Pastor`s Overview - Camp Discovery 2015 VBS CPH VBS

Pastor’s
Overview
A VBS summary to share with your pastor
In 2015, teach children
how Jesus works
through us. At Camp
Discovery, children
explore five Bible
stories that show
how God works in His
people to save them
—and how He works
through His people to
serve others! Jesus
saves us and gives
us faith, courage,
and wisdom to serve
Him and share His
Good News with our
neighbors. Discover
His plan! Discover His
purpose!
Key Theme: Jesus is at
work through us.
Key Bible Verse: We love
because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19
Jesus at Work through Us
Vocation Connection:
“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
At Concordia Publishing House, we believe the goal
of any VBS is to create a hunger and thirst for more,
so that children and their families come back to your
church for worship and Bible study, where they will
be given a rich and continual feast of God’s Word.
VBS is not just another event; it’s the start of
• developing new relationships;
• forming faith in a child;
• embracing new families in your church; and
• building the ministry and making disciples.
What better way to shepherd your congregation
into your community. What better theme than Camp
Discovery, where children learn that Jesus provides
for all we need, every day and in every way.
This is the one week of the year where KIDS can take
over the church and claim it as their own. So, make it
count. Make it a VBS with Purpose!
Real Bible
Concordia’s VBS stands apart because it starts with
the Word of God. Every lesson clearly distinguishes
between God’s Law and His Gospel. God Himself is
present in His Word, holding us securely against the
buffeting of sin, Satan, and death. He provides safe
passage through His Word—now and forever. That’s
why it’s called Vacation BIBLE School.
Real Savior
At the center of every lesson is God’s gracious gift
of Jesus, who is the fulfillment of the Law and is our
Savior from sin, death, and the devil. Inspired by
Real Stories from the Real Bible, we equip volunteers
to teach kids about the Real Savior from the theme
verse, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John
4:19). Through God’s Word, stories, and take-home
points, kids discover how Jesus works through them
each day. If not for His plan and direction, we would
surely be lost in our sin!
VBS with Purpose
We believe that VBS should engage and enrich
children not just for a week but for a lifetime. At
Concordia, we don’t need fairy tales to make VBS
fun; God’s Word stands alone, with real characters
and true stories. Our goal is to provide resources
that support faith development, to help children see
Jesus clearly; so, each piece is intentionally designed
through that lens, from postcard invitations to
volunteer leader guides to witness-wear T-shirts.
In the crowded VBS marketplace, there is only one
choice where it all comes together to faithfully teach
the saving message of God’s grace. After the craft
glue dries and the snacks are but crumbs, the only
thing that matters is that children leave VBS knowing
their need for a Savior and that His name is Jesus.
THAT is the CPH difference!
Real FUN!
Teaching kids can be a challenge, especially with
all the events and technologies they encounter. But
what value is left when the entertainment is gone? At
Camp Discovery, volunteers are equipped to engage
kids with interactive Bible stories, hands-on crafts,
high-energy music, and more—all enriched with
Gospel truths that build faith—relevant now and for a
lifetime.
Jesus at Work through Us
“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
As God’s children, saved by Jesus Christ, we are
enabled by God to serve through “vocations.” God
places us in various situations and calls us to serve
others, since all our needs are met in Him. In the
words of Luther, God doesn’t need your good works,
but your neighbor does!
Luther explained that God hides Himself in our
vocations. Our service to others is sacred because
God is at work through us, meeting our neighbors’
needs. At Camp Discovery, we learn that God gives
us faith, love, courage, and wisdom that we use to
serve others and give God glory. Now that’s a VBS
with Purpose!
Real Theme
This theme of Jesus working through us is pulled
directly from the Bible—retelling five tree-mendous
Bible accounts where God works in His people to
save them and through His people to serve! Jesus
saves us and gives us faith, courage, and wisdom
to help our family, friends, and neighbors give God
glory right now. God has a plan and a purpose for
each of us. Get ready for the discovery of a lifetime!
1
Pastor, Discover VBS!
• Facility Access. Introduce the VBS director to those
who care for the church property (church leaders,
volunteers, and/or staff). Help them work together to
identify and designate space and times for VBS stations,
props storage (before and after VBS), acceptable use of
equipment and tools for VBS setup and tear-down, and
other needs, such as space for sign-ups, fund-raising, or
follow-up activities.
