Vacation Bible School launched a “Galactic Quest” the first week of August. The lower half of the Grants Pass Church converted beautifully into a giant VBS “spaceship.” The mission was clear: share Jesus' love and plan for salvation with “cadets” (children). Sixty-five cadets registered and participated.
There were five main “stations” on Spaceship VBS. In the Simulation Room, cadets engaged in various physical activities. In the Mess Hall, snacks included space burritos and banana rocket pops. In the Ready Room, stories were shared from Jesus’ life, with scenes recreated and discussed. In the Space Lab, projects such as sprouting seeds sparked much interest and focused attention on our Creator. There also was the Engineering Room, where crafts created included a solar system mobile, an astronaut book with the cadets' pictures, a telescope and a birdhouse.
Daily assignments given each day served to show the character of God:
- God is our Creator;
- God has a plan;
- God is dependable;
- God is our rescuer;
- God is our friend.
Mission specialists for this quest were Donna Clifford and Christian Martin, Grants Pass Church pastor. Clifford served as coordinator for the entire week. She recruited officers and cadets and planned the five-day mission so it would be a great experience for all involved.
Martin was the spiritual leader for the cadets and officers. He spoke to the cadets, prepared them for travel and prayed with them each night. Near the end of the mission, Martin was given the OK to remove the restrictive neck brace he had been wearing since Father's Day. A tractor accident had left him millimeters from paralysis or death. Through a series of miracles, he was present at VBS to show everyone how great our God really is.
While this five-day mission was certainly a time commitment, what a blessing it was to show Jesus, the Captain, to these precious kids. VBS wouldn’t have been possible without a powerful team of volunteers. Some helped set-up and clean up. Some brought food and other supplies for the missions. Ten teens served as CPOs (Chief Petty Officers) and helped man the stations with adult "officers." The Oregon Conference helped supply equipment for the spaceship. This VBS truly was out of this world.
Cadets learn about God while on a "Galactic Quest."
Cadets explore the various stations on Spaceship VBS.
Christian Martin, Grants Pass Church pastor, and Donna Clifford dress up and get ready for an out-of-this-world VBS.
