VBS Directors’ Conference ‘sparks’ summer plans

Twenty-seven people from 20 Arizona churches learned about “Spark Studios,” this year’s Lifeway VBS program, at the 2022 Arizona Southern Baptist VBS Directors’ Conference at Royal Palms Baptist Church in Phoenix Feb. 5.

The VBS theme is designed to teach kids that God’s creativity didn’t stop in Genesis. They will learn “the Master Artist is working to redeem, reclaim, and transform us — His creation — to the design He planned for us.”

“The conference covered how to recruit a VBS team, different ways for doing VBS post-COVID and doing effective follow-up,” said Kelcey Fry, state VBS team leader and family life and worship pastor at HiWay Baptist Church in Mesa. Participants learned how to do breakout sessions and received access to Fry’s graphic design work for changeable advertisements, recruiting items and graphic helps. In addition, two churches won free VBS curriculum.

“We are working with the MVMNT Christian Book Store in Gilbert to offer all VBS needs,” Fry said. Churches can buy VBS resources, shirts, posters, curriculum, etc.

Lifeway also provides information and online access for purchasing additional Spark Studios resources at vbs.lifeway.com.

The Arizona State VBS Conference will be held on April 2 at Royal Palms Baptist Church. The conference is for youth, first-time teachers, veteran teachers and directors, regardless of the size of the church. It is designed to equip and train people to help at their own church.

The focus will be on learning how to effectively teach individual grades, rotations or rally time. It will cover issues like keeping VBS safe, talking to kids about Christ, decorating, using student leaders, classroom discipline and more.

The conference will be from 9 a.m. to noon, with registration at 8 a.m. It is free, and every person who comes will be entered to win a door prize. There is no lunch provided. Please pre-register at azsbc.org/state-vbs-conference/.