Around 150 senior adults celebrated 250 years of the United States of America recently during the first day of their own Vacation Bible School.
Westwood Baptist Church in Alabaster held “In God We Trust” for its senior adults July 13–15.
This was the second year of VBS for the seniors, said Scott Morton, Westwood’s pastor of connections and generational ministries since 2019.
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“They’re looking for fellowship,” Morton said. “They’re inviting their friends from other churches. They’re looking to reminisce back to when they went to Vacation Bible School. Our end goal is for them to have memories and to glorify God.”
Attendance at the senior adults’ second annual VBS doubled since last year’s inaugural event. This year’s theme honored the special anniversary of the founding of the county. Monday’s focus was on the military, its past, present and future.
Steve West, who retired 11 years ago from the Air Force, was one of the speakers July 13.
Obedience
“God blessed me beyond who I was because of who He is,” he shared. “He took a vessel that wasn’t perfect, had been broken many times. God takes you from where you are and moves you to where you should be as long as you let Him.”
West currently works with more than 200 chaplains around the world as director of chaplaincy for the National Association of Evangelicals. He also is an author: “The Bronze Scar: Understanding How PTSD Feels to Help Victims and Those Who Support Them” and “Beyond the Scar: Healing the Wounds of Trauma.”
“You are evidence that God brings us through,” he said.
“It has been so much fun,” said Darlene Carrigan, one of the volunteers who first approached Morton about the idea two years ago. She and another member, Nancy Runyan, prayed about the idea and met with Morton to make it happen.
“I love to plan and organize and see the events.”
She said the church’s monthly senior adult luncheon draws between 75 and 100 people each month.
Uncle Sam was available for pictures as was an authentic World War II jeep.
Participation doubled
“We are really stepping up our program this year since it was a hit last year,” said Nan Scarbrough before the event. A bagpiper played the flag procession and a hymn, and Benjamin Franklin was one of the flag bearers.
A volunteer, Scarbrough was one of the volunteers who helped organize and lead during the three-day event. “Last year, we had 75 of our seniors attend,” she said. “It was a great week for our senior adult VBS. Everyone enjoyed it, and we’re so thankful for a week of good Christian fellowship with a patriotic theme, crafts, activities, snacks and messages from our main pastor, Kenneth Bruce. They felt like they had a vacation with their church family.”
Scarbrough said she hopes “this encourages other churches to start a senior adult VBS in their churches. … This is geared to feed their souls for God’s glory at this stage in their life.”
Tuesday honored local fire and police officers, and Wednesday was a culmination with the senior adult choir from First Baptist Church Trussville directed by Bob Smith and Kim Searcy. A luncheon was held the last day.
Morton, a retired Navy chaplain, said the theme appeared to resonate with this generation of senior adults. Many made sacrifices for their country in some very tough times.
VBS began at 8:30 a.m. and wrapped up before 1 p.m. Around 20 volunteers served the adults through registration, teaching classes, leading arts and crafts, putting out snacks, decorations and more. Participants were asked to write notes of encouragement for current troops and take a toy soldier to display to remind them to remember to pray for the military.
See more photos here.
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