Thank you, Pastor, for the blessing you are to God’s people
in your call to shepherd the congregation through Word
and Sacrament ministry. God has blessed you with unique
gifts to employ in His service.
Here are some practical ways you can support, encourage,
and equip God’s people as they share the Gospel through
VBS ministry.
Support and Encourage VBS Leadership
Preaching, Prayers, and Presence
• Lead and encourage your VBS leaders to choose
curriculum with careful consideration of its doctrinal
content. In Camp Discovery, every lesson clearly
distinguishes between God’s Law and His Gospel.
Children (and their leaders) learn God’s will for their
lives and how the Law has been fulfilled for them in the
person and work of Jesus Christ. At the center of every
lesson is the Gospel: God’s gracious gift of Jesus as the
Savior from sin, death, and the devil.
• Help VBS leaders set purpose statements and goals
for VBS that are aligned with the mission of the
congregation. A goals worksheet is provided on the
Director CD. Ask your director for all the digital files
referenced in this Overview from the “Pastor Helps”
folder on the Director CD.
• Pray for your VBS leaders, and be available for support.
It’s a blessing for people to know that their pastor will
listen and keep VBS focused on a godly purpose in the
midst of all the details.
• Initiate and include VBS in your worship planning. Make
announcements on the importance of VBS, introduce
your congregation to the theme (see the sample sermon
on pages 5–6), and designate a Sunday as the volunteer
commissioning service (see page 6).
• Pray for the ministry of VBS in your personal prayers and
in the prayers of the church. Establish a prayer team.
• Preach a sermon (see page 5) based on the VBS Scripture
or theme prior to VBS.
• Note the daily themes (see page 1). Consider how
they might be incorporated into your messages and
announcements.
• Plan a VBS volunteer commissioning in a worship service
as a “kickoff ” to VBS (provided on the Director CD).
• Plan a VBS Closing Celebration to conclude VBS week
and to reach out to all VBS children and their families.
(See the template on the Director CD and at vbs.cph.org.)
• Be present and available at VBS. A favorite role for
pastors is to greet and encourage workers, kids, and
parents as they arrive at VBS or leave each day.
• Pray regularly for VBS staff, kids, and families.
Lead, Witness, and Evangelize
Prepare VBS site leaders and team (small-group) leaders
to share the Gospel with kids and parents. See page 3 for a
“how to” for sharing the Gospel. Another Gospel-sharing
resource using the Take-Home Points is on the Director CD.
Request lists of visiting kids and families, and reach out
to them with a personal invitation to attend worship,
midweek services, and/or seasonal events. Commit to
monthly follow-ups (by yourself or designated church
leaders) with those who are unchurched to find out any
prayer needs and share any invitations. Making contact
with them during VBS is a great beginning for witness.
Make a plan for how to respond to ministry, disciplinary, or
emergency needs discovered during VBS.
Prepare the whole church and leaders to provide a warm
and genuine welcome to VBS families who may visit
worship or other activities after VBS. Discuss and have an
assimilation plan ready for possible future members.
Provide Practical Information
Use your influence to open doors for VBS leaders. Here are
just a few ways you can help:
• Get Connected. Introduce the VBS Director to those who
administer the church calendar; produce church bulletins,
newsletters, or other publicity tools; manage computer
and printer equipment; and maintain the church website,
Facebook pages, or eNewsletters.
• VBS Finances Are a Key Matter. Provide leaders with
church-budget information for VBS. If your VBS is selffunded, provide information about how donations and/or
fund-raising has been done in the past. Historical records
and future expectations help them to plan. VBS leaders
need to know policies and procedures for ordering
materials and supplies, how to use church accounts
and tax-exemption status (if applicable), and how to get
reimbursed. A sample Budget Planning Form is provided
on the Director CD and is also available at vbs.cph.org.
• VBS Before, During, After. Work with the VBS director to
develop a calendar for recruitment, training, promotion,
and follow-up. Keep in mind that VBS is not an isolated
event; it is an entry point into your church. Develop a plan
to meet with visiting kids and their families during and
after VBS. A suggested VBS planning calendar is provided
in the Director Guide and is also available at vbs.cph.org.
Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Volunteers
Intentionally show your support for VBS. Pastors who share
the mission and ministry of VBS with their congregation
create a VBS culture that glorifies God and serves others.
