc. don't charge because their programs are underwritten and staffed by volunteers who have done it for donkey's years. I think the *concept* is great. I also think we Catholics need to book it as something better than/different from VBS because the connotation would be that we are "copying" them or just doing exactly what they do. I don't know, maybe that's just me, but I think marketing it differently might help some people. Just the name "Vacation Bible School" is off-putting to me.

I know. I wish instead we'd have a adult VCS. With kids programs. I could use a 4-6 week CCC or Scripture or Prayer study. I think it would help keep the RCIA newbies involved, too.

TheRealJuliane · #22 Jun 10, '12, 11:30 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julia Mae

I know. I wish instead we'd have a adult VCS. With kids programs. I could use a 4-6 week CCC or Scripture or Prayer study. I think it would help keep the RCIA newbies involved, too.

What a GREAT idea!!!! Now that's a fully Catholic focus - Vacation Catechism School!

I just realized something that bugs me about "Vacation Bible School." Baptists are Sola Scriptura so of course it's "Bible school."

kkollwitz · #23 Jun 10, '12, 11:52 am

Nothing wrong with the Catholic Church explicitly saying VBS. The Bible is a Catholic book and we may as well start getting kids to understand that.

DiZent · #24 Jun 10, '12, 12:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julia Mae

I have only one question: are you doing this with the full knowledge and permission of your Pastor? If you end-run the boss, it tends to not work out very well. Besides being exceedingly rude.

I would absolutely get permission first.

**jmcrae** · #25 Jun 10, '12, 12:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julia Mae

The DRE at my parish resisted as long as she could. Finally, the Pastor put his foot down. I was her friend and main volunteer. The programs are VERY expensive. It cost about a $1000 to put it on. That's with all-volunteer help. The DRE's budget is very short as it is, usually.

Anyway, good luck with it all. It can be a monumental task. Also, a lot of Pastors just don't want it, so, your DRE might be covering for him a bit. Maybe you should ask him directly if you should invest the time and effort or if it's just not going to happen.

Write your own - it's easy. Pick a theme by finding a chapter or section of the Bible that the kids will like. Divide the main theme into five sub-themes; one for each day of the week.

Once you've got that, find a single word or couple of words that define each of the five themes. That's your key-word for each day that defines your crafts, your snacks, your games, your stories, your songs, and your skits.

For example, the key-word for Monday might be "light." Songs could include, "This Little Light of Mine," "We Are Marching in the Light" and any other kids' songs having to do with light. Games can be of the sort where kids have to find something in the dark. Snacks could be "sunshiny" snacks like lemonade, lemon pie, jello, etc. For crafts, have the kids make light-switch covers, or stained glass windows (felt markers on tracing paper, dipped in oil), etc. Obviously the story would be your story from the Bible, plus any other stories that go with your key-word (for example, "Jonah and the Big Fish," "the Baptism of Christ," "Noah's Ark," etc.

Get the kids to make the backdrops and the props, using recycled materials and cheap acrylic paint from the dollar store.

I was amazed at how the companies that make VBS materials nickle and dime you to death for things you can do yourself, or get the kids to do for you.

kkollwitz · #26 Jun 10, '12, 1:31 pm

"Write your own - it's easy. Pick a theme by finding a chapter or section of the Bible that the kids will like. Divide the main theme into five sub-themes; one for each day of the week."

I agree. In my catechism class we don't use a textbook, or workbooks, or anything except my Bible and occasional color handouts of fine art to enliven discussion. The hard part was deciding to make the change. The change itself was fairly easy. I don't mean that you could crank out a week's VBS in a week, but a month should be enough time. There's lots of potential; just to pick something, the five days might be tied together by the idea of Ark:

1. Noah's Ark
2. Baby Moses' Ark
3. Ark of the Covenant
4. Mary as the New Ark
5.The tabernacle in church as Ark.

You'd have good stories to read and tell, things to color, craft and act out. You'd treat the Bible in an organized way, and teach a meaningful thread of Catholicism that runs from the Old Testament through the New and on into the kids' very own church.

Ya can't beat that.

**jmcrae** · #27 Jun 10, '12, 2:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkollwitz

"Write your own - it's easy. Pick a theme by finding a chapter or section of the Bible that the kids will like. Divide the main theme into five sub-themes; one for each day of the week."

I agree. In my catechism class we don't use a textbook, or workbooks, or anything except my Bible and occasional color handouts of fine art to enliven discussion. The hard part was deciding to make the change. The change itself was fairly easy. I don't mean that you could crank out a week's VBS in a week, but a month should be enough time. There's lots of potential; just to pick something, the five days might be tied together by the idea of Ark:

1. Noah's Ark
2. Baby Moses' Ark
3. Ark of the Covenant
4. Mary as the New Ark
5.The tabernacle in church as Ark.

You'd have good stories to read and tell, things to color, craft and act out. You'd treat the Bible in an organized way, and teach a meaningful thread of Catholicism that runs from the Old Testament through the New and on into the kids' very own church.

Ya can't beat that.

That took less than an afternoon to pull together, and you just saved yourself $250.00 on a theme description package - the only things you're missing are the patterns for the costumes and the sample t-shirt.

DiZent · #28 Jun 10, '12, 2:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkollwitz

"Write your own - it's easy. Pick a theme by finding a chapter or section of the Bible that the kids will like. Divide the main theme into five sub-themes; one for each day of the week."

I agree. In my catechism class we don't use a textbook, or workbooks, or anything except my Bible and occasional color handouts of fine art to enliven discussion. The hard part was deciding to make the change. The change itself was fairly easy. I don't mean that you could crank out a week's VBS in a week, but a month should be enough time. There's lots of potential; just to pick something, the five days might be tied together by the idea of Ark:

1. Noah's Ark
2. Baby Moses' Ark
3. Ark of the Covenant
4. Mary as the New Ark
5.The tabernacle in church as Ark.

You'd have good stories to read and tell, things to color, craft and act out. You'd treat the Bible in an organized way, and teach a meaningful thread of Catholicism that runs from the Old Testament through the New and on into the kids' very own church.

Ya can't beat that.

I love it!! If I were doing a "home school VBS" like I did last year (my theme was St. Francis of Assisi), I would certainly borrow that!!

Moore11 · #29 Jun 10, '12, 2:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiZent

Good luck. What program are you using?

It is a Cat Chat curriculum.

DiZent · #30 Jun 10, '12, 2:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

The Baptists, etc. don't charge because their programs are underwritten and staffed by volunteers who have done it for donkey's years. I think the *concept* is great. I also think we Catholics need to book it as something better than/different from VBS because the connotation would be that we are "copying" them or just doing exactly what they do. I don't know, maybe that's just me, but I think marketing it differently might help some people. Just the name "Vacation Bible School" is off-putting to me.

We called ours Vacation Bible Camp when we did it. My involvement with VBS/VBC eventually led me to become an assistant catechist. Last year, when I could not find any VBS/VBC program that worked with the summer schedules of these 4 grandchildren, I researched all that was out there. Eventually, I chose to do a home school version using Heroes in Heaven/St. Francis as my theme. Holy Heroes also has a Summer Adventure program specifically designed for home school/family use in a small group.