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Richards youth learn through stories, examples
RICHARDS, Mo. -- The Rinehart Christian Church of Richards has been building faith in the youth of Vernon County with a very constructive approach to the subject of Vacation Bible School.
Vacation Bible School director Nathan Forkner has garnered the support and assistance of dozens of the congregation's adults and young adults as well as county residents to design and create a Vacation Bible School atmosphere unlike any other.
Working within the theme of "Under Construction," the dedicated group has spent most of the last year planning, setting up and sometimes constructing the elaborate activities and classes that the children have been attending all week. There were five different stories told to the students and each one of them corresponded to something from the bible that had to do with building. The children rotated days and stories.
One of the lessons, "Build on a Firm Foundation," was based on the wise builder story from the bible and had two different building sites set up. Both were equipped with an elaborate hose and sprinkler setup to simulate the effects of rain on a weak building of logs set on a foundation of sand and the other on a strong building of blocks set on a foundation of concrete. The children could grasp the meaning of the story because the logs actually began to fall as the rain eroded the sand out from under them.
There was a gathering supplies story to illustrate creation, set up as a science lab. The story of Saul changing course was brought to light in the any one can build story. Nehemiah was told as the finish the job story and a full size arc was staked out in the field to teach the children the story of Noah and believe in your work.
The entire building and grounds were decorated to look like a construction site. Vacation Bible School director Nathan Forkner came up with the idea saying that if you can get "something the boys are interested in then the girls are okay, but it can't be girly or the boys won't be interested."
The church's sanctuary had a crane and beam, a ladder, construction barrier, cones and warning signs to give it the feel of a real construction site. There were saws and stud walls and just a lot of construction stuff throughout the church.
All of the props except some of the printing were made by the members of the church and "it is a year long effort," said Pastor Ricky Walles. "They go all out. The goal," Walles said, "is to have outreach through Nevada and the community and to reach the kids." Kids from all over the county were welcomed, given their own hard hat, T-shirt and fed a good meal before each day's activities. All food was donated.
The week long event has also been a chance for the children to raise some money. When they hit the $500 mark, director Forkner got a pie in the face; at $1,000 youth minister Cecil Dietz got a pie in the face; the $1,500 mark put a pie in the face of Pastor Walles.
When the children raised $1,250, Dietz and Walles played a special musical selection. Neither one of them knows anything about music.
"It was horrible," said Forkner.
Raising $1,500 also earned a Mohawk hair cut for Walles and on Friday, Forkner ate a goldfish when they hit a high point of $2,083.75.
Friday's activities ended with an obstacle course just for fun. The festivities will end on Sunday when there will be one more story and a video collage of all five stories as well as a video of the school's highlights. All participating kids will receive a certificate and the kids who have never attended before will get a new Bible.
Each day of this event there has been an average of 116 children nursery age through fifth grade participating an average of 88 people helping. "There's a lot of energy here," said Tracy Simmons. After the Sunday service all of the remaining food will be used for one last meal, all of the props will be taken down, and "you won't even know this had happened," said Forkner.
Yeah, right!