VBS can be a great entry point for service. Be alert for
people serving in VBS whom God may be calling to service
in other ministries. VBS has been the starting place for
leaders in ALL areas of service in God’s Church!
2
Overview
Discover His plan! Discover His purpose! At Camp Discovery,
children learn that Jesus works in and through us! They’ll look
into the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and explore five tree-mendous
Bible accounts where God works in His people to save them
and through His people to serve! Jesus saves us and gives
us faith, courage, and wisdom to serve Him and share His
Good News with our neighbors! God does have a plan and a
purpose for each of His beloved children!
Opening
Storytelling
R
E
OTAT
Take-Home Point Call
and Response
Games
R
A site-rotation program makes VBS flexible and fun! This easyto-use schedule allows volunteers to spend less time preparing
and more time building relationships. Check out our website
for details and samples at vbs.cph.org.
OTAT
E
Site Rotation
Bible
Challenge
Crafts
Snacks
Each day, the children learn a phrase called the “Take-Home
Point.” Throughout the day, they will repeat the Take-Home
Point as they are cued by VBS leaders. The Take-Home Points
come out of the Bible stories and focus on God’s action in the
story.
VBS leaders lead the children in the Take-Home Point Call and
Response. Here’s what to say and do: The leader says, “JESUS
IS AT WORK THROUGH US,” while pointing up with the pointer
finger and extending both arms up with hands out. Then, the
leader, the kids, and all the other leaders say, “DISCOVER!”
and put their hands up to their eyes like binoculars. The leader
then immediately leads the group to say the Take-Home Point
for the lesson, such as “JESUS GIVES ME COURAGE,” as they
point up in the air and point to themselves.
Equipping Volunteers
for Gospel Speaking
Sometimes we don’t tell others of Jesus’ saving and
transforming love because we’re afraid we’ll say something
wrong or offend someone. Sometimes we just don’t know
what to say! Here are two easy methods for speaking the
Gospel and sharing God’s love in Christ Jesus. Encourage
volunteers to practice sharing in this way with a partner.
Practice and prayer puts you more at ease with this important
work that God has given us. (Another Gospel-sharing resource
using the Take-Home Points is on the Director CD.)
Personalize John 3:16: Insert a person’s name into the verse.
For example, “God so loved Mary, that He gave His only Son
for Mary, that if Mary believes in Him, Mary should not perish
but Mary will have eternal life.”
Sin, Separation, Savior: Present the Gospel with these three
key words. All people sin. Sin separates us from God. God
knew we couldn’t make our sin go away. Because God loves
us, He sent His Son, Jesus, as our Savior. Jesus lived without
sin and then died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice to pay
for our sin. Those who believe in Jesus receive God’s gifts of
forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
3
Closing
Help People Discover Jesus!
2015 Mission Project
YOU can make a big difference in the lives of
kids in America’s inner cities! With your help,
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod can help
kids and adults learn about how much Jesus
loves them. By providing something simple
like a lunch or school supplies, those involved
in urban ministry can build relationships that
allow them to tell people about their Savior,
Jesus.
Included in the Starter Kit, the Mission Brochure
provides additional project information and
folds out to a poster that can be used to track
donations. There are five videos explaining the
mission project to show during Opening.
Law and Gospel Connections
Lesson
Jesus Gives Me Courage.
God gave David faith and called David to serve in the vocations
of son, brother, shepherd, King’s servant, slingshot wielder,
defender of the one true God, and anointed king of Israel. God
worked through David. David served faithfully. He was bold to
defend the one true God, and he used his God-given courage to
defeat the enemy of God’s people.
God gives us courage to serve in our vocations as sons or
daughters, brothers or sisters, citizens, students, and other
positions. In all our vocations, big or small, Jesus is at work
through us as we serve others in His name with boldness and
courage. We proclaim that Jesus is our Savior and Champion
over sin, death, and Satan.
Jesus Gives Me His Wisdom.
God may call us to a vocation that has the responsibility to
lead or help others or to work with others. As God’s redeemed
children, we seek His wisdom in the Bible, His Holy Word.
We don’t keep it to ourselves, but we declare to others the
wondrous things God has done and has promised to do! God’s
Word is true and life giving. No matter what our age or vocation,
we can and should learn from God’s Word and share it with
others as we help and serve them in His name.
