Building Rock-Solid Faith
Dear Friends,
If you didn’t hear it Sunday, catch it on social media, or catch the big banner out front of the church, our Summer 2025 Vacation Bible School Registration is OPEN! As of this writing, we have 80 kids registered in barely a week, so we’re well on our way to another HUGE program, filled with beautiful music, lots of laughs, serving the community and the love of Jesus, experienced by children and adults for an entire week.
This year, we’re venturing to Australia for Outback Rock, where the world famous Zookeeper, Dr. Digby Mayberry will introduce kids to some amazingly rare animals and our VBS Leaders will introduce him to the God who is always with us no matter what or when or where we go!
I’m sure we’re going to have some… interruptions in the Outback… and we’ll deal with them as they come. I mean, you can never be sure of what you’re going to experience at Canonsburg UP’s VBS, am I right?
Although… there is one thing that I’ve been certain of experiencing, every year that I’ve been here – pure joy. The buzz of those kids (which, understandably wears off a little bit by Friday, because we’ve tired them out so much) – it becomes a deafening roar at the close of each day. And even as tired as they are on Friday morning, that all changes by the time the evening program gets going. To see them up on that stage at the end, shouting out with all their might, the songs they’ve been diligently taught by some fabulous leaders all week… it’s pure joy.
And honestly, there are very few places in the “church world” where I go, and when the topic of VBS gets brought up, there isn’t a real sense of awe around what we do. It’s special. It’s kinda rare too. We just keep getting kids, young and old, who want to experience the joy of Jesus in our midst. It’s exciting. It’s contagious and it impacts just about everything we do.
It’s that vibrant joy that we desperately need in our church and in our lives. We just don’t function well without it. And… speaking for myself here… as I get older, that joy doesn’t come quite as natural anymore. I mean, I’m not “Get off my lawn” guy, but I realize that it’s a lot easier for me to lean into grumpy than it used to be. So I want, I need the joy of our children – VBS, Daycare and Youth who’ll lead our worship this Sunday, to remind me of the deep joy that we have in Jesus.
We’re just under two months away from VBS, but we’re only a few days away from being lead by these same children and youth in worship this Sunday. I think it’s safe to say that the same joy we witness at VBS will be on full display on Sunday as well. I hope you’re able to be there with us – online or in the room. It’s going to be special.
Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus – one childlike burst of joy at a time!
Pastor Don