Mom thought I should put my Vacation Bible School post on here, but instead I'll just put a link to it here. We have quite the memories of VBS from growing up.
I also remember VBS (and Sunday school) at the old Gridley church. I was in the first classroom, the one furthest to the left as you entered the classrooms. I remember the heavy partitions used to close off the separate rooms after the opening exercises were completed. Helen Funk and Ruth Ann Schlipf were my teachers and I remember staring at Ruth Ann's brace, and also thinking she was very sweet. I remember winning a cup and a cereal bowl with "God is Great, God is Good, Let us Thank Him for our Food" printed on the side of the cup.
My mom directed Bible School there one year. The theme song was "Footsteps of Jesus." That was the first time I ever heard that song, and to this day whenever I hear it I remember the old Gridley church and that long-ago VBS.
10 comments:
Great memories Ann. I remember mom taking on a project one year to cut out figures from the VBS books. It seems like we cut 20+ thousand Jesus's with His hand pointed to heaven and 40+ thousand little boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. I think I still have scars from the blisters from the sissors. You remember that Mom?
We are doing VBS this week and it's awesome to see so many kids singing praises and learning about Jesus. I get to run the overhead video and powerpoint. As Rhoda posted on Ann's blog, it does get a little tiring singing the same song 6 times in 2 hours....but in the end....it's all worth it! EDK
I had some epiphany that I was supposed to cut all the little figures from the preschool books...not just for Gridley but the whole AC church. I did it (and I guess you kids helped) for about 3 years until I had to admit it was just too much work...you're right, it was definitely 1000's and 1000's of cut-outs. Just another one of my crazy projects!
Don't know if you grandkids know, but your grandma (my mother) was instrumental in getting the VBS started and was the "superintendent" for the first couple years or so. Pretty progressive for a woman in those days. That was still in the basement of the old church.
You are right, Ada. It was mother who was in charge of VBS that year--not I. However, I taught the oldest class and thoroughly enjoyed it--and learned so much myself. Yes, it was in the old church and we had a table set up in the downstairs front lobby for our class. Jerry Sievers kept baby Mary and I took the two Sievers children to VBS.
I have alot of good memories of Bible School when I was a little girl too. Mom was the "head teacher" one year, when it used to be in the mornings instead of at night. I remember the trays of cookies and lemonade someone would always deliver at the right time. It was also fun to play outside of the chuch, in the grass and parking lot, as we didn't really do that much. When I think of Bible School, I always remember when we hit a dog in the road traveling from Minonk to Gridley. Funny what memories stick!
Angela, your last comment reminded me of taking children home after Bible school one hot summer day after a big thunderstorm with flash flooding. The road we were on had flooded and Mom stalled out while trying to get through it. Someone in the car chided her for putting the car in drive and our neighbor who had gone with us piped up, "What did you want her to do, put it in swim?" (I'm sure Rhoda will correct this in some way as her memory is much better than mine!)But we still quote Diana and her famous question!
I loved VBS and am glad many churches are continuing the tradition. I think it gives children great memories.
Oh, and Eric, we also helped cut out (but certainly not thousands like you), make music posters, pick up people, you name it we did it! But I always hated to see the last day come.
What I remember, Aunt Mim, about that year you taught the older kids in that little front room of the basement, was that you were teaching them about language...bad language...and you had written on the board the slang terms for bad words...darn, shoot, golly, etc. I was so amazed.
Also remember Stan fainting one year during the singing...he confesses now that he had chewed a lot of laxative gum the day before!
My memories of the old Gridley church VBS:
Having class in the baby room and trying to cut out our own pictures out of this heavy manila paper with the tiny dull scissors. I would be near to tears and have a bright pink hand every day. (No wonder they decided to have them pre-cut!)I also remember playing drop the hankie and red rover in the church yard - another near-tears activity and pink hands! I remember peony bushes in the church yard and the wonderful fragrance. That was a pleasant memory, as was the kool-aid and chocolate chip cookies. I remember when Stan got into a box of Ex-lax gum, chewed the whole thing, then fainted at VBS during the prayer, knocking the coin box off the table and scattering coins all over. Anybody else remember that??? I also remember walking home via the "pit" and having such a hard time keeping up with the bigger kids and worrying about falling on a piece of broken glass. I think I was a big worrier as a kid! Then when we lived in LaGrange I would spend the two weeks of VBS at Grandma K's. That's when I was introduced to dandelion salad - I remember her making it, though I don't recall eating it myself. After lunch Grandma always watched the news and took a nap. During the news there was a contest where people on the street tried to identify a celebrity's eyes. (You're right, Angela, the weird things you remember.) Most afternoons I would walk up to the pool. Great memories!
Cathy
About all I remember from VBS is that I got punched in the nose one year.
It's nice that the Gridley AC church finally got VBS going because in my day, there was none. Gloria and I were too old to attend the later VBS. The Community Church north of the Post Office did have VBS, however, and mom and dad sent me there and probably Gloria, too. Good memories of that, but it was all "town kids". That church building still stands, but not active now as far as I know.
Thanks to Grandma K. for initiating the VBS at the Apostolic church! I had no idea she was involved and that progressive and perseverant. Interesting posts!
Cleve
Post a Comment