Jesus Saves Me.
Three young men were captives, serving a king and living in
a culture that didn’t honor the one true God. God gave them
courage and wisdom to serve where He had placed them and
to trust in the God they served to deliver them. Jesus has
saved us and delivers us now and forever. Right now, Jesus is
at work through us right where He has placed us as we trust
Him and help those around us in His name.
Jesus Gives Me Faith.
Jesus gave Bartimaeus faith to believe and to follow Him. In
the humble vocation of beggar, bearing a cross of blindness,
Bartimaeus served as a witness to Jesus as he sat by the side of
the road. Jesus gives us faith to believe and follow Him. Jesus
is at work through us as we bear our crosses, follow Him, and—
with His love and mercy—help our neighbors on the roads we
travel each day.
Jesus Gives Me His Love to Share.
God uses our large and small actions of hospitality, mercy, and
sharing His Holy Word to provide for the needs of those around
us through our vocations. When we speak and serve in the name
of Jesus, we are His mouth, His hands, His feet.
4
Law/Gospel Points: I sin when I look to my sinful
self for boldness and courage. I sin when I seek
to defeat the evil giants of sin, death, and Satan
with my own strength and power. God sent
Jesus to save us from our enemies, the evil
“giants” of sin, death, and the devil. Through His
death and resurrection, He has won the victory!
He is our Champion.
Law/Gospel Points: I sin when, like Barak, I depend
on my own wisdom and understanding. God gives
us faith to believe and trust in Jesus, our Savior.
He gives us His wisdom through His Holy Word.
Law/Gospel Points: Sin causes me to fear and
doubt that God cares for me and delivers me. My
fears suffocate faith and lead me to despair and
hopelessness. In sin, I am tempted to follow the
world and worship other gods. God has saved me
from the fires of hell through the suffering, death,
and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus. Jesus saves
me now and eternally. Jesus gives me faith and trust
to confess Him as my Savior.
Law/Gospel Points: Because of sin, I am spiritually
blind to Jesus’ love and mercy for me. On my own,
I cannot have faith and trust in Jesus. Instead of
serving, I desire to be served. The love and mercy of
Jesus is boundless. It is not dependent on who we
are, our status, our age, our size, our challenges, or
our background. Jesus loves us all. He gives us faith
to see and hearts to believe that He is God’s Son,
our Savior. We follow Him by grace through faith.
Law/Gospel Points: I, a sinful disciple of Jesus, am
fearful of what God calls me to do. Like Ananias, I
hesitate; I’m afraid. I question if God knows what
He’s doing. I’m afraid to do even something small
or ordinary. Jesus calls me to share His love with
others, often through ordinary actions, as He did
with Ananias. God used Ananias’s ordinary actions
to work amazing wonders in Saul’s life and, by
extension, the lives of hundreds of thousands in
many lands.
VBS Sermon Outline
“Because He
First Loved Us”
1 John 4:19
This sermon outline is offered as a resource to help
you plan a VBS-inspired sermon. You are granted
permission to adapt this sermon for your personal
preaching style and needs. Be sure to insert local
references leading into the week (commissioning)
or as a wrap-up (closing program) to your VBS
week.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God
our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen. God says to you and to me in
1 John 4:19, “We love because He first
loved us.”
Dear Christian friends,
I have a wonderful experiment about
VBS that you could do with your
mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa
after you go home today. First, take
a cup or a bowl and set it into the
sink, right under the water faucet.
Then slowly turn on the water
and watch what happens. After
the water gets to the top of the
cup or bowl, what happens to it?
That’s right! After the water pours
into the cup or bowl and fills up to the top of it, the
water spills over the edge!
This experiment is a very good way for us to think
about God’s words “We love because He first loved
us.” In the same way that the water from the faucet
will fill up the cup or the bowl, God our heavenly
Father has also filled us with His love! We know that
God fills us with His love because it is written in the
Bible, in Romans 5:5: “God’s love has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been
given to us.”
