“Father Abraham had many sons, Many sons had Father Abraham, I am one of them and so are you, so let’s all praise the Lord!”
If you attended church camp, you probably learned this standard on day one. It was a rite of passage of every camper to learn this song and expected that they sing it loud and proud along with other classic church camp rituals that were learned and passed down from generation to generation.
The concept of church camp is now dramatically different in so many ways! Gone are the days of chapel and hikes. Even the concept of sleepaway camp for the local church is quickly diminishing. There are still some local programs for Jr. High and High School but the new wave of evangelization is the concept of a quality VBS, or Vacation Bible School. These (often) week-long events are planned around a theme and are sponsored by local churches and temples and are used for the purpose of entertaining kids on summer break, while building up their programs in the months when many parents are in need of childcare and activities to keep their children engaged and busy.
These programs are run through the children’s ministry department of just about every church, and are typically offered at a very low cost to the attendee. They can include everything from dress-up days, to wild and crazy splash events, even movies on the grass, tons of food, daily arts and crafts, songs, theatre, and lessons focused on religion and or the principles of that particular faith.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Southwest Community Church both offer week-long summer programs that are packed full of fun and entertainment, along with a good shake-down of Jesus and the faith. The program at Sacred Heart is entitled Miraculous Mission and is June 24th to 28th from 8:30 to 12:30 or 1pm daily. They have Bible stories, waterslides, games, snacks, and loads of fun. The cost for the week is $40 or $50 (staying till 1pm) and to register you stop into the church office or email cianson@sacredheartpalmdesert.com
The other “BIG” program is Southwest Community Church and their weeklong Summer Spectacular. Experience an unforgettable week from June 17th to the 21st. Bring your kids, ages 5 years to 5th grade, for a week full of interactive stories, music and games. This is a chance for them to have fun with friends while building character and experiencing a real life-change! The cost to register is $35 until June 9th and $45 after June 10th and includes fun, games, and snacks. The church is also looking for parent volunteers to help run the event, and they also have additional programs for little ones under 5 and special-needs attendees. Many past attendees have gone on to volunteer after their first experience and serve year after year. Local mom Melissa Merced tells us that “We will be attending and serving at summer spectacular at Southwest Community Church. We absolutely love the program they run. So much fun!” This program is volunteer run and serves a couple of thousand plus kids (and adults) every year.Those interested can contact Lynette Lynn at 760-200-200 for more details.
Another program is Camp Hope at Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert. This will be their third year running a VBS program and they expect to serve several hundred kids this year. Kids Pastor, Kevin Foley shared with us that his goal for his summer VBS program is “for kids to experience Jesus in a fun and interactive way.” Their program runs June – 24th – 28th from 8:30 am to noon. The cost is just $35 a kid and includes snacks, a tee shirt, games, activities, the message, and daily crafts. It’s designed for kids from age 4 to those finishing 5th grade, and volunteers are always welcome – Families can register at www.hopepd.org.
Another Palm Desert church that has an amazing program is The Garden Fellowship. This year’s theme is ROAR! Camp is June 24-28 and goes from 9am-12:30pm daily. Registration opens on May 19th. There is no cost for this camp, and includes snacks. music, crafts, learning missions and so much more. If you need more information you can email courtney@thegardenfellowship.com.
Also in Palm Desert is the program at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Their camp is from July 29th – August 2nd and runs 9am to 3pm. It’s free for the first 40 registrants. To register you can email Mollie Farrin at youth@stjohnslutheran.church.
For families that are looking for an evening program, the VBS program at Palm Desert Church of Christ runs June 26th to 28th from 6:00- 8:30 pm. This program serves ages 4 through completing 6th grade. For more information please contact Caleb Gervin 760-360-6595.
While the following programs have not yet finalized their summer VBS programs, you are encouraged to call them in anticipation of the summer months to find out about their annual summer programs: Temple Sinai in Palm Desert, Desert Chapel in Palm Springs, St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church and St. Francis of Assisi in La Quinta.
As the summer draws near and you are looking for a fun, low cost alternative to your child watching yet another “YouTube” video please reach out to one of these programs or your local church, temple or parish. All of these programs are run on the strength of volunteers so if you want to also get involved and volunteer that is also another option of connecting with your local community.
Many families will line up two to three of these VBS camps, back to back to keep their kids active and engaged and learning over the summer season. Mom of three, Alex Malex has attended various camps with her kids and what she says is that, overall, each has been a positive experience for her family. “Southwest (Community Church), Sacred Heart (Catholic Church) , and St. Francis (Catholic Church) each have gracious volunteers that host memorable religious educational experiences for my kids. Since my kids attend public school throughout the year, I am very grateful that these churches offer their summer programs at such reasonable prices that I can afford to enroll all three and really feel like they are learning about the love God has for them.”
If you want an option that includes you (and your children) staying cool, being active, and entertained, and sharing your faith with other like-minded individuals, a quality summer VBS program might be just the fit for your family.
