Vacation Bible school aims for grateful children

Tag : Crafts For Children
Vacation Bible school aims for grateful children





Sat. Jun 21 - 4:32 AM



Ten-year-old Cheryl O’Rourke felt good singing Kumbayah andFather Abraham with her friends at vacation Bible school and makingspecial crafts to take home.

Thirty-five years passed before she got to do it again.

Ms. O’Rourke kept going to church all those years, butvacation Bible schools just didn’t happen anymore. But inthat time, the Grade 1 teacher and mother saw an increasing numberof children who just didn’t seem very grateful for all theyhave in life. So last summer Ms. O’Rourke decided to dosomething about that.

She organized the first vacation Bible school that St. Luke’sUnited Church in Upper Tantallon — and many churches in thearea — had hosted for decades. Her goal was to instil aspirit of thanksgiving and mission in children.

The church was overwhelmed with enrolment and this year already hasenough teachers to take 46 children from ages three to 12. The aim,she said, is to create hearts of gratitude in these children.

The five-day program was developed by Angela MacLean, who said shewas inspired by her first visit to Metro Turning Point, anemergency shelter for homeless men in Halifax.

She joined many of these men to plant 3,000 bulbs to beautify thearea, and the experience stirred her to want to create a deepersense of gratitude.

"Gratitude is about knowing you’ve been blessed, givingthanks and giving back," she said in a church news release.

Kevin Little, the pastor at St. Luke’s, said he often hearsfrom parents concerned their children lack a sense of gratitude fortheir material blessings. "There is a sense of entitlement, ataking for granted what standard of living we in Canada have cometo expect."

Ms. O’Rourke said kids often don’t realize theirmaterial possessions and their families and communities areblessings. "We live in a material world, unfortunately, and we wantto help children realize they are blessed and that they can blessback."

The week-long camp, which is being held at the church beginningJuly 7, has a theme for each day: joy, hospitality, prayer,generosity and action. "We want to help children be aware of theirmany blessings that they sometimes take for granted."

The day will begin with a scripture reading and story from Mr.Little, and then the kids will have discussions and make crafts.