Tell me again: After the water gets to the top of the
cup or bowl, what happens to it? Yes! The water spills
over the edge! Now think about God’s love, which
has been poured into you and into me like water
into a cup. What will happen when God’s love fills
us up to the top? Just like water overflowing a cup,
God’s love also overflows us! That is why God has
said in the theme verse for our Vacation Bible School,
“We love because He first loved us.” We show love
for others because God first showed love for us. We
treat other people lovingly because God has treated
us so lovingly by sending us His Son, Jesus. We fill
other people with God’s love because God has filled
us with so much love in the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5–6)
that we overflow, like a cup or a bowl sitting under a
faucet in the sink.
“We love because He first loved us.” These words tie
together [have tied together] all the Bible Stories we
will study [have studied] together this week.
The first VBS story will be [was] David and Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:1–51). In that Bible story, we will learn
[learned] how God’s love for David made David feel
very brave, even when David faced a dangerous
giant named Goliath. God wants you to know that His
love for you is strong enough to give you courage
and make you feel brave, just as David felt brave.
We know that God’s love will give you courage and
bravery because God has promised so in His Bible:
“Be strong and courageous. . . . The Lord your God
is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Our Lord
Jesus also said to us, “In the world you will have
tribulation [that is, trouble]. But take heart; I have
overcome the world” (John 16:33).
I wonder: does anyone here ever have times when
you feel afraid? I have times when I feel afraid too.
Praise be to God! God filled us with His love when
5
He gave us Jesus to die and rise again for us. Because
Jesus died and rose again, we have nothing to fear!
God’s love gives us courage!
In our second story for Vacation Bible School, we will
learn [learned] about a woman named Deborah. God’s
love filled Deborah with wisdom so that she could
show God’s love to the people of Israel by leading them
through a very difficult time. God wants you to know
that, when He fills you with His love, He also gives you
the gift of wisdom so that you will be able to show His
love to other people around you. God promises in His
book of First Corinthians, “You are wise in Christ” (4:10).
God also says that if you ever feel like you lack wisdom,
you should pray to God, “who gives generously to all”
(James 1:5).
In addition to courage in the first story and wisdom in
the second story, God’s love also saves us and delivers
us from all evil! That is what we will learn [learned]
about in our third story for Vacation Bible School. In
that third story, God saved Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego from an angry king named Nebuchadnezzar
(Daniel 3). In the same way that God saved Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, God also saved us by sending
His Son, Jesus. The Bible declares that, when Jesus died
and rose again, He saved us from sin, from death, and
from the power of the devil. God also promises us in
His Bible that, now that He has poured His love into us,
nothing shall separate us again from His love. This is
what God promises us:
because He first loved us.” Because God greatly loved
Ananias, Ananias was able to love Saul. Because God
greatly loves you, you also are able to love others in
God’s name and by God’s power.
How is it possible for each of us to have the courage
and wisdom and faith we need to show God’s love for
others? It is possible because each of us—you and me
both—is like a glass or a bowl that has been set into a
sink. What happens when you slowly turn on the water
and allow the water to pour into the bowl? That’s right!
The water fills the bowl and begins to overflow.
God promises to do the same thing for you and through
you: “We love because He first loved us.”
How does the overflowing love of God help you in
your daily life? Think about the people who are around
you every day. Here are some examples of what God’s
overflowing love for you will do:
• Help you do better in honoring your father and your mother, your
grandmother and your grandfather, and other authorities
• Give you a kinder and more patient attitude toward your younger
brother or sister
• Strengthen you against temptation and sin, even when your friends
and classmates choose to do the wrong thing
Just like a bowl overflowing with water, God has poured
out so much of His love for you in Christ Jesus that
there is more love than you can hold! Allow the love of
God to overflow you and to spill onto others. Just like
believers before you—David and Deborah, Shadrach
and Meshach and Abednego, Bartimaeus and Ananias—
and just like your fellow Christians today, God has
poured His love into you and into me. “We love because
He first loved us.” Say it with me: “We love because He
first loved us.”
We will have [had] a great Vacation Bible School! Thank
you for coming!
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep
guard of your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen
Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor
things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love
of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39)
In our fourth Vacation Bible School story, God will
teach [taught] us that He also gives us His gift of faith
when He fills us with His love. In the Bible story, Jesus
healed a man named Bartimaeus, who was blind. The
love of Jesus did more than give Bartimaeus the ability
to see. The love of Jesus also gave Bartimaeus the
ability to believe all of God’s promises in Christ! When
God poured out His love for you, filling you with the
love of Jesus, He also gave you the gift of faith. God’s
gift of faith makes it possible for you to believe God’s
promises in Christ, which include your forgiveness of
sins and your eternal life.
