Dispatch #1 from th' scurvy crew o' Vacation Bible Camp

As if there weren’t enough of a flurry of activity at St. Thomas already, along comes Vacation Bible Camp, a week-long day camp for kids ages 4-10. We have 94 children registered this year—a new record in St. Thomas’ recorded history! Among them are kids from a dozen different congregations, and a good number from no congregation at all. Our homemade theme this year is “Where Your Treasure Is …” And that seems like a good excuse for us all to talk like pirates. Arrr!

Throughout Monday morning, six groups of kids rotated among six different stations. In Patsy Regalia’s “Th’Bounty” station, children painted their own treasure chests. In “Ye Olde Chapel,” they watched a Veggie Tales video called Lyle, the Kindly Viking. In “Sea Shanties,” Charles Rus and Sunni Bannon taught them an original song called “Where Your Treasure Is.” In "Godly Tales," Josh Hosler explored the idea of parables and introduced the Parable of the Mustard Seed. On "Treasure Island," all sorts of get-to-know-ya games were the order of the day. In Jannie Best’s "Gifts for Life" station, the kids planted seeds that they will tend throughout the week and bring home. And in Vital Vittles, Kim Malcolm and her snack crew fed our pirates well.

We welcome your donation of spare change at any time this week. Bring it to St. Thomas and look for the giant treasure chest, or leave it with Josh. At the end of the week, we will make a purchase from Episcopal Relief and Development's Gifts for Life catalog.