By Natalie Gillespie
CHRISTIAN
RETAILING: What brand-new elements are you introducing for VBS 2013?
ROBB FAUST:
We have two themes this year, which is new for
Standard. We have God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Stars and
God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Sun. Fifty-three percent of
churches now hold VBS in the evenings, so the Under the Stars kit is
geared specifically for that timeframe, although it can be used
during the day too, but all the Bible stories in that kit take place
sometime in the evening. We also decided this year to offer
everything in one kit. We used to offer a basic kit and a power kit,
but now everything you need to hold VBS is all in one kit and is
still just $199.99, although it includes more than $500 in resources.
We completely redesigned our materials, so that instead of a big
leader’s guide, we are offering leaflets, booklets and cards for
each day that you can tuck right into your Bible. There are newly
formatted bundles for each age group, including a preschool bundle,
elementary/preteen bundle and teen bundle. We also include a DVD set
that contains a missions DVD, planning DVD, music DVD, bonus music
CD-ROM and an exportable media disc with all mp3s and mp4s of the
music and videos. Another disc set included in the kit contains all
the teaching resources and leader’s guides as pdf files, so if you
need an extra guide, you just print it off. Everything you need to
lead and plan our VBS is now in one kit.
ROBERTA LEHMAN:
New for 2013 is the Backyard
Kids Club. Many churches are looking for ways to take
VBS outside their church and into their communities. Our VBS 2013
Backyard Kids Club Director’s
Guide and Backyard Kids Club
Kit provide portable resources that can be used easily wherever there
is a group of kids gathered. The VBS 2013 Backyard
Kids Club Kit is an all-in-one box designed for a club of
about 20 kids. The VBS 2013 Backyard
Kids Club Director’s Guide provides step-by-step
guidance to the person or team who will be coordinating and planning
the Backyard Kids Club.
It’s all based on the Colossal Coaster World theme and coordinates
well with the numerous accessories, decorations and promotional tools
available.
CRYSTAL MCDOWELL:
Our new element would be our DVD. Our theme for 2013 is
Jesus Family Reunion: The Remix.
We had a Jesus Family Reunion VBS
in 2006, and it was very successful. This year, we are taking each
theme and relating it on the DVD to a family situation. In the
lessons, we also picked family situations in the Bible that can be
used to understand things like forgiving and obeying.
KAREN MCGRAW:
In addition to adding more resources to some of our
electronic products, we’ve created a brand-new Parent
Pocket Guide to help churches extend the VBS lessons
beyond the threshold of the church. The Parent
Pocket Guide gives parents all the information they need
to reinforce the lessons their kids are getting at VBS. Our student
guides also include a fun family activity to further promote
involvement of the whole family.
SHANNON VELASQUEZ:
We introduced Imagination Station last year, and
it is coming back this year. We reimagined crafts and introduced
science, fun gizmos and experiments that flew off the shelves. This
year, for our Kingdom Rock VBS,
we are reimagining our student books and how to get them back home so
kids can continue learning and talk to parents or friends and family
member. We are also reimagining our Bible Memory Buddies.
CHRISTIAN
RETAILING: Is your VBS focused primarily on elementary ages? How does
it work for nursery kids and teens?
FAUST:
We have a book called Beyond Your Backyard that
is an adult VBS curriculum. … Our kits also have preschool,
elementary/preteen and teen components and leader’s guides. We have
a VBS designed for preschool through adult.
LEHMAN:
LifeWay’s VBS provides content for all ages. Babies, 1s,
2s, 3s through Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3 and 4, Grades 5
and 6, Youth, Adults and also children and adults with special needs.
We also provide a full line of Spanish VBS resources. LifeWay’s
Youth VBS is perfect for preparing youth to serve during children’s
VBS. It’s also great for retreats, Bible studies or as a weeklong
youth VBS program.
MCDOWELL:
We want VBS to reach the whole family. We created lessons
with family situations from the Bible that can be used from
preschoolers all the way to teens. Our VBS is geared toward the black
community, and that is shown on our DVD and in the music. I think
about where the black community is when I write the lessons, but the
message is for everybody—it’s Jesus.
MCGRAW:
We don’t think of VBS as a program just for elementary
children. It’s a program for the whole family. Whether as a team
member or as a kid attending VBS, everyone can be involved. Even
those parents who can’t participate by volunteering can be involved
through our Parent Newsletters, the new Parent
Pocket Guide and the family activities provided on the
student guides. Not to mention attending Closing Programs and other
family-oriented VBS events. Gospel Light has a number of products for
preschoolers. The Pony Corral
Teacher’s Guide has Bible stories and Bible Learning
Activities geared for children from 3 years old through Kindergarten.
We also have Pony Corral Fun Pages
for each child for each day of VBS. Also included in our Director’s
Planning Guide is the Nursery and Toddler Guide. We
recognize the need for churches to provide quality care for the
little ones whose parents volunteer at VBS. We also have youth and
adult guides provided by our Regal book division. These Bible studies
are designed to take the Bible content covered in VBS to a deeper
level. Our focus is always on providing curriculum that is
age-appropriate.
VELASQUEZ:
With our VBS programs we really encourage older kids to
come back and help. We call ours the easy VBS program because you
just have to learn one simple Bible point. And if you are a crew
leader, you have a group of five kids that you are taking through the
rotations. If you are a helper at the Imagination Station, you stay
there the whole time. We also offer a program for teens every year
called Unlimited Youth that comes out with our traditional VBS. |