But God’s promises are not for you only. God’s
promises of forgiveness and life are also for the
people in your family, the people you see at school,
and everyone else you know. Because God’s promises
are for all people everywhere, God wants to use you
to show His love to other people. That is what our last
Vacation Bible School story will be [was] all about. In
our last Bible story, God sent a man named Ananias to
a man named Saul in order to tell Saul about the love
of Jesus. Ananias is a very good example of the theme
verse for our entire Vacation Bible School: “We love
Commissioning and Closing VBS Service
Many pastors commission the VBS volunteers in a worship
service shortly before VBS. A brief order of commissioning
is provided for your use on the Director CD.
The VBS Closing Celebration is a great way to review the
Bible stories, memory verses, and take-home points from
VBS while the children show and teach their parents the
things they have done. The Director CD has a Closing
Celebration PowerPoint that can be customized with
your own pictures and details. All VBS children and
families are invited to the celebration, giving you and
your congregation an opportunity to share the Gospel
and extend the hand of fellowship to families in your
community.
6
Student Leaf lets Are Essential
at Treetop Storytelling
Trailblazer Elementary Leaflets
Scripture provided to read along
in Storytelling and as a take-home
piece
Fun facts provide perspective
and challenge
Realistic Bible art
communicates the
authenticity of the Bible
story.
Connection of Bible
story elements with life
application
Fun, interactive, ageappropriate activities
engage and reinforce
students’ learning.
Bible Memory Verse
Discussion questions engage students during
Storytelling. Discussion helps are provided in the
Storytelling Leaders Guide.
Little Acorns Early Childhood Leaflets
SONspot focuses on what
God in Christ does for us.
Fun, interactive, age-appropriate activities
help reinforce teaching and engage
students’ learning.
Bible Memory
Verse
Family
Activities
Stickers
included
7
Engage Youth & Adults
in VBS Bible Study
Trail Markers Bible Study
Life is a faith journey, but knowing that
Jesus is at work through us gives us
direction and comfort. Point teens and
adults to Jesus, our True North.
[cph.org screenshot showing
product]
Concordia’s Trail Markers Bible study
engages youth and adults with deeper
understanding of the Camp Discovery
Bible lessons.
Each of the five lessons has three parts:
Outta the Woods provides background
for the Bible accounts and sets up the
lesson.
For ages 12 and older.
Blaze the Trail uses object lessons to
spark conversation about the lesson.
Jump In challenges students to apply
the lessons to their lives today.
Where to Use Trail Markers
[cover design]
ith students ages 12 and older at
W
your 2015 VBS—it includes active
learning activities, which are
especially engaging for youth
With volunteers for deeper
understanding of the VBS lessons
As a Sunday School series to
immerse your congregation
in the theme and promote the
importance of VBS
As a way to invite parents to
participate in an adult VBS class
and equip them to discuss the
lessons with their children
Downloadable
Available online only at
cph.org/TrailMarkers
Reproducible
Make as many copies as you need, when
you need them.
32-1565pdf
8
$29.99
VBS Resources
Compass Collectibles
32-1520VPTR (Pack of 5
unique designs)
These fun-to-collect
plastic souvenirs remind
kids of the truths they
learned during their
VBS adventure! Each
lesson’s Bible memory
verse is ink-printed on
a collectible to help
kids easily read and
remember the verse.
Hand these out at Bible
Challenge or at Closing to
encourage children to come
back and collect all five. Sample
included in Starter Kit.
S’more Fun Passalong CD/DVD
32-1585VPTR
Play it in the car as a CD or
flip it over and play it as a
DVD at home. All 19 S’more
Fun Songs plus 13 songaction videos are contained
on this single CD/DVD to
keep kids singing AND
dancing well beyond the
closing ceremony. Now
that’s music with Purpose!
Sample included in Starter Kit.
Trailblazer Elementary Leaflets
Chester the Squirrel
Puppet
Ages 6–12/Grades 1–5
32-1563VPTR
32-1581VPTR
Storytelling would not
be complete without
Trailblazer Elementary
Leaflets. Appropriate for
elementary students,
each compact leaflet
includes memory verse,
Bible story, discussion
questions, theme connections, fun facts, engaging
activities, and realistic Bible art. These leaflets are a great
take-home item to help students share what they have
learned with their families. Sample included in Starter Kit.
