By Tom Jenkins on 6/26/2008 4:25 PM

     Our Academy started the first session of summer camp last week. Boys and girls begin gathering at 7:00 AM for a day filled with activities. In less than two weeks they have enjoyed swimming, a trip to the library, a learning activity at the lake and opportunities for spiritual development. I have the opportunity to participate in the latter. Today we went to the sanctuary and I told the students about the long trip of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. I told them about Mary’s wrapping Jesus in strips of cloths and placing him in a feeding trough. Then I told them about the angels visiting the shepherds and the shepherd’s visit to the baby in the manger. We were in the sanctuary so I pointed to one of the stained glasses windows to illustrate the story. The window has a panel depicting Mary and Joseph bowing before Jesus in the manger. Behind Jesus is a shepherd. On one side is a donkey and on the other a sheep. The creator of the window gave vivid and colorful representation to the story...

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/20/2008 2:26 PM

Teaching about missions is an important part of the curriculum of Vacation Bible School. Lessons about missions from the Bible are illustrated through stories of missionaries. Anne Clay is a good example. She was commissioned as a missionary from our church three years ago. She works with Teams for Medical Missions in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She is a registered pharmacist. She gathers medicines and accompanies doctors and nurses several times each year to Jamaica. There she assists with the dispensing of medications, helping people receive medical care whose needs would otherwise go unmet. A portion of the offerings from this week’s VBS will go to Anne. The boys and girls and youth in VBS helped Anne continue her work as a missionary.

 

As I write these words VBS 2008 is now a memory. The faculty this year was one of the best I’ve worked with. Their level of dedication and hard work was inspiring. We will reap in years to come the seeds they planted this year. Who knows but what another Anne Clay...

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/19/2008 6:56 AM

In a special worship service on Wednesday night at Vacation Bible School I spoke with the older children and youth about God’s love for us demonstrated through Jesus Christ and asked them to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. We began by quoting a familiar verse, John 3:16, the verse that many people consider to be the heart of the gospel. I spoke about sin and God’s sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins that we may be forgiven and given new life, indeed, everlasting life. I told them that baptism is a sign of our accepting Jesus Christ. It reveals to the whole world that we are now Christians. Then I invited them to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior if they had not already made that decision. Two of the group quietly indicated that they were asking God’s forgiveness for their sins and accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord. They are now candidates for baptism. What we did in the service is the at the very heart of Vacation Bible School—leading children and youth to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/17/2008 7:22 PM

Music is an important part of Vacation Bible School. Each age group has a special time for music every evening. The music is entertaining and at the same time it is a learning tool for presenting the principles of the Christian Gospel. Today’s music for VBS includes a lot of movement. It’s exciting to see the children as they sing and at the same time try to keep their body movements in rhythm with the music. This year’s tropical theme has brought an especially upbeat rhythm to the music. The adults are having fun with keeping up with the movements of the children. I know some of them go home “sore” at night.

 

Music is a part of worship. Paul wrote about worship through singing Psalms and spiritual songs. Music helps us to express what the cognitive side of our brains may struggle with. Music is often about believing and accepting what one has not seen or heard. It prepares a child’s heart for receiving Jesus Christ whom he has not seen or heard but who is nearer than the air he breathes.

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/17/2008 6:46 AM

Vacation Bible Schools teaches students about the meaning of worship. Lessons are taught through the study of curriculum in individual age-based classes and through participation in worship experiences. All of the students and faculty assemble in the sanctuary several times during the week for a worship service. The service begins with the students marching in, finding their place in the pews and giving the pledge of allegiance to the American Flag, the Christian Flag and the Bible. The pledges have been a part of VBS for as along as I can remember. Songs are sung as part of worship. Scripture is read. Lessons are taught. An offering is received for missions. Anne Clay, our missionary for Teams for Missions, will receive some of the money the boys and girls bring this week. In just a few minutes the students have had time to experience a practical approach to worship, one they participated in and through which they gain insights into our need to worship God.

 

This year one of our worship services...

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/16/2008 7:28 AM

We began Vacation Bible School last night. This year’s theme is “Outrigger’s Island”. The workers were appropriately dressed in tropical clothes last night, including grass skirts for a few of them, and through out the church the theme of the the tropics was carried out by signs, posters, and samples of life on an island. In case you are not familiar with VBS, it’s a time for boys and girls and youth to come together for five consecutive nights for Bible study, mission involvement, fellowship, music and crafts. Bible study is at the center of the week’s activities. Bible verses are memorized and biblical characters studied. Moses was the subject for some of the children last night. They were told about his leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and how that God miraculously opened the waters of the Red Sea for them to cross as the Egyptian army pursued them. Small bottles were filled with sand and water during craft time. Words descriptive of God’s miraculous powers were written on the sides of the bottles....

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By Tom Jenkins on 6/3/2008 8:03 AM

I reached a milestone last Friday: I became sixty-five years old. I thought of something that Al Lyons says when asked how he's doing: "I'm fine for my age and milage." Milage influences us as much as age. I'm trying to focus on all the positive things that have been said about aging. Robert Browning said that fifty is the youth of old age. Because of the lenghening of our natural life span perhaps it can be said today that sixty-five is the youth of old age. I'll let you know how that works out.

I was deeply moved by my church's and my family's celebrations of my birthday. I had a surprise birthday luncheon given by some of our team of volunteers; the church honored me with a luncheon on Sunday; the deacons gave me a gift certificate for a "swanky" restaurant in Cary; I received many cards; and as always, my family responded with affirmation and signs of love and support. Actually, I will continue the celebration in Key West next weekend while Cheryl and I visit with Monique, our daughter, and her family...

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