2008 Vacation Bible School planning is underway. Publishers of VBS curricula give the following synopses of available material.
Concordia Publishing
Join our Friendship Trek, a hike through the Bible to meet Jesus, our Forever Friend.
Kids find faith, fun, and friends at Friendship Trek! Bullying, inclusion and social skills are hot issues for kids. Friendship Trek kids encounter the incredible love of Jesus, our Forever Friend, and practice friendship skills in a daily Good Friend Challenge.
Kids explore five friend-filled Bible stories about Jesus. They follow Jesus as He reaches out to a new friend named Matthew. They go along as a centurion’s friends ask Jesus to heal the man’s servant. They traipse to the temple as Jesus heals a blind friend, then go to Bethany to see Jesus raise his friend Lazarus from the dead. Finally, they huddle in a locked room on Easter night to witness the ultimate love Jesus showed by giving His life for His friends.
Jesus is the greatest friend of all!
Cokesbury
Walk It Out: Together in the Way of Jesus
Abingdon Press’ Walk It Out: Together in the Way of Jesus is a multi-cultural Christian resource that focuses on the critical role of children in liberation movements and how methods of marching, walking, and dancing were crucial to gaining understanding, effecting change, and moving forward in faith, in self, in community, and in God. Teachings are based around leaders such as James Lawson, Dolores Huerta, Andrew Young, and others. The Walk It Out Bible Lessons include Get to Stepping from Joshua as they enter into the Promise Land; Learning Together a teaching from Proverbs 6:20-23; Dancing in the Street from Isaiah 40:3-5, 28-31; Keep on Keeping On — the story of the persistent widow from Luke 18:1-8; and Walking Together from Mark 10:13-16 showing how Jesus welcomed all of the children. The starter kit contains all the leader books plus two music CDs and a program DVD.
Beach Party: Surfin’ Through the Scriptures
Field tested in six churches with more than 1,200 children, Cokesbury’s Beach Party VBS material has children “surfing” through the Scriptures and riding the wave of God’s love. They develop “beach be-attitudes” — be obedient, be kind, be forgiving, be bold in faith, and believe in Jesus as friend and Savior. Children receive the full scope of the Bible with two Old Testament stories, “The Call of Gideon” and “David and Mephibosheth” and then are introduced to Jesus through his teachings — “Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” and His power with the healing of a sick woman in Luke 8. The children are told the salvation story of Jesus and how to be a believer with the story of Jesus and Thomas. Through reinforcing activities with science, music, recreation, craft and mission this complete program will bring children into a closer relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Faith Alive Christian Resources
Walk With Me weeklong summer units offer five easy-prep sessions that help kids grow in their faith while they’re having fun. Everything you need is in one book: large and small group sessions for grades K-3 and 4-6; craft directions and games; songs and a music CD. Check out the two newest summer units:
Living in the Light: Jesus, the Light of the World, has come. The stories of John the Baptist, Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, and Paul show how living in the Light turns our lives around and helps us be lights for others too.
Creation Celebration: Material focuses on celebrating our wonderful world and the big God who made it! Creation Celebration takes a look at the paradise God made, the people he created to take care of it, and the forgiveness and salvation God offered even after things went wrong.
Gospel Light
Here’s your ticket to the VBS that’s easy, entertaining, and full of Bible content. This summer invite kids to SonWorld Adventure Park for a thrilling ride with Jesus! This adventure is based on Joshua 24:15, Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. Each day kids will learn from people in the Bible what it means to choose Jesus as their Savior. And they will enjoy playing games, crafts, and park snacks.
Or, try our bestselling blue-ribbon classic, SonHarvest County Fair. Kids learn from Galatians 5:22-23 that Jesus is the loving Savior who will help them grow the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. And they will enjoy all the fun of a county fair, playing games, making blue-ribbon crafts, and eating healthy snacks.
Group Publisher
At Power Lab every activity, snack, game, and video points kids toward the daily Bible Point. As a result, kids walk away with a firm grasp and understanding of that Bible truth and what it looks like in everyday life.
Power Lab bubbles over with colorful fun, surprises, and all-new enthusiasm for God’s Word. This incredible science-themed VBS invents an experience your kids will love. See amazing things happen through you and your team! Every ounce surges with memorable Bible points that make a life-long difference in kids! It’s easy Bible memory, practical life application through Daily ChallengesTM, awesome music and much, much more!
At Jerusalem Marketplace, you’ll experience the sights, tastes, sounds, and smells of Group’s Jerusalem Marketplace. This Bible-times, hands-on adventure guides families to connect their experience in “Jerusalem” to their modern-day lives. This amazing experience will get your entire church involved and will be remembered for a lifetime. Jerusalem Marketplace has so much to offer with: fun craft projects, authentic tribe resources, and engaging daily newspapers that all ages will be fascinated!
Herald Press/Faith
& Life Resources
Take kids straight into the Bible with Listen Up! Messages from God. Through stories of five Bible prophets, children and junior youth will discover how God’s messages still hold true for people today. They will memorize Isaiah 61:1-3 and learn that they too can be messengers of God’s hope, transformation, mercy, justice, and faithfulness.
This flexible curriculum is adaptable to either a 5-day VBS or a 12-week church school or midweek program, for ages 4 through grade 8. Children learn how to study and dig into Scripture for themselves. Fun, broadly-graded activity centers offer hands-on learning, as well as an easy way to plug in adult volunteers. Materials may be ordered as a complete kit, or individually.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in partnership with Augsburg Fortress
Rainforest Adventure: A Tree Top Bible Blast. In partnership with Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Congregational Ministries Publishing of the PC(USA) brings you Rainforest Adventure! Get ready for an adventure into God’s word with a stewardship theme that will have kids taking care of God’s wondrous creation and each other.
Kids learn that: We Share — Boaz Shares with Ruth (Ruth 2:1-17); We Give — Elisha Gives Food to 100 People (2 Kings 4:42-44); We Grow — Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32); We Love — Jesus the Vine (John 15:1-5, 7-17); We Praise — Jesus Enters Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-10).
Activity sites create a canopy of color, sound, movement, and faith exploration: Canopy Crafts — Where creativity “rains”; Green Tree Games; Rainforest Rhythm — samba of rainforest music; Sky High Storytelling, gather with all the rainforest animals to hear God’s word; swing vine science — forage in a forest of discovery.
New this year: Web Tool Kit makes planning a breeze. Living Waters for the World VBS Mission Project brings the caring home!