Chester takes
preschoolers on a
camping adventure
at Nutty Hollow
(scripts included
on the Preschool
Leader CD). This
plush gray squirrel
puppet has a
moveable head,
mouth, and arms;
thread whiskers;
and his very own
acorn. He’s so cute, we’re sure
you’ll go nuts over him. 9" long,
6" wide, 11" tall; 7.68 oz.
Little Acorns Early Childhood Leaf lets
Ages 3–5/Non-reading students
32-1560VPTR
Versatile and easy to use,
these leaflets provide
life-application lessons,
transition activities, Bible
stories, and pictures—all
to appropriately engage
pre-readers. Included are
SONspots and Family
Campfire, providing
meaningful, ageappropriate, and faithteaching activities beyond
VBS for the whole family.
Sample included in Starter Kit.
Jesus Stand-Up
32-1444VPTR
Stand up for
Jesus! Use as is or
accessorize with a
“Welcome” sign.
This Jesus stand-up
is a great reminder
of His amazing grace,
a message to share
beyond VBS. Use
in Sunday School,
Midweek classes,
or children’s chapel.
Simple double-easel
setup. Cardboard.
(5' tall)
Cross Stand-Up
32-1384VPTR
This cardboard stand-up is easy to assemble
and reminds kids that their sins ARE forgiven
because of what Jesus has done. Use in
Sunday School, Midweek classes, or
children’s chapel. (5' tall)
9
Promote VBS
Clergy Shirts
We help you promote your VBS with these tools:
• Publicity Poster (included in starter kit)
• Registration Table Banner (included in starter kit)
• Recruitment Commercial (see Trailhead Overview
DVD included in starter kit)
• Themed Postcards (sold separately)
• Indoor/Outdoor Banner (sold separately)
• To-do calendar, sample texts, and more (see
Super Duper Director CD)
• Free Online Registration Tool (visit vbs.cph.org)
Shown: Charcoal Gray, Short-Sleeve, Tab Collar
CPH carries a variety of options for high-quality,
wrinkle-resistant clergy shirts to fit your needs.
Clergy shirt options include long or short sleeve,
tab or banded collars, standard or tailored fit,
nine colors, and a slew of sizes. Visit cph.org/
clergyshirts today!
Get Connected
Web
Sample our lessons, music,
and more at vbs.cph.org
e-Newsletter
FREE VBSMate Online Registration
Hosting VBS is a BIG job, but we make it easy, from the lessons
we plan to our online helps. Our registration tool allows you
to promote your program and capture enrollment—all online.
Use our secure site to customize and publicize your VBS event,
capture consistent enrollment data, and offer convenience to your
community. A unique web address is created for every church
that enrolls. Link it to your website, post it in your bulletin, or link
it to your e-mail communications. It’s really that easy.
Use the ad on the back of this
guide as bulletin inserts to
FREE
recruit volunteers or
Resource!
invite your community.
Sign up for our eNews at
vbs.cph.org and get tips,
reminders, and offers.
e-mail
Talk to us; we are here to
help at [email protected]
Facebook
Exchange ideas at
facebook.com/concordiavbs
Twitter
twitter.com/CPHVBS
Pinterest
pinterest.com/CPHVBS
See vbs.cph.org for details.
10
At Camp
Discovery,
kids learn that
Jesus is their
True North and
discover His
plan for their
lives—right
now, right
where they are.
© 2015 Concordia Publishing House
/CPHVBS
Printed in the USA
Sample music, videos, and leader guides!
vbs.cph.org
615003_02
/concordiavbs
1-800-325-3040
At Camp
Discovery,
kids learn that
Jesus is their
True North and
discover His
plan for their
lives—right
now, right
where they are.
Sample music, videos, and leader guides!
vbs.cph.org
/CPHVBS
@CPH_VBS
/concordiavbs
1-800-325-3040
Ask your pastor how you can help.
VBS ca
n’
without happen t you.
75-1021 These bulletin inserts are reproducible. Visit vbs.cph.org for more details.
@CPH_VBS
Ask your pastor how you can help.
VBS ca
n’
without happen t you.

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