30 Aug Camden, Mich: VBS, an Ice Machine, and Two Pies

Lake View VBS kids. (click to enlarge)

Ben Gladhill (left) and Steve Smith.

Ben Gladhill (right), associate pastor of Christian Education, Lake View Church (Camden, Mich.)

Lake View Church (Camden Mich.), hosted its annual VBS program July 15-19. Our theme this year was PRAISE, “where kids get down and lift God high.” The curriculum was produced by The Go Fish Guys, a Christian music group known for their acapella, and harmonies. Our program was set up like a concert venue complete with lighting and fog machines, and was high energy, exciting, and a ton of fun.

Throughout the week we set several goals for our teens. The first was an attendance goal of 80 kids. The reward: I would take a pie in the face. The last night we had a total of 83 children attend our VBS program, and I took a prune pie!

Each night we also collected a missions offering. Our project was to raise $1000 to purchase an ice machine to take with us to Laurel Mission on our trip with our teens. By our third night we had raised over our $1000 and upped our goal to $1500 (the actual cost of the ice machine). By the final night we had raised $2000 from the contributions of our children and leaders! Senior pastor Steve Smith stepped up and took a second prune pie for the amazing offering!

Finally and most importantly, we had 14 children accept Christ during VBS—14 more lives for the kingdom! Praise God!

29 Aug Aug 29 Update on Dan Paternoster

Mark Wilson, senior pastor of Fowlerville UB church, sent this update about Dan Paternoster, who was in a serious accident on the morning of August 28.

“Dan continues to show small signs of improvement. He has been moving his arms and his legs, and even though he has not woken up yet, he is responding to the nurses when they try to perform any kind of procedures. The next 24–36 hours continue to be critical, and until that point they are not able to provide a prognosis. So your continued prayers for complete healing are greatly appreciated.”

29 Aug 555 Attend Friends and Family Day at Hillsdale UB

Part of the crowd at Hillsdale’s Friends and Family Day on August 26. (click to enlarge)

Pastor Lester Smith gave a dramatic presentation of 1 Peter.

All afternoon, fun on the camp waterslide.

The Hillsdale UB Church in Hillsdale, Mich. (known locally as the “HUB”), held its 14th annual Friends and Family Day at Michindoh Conference Center on Sunday, August 26. With the exception of Easter, no other HUB worship service brings in more guests than the last Sunday of August.

Music was provided by the Vanderveen Family. Gary Vanderveen is a United Brethren pastor in Florida. Les Smith, HUB senior pastor, appeared as “Peter” and dramatized I Peter. He had just finished a summer preaching series from the same book.

There was a combined attendance of 555 at the indoor (held earlier at the church) and outdoor (at Michindoh’s amphitheatre) services. Over 450 people were served at the free picnic. Afterwards, a long line formed at Michindoh’s waterslide all afternoon.

28 Aug VBS: the Giant Bubble and the Lion’s Den

A giant bubble around the children helped illustrate how God protected Daniel in the lions’ den.

During the week of August 6 -10, International UB church (Allentown, Pa.) held its annual VBS, in partnership with St. John’s Evangelical Congregational Church here in Allentown. This year’s theme was Babylon Daniel’s Courage in Captivity.

The kids enjoyed the acting, games, lessons, worship, and crafts. However, one game made a mark on them. They were covered with a giant bubble to show how God protected Daniel in the lion’s den.

The hit song was “Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone.” Many were very touched and teary during the singing. At the closing service, Pastor Neville Tomlinson gave a brief message on how the church must prevent re-education of our kids by secular society.

Pastor Tomlinson adds, “One highlight of the month was our first infant dedication (right), which was very moving to us because it was the daughter of our spiritual son whom we discipled over 10 years ago.”

27 Aug Four Pies for $825

Seated, l-r: Derek Bostick, Dan Henley, Jim Bolich, and Cherie Finkey. Photo by Matthew Ciccocioppo of the Shippensburg Sentinel.

Four members of the Prince Street church staff (Shippensburg, Pa.) took a pie in the face on July 18. It was all a belated part of the church’s Vacation Bible School, which this year used the theme “Amazing Wonders of Aviation.”

This year’s charity was a local food pantry. As an incentive, this year they offered to throw a pizza party for the kids if they met the goal. By day 3 of the 5-day VBS, the goal was met. So, to motivate them further, they told the kids that for each $100 raised, they would get to put a pie in the face of a church staffer. In this order:

• $200: Derek Bostick, vacation Bible school master of ceremonies.
• $300: Dan Henley, pastor of youth and worship ministries.
• $400: Jim Bolich, senior pastor.
• $500: Cherie Finkey, director of children’s ministries.

By the end of VBS, the kid had raised $825. Which meant four pies in four faces.

Who, among the 100 children attending, would get to throw the pies? They decided it would be the kids who brought the most friends to VBS.

Although VBS was held June 10-14, these four staffers wouldn’t all be together until July 18. So that’s when the pie-throwing occurred. The staffers sat in chairs on the sidewalk behind the church. Pies were thrown, and with each one, the children roared with laughter.