A Glance at the Past
By John-Paul Stewart
It's summertime and that means it's time for one of the great traditions of First Baptist Church: Vacation Bible School.
Little has been written about VBS in the church history books which makes it hard to say exactly when it started. We have photos going back to 1945, so we know the program is at least 81 years old. It also appears to have run continuously over all those decades.
Even during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, when in-person gatherings were severely restricted, VBS continued to run as an on-line program. Volunteers spent countless hours packaging and delivering supply kits to registered participants. Video lessons were posted on-line for the kids to follow along at home.
Numbers fluctuate from year to year, but enrolment is typically 50-100 children. That's far more than we have in the church family. Clearly Vacation Bible School is a big draw for kids throughout Simcoe and the surrounding area. Which, in turn, means it is an important part of our outreach to the general public. Kids who are drawn to the VBS program sometimes end up bringing their parents to church later, helping to grow the congregation.
Sometimes the kids who attend VBS have such a good time there that when they grow up, they come back as volunteers. Today' campers become tomorrow's leaders.
Every year VBS week requires dozens of volunteers to make it run. While many of those volunteers have come from within the congregation, there is always a great amount of support received from the wider community. That broad appeal is a big part of what makes VBS so special for First Baptist.
Recent VBS directors have included Janet Dickson, Laura Maguire, and Cyn Cronkwright to name a few. Ministers also tend to be heavily involved. Rev. Dana Lamb can be seen at the left side of the 1960 VBS photo, and Rev. Darrell Maguire is likewise near the left of the 2024 group picture. It's not necessarily one of the duties of their job. They are there because they want to be part of it, just like the other volunteers.
In addition to the volunteers who run the program, countless donors provide supplies and materials for each year's event. It takes a lot of stuff to provide the kids with a snack and a craft to make each day. Whether it is giving their time, supplies, or financial contributions, nearly every family in the church contributes in some way to make Vacation Bible School happen annually. That makes it by far one of the most popular programs offered by First Baptist.
It is impossible to estimate how many people have been involved over the past 80-plus years either as participants or volunteers. But it is safe to say the number is in the thousands. It is one of the most impactful activities at the church and has a much longer history than many people realize. Let's keep it going for another 80 years!
VBS 1945
VBS 1960
VBS 1990
VBS 2024
