"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Col. 3:17
A hearty thanks goes out to all the people who helped in any way with the VBS program this year. There really aren't any small or unimportant jobs: we needed you all and we praise God for all of you!
Thanks to Marie for all her work with registraion and keeping track of attendance too.
We had three very special guests: Skylar the Sky Squirrel; Scoop, the newspaper reporter for the Hot Air Ballyhoo; and Dr. Bathilda Angelica Loretta Loon, the Skyologist. Thanks to Keaton Spitzke, Pastor Beinert, and Deborah Charles for bringing these guests to VBS!
To our Pilots, Navigators, Craft Engineers, Coaches, Song Spinners, and Hostesses, who spent their time working with the children: thank you! You did a fabulous job!
Our Sky High Child Care people were much appreciated. Thank you! Photographers took all kinds of super pictures. Thank you! There were many people who worked behind the scenes preparing crafts, food and other supplies, and supported with financial assistance and prayer. We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you!
Special mention goes out to the few parents who brought their children and stayed to help. You made the load just a little bit lighter and we appreciate it!
Special mention also to the Chase Crew, the class of Grade 6/7 students, who were there to learn the lessons AND help with various activities. They were very obliging and willing to do all asked of them. Job well done!
Of course, behind all of this was the planning committee, who spent many hours planning and preparing for this week as well as participating in many various ways. Thank you!
Thank you to the parents, grandparents, and other caregivers who brought the children, and thanks for all the children for coming. We hope to see you again next year!
To everyone, your involvement in our VBS program is a real blessing. May God continue to bless you and draw you closer to Himself.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Day 5: Serve
VBS 2008 has come to a close, and we had a fantastic time learning great new songs and Bible stories, crafts, science experiments with Doctor Loon and, of course, fun with Skylar the Sky Squirrel and Scoop!
But day 5 is not the end but only the beginning. We learned what God wants us to do with all that we have learned: to SERVE. We learned about Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, and how he was called to serve.
After Jesus had died on the cross and raised again on Easter day, he appeared to his disciples and others several times. But his disciples still missed him, and were sad and confused about what had happened and why.
Peter, along with Thomas, Nathanael, and a few other disciples, were fishing all night in the Sea of Tiberias. In the morning, they had still caught nothing, and were tired and worn down. A stranger on the shore asked, "Friends, have you any food to share?" They answered, "No. We have caught nothing." The stranger said, "Cast your nets over the right side of the boat and you will find some." They cast their nets and were not able to pull the net into the boat from the large number of fish. They looked to the shore and shouted "It is the Lord" for they recognized him as Jesus!
When Peter heard that Jesus was on shore, he jumped into the sea and swam to shore. The others came on the little boat, pulling the net of fish behind them. They had breakfast with Jesus on the shore. Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?". Peter said, "Yes, Lord, I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again, Jesus asked, "Do you love me?". Peter answered again, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus answered, "Tend my sheep." Again, Jesus asked, "Peter, do you love me?". Peter was sad and thought Jesus was asking again because He did not believe Peter's answer. Peter said, "Lord, you know all things. You surely know how I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. Follow me."
What does this story mean? Does Jesus have a farm that he wants Peter to look after? Who are all these sheep He is talking about? They are you and me. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is asking Peter to take care of His flock of sheep; His followers, the church. Peter must show his love for Jesus through caring for others as Jesus did.
Jesus is calling us to serve as well, to share His love with others in the community and around the world. With God's help, we can take all we have learned this week and share it with others so that they, too, will be able to soar to new heights with God.
Running Out of Air:
A hot air balloon cannot soar without any air. It is just a big piece of nylon lying on the ground, not going anywhere. It has all of the tools it needs; the burner, the basket, the pilot; but lying on the ground, it does no one any good. It's the same with us if we choose not to serve. We have the tools, the leader, and everything we need, but our ministry will go nowhere without some "energy" behind it!
Power Prayer:
"Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths." Psalm 25:4
But day 5 is not the end but only the beginning. We learned what God wants us to do with all that we have learned: to SERVE. We learned about Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, and how he was called to serve.
After Jesus had died on the cross and raised again on Easter day, he appeared to his disciples and others several times. But his disciples still missed him, and were sad and confused about what had happened and why.
