F. I. R. E.
NEWSLETTER
Quarter 3, 2016
We’re Gonna Spread The News About Bible School!
When and where did VBS first begin? Apparently it all began in the 1870s when the Methodist Episcopal Church
offered "summer Sunday school institutes that included educational and cultural components" to the people in its
community in New York. It didn't take long for other "Christian groups across the country to begin planning their own
summer retreats" - not just for children, but for everyone in the family.
Vacation Bible school began to look more like what we know it to be when "the Epiphany Baptist Church in New
York City noticed large numbers of immigrant children in their neighborhood". In July 1898 a Mrs. Hawes "rented
the only place she could find —a saloon—to run a Bible school for six weeks during the summer". Mrs. Hawes put
together a program of "singing, Bible stories and Scripture memorization, games, crafts, drawing, and cooking" . . .
and it really caught on: in just three years she directed seven different VBS ministries! From there it grew and spread
across the country.
In 1923 Standard Publishing was the first publisher to create a full-scale VBS program and by 1987 millions of children
attended VBS programs every year. Standard was the first to develop a single-theme concept and divide the teaching
by age levels. They are the ones who fully developed the model we now know as VBS.
Churches usually hold the week-long events during the summer, though the lengths of such programs may vary, and
they are sometimes held during other times of the year.
Vaboree Celebration! Everyone Is Invited! – July 17th, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
July 18 – 22 (6 PM – 8:30 PM)
Session #1 Toddlers, Children ages
2 – 11, and Adults 18-34
August 1 – 5
(6 PM – 8:30 PM)
Session #2 Ages 12
through adults, plus
adult instructor class
Join us nightly for
worship, fellowship,
learning, and fun!