Andersonville First Baptist VBS drew guidance from Psalm 119:10
Each year the Vacation Bible School held by First Baptist Church of Andersonville is a unique event.
This year’s VBS, held June19-23, was no exception.
The theme was “Wander,” based on the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
It included the spiritual lessons learned by such things as the giving of the Ten Commandments, the golden calf, and the spies being sent into the Promised Land.
Tana Elkins, VBS director, said the overall theme was, “We are unfaithful; God is always faithful.”
The theme drew from Psalms 119:10: “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
About 40 children from 3 years old through those going into the sixth grade participated.
Elkins said preparation began in January with eight people, and the crew expanded until there was a week-long churchwide decorating event the week before VBS, involving a large number of people.
The sanctuary was transformed into a dense forest complete with a bear and rugged mountains in the background.
The Family Life Center held a version of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, complete with erupting volcano and a cave underneath. Moses himself was present to lead the wanderers.
The area surrounding Mount Sinai consisted of mountainous terrain, lava, and desert cacti. Classrooms were decorated to resemble desert areas.
Elkins said the tradition of an original VBS each year began in 2005.
She said that at that time, many churches, including First Baptist, were purchasing the same prepared VBS materials.
By the time children came to First Baptist’s VBS they had already attended several similar events and knew all the answers.
So she decided to come up with something different each year.
“God always gives me something,” she said.
Each year, there is a completely new, original program with appropriate decorations.