Peter, along with Thomas, Nathanael, and a few other disciples, were fishing all night in the Sea of Tiberias. In the morning, they had still caught nothing, and were tired and worn down. A stranger on the shore asked, "Friends, have you any food to share?" They answered, "No. We have caught nothing." The stranger said, "Cast your nets over the right side of the boat and you will find some." They cast their nets and were not able to pull the net into the boat from the large number of fish. They looked to the shore and shouted "It is the Lord" for they recognized him as Jesus!
When Peter heard that Jesus was on shore, he jumped into the sea and swam to shore. The others came on the little boat, pulling the net of fish behind them. They had breakfast with Jesus on the shore. Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?". Peter said, "Yes, Lord, I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again, Jesus asked, "Do you love me?". Peter answered again, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus answered, "Tend my sheep." Again, Jesus asked, "Peter, do you love me?". Peter was sad and thought Jesus was asking again because He did not believe Peter's answer. Peter said, "Lord, you know all things. You surely know how I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. Follow me."
What does this story mean? Does Jesus have a farm that he wants Peter to look after? Who are all these sheep He is talking about? They are you and me. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is asking Peter to take care of His flock of sheep; His followers, the church. Peter must show his love for Jesus through caring for others as Jesus did.
Jesus is calling us to serve as well, to share His love with others in the community and around the world. With God's help, we can take all we have learned this week and share it with others so that they, too, will be able to soar to new heights with God.
Running Out of Air:
A hot air balloon cannot soar without any air. It is just a big piece of nylon lying on the ground, not going anywhere. It has all of the tools it needs; the burner, the basket, the pilot; but lying on the ground, it does no one any good. It's the same with us if we choose not to serve. We have the tools, the leader, and everything we need, but our ministry will go nowhere without some "energy" behind it!
Power Prayer:
"Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths." Psalm 25:4
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Day 4: Repent
Have you ever been lost? Maybe even just felt lost? It's a pretty scary feeling, not knowing where you are headed. Today we learned the story of Zacchaeus, a lost man.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and a very small little man. No one liked him, or any tax collectors for that reason. They were on the payroll of the Roman Empire, collecting taxes for Caesar. Tax collectors were known to be thieves, cheating people out of their hard-earned wages, taking more than they were supposed to. Zacchaeus was lost indeed. But someone was searching for him.
Jesus was passing through the town of Jericho, and a crowd had gathered to meet him. Within the crowd was Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector. But he was very short and couldn't see over the crowd or push his way to the front. So when he heard Jesus approaching, he ran and climbed a sycamore tree. In those days (I guess it's true today as well), you wouldn't expect to see a prominent man like Zacchaeus climbing trees and acting so foolish. But he was very curious to see this amazing Jesus everyone was talking about.
When Jesus walked by, he looked up into the tree and said, "Zacchaeus, come down from there. I am going to your house today." The crowd could not believe what they were hearing; to be the host of Jesus was a great honour, and how could Jesus bestow that honour on a thieving tax collector like Zacchaeus?
Zacchaeus was so moved by Jesus' gesture that he chose to repent of his sins and make right the wrongs he had committed. Jesus called Zacchaeus a "son of Abraham", showing Jesus believed Zacchaeus was a child of God, "for the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost".
It's very easy to get lost in this world, with all of the obstacles that can come between us and God. Obstacles like pursuit of wealth, selfishness, busyness, anger or hate, and even gossip can cause us to turn our eyes away from Jesus and waste our precious energies on things that are not pleasing to God. But, thank heavens for the Saviour, Jesus, who always comes searching for us!
Obstacles in the Air:
The pilot of a hot air balloon needs to know how to go around obstacles in the sky. He can't steer the balloon because it goes where the wind takes it. The pilot can make the balloon go higher or lower. To go higher, he turns up the heat on the burner. And to go lower, he opens the hole on the top of the balloon to make the air inside cooler. Sometimes we have obstacles inside of us that make it difficult for us to live the good life we should. But we have an excellent pilot in Jesus, who always knows how to get around these obstacles and keep us on the right flight plan!
Power Prayer:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
Tomorrow's Lesson: Serve
Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and a very small little man. No one liked him, or any tax collectors for that reason. They were on the payroll of the Roman Empire, collecting taxes for Caesar. Tax collectors were known to be thieves, cheating people out of their hard-earned wages, taking more than they were supposed to. Zacchaeus was lost indeed. But someone was searching for him.
