VBS is making a difference in the lives of kids all over the world, and it's something that every child should have the chance to be a part of.
Here are five reasons why kids need Catholic VBS in their life.
1. VBS connects kids to their faith in the summer months.
If kids go to religion class or are part of a parish faith formation program, it’s typically something that happens during the school year. For kids, this creates an automatic link between faith and school. Faith can’t just be relegated to another class subject, but something that belongs in every part of life, even the summer!
2. VBS provides the kids with role models to look up to.
Imagine being a kid and having a room full of youth and adults who are invested in your faith life. It makes a huge impact on kids to see teenagers, young adults, parents, and grandparents who are engaged in their faith. The kids look up to their leaders and learn so much from them!
3. VBS is a consistent touchpoint with the church.
Many kids aren’t going to Mass on a regular basis, if ever. VBS is a place where they can connect to the church and start to feel comfortable and familiar with it. Without this touchpoint, kids are often left feeling awkward or out of place when they enter a church or faith-filled environment. VBS creates a connection that they will remember for the rest of their life.
4. VBS helps ground them in important Catholic truths.
VBS incorporates faith teachings with music, games, snacks and crafts so that the Catholic faith can become even more integrated into everyday life. Even if kids have heard the lessons before, it presents them in a new way so that they can become more familiar with it.
5. VBS shows that faith can be fun and exciting!
The Catholic Faith is something vibrant and alive and worth getting excited about. Kids need to see that being Catholic is not boring! As leaders, we have the opportunity to witness the radiant joy that comes from living a life committed to Christ.
Digging for Treasure: Parables Revealed • Listen up! Dig deep! Jesus had a lot to say.
And those who listened discovered a treasure in his words. At first, Jesus’ parables seem simple. Of course we know that the type of soil in which seeds are sown is important for plants to grow, but what does that have to do with us? And if someone asked us for food, we wouldn’t be rude and give a stone instead! Or, what if we lost something important to us? Of course we would look high and low and celebrate when it was found.
It turns out, however, that the parables have a greater meaning beyond what we first see. So come along, listen, and dig deeper for the treasures of the kingdom of heaven!
Digging for Treasure is a Bible and activity-based learning experience with tracks for grades K-5 and preschoolers ages 4-5 (and added options for ages 6-8). It is part of the Growing Up Catholic family.
—the summer event that helps celebrate God’s greatness! At Monumental VBS, kids explore the vastness of God’s power and the depth of his love for each of them. You can expect a week full of faith discoveries, memorable music, and epic adventures that help kids encounter God’s power and love!