Which is why I loved my job again this year. For the second year I was "stage manager" for the big opening and closing productions in the sanctuary each day. Sounds like much more work than it is (again, for me). Someone else wrote the scripts and the songs and did the scenery and made the slide shows. I ran copies, handed out binders, gathered props, directed the "motion girls," wrote cue cards and pulled falling pieces of scenery off of the motion girls (don't worry, we used copious amounts of painter's tape the second time). And while I was overseeing everyone else's performances, I watched hundreds of children and youth grow more and more riveted in the stories of our pretend journey through space and our real journey towards the one true star of the bible, Jesus.
And this year, I also got to watch Sam and his little buddies. As Pre-K's this year they got to come to the sanctuary for the opening and closing and then participate in the preschool program throughout the morning. I watched these kiddos, many of whom have been in class together since they were 3 months old sing, dance and play during the songs. I watched them recite their memory verse - and they can't read, so you know its from memory! I watched them grow fearful and excited as the week's plot unfolded. And it was all so. much. fun. to watch.
I'm not kidding about the fearful part! On day 1 our actors, who also happen to be the "youth guys" and best friends, executed and trust fall from a balcony 7 feet in the air. I had to go hold a few hands in the front row as I saw little lips start to quiver and eyes being covered by little hands. By morning 3 it was evident that we needed a quick talk, so the 4's and 5's were held back. Our Children's Ministry Director brought the actors out without costume, showed them there were no real buttons on the cardboard space station controls, and reinforced the idea of make-believe. It was all so exciting, and it was just a little hard for them to understand which parts of the script were real and which weren't. Precious little tender hearts!
Sam loved it and totally owned it this year. While he was happy to help with my set-up each morning, he was more excited to go sit with his class. He learned the preschool bible verse in his class, and picked up the rest of the verse, that the older kids learned, in the opening and closing. He mostly told me about the games and snacks each day, but when prompted he would speak to the bible stories as well.
And the music - the only word here is obsessed. Honestly. He requests it in the car, for nap time, he turns it on in his room for play time. He stands on his bed, as if it were a stage, to sing and do the motions. We listened to it for - literally - hours on end during our road trip last week (now Chris will sing it, too. Hahaha). This is no small thing - the child is very particular that music is only for the car and that he decided who is allowed to sing and when. Perhaps all that is about to change...
Oh, and now he'll tell me, "I'm into space."
I must add that I am very impressed with the work done by our church staff this year. They chose to write their own curriculum, which is a HUGE amount of work. There are skit scripts, bible lessons, snacks, games, science experiments (which must reinforce the day's message!), station scripts, etc. And they wrote and arranged music, produced a CD, designed and logo and t-shirts, etc etc etc. That on top of all of the work that goes into VBS if you buy pre-designed curriculum. Wow. God is good to have placed us in such an amazing church!
No comments:
Post a Comment