Use this as your own individual backyard Bible Study or ask us how to adapt it for congregational use.
Last summer, it was just a fun experiment. What if we created a version of Vacation Bible School for Grown-ups? We'd include all of our favorite elements: music, crafts, stories, games, friends. We even had a sticker chart. We considered matching T-shirts.
We found that the best way to do VBS for grown-ups was online. A new lesson was emailed each week, that connected to a webpage (also downloadable as a pdf). Then we created community in a Facebook group, where we posted photos of our crafts, discussed some of the reflection questions, made new friends and connections, even did a few sing-alongs.
Some people participated as individuals. Others signed up with a friend. Some churches organized groups to go through it together.
Last year's fun little trip down memory lane has turned into a deeply relevant form of ministry.
VBS for Grown-ups is back. And there's no need to park yourself in front of Zoom to participate.
It's still an online / offline hybrid adventure. You'll download the lessons each week, do the the activities and crafts at home away from screens, and then report back in our private Facebook group.
As an adult, you could do it alone to rediscover a childlike faith. New this year, we've added a few questions for families to share the experience together in their own back yard. And we're more ready than ever to customize it for individual congregations. (Scroll down for more on that.)
So what do we talk about?
Basically, it's 60-90 minutes of childlike faith, whether or not you share the experience with an actual child. Choose between Old Testament Favorites and Christmas in July. We'll all go through it together starting on July 6 and continuing for five weeks, but if you sign up now, you can get a sneak peak at the first lesson right away. Just like when we were kids, we just can't wait for the fun to being.
No matter which theme you choose, each module includes these five sections:
- Story Time
- Reflection Section
- Imagination Station
- Outdoor Adventure
- Mission Moment
As soon as you sign up, you'll receive your craft supply list, sticker chart, access to the private Facebook group, and an email with your first weekly less.
And we all know half the fun of VBS is the new friends you make!
That's why in the private Facebook group we have discussion questions, places to share your VBS photos, and sing-alongs.
Who is leading VBS?
Hi! I'm Dawn Trautman and I'll be your leader. I first attended VBS at Faith Lutheran Church in Massillon, Ohio and continued through being a small group helper and finally leader at churches in Minnesota, North Dakota, New York City, and throughout the Rocky Mountains.
I continued to hone my VBS skills at Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp, Youth Encounter, Luther Seminary (where I got a Masters in Youth and Family Ministry), and at rural, suburban, and urban churches over the years. I have now lead more than 50 weeks of VBS across four time zones.
In between all that, I also earned a second Masters in Organizational Psychology from New York University, built a career as a professional actor, and became nationally board certified as a life coach. I am now the Creative Director of the MainStage team at the ELCA Extravaganza and run my own business as a Lutheran Life Coach, which I have done for a fifteen years.
I've been delighted to train or coach ministry leaders at these and other institutions.
Sounds fun! How Do I Participate?
Choose your theme by clicking one of the buttons below. You'll be all set within minutes!
Think you may want to offer this to your congregation?
We'd love to customize a version of this into your own "VBS for Back Yards." You can set the dates and give us your logo, and we'll take care of any other parts you'd like: registration, payments, emails, lessons, the private Facebook group, and live sign-alongs (or you can lead the singalongs! What ever works for you!)
We're pretty flexible. The one thing we ask is that you don't register for one person to participate, and then share the lessons with others. That's just not kind.
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