Jesus was passing through the town of Jericho, and a crowd had gathered to meet him. Within the crowd was Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector. But he was very short and couldn't see over the crowd or push his way to the front. So when he heard Jesus approaching, he ran and climbed a sycamore tree. In those days (I guess it's true today as well), you wouldn't expect to see a prominent man like Zacchaeus climbing trees and acting so foolish. But he was very curious to see this amazing Jesus everyone was talking about.
When Jesus walked by, he looked up into the tree and said, "Zacchaeus, come down from there. I am going to your house today." The crowd could not believe what they were hearing; to be the host of Jesus was a great honour, and how could Jesus bestow that honour on a thieving tax collector like Zacchaeus?
Zacchaeus was so moved by Jesus' gesture that he chose to repent of his sins and make right the wrongs he had committed. Jesus called Zacchaeus a "son of Abraham", showing Jesus believed Zacchaeus was a child of God, "for the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost".
It's very easy to get lost in this world, with all of the obstacles that can come between us and God. Obstacles like pursuit of wealth, selfishness, busyness, anger or hate, and even gossip can cause us to turn our eyes away from Jesus and waste our precious energies on things that are not pleasing to God. But, thank heavens for the Saviour, Jesus, who always comes searching for us!
Obstacles in the Air:
The pilot of a hot air balloon needs to know how to go around obstacles in the sky. He can't steer the balloon because it goes where the wind takes it. The pilot can make the balloon go higher or lower. To go higher, he turns up the heat on the burner. And to go lower, he opens the hole on the top of the balloon to make the air inside cooler. Sometimes we have obstacles inside of us that make it difficult for us to live the good life we should. But we have an excellent pilot in Jesus, who always knows how to get around these obstacles and keep us on the right flight plan!
Power Prayer:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
Tomorrow's Lesson: Serve
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 3: Listen
It's day 3 and that means VBS is half over already. Time sure is flying by, so much activity in the day and then busy getting ready for the next day. It's good to take a little time and rest and reflect on what is really important. That's what Mary did in our story today.
Mary and her sister, Martha, were busy in the house getting it cleaned and ready for their company, Jesus. But when Jesus arrived, Mary sat down at his feet and listened to his stories and lessons. Martha kept on working, cleaning the house, cooking the food, and busying herself with other important tasks.
The longer Martha worked and Mary sat, Martha became more and more agitated. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, "Look, Jesus, how Mary sits all day while I work. Tell her she has to help me." Jesus looked at Martha calmly and said, "Mary has chosen to do something better, and I will not stop her". Does Jesus mean that we should never do any work? Of course not. By choosing to put aside the tasks of this world and spending time quietly listening to Jesus, Mary showed her true priority in her life.
A good lesson for all of us. How easy it is to get wrapped up in our own busy little lives that we overlook what is really important. Sometimes we can accomplish the most just by stopping and listening to God.
Be Still:
Balloonists usually fly in the early morning hours or just before sunset. That is because the winds are at their calmest at these times. Since they travel with the wind, everything is completely quiet when the burner is off. If you listen carefully you can hear far off sounds, like dogs barking.
Sometimes we need to have quiet times to “listen” to God. He speaks to us through his Word. What kinds of things might we hear if we listen carefully?
Power Prayer:
"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God." Psalm 143:10a
Tomorrow's Lesson: Repent
Mary and her sister, Martha, were busy in the house getting it cleaned and ready for their company, Jesus. But when Jesus arrived, Mary sat down at his feet and listened to his stories and lessons. Martha kept on working, cleaning the house, cooking the food, and busying herself with other important tasks.
The longer Martha worked and Mary sat, Martha became more and more agitated. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, "Look, Jesus, how Mary sits all day while I work. Tell her she has to help me." Jesus looked at Martha calmly and said, "Mary has chosen to do something better, and I will not stop her". Does Jesus mean that we should never do any work? Of course not. By choosing to put aside the tasks of this world and spending time quietly listening to Jesus, Mary showed her true priority in her life.
A good lesson for all of us. How easy it is to get wrapped up in our own busy little lives that we overlook what is really important. Sometimes we can accomplish the most just by stopping and listening to God.
