Vacation Bible School brings hundreds
of children to church, changes lives

Many churches in the Corpus Christi District offered Vacation Bible Schools during June and July.
Asbury UMC, Corpus Christi, drew 734 children to its Vacation Bible School June 4-8. But the important number was 130 first-time commitments to Christ, said Beth Gray, director of children’s ministries.
“Salvation for children, bringing children into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ”
is the reason Asbury offers VBS year after year, she said.
About 225 volunteers worked, and Bishop Joel N. Martinez visited the weeklong VBS.
This year’s theme was SonForce Kids, published by Gospel Light.
Children were “on a mission for God” as special agents, headquartered on a satellite that
revolved around the earth, Gray said.


The last day featured a picnic at noon, she said, and parents attended.
Children from preschool through fifth grade were invited to VBS, Gray said.
Grace UMC, Corpus Christi, saw more than 150 children attend its morning and evening VBS events, themed “Take the Plunge,” said Candi Tomlinson, who organized the week. VBS included children from 3 years old to the fifth grade.
“(VBS) is really effective in outreach,” Tomlinson said. “They are a captive audience. Typically the first Sunday after VBS, the kids all perform in worship, so those families get invited. You start to see some of the same
families at other events throughout the year.”
For children already involved in the church, Tomlinson said, “It just strengthens the idea that this is their church. It’s not just their mom and dad’s church. It’s a place where they can relate to God on their level, with activities and events and stories that they can turn around and put to use in their lives.”