10th Annual Community VBS Hosted by First Baptist Church

This week, the First Baptist Church of Salem hosted their 10th annual community Vacation Bible School (VBS). This community VBS, themed “Start the Party”, offered local children a chance to participate in fun, engaging summer activities centered around stories and values from the Bible.

“VBS gives kids an opportunity that they don’t find out in the real world,” said Christy Brewer, First Baptist VBS Organizer. “I was a VBS kid. I grew up with VBS at Blue River Baptist, and it gave me the chance to meet kids that were different. They had different cores and values that you wouldn’t find with kids who aren’t in the church… So it allows you to see people that have a different attitude or a different value in life, and I think that opens opportunities in the future to know that there are alternatives out there. You don’t just have to go down one path."

“First Baptist has a really  good VBS. We put a lot of effort into it, and I’ve got fantastic  people that work this VBS. God is all over it. There is no way I could pull this off without Him,” said Brewer.

VBS at First Baptist consisted of several stations, but most notably was the Bible study room hosted by Pekin Pastor Benjamin Brewer.

“VBS is so awesome because we get the opportunity to take in kids from the community that don’t necessarily go to church, and they get to mingle with kids that do go to church,” said Ben Brewer. “They get an opportunity to see that church can be fun, and church can be exciting. It’s not just going to church on Sunday mornings, but that it’s also meant to be fun and enjoyable. There is a livelihood to discovering Jesus that I think a lot of kids don’t get to see. VBS is an opportunity to spread that liveliness to kids that don’t always get to see how fun it can be.”

Pastor Ben Brewer

Pastor Ben Brewer