Be Still:
Balloonists usually fly in the early morning hours or just before sunset. That is because the winds are at their calmest at these times. Since they travel with the wind, everything is completely quiet when the burner is off. If you listen carefully you can hear far off sounds, like dogs barking.
Sometimes we need to have quiet times to “listen” to God. He speaks to us through his Word. What kinds of things might we hear if we listen carefully?
Power Prayer:
"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God." Psalm 143:10a
Tomorrow's Lesson: Repent
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Day 2: Trust
Another wonderful day at VBS 2008! Today, we learned about Joseph and how important it is to trust God.
Joseph was the youngest of 11 sons. He was his father, Jacob's, favourite son. The special attention given to Joseph made his brothers very jealous and angry. Some of them plotted to get rid of Joseph. They set a trap for him and dropped him down a deep well, then sold him as a slave to some travellers. The brothers lied to their father and said a wild animal killed Joseph.
But God stayed with Joseph as he travelled to the far away land of Egypt and became a slave in the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his whole household, but there was an incident and Joseph was injustly thrown in jail! While in the jailhouse, he helped his fellow prisoners by interpreting their dreams.
After a long time, Pharaoh was haunted by a bad dream and no one could interpret it's meaning. He sent for Joseph who warned him that a long famine would strike the land of Egypt. Pharaoh asked Potiphar who he trusted to put in charge of food in the land, and he said, "Joseph". Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over the land of Egypt.
Jacob and his sons, Joseph's 10 older brothers, and his new younger brother, Benjamin, needed food from the famine. The older brothers travelled to Egypt to get some food for their families. They bowed down to Joseph, whom they don't recognize, and begged for food. Joseph took pity on them, even after all the bad stuff they did to him, and gave them food. He sent them to collect his father, Jacob, and younger brother, Benjamin, and they all moved to the land of Egypt.
Joseph had a very tough life, but in everything that happened he trusted God. When he had problems, he prayed to God and sought help in decisions. Joseph trusted God, and it saved his family's life and the land of Egypt.
Full of Hot Air:
What makes a hot air ballooon float into the sky? Is it the nylon balloon? The basket? The pilot? Not really, although these things are very important. What makes the hot air balloon float into the sky is the hot air inside of it. Although you cannot see this hot air, the pilot and passengers trust that it is there and that it won't just disappear when they get into the sky. It's difficult to put your trust in something you cannot see.
Who do you trust?
Trust is a very important quality. The list of people in whom you can put your complete trust is not very long. Parents, siblings, Pastor, close friends, and teachers are people in our lives that we should be able to trust 100%. But above all of these people, we should trust God. He will never let us down. Even at times when we are afraid and don't feel we can share our thoughts with anyone, God is there and ready to listen. He is our constant companion.
Power Prayer:
"Oh my God, in you I put my trust." Psalm 25:2a
Tomorrow's Lesson: Listen
Joseph was the youngest of 11 sons. He was his father, Jacob's, favourite son. The special attention given to Joseph made his brothers very jealous and angry. Some of them plotted to get rid of Joseph. They set a trap for him and dropped him down a deep well, then sold him as a slave to some travellers. The brothers lied to their father and said a wild animal killed Joseph.
But God stayed with Joseph as he travelled to the far away land of Egypt and became a slave in the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his whole household, but there was an incident and Joseph was injustly thrown in jail! While in the jailhouse, he helped his fellow prisoners by interpreting their dreams.
After a long time, Pharaoh was haunted by a bad dream and no one could interpret it's meaning. He sent for Joseph who warned him that a long famine would strike the land of Egypt. Pharaoh asked Potiphar who he trusted to put in charge of food in the land, and he said, "Joseph". Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over the land of Egypt.
Jacob and his sons, Joseph's 10 older brothers, and his new younger brother, Benjamin, needed food from the famine. The older brothers travelled to Egypt to get some food for their families. They bowed down to Joseph, whom they don't recognize, and begged for food. Joseph took pity on them, even after all the bad stuff they did to him, and gave them food. He sent them to collect his father, Jacob, and younger brother, Benjamin, and they all moved to the land of Egypt.
Joseph had a very tough life, but in everything that happened he trusted God. When he had problems, he prayed to God and sought help in decisions. Joseph trusted God, and it saved his family's life and the land of Egypt.
