Many churches have a week each summer known as Vacation Bible Schoo, a week when churches welcome neighborhood kids for crafts, music, games and Bible lessons.  For the second summer in a row, I was invited to be part of a VBS put on by a church is Gorham, Maine. Although it went really well in 2021, this year's was even better.

Onr=e thing that made this year's VBS special was that I got to work with Jake, a member of this church.  After doing a 25 minute show each night for the whole group, the kids were broken into small groups by age and rotated among four different activities.  Jake and I led one of these stations.  Witht he older kids (3rd through 6th grades), we taught them skits that they would perform throughout the week and for the closing service on Sunday morning.  With the K, first and second graders, we either did additional routines or reviewed lessons with hands-on activities.  On the day my performance focused on the parable of the lost coin, for  example, we followed up with a scavenger hunt.  We hid 100 play coins, and, when a child found five, they could turn them in for a balloon animal. Another day, they literally build houses (out of popsicle sticks) on rock and on sand to see which foundation would withstand wind and rain better.  But the best was on the final day when we reviewed the fruits of the Spirit by connecting ech one with a real fruit that they sampled.  Patience, for example, was represented by raisins since it takes a long time for grapes to turn into raisins.  Gentleness was a banana since you need to handle them gently and not squeeze them too tightly.  Not only did this help the kids remember the fruits of the Spirit, but many of them tried fruits they had never eaten before.

As for doing six performances for the same audience, it requires using a large number of my rouitnes, many of which I don't do very often.  This is always both fun - pulling out old props and reviving them- and challenging - remembering the patter, the proper way to handle them.

Then, on Sunday morning, the church service was a VBS celebration.  Most of the kids were in attendance, and they led the singing, and presented the skits Jake and I taught them.  I then did another 20 minute show ending with my favorite, although not often used, routine- Mary and Marty.  This is a retelling of the account of Mary and Marthat who welcomed Jesus into their home for a meal. I love this routine and it was great to have the chance to use it.

VBS is always a good time, and it was a blast to be part of t and work alongside a creative young man who loves the Lord.  Thnaks, Jake.