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Old North VBS showcases Big Apple
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A class of first-grade ‘tourists’ at Old North Church’s Big Apple Adventure Vacation Bible School got ready to start their day after they participated in the opening worship rally.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.The Big Apple, Kristin Miller, and Lady Liberty, Beth Harrell, arrived in a working taxi cab and got the ‘tourists’ moving and singing during the opening worship rally July 29 at Old North Church’s Big Apple Adventure Vacation Bible School.
B ABBY SLANKER
A Big Apple Adventure was in store for the approximately 300 children who attended Vacation Bible School at Old North Church July 25-29.
The children, referred to as tourists, ‘visited’ the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty during the daily worship rallies, where they were also encouraged to ‘start spreadin’ the news’ about Jesus.
The skyline of New York City served as the backdrop to their adventures, complete with a working taxi cab in which the Big Apple herself, played by Kristin Miller, entered the room, accompanied by Lady Liberty, played by Beth Harrell.
The tourists enjoyed crafts, games, snacks, songs and Bible lessons, with focus on the key Bible verse of Romans 10:17, and were accompanied by volunteer tour guides. Approximately 150 adult and teen volunteers helped out in every aspect, from planning games to preparing and serving snacks to teaching Bible lessons to registering children.
In keeping with the Big Apple Adventure theme, the children were served such snacks as lady liberty torches, zoo mix, high rise parfait and street vendor hot dogs. The Austintown Dairy Queen donated 450 cups of soft serve vanilla ice cream for the snack on the last day.
Taking the Big Apple Adventure to an international level, the children were asked to bring in any spare change to be donated to the street kids of Maralal, Kenya, through Africa Health & Hope, a ministry that provides food, clothing and shelter to the street kids. At the end of the five days, the children had collected $800, and counting, for the ministry.
“My daughter went straight home and raided her piggy bank and I know other kids went home and raided their own piggy banks to bring change to donate to help the street kids of Kenya,” said Stephanie Katsaras, a volunteer at the Bible school.
Attendees were divided into age groups and were given color-coded Big Apple Adventure T-shirts to wear during the Bible school and were able to take them home at the end of the week or donate them to Africa Health and Hope.
Shari Thomas and Beth Harrell were co-directors, with it being Thomas’ fourth year. It was Harrell’s job to get the kids excited about the day and get them singing during the opening and closing worship rallies.
“It is an indescribable feeling to hear this many children singing to God. It was such a feeling of unified spirit. I often had to stop singing because I would get choked up. It was amazing,” said Harrell.
The children were invited to sing their Bible school songs at both church services July 31. The Vacation Bible School is free and open to children from age 4 through fourth grade and has been held for eight years.