The following story first appeared in the Summer 2000 Glenmary Challenge.
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Summer Bible School in Beaver Dam
Western Kentucky Mission Capitalizes on a Good Idea
By Jean Bach

Clue Crew Leader Alicia Paex hugs Dakota Gowins.

By mid-July children have begun the “I’m bored” phase of their summer vacation. The free time looked forward to at the end of the school year turns vacant and the eternal quest begins for “something to do.”

For years Protestant churches have helped combat this parental dilemma by offering Vacation Bible School programs where children gather for a week of fun activities that focus on religious themes.

Glenmary’s Holy Redeemer Mission in Beaver Dam, Ky., is one of the many Catholic parishes that have joined in hosting these programs over the past 15 years. And Holy Redeemer has adapted its Bible school to meet the needs of a rural county where Catholics are a minority.

The parish offered daytime summer Bible schools put on by Ursuline Sisters from Owensboro or years. These served as sacramental preparation for the children making their First Communion and being confirmed. But several years ago, when the sisters could no longer host the summer program, the 80-family parish decided to take on the project themselves—and make some changes.

The first year, according to co-organizer Gail Critchlow, was a little difficult. The volunteers (typically working parents with 9-to-5 jobs) had to plan the entire program, and “we didn’t have the time needed to start from scratch,” she says.

Then she found kits sold at a local Christian book store that supplied everything needed to run a Vacation Bible School (VBS). “It’s wonderful,” she said. “The kits contain Scripture, activities and a theme—and combine them in a way the kids really relate to.”

Other changes were also made. The program was moved to the evening and no longer focused on sacramental preparation for the children of the parish. That meant that all the children in the community could be invited to attend—including non-Catholics.

“We are the only Catholic church in the county,” Gail says. “We knew we had to come up with something to offer to the kids in our parish who were always being invited to other churches out in the county for their Vacation Bible Schools or other youth events. Their friends would invite them and they would have a good time and sometimes end up being drawn to those churches.”

The changes worked. Last summer Holy Redeemer’s VBS had 47 children take part in the program—17 from the parish and 30 others.

“I see our efforts as not merely nurturing our own but a chance to evangelize,” says Father Fid Levri, pastor of Glenmary’s missions in Beaver Dam, Horse Branch and Morgantown, Ky.

“This is a good experience for kids outside our faith community to come to the Catholic church,” Gail concurs. “Typically, they and their parents don’t have any idea what the church looks like or what we, as Catholics, are all about.”

A convert to Catholicism, Gail points out there are many families in the parish where the spouses are of different faith traditions. “The VBS,” she says, “is also a nice way for all family members to come to Bible school together.”

“It was one of the best Bible schools I’ve been a part of,” Father Fid says. “The excitement and enthusiasm among the children, leaders and parents was contagious.” Father Fid says that since it’s a “regional VBS,” pulling in children from other counties, it took a “great deal of planning, preparation and effort, especially by Gail and Rhonda (Jones). But it was well worth it. Joy radiated everywhere.”

Gail Critchlow hopes the same excitement and enthusiasm is part of this year’s VBS. “We’re expecting a larger crowd this year,” she says. “By the end of the week last year, after word had spread about how much fun the kids were having, many of the kids brought their friends and hopefully all will return this year.”

Gail and other volunteers are excited about this year’s NASCAR theme, “Racing for Jesus.” Last year’s Beaver Dam theme—“Treasure Hunt Bible Adventure”— will be used this summer for the VBS hosted by Holy Trinity Church, the Glenmary mission in Morgantown, Ky.