Students, catechists and volunteers pose for a photo during Vacation Bible School at St. Mary Parish in Wilton this summer.
By Lindsay Steele and
Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
It warms Liz Linnenbrink’s heart to see former Vacation Bible School students, as adults, dropping off their children for the summer catechetical program at St. James Parish in St. Paul. “This is exactly why VBS is important,” said the longtime volunteer and wife of Deacon Mike Linnenbrink, who serves four parishes in the Lee County area. “If we start building the foundation of their faith early, and we continue to build it at home and as a community, our kids will have a higher probability of remaining faithful to their Catholic faith.”
Most parishes in the Diocese of Davenport have hosted or assisted with VBS programs for generations. Here are some highlights from this year’s programs:
Champions for Christ
St. Mary Parish in Tipton hosted a sports-themed VBS from the Cat Chat curriculum, “Cathletics.” Each participant trained to be “a champion for Christ,” said Cheyanne Kofmehl, the parish’s director of Religious Education. “Each day, the children focused on learning important game plans such as the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, so that they have time-tested wisdom and truth to follow when they are not sure how to stay on track along the path of striving for sainthood.” Participants learned about virtues to exemplify and memorized encouraging Bible verses to reference during challenging times. Each day ended with eucharistic adoration. Many students commented that adoration was a highlight because of the way it made them feel, Kofmehl said.
Another highlight was an online video call with Father Jacob Boddicker, S.J., a Tipton native and a Jesuit priest. He spoke about how he trains to be a champion for Christ, how he shares his faith with others and how athletes exemplify excellence. He warned the students not to allow sports to become their idol. “We need to make sure that we give most of our life to Christ and keep him at the center. Being the best athlete in the world is not what gets you into Heaven,” Kofmehl said.
An ecumenical experience
Several communities in the Davenport Diocese offer ecumenical VBS programs. Five congregations in Centerville, including St. Mary Parish, team up to offer VBS each summer. Elementary-aged youths gathered in the city park for two hours on three consecutive Thursdays in July and August to study the “bee-attitudes.” “The children learned all about the Beatitudes and doing activities that bless others,” said Meho Clark, co-director of Religious Education at St. Mary Parish in Centerville. The youths made blessing bags to distribute to the homeless, painted blessing rocks to hide in the park for others to find, and planted flowers.
Youths in Blue Grass also participate in an ecumenical VBS program. St. Andrew Parish hosted this year’s program at the end of June. “We had some rain to deal with, so outside games had to move inside. But, the kids had fun,” said Phyllis Avesing, the parish’s Religious Education director.
A chance to serve
Lay volunteers are essential to the success of VBS programs, organizers say. Twenty volunteers helped 30 youths at St. Mary Parish in Wilton recognize the treasure of Mass. “The students developed a new appreciation for the Mass and deepened their love for Jesus in the Eucharist through faith teachings, catchy music, fun games, crafts and more,” said Taci Lilienthal, VBS co-director. VBS enriches the faith of volunteers and participants alike, making it a win-win for everyone, she added.
Some participants return to volunteer after they age out of the program. Teenage volunteers, among other responsibilities, put on skits for participants. “It has been fun to watch even the shyest of students participating in these,” Lilienthal said. “Watching the teens grow and blossom by helping the younger students … is one of the most heartwarming things we observe.”
The VBS program at St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf brought together 152 youths, 75 teen volunteers and 20 adult volunteers. While VBS serves primarily as a ministry to the youngest parishioners, “it also gives teens an opportunity to practice leadership skills,” said Maranda Brock, VBS director.
Sharing resources
St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport appreciates the convenience of Totally Catholic VBS kits from Group/OSV,said Madeline Dudziak, director of Faith Formation. For the past few years, the parish has shared VBS kits with the two Bettendorf parishes, St. John Vianney and Our Lady of Lourdes. Each parish hosts VBS on a different week under the same theme. “We work together to share resources and decorations, which lets everyone spend a little less money and cuts down on waste since items are used three times,” Dudziak said.
Giving trees
The four-parish cluster of St. Boniface-Farmington, St. James-St. Paul, St. John-Houghton and St. Mary of the Assumption-Fort Madison offered parishioners a new way to get involved with VBS this year. Each parish set up a giving tree with ornaments identifying needs for this year’s wilderness-themed program, “True North.” “We have done Angel Trees at Christmas and figured our parishioners would get the concept and help us out,” Liz Linnenbrink said. Parishioners could lend or donate items such as backdrops, posters, items for making a cabin, art supplies, paper towels and hand sanitizer. “One family donated a bear target, a tent, roasting forks and lanterns for the stage.”
The giving tree was a great way to involve parishioners who were unable to volunteer in person, Linnenbrink believes. “From what I’ve seen in our parishes, the laity want to be involved and feel a part of things… When it comes to the kids in our parishes, our people have always been very supportive,” she said. “Whether it was prayer, donations, or time and talent, everything came together.”
