We here in Tyler are in the middle of Vacation Bible School (VBS), season right now. Churches all over Tyler are either just beginning, or just finishing their summer activities for area children. Summer programs for the kiddos have become culturally ingrained not on only in East Texas but around the country. I remember attending VBS programs as a child, sometimes at churches other than my own. Of course VBS is essentially a week long Sunday school class that runs from about nine in the morning until noon, (depending on the program). Such programs are popular with parents who are always on the lookout for summer activities for their kids. Church programs are great because they’re safe, secure, and the curriculum is of course formative for the student’s faith. They also have the side benefit of allowing parents a few hours of peace and productivity.
Vacation Bible School is usually a healthy mix of activities and lessons. One of the most popular curriculums this year is called “Pandamania.” Each day’s lesson takes a classic biblical story and draws out a simple theme. The five central stories are as follows: The Creation Story, Elijah vs. the Prophets of Baal, Jonah Runs from God, Jesus Dies and Comes Back to life, and God Gives Hannah a Baby. Numerous churches in town are using the Pandamania curriculum, including; Calvary Baptist Church, Central Baptist Church, Pollard United Methodist Church,Trinity Lutheran and Christ Episcopal Church. I may well be leaving someone out, if so I apologize. Pandamania, like most VBS programs is doctrinally non- sectarian in order to allow as a many different denominations as possible to use it.
There are programs running all through June and into July, all over Tyler and East Texas. My personal fav is Christ Episcopal Church’s, which runs all next week (June 27th through July 1st), from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon. For more information on the Pandamania program go to
http://pandamania.group.com/ . For more on Christ Church’s program go to their children’s ministry page at http://www.christchurchtyler.org/childrens.htm .