Recruiting volunteers for Vacation Bible School (VBS) can be a challenge in any church, but when a congregation is small or aging or both, finding volunteers can be especially difficult. For two Alabama Baptist churches, cooperation has been the key to opening ministry doors in their communities through VBS.
Snowtown Baptist Church, Dora, in Mud Creek Baptist Association held a two-day VBS in June. On the first night, 21 children attended. Pastor Dennis Smith said such a low number might be disappointing to many churches but not to his church.
“For us, this was the first time in 22 years that the number of children attending was that great,” Smith said.
He credited a “very special team” from McNeil Baptist Church, Bessemer, also in Mud Creek Association, who brought both materials and enthusiasm to help at Snowtown Baptist.
“They reached out to bring the Word of God and two days of fun to these children who live in an area that has been hardened by time and the world,” Smith said. “There can only be positive results from all the time and effort these wonderful people put into this great event.”
In Cleburne Baptist Association, a similar effort started last year when members of the association’s VBS team felt they could help by volunteering their time and resources to assist a church that wanted to have VBS but could not because of the lack of volunteers.
Mountain View Baptist Church, Ranburne, said yes to the team’s offer. The rural church’s attendance had dwindled to a few faithful members with very few young people in the crowd and had not held VBS in several years.
Pastor David DeLong contacted associational VBS director Vickey Weathers, and they decided to hold a one-day VBS.
“We just asked them to take care of refreshments and love those kids, and we would do the rest,” Weathers said.
The result of the effort was an enrollment of 22 children and 16 adults, one of whom was a volunteer from the church who helped with crafts.
This year, the associational team made the same offer. Mountain View Baptist was ready to hold another VBS, and this year, more volunteers from the church stepped up to help.
“They had a three-day VBS, and the associational team provided only two teachers,” said Weathers, who served as director.
The changes in the church have extended further than just VBS. In the months since the 2010 Bible school, Mountain View has seen people come, and though the congregation is still small, Weathers believes that its willingness to step out on faith has given it new energy.
“I see God using VBS to revitalize a church that had almost given up. Now they are looking at the community around their church with new eyes,” she said.
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