Many adults have fond memories of Vacation Bible School. The setting was different from a Sunday school setting: the crafts and other sessions, like music, were each done in different classrooms. The projects were fun to make and often quite complicated. The crafts, music and lessons all carried the theme of the Vacation Bible School, and often the rooms were completely decorated in the times of the lesson as well. There were even outside activities that related to the theme, or if the weather was wet, a room was cleared for gym-like activities. Sharing the experience with children can be enjoyable regardless of one’s age or experience. Teenagers can enjoy sharing their gifts and talents with the younger children, as can older congregants.
Historical origins
In 1894, Mrs. D. T. Miles, a Sunday school teacher, began a summer four-week Bible school. She enrolled forty students in the school. This humble origin for Vacation Bible School soon inspired Eliza Hawes, the children’s department director at Epiphany Baptist Church in New York City. She rented a saloon (the only place available) to run a Bible School six weeks during the summer of 1898. She included memory verses, music, Bible Stories, games, crafts, drawing, cooking and other projects. In the seven years she ran the Vacation Bible School, she expanded it to include seven separate schools.
Dr. Robert Boville carried the programs even further. Having become aware of the Hawes’ schools, he started five different schools run by students at Union Theological Seminary. One thousand students enrolled during one summer in those five schools. He also founded the World Association of Vacation Bible Schools in 1923, as VBS spread to other countries. Standard Publishing was the first to create a full VBS program in 1923. Classes were divided by grade level in 1948, and a single themed curriculum was designed in 1952. Standard publishing reported in 1998 that over 5 million children attend a Vacation Bible School each year. The Standard Publishing Company still publishes VBS Curriculum, under a new name, Christian Standard Media.
Current trends
Christian Standard Media is the forerunner of a variety of Vacation Bible School curriculum. A variety of programs are available for Vacation Bible School, some associated with a denomination, others with non-denominational focus. Some programs focus on a theme, like heroes in the Bible, others focus on a principle, such as application of Biblical truth. The variety of curriculum available speaks to the differing interests and focus of the various congregations in our country. Many VBS programs include both activities to encourage the personal spiritual growth of the participants and activities to embolden children to share their faith in service of other people in the community.
Broward VBS Offerings by Date
Grace Baptist Church
501 NE 48th St
Pompano Beach, FL 33064
June 12-16, 6:30-9 p.m.
Submerged
free
First Baptist Fort Lauderdale
301 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
June 12-16, 6:30-8 p.m.
Submerged
Free
Plantation Baptist Church
11700 NW 28th Ct
Plantation, FL 33323
Everest
June 13-16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Ages 4- 5th grade, Free.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
1750 E. Oakland Park Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
June 13-16, 8:30-11:30 am
EGYPT
$50
First Baptist Pompano
138 NE 1st St
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Cave Quest
June 13-17, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
3 years old-entering 8th grade, Free
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
5555 N Federal Highway
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Submerged
June 13-17, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Kindergarten-5th grade, $30
Sheridan Hills Baptist Church
3751 Sheridan St
Hollywood, FL 33021
Family Camp
June 13-17, 6-8 p.m.
12 and under: $20, 13 and up: $25, family 5+: $99
First Church of the Nazarene
916 NE 4th Street
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
June 13–17, 6:30–9 p.m.
SUBMERGED
Ages 3-12 yrs old
Free
Cross Community Church
841 SE 2nd Court
Deerfield Beach 33441
Cave Quest
June 14, 15 & 16
6:15-8:00 pm
Kindergarten- 5th, Free
Email [email protected] or call 561-252-3570
Gracepoint Church
5590 N. E. 6th Ave.
Ft. Lauderdale FL 33334
Space Camp
June 20-24th, 6-8:30 p.m.
5 years old- 5th grade, free
Visit Gracepoint.net/children or call 954-491-1283.
Plantation Community Church
6501 W Broward Blvd
Plantation, FL 33317
Egypt
June 20-25, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
$35 for the first child and $30 for each additional child
groupvbspro.com/vbs/hl/pcckids/
Community Christian Church
10001 W Commerical Blvd.
Tamarac, FL 33351
Cave Quest-Kidz Camp
June 20-24 & June 27-July 1, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
3 years old- 5th grade, $10 before May 22, $20 after
Email [email protected] or visit communitycc.com/kidzcamp.
Bethel Worship Center
6060 Kimberly Blvd,
North Lauderdale, FL 33068
June 20-24, 6 -9 p.m.
Submerged
Free
954-972-3321
Harbour Church
217 NE 3rd St.
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Camp Eleven: Under the Big Top
June 27-July 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
1st-5th grade, $65
Visit harbourchurch.com or email [email protected]
New Presbyterian Church
512 NE 26th Street
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
June 27–July1, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Cave Quest
$10
New Life Fellowship Center
8720 NW 44th St
Sunrise, FL 33351
June 27-July1, 6-9 p.m.
Submerged VBS 2016
$12
Davie United Methodist Church
6500 SW 47th Street
Davie, FL 33314
June 27–July 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Lighthouse Bible Church
4213 N Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, FL 33064
Star Force – The Real Saga, The True Force
July 11-15, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
$25
Visit lbible.org or contact [email protected]
Temple Aron HaKodesh
4751 NW 24th Court
Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313
July 18-22, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Deep Sea Discovery
$20.00
First Presbyterian Church of Ft Lauderdale
401 SE 15th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
August 1-5, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
$45 – $55
Palm Beach VBS Offerings by Date
Grace Community Church
600 W Camino Real
Boca Raton, FL 33486
VBS – Cave Quest!
June 6–10, 9 a.m.-12 pm
$25.00
Victory Church
3499 NW Boca Raton Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33433
Cave Quest
June 13-June 17, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Ages 5-11, $40
Contact [email protected] or visit victory.org
Son Life Lutheran Church
9301 Jog Rd
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
Barnyard Roundup
June 13-17, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
children ages 3 to 10
Grace Emmanuel Bible Church
17475 Jonathan Dr,
Jupiter, FL 33477
Pilgrim’s Progress
June 27-July 1, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
$10 per child or $ 30 per family
Reveal Fellowship
8431 Lake Worth Rd
Lake Worth, FL 33467
June 27–July 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Music Summer Camp
$15
Christ Community Church
1000 Wellington Trace,
Wellington, FL 33414
July 13-15, 6-8:15 p.m., July 16, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Cave Quest
New Beginnings Community Church
Crystal Lakes Elementary School, 6050 Gateway Blvd
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
July 17-21, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Submerged
Free
New Life Alliance Church
1815 Forest Hill Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
July 18–22, 6–8:30 p.m.
Cave Quest
Free
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