If you think summertime ministry is stagnant, think again!
This summer, western Washington churches engaged in relational outreach and revival activities.
Auburn City and North Hill Fellowship held outdoor church; Shelton Valley, North Creek Fellowship and Puyallup hosted Christian car shows; Bremerton-area churches and Auburn Adventist Academy organized benefit golf tournaments; Winlock presented a religious liberty camp meeting; and Spanish churches gathered for an Adventist heritage-themed camp meeting.
"Evangelism at its core," says Bruce Koch, Washington Conference ministerial director, "is about developing relationships with people and pointing them to Jesus."
Vacation Bible School is a staple of summertime ministry. At least 16 churches in western Washington presented VBS programs where children ages 4–12 learned about Bible heroes, communicating with God, firing up their faith, exploring the high seas of God's word, blasting into space, traveling to Egypt and suiting up with the armor of God.
"Vacation Bible School is intended to plant seeds for Christ that will be harvested over time," says Karen Fedak, Lacey, Wash., VBS leader.
A six-year-old boy with autism attended Bellevue's VBS along with 130 church and community children. It didn't take long for the children to accept this little boy, and his mother tearfully told VBS staff, "We'd like to start coming to your church."
Auburn Spanish Company hosted their first VBS this summer where a community father brought his two daughters after he heard a radio announcement about a VBS in Spanish. The girls are now planning to join the church's new Adventurer Club.
In Graham, Wash., VBS attendance swelled to 60 after a local daycare brought 20 children each day. "Our goal is to make VBS a great week for our church kids while also making it an evangelistic tool to share Jesus with our neighborhood," says Kristi Candler, VBS leader.
Read more VBS stories at washingtonconference.org.
More than 50 children attend VBS in Lacey, Wash. Staff lead the children through a simple prayer near the end of the week as they accept Jesus into their lives. They all respond "yes."
Churches in western Washington are engaging in relational summertime ministry like Auburn City (Wash.) Church's Outdoor Church or local camp meetings. (Rick Quast)
At least 16 churches in western Washington offer Vacation Bible School programs this summer including Grays Harbor where children learn about the armor of God.
Auburn Spanish (Wash.) Company, a fairly new church in Washington Conference, hosted their very first Vacation Bible School. They promoted their summertime ministry via radio and had a family from the community attend.
North Hill Adventist Fellowship in Edgewood, Wash., invited the community to a summertime outdoor concert where the Keepers of the Faith, a popular Samoan singing group in the Northwest, and other local musicians performed. (Heidi Martella)
Six years ago, members in Shelton, Wash., decided to develop a Christian car show as a summertime outreach ministry. The success of the Shelton Valley Show n' Shine inspired additional Adventist churches to host car shows. (Robert Scott)
From car shows to Vacation Bible School, Washington Conference churches are actively engaged in summertime ministry. Here Gene Bresee, Shelton Valley Show n' Shine event leader, hands out car show awards. (Robert Scott)
