Vacation Bible Camp 2015: Day One

Message Received:  Hearing God's Call

St Thomas Vacation Bible Camp, Monday, July 27, 2015

Welcome to VBC - we hope your children had a wonderful and wonder-filled day today!  Our theme today sets the tone for the entire week – God Has A Message For YOU… Can You Hear It?  The story woven throughout today’s activities is the story of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-21), a boy who served in God’s temple as a special helper to the priest Eli.  One night when Samuel was in bed, God called his name: “Samuel, Samuel!”  Samuel went to Eli’s room and said “Here I am, you called me.”  Eli was confused!  “I did not call you,” he said.  “Go back to bed Samuel.”  Samuel went back to bed and as soon as he lay down again, God called a second time.  “Samuel, Samuel!”  Samuel went to Eli’s room and said “Here I am Eli, you called me.” “I did not call you,” he said again.  “Go back to bed Samuel.”  So Samuel went back to bed.  Then God called Samuel a third time, and this time, when Samuel went to Eli, Eli realized that it was GOD who was calling to Samuel.  Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed.  When God calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”  Then God called Samuel and Samuel replied “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” God gave Samuel an important message.  God calls to all of us with messages of Love, Forgiveness, Sharing, Gratitude, Grace and Peace.  This week, we will be listening for God’s call to us.

Hearing and watching the story of Samuel in the storytelling station

In the outreach station, the children saw pictures of Nuevo Creacion, the orphanage in La Paz, Mexico.  Our service project this week is two-fold.  We are fundraising for the orphanage, so please join your children in bringing coins and bills to drop in the mailbox at the church entrance.  There are also cards they can write on and drop them in the box.  Additionally, our campers will be making blankets for each child in the orphanage. In the Crafts Station, the campers made wax resist hand-print paintings and noticed how different and special we all are.  They played games in the park and sang for the pure joy of it.  We hope that your children felt the welcoming embrace of God’s love today.

Making joyful music!

 Running in the park

 Being creative in crafts

Carefully tying knots on no-sew blankets for the children at Nuevo Creacion

St Thomas has welcomed strangers into our midst since the 1950’s, doing that in a very special way in July, when we offer hospitality to the men from Congregations for the Homeless.  Please read about them below and see if there is something you might be able to add to our welcome.  

Many thanks and blessings, Karen †

Help Us To Welcome the Men of Congregations for the Homeless!

Each year during the month of July, St Thomas hosts Congregations for the Homeless (CFH) - a group of nearly 40 homeless men who are working toward a better life.  Congregations for the Homeless works to end homelessness in East King County, Washington by helping men to successfully make the transition from homelessness to permanent housing. CFH offers 6 services which include a drop in Day Center, a year-round emergency Winter Shelter, a complete case management system, a subsidized housing program, outreach and mentorship, and employment support.  Together, these services offer single men a path to a stable and productive life.

You can help these men in very concrete ways.  We are collecting gently used men’s clothing as well as small toiletry items.  Please bring your offerings of clothing and toiletries to Vacation Bible Camp Monday through Thursday this week.

Thank you for your generosity – your contributions will help to change lives and will offer you the opportunity to talk with your children about the joy of giving, of sharing, of helping others.  Thank you and bless you.