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Show Vacation Bible school welcomes all There are hundreds of thousands of children and adults across the United States with happy memories of a Vacation Bible School that they attended sometime while they were growing up. For the past ten years, Grace Baptist Bap-tist Church, 835 N. Main, Bountiful, Boun-tiful, has provided that same happy opportunity for area children. Grace Baptist Church has been at its present location on Main Street for about 30 years. The congregation congrega-tion is Conservative Baptist, which means that Grace Baptist follows the literal teachings of the Bible. "We believe, for example, that Noah and Adam and Even were real people not just allegories," explains Becky Randall, Bountiful, director of the Vacation Bible School. There are 15 or 20 different kinds of Baptist Bap-tist churches across the United States. "This is a really warm church. The people are very friendly," she said. Vacation Bible School has been held for at least 10 years at Grace Baptist. Becky Randall has been the director for the last four. This year, for the first time, Grace Baptist will combine the Vacation Bible School program with that of First Southern Baptist Church in Bountiful. "We use the same program and we have a limited lim-ited number of individuals, so we decided to combine the facility," she explained. There are classes for ages 3 to 12. There is a preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds who are pre kindergarten. There is a kindergarten class for children who have been to or who are going to kindergarten in the fall. There are also classes for grades one and two, three and four and five and six. Hie church has about 120 children enrolled in the Bible School each year. The younger children have several teachers and helpers working work-ing with them. The older children have two teachers for each different portion of their class. To adverti se the school the church uses a banner at the church and then sends post cards to the children to advertise the opening date. "One of our messages is that it is not necessary to be a member of our church to be a member of God's family," Becky said. On Saturday, June 8, there will be a parade which starts at the church and goes around the block to Bountiful Park. Families can come to the park between 10 a.m. and 12 noon to enroll in the school. One night of the Vacation Bible School there will be a picnic. Another An-other night there will be a petting zoo and a chance to ride a horse. Besides learning about the Bible, Vacation Bible School traditionally also includes games and crafts. This year, because they are using a pioneer theme, the children will be trying some leather tooling, tin punch pun-ch and beadwork. The theme this year is "Sonward Ho, sharing the Adventure and Life with Jesus based on the Book of Acts.' The children will be reading about people like Peter, Paul and Cornelius from the Bible who were pioneers of the Christian Church. The Bible School runs every night Sunday, June 9 through Thursday, June 13, from 6:30-9:15 p.m. The closing party is Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m. followed by a fair from 8:15-10 p.m. in the church parking lot. The children have four new songs they will be practicing every night and a skit that the older children will put on during the closing. clos-ing. "A real cross section of kids come and bring their friends. Baptists, Bap-tists, Catholic, Mormon and even Jewish children have attended, Becky said. The church is also working with a group called Compassion. Offerings Offer-ings from the opening exercises each night and from the closing program will be used to help a child in need, probably in Mexico. A youth group is also going to Mexico in August to help build homes for people there. "We welcome all children. The B ible School is interdenominational. interdenomina-tional. We don't stress doctrinal issues but the message of being one member of God's family," Becky said. Children are welcome to bring their friends with them. There is no charge for the school. For more information in-formation call Becky Randall at 298-8456. |
