Does your church charge for VBS?

[milovany]

VBS has always been an outreach. If that is no longer the case, RENAME it.

 

 

Respectfully, I don't agree with this at all. I fondly remember VBS as a child and it's wasn't an outreach; it was a weeklong, fun, summer program for the kids in the church. VBS means Vacation Bible School -- there's nothing specifically outreach in that name.

[jvenice]

VBS should be one of the home based missions for the church. To charge for it is sad. I wonder what Paul would say. Christ would probably come in and throw over the T-shirt table. It is not like Upward where they are participating in a sport and have uniforms. VBS is all about Christ and learning about Him. If a church can't afford to put it on, raise the funds, or wants to make money doing it, then I think they should forego it all together....that's just my opinion.

[tonersl]

$10/child with max of $40/family. The money is used to pay for the curriculum, supplies and a snack with drink that is offered midmorning. We are asked to bring in food that is donated to the local food shelf along with gift cards to local grocery stores that are also used by the food shelf. The parent is supposed to iron on a transfer to a tshirt for each child that they wear the last day of VBS (the transfer is supplied by the church). With multiple children, the cost can add up but, I feel that because most of the cost is for supporting a local food shelf (if you choose to donate to the cause), it is definitely worth it.

 

Shannon in NC

[LuvToRead]

I would rather a church do less, and keep it free. I've never even heard of a church charging for VBS. Most churches around here even provide T-shirts for free.

 

I go to a very small, rural church, and we pick up kids from town. Over half of the kids that attend our VBS would not be able to pay a dime. So, if we charged, then jt would be a handful of kids, whose parents are already volunteering, footing the bill.

[vonfirmath]

I would rather a church do less, and keep it free. I've never even heard of a church charging for VBS. Most churches around here even provide T-shirts for free.

 

I go to a very small, rural church, and we pick up kids from town. Over half of the kids that attend our VBS would not be able to pay a dime. So, if we charged, then jt would be a handful of kids, whose parents are already volunteering, footing the bill.

 

Each church knows what works best for their own situation and, since we do not know the heart, it is very hard for outsiders to judge what is best for a particular church's program

[iquilt]

Ours has a suggested craft fee per child but it is on the "if you can afford it" basis. Last year when I taught the 4 year olds I had about half the class submit the craft fee and the rest were never asked for the fee.

[cathmom]

 

ETA: I don't think they'll rename it, the VBS concept existed for too long before Catholic parishes picked it up. I think they offer it so that parents aren't pressured to send their kids to Protestant churches because VBS is so common and kids want to do what their friends do.

 

Don't get me started on my rant about Catholic churches who do Protestant VBS programs! Even the so-called "Catholic" versions aren't very Catholic.

[LuvToRead]

Each church knows what works best for their own situation and, since we do not know the heart, it is very hard for outsiders to judge what is best for a particular church's program

 

I wasn't judging. I didn't say it was wrong to charge for VBS. I was just stating my opinion, and my personal experience.

[Tree Frog]

Zombie