Full of Hot Air:
What makes a hot air ballooon float into the sky? Is it the nylon balloon? The basket? The pilot? Not really, although these things are very important. What makes the hot air balloon float into the sky is the hot air inside of it. Although you cannot see this hot air, the pilot and passengers trust that it is there and that it won't just disappear when they get into the sky. It's difficult to put your trust in something you cannot see.
Who do you trust?
Trust is a very important quality. The list of people in whom you can put your complete trust is not very long. Parents, siblings, Pastor, close friends, and teachers are people in our lives that we should be able to trust 100%. But above all of these people, we should trust God. He will never let us down. Even at times when we are afraid and don't feel we can share our thoughts with anyone, God is there and ready to listen. He is our constant companion.
Power Prayer:
"Oh my God, in you I put my trust." Psalm 25:2a
Tomorrow's Lesson: Listen
Monday, July 7, 2008
We Have Lift Off!
Good day, all, and thank you for a wonderful first day of VBS 2008! We had a great turnout and a lot of fun on day 1. We are learning some wonderful songs, had a great time with Scoop & Skylar, did an experiment with Dr. B. A. Loon, and had delicious Lift Off cups as a snack.
Day 1: Follow
Have you ever played "Follow the Leader"? It's a fun game that I played as a kid, but it's a "game" that people play every day. In our lives, we have a lot of people that give us direction: police officers, doctors, teachers, parents, bosses and supervisors, and many more. Where would we be if we didn't have these people to give us direction in our lives?
We learned, from Dr. B.A. Loon, that if we don't follow a plan for our lives, we are like a deflating balloon, flying aimlessly through the air. We heard the story of Abraham & Sarah, and how they followed God's plan and it took them to a great place in their life.
They were both very old and had no children. Yet God promised them their descendents would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. When Abraham was 90 years old, God told him to pack up their belongings and move to a different land. So they did. They didn't have moving vans back then, so Abraham and Sarah dismantled their house (tent), loaded up the cattle and oxen, and went the way God told them.
Even though it was hard for them to believe they would have any children, especially as they got older and older, they still had faith in God's great plan for them. And one day when they were both nearing 100 years old, their covenant with God was fulfilled and their first of many sons, Isaac, was born.
God had a plan for Abraham and Sarah, and even though they couldn't see it, they believed and knew God had the best things in mind for them. We know now that God's way may not always be the easy way or the fun way, but it most certainly is the right way!
Fun Ballooning Fact:
Being up in a hot air balloon is an amazing experience. Imagine being up above the earth looking down at the beautiful scenery, far away from the noise and bustle. But even when a hot air balloon is far up in the air, it is not alone! On the ground beneath are people who follow the balloon in a car or truck, wherever it goes. They are the “Chase Crew”. Their job is to know where the balloon is at all times. This way the balloon can’t get lost, and if they have trouble there is someone there to come to their rescue. It makes the pilot and passengers feel safe, and never really alone.
Tomorrow's Lesson: Trust
Monday, June 9, 2008
Countdown to VBS ...
Come Soar with Him!
Get ready for a new altitude as we soar to new heights with God! Experience the beauty and wonder of hot air ballooning while exploring daily Flight Plans with God. Throughout this VBS program, your children will learn how to reach new heights in their relationship with God.
Join us here every day of VBS week for a recap the day’s lesson, activities and crafts, fun links, daily newsletter, and more. We look forward to this time together, and welcome you to post comments also.
Hi, Neighbour!
For those who braved the weather, it was a fantastic Hi Neighbour parade on Saturday, May 31st. Thank you to everyone who helped decorate the float and who rode (and walked) along!
Remember: July 7-11! There are lots of ways to register, including an easy-to-use online form. Visit our website for more information. Hope to see you there!
Get ready for a new altitude as we soar to new heights with God! Experience the beauty and wonder of hot air ballooning while exploring daily Flight Plans with God. Throughout this VBS program, your children will learn how to reach new heights in their relationship with God.
Join us here every day of VBS week for a recap the day’s lesson, activities and crafts, fun links, daily newsletter, and more. We look forward to this time together, and welcome you to post comments also.
Hi, Neighbour!
For those who braved the weather, it was a fantastic Hi Neighbour parade on Saturday, May 31st. Thank you to everyone who helped decorate the float and who rode (and walked) along!
Remember: July 7-11! There are lots of ways to register, including an easy-to-use online form. Visit our website for more information. Hope to see you there!
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