West Volusia Spiritual Side: Free Vacation Bible School for all ages

By Margie Dykes

posted Jul 3, 2010 - 12:21:08pm

VBS for everyone

Faith Lutheran Church in DeLand announces its free Vacation Bible School, and it’s not just for kids anymore.

This year’s theme is Baobab Blast, and the school will include several generations of participants, and will be at Good Samaritan Florida Lutheran Retirement Center in DeLand.

The mammoth baobab tree, growing on the African savannah, is home to a vast variety of animals and plants that depend on one another for survival and well-being. A baobab tree is “growing” at Good Samaritan Florida Lutheran. A community of learners and teachers will meet under its branches July 26-30 for a week of creating and connecting at God’s Great Get-Together. Daily Bible stories and memory verses are the basis for each daily theme of trust, love, follow, care and share. All week long, everything will link back to the overarching theme of community.

Using the same rotation model as in past years, children age 3 through sixth grade will hear and become involved in exciting Bible stories at Savannah Storytelling; sing and play music with Ms. Deborah at Madagascar Music; create theme-inspired crafts at Kalahari Crafts; and make their own snacks at Grasslands Games and Snacks. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to visit anytime.

Teens will be actively involved as small-group guides and helpers. Residents at Good Samaritan will be as involved as they wish to be — teaching and helping, singing along at worship times, or just observing the youngsters as they romp through the savannah. At Baobab Blast, the community includes the young and the “young at heart.”

To register, call 386-734-2791.

Learn about Tom Paine

Eric Orr, a member of the church family at First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand, will speak about Thomas Paine’s life and contributions to the founding of our country, during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 4, service.

Religious education is available for children of all ages.

For more information, call 386-734-6499 or visit www.uudeland.org.

A night of fun

Deltona Lakes Baptist Church is offering a free night of fun.

The Christian rock band True Gain will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 10, followed by an ice-cream social. A love offering will be taken for the band.

The community is invited.

Honoring the Fourth

The Fourth of July holiday will be recognized at Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Orange City at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service July 4 with a program titled “Fifty Ways to Honor Independence Day.”

The service will include music, readings, and a list of 50 ways everyone can honor the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Using information about the crafters and signers of the Declaration on July 4, 1776, as well as political, geographic, and economic descriptions of the world at the time of American independence, the service will be interactive and encourage audience participation. Mosaic member John DuPree will be the lay leader for the service.

The music will include patriotic songs spanning the more than two centuries since the Revolutionary War. The words of religious and political leaders during the formative years of the United States’ development will be read. Time for conversation and refreshments will follow the service. Everyone is welcome.

Later that day, at 3 p.m., the community is invited to join a small, informal group, for Mosaic in the Afternoon, a service which will include music, meditation, and a time for discussion and fellowship.

For more information, call 386-228-3130 or visit www.mosaicuu.org.

Events at First Christian

Evening sessions of Vacation Bible School are planned for Aug. 1-6 at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand. Bridget Vaughn is the director, and the theme is “Come Ride the High Seas With Us!”

Sue Brague has been distributing the new church directories. Mary Martin is collecting $5 from those who want a directory but do not have their picture in it.

The church is hosting Interfaith Kitchen on Tuesday, July 6, at First United Methodist Church of DeLand.

On Sunday, July 11, at the 10:45 a.m. service, there will be the update on the 14th Quadrennial Assembly of Disciple Women in Greensboro, N.C.

The church’s new e-mail address is fccofdeland@att.net.

A benefit to help end homelessness will be 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, at Friendly’s Restaurant on North Woodland Boulevard in DeLand. Twenty percent of the proceeds will be given to the Volusia/Flagler Coalition for the Homeless and will be designated for West Volusia.

Honoring men

Two special events are on tap to honor men in the community.

The 100 Distinguished Men in Black Luncheon is slated for noon Saturday, July 10, at Gateway Center for the Arts, 800 North U.S. Highway 17-92 in DeBary. The theme is “Men of Faith Working in Love, Peace, Harmony and Excellence.” The guest speaker will be the Rev. Troy Bradley, pastor of Greater Union First Baptist Church of DeLand. Admission is a donation of $20. The event is hosted by the men of Greater Faith AME Church in Deltona, and the proceeds go toward the Sunday-school convention.

A worship service “Men’s Day Service” will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Greater Faith AME Church in Deltona. The guest messenger will be the Rev. James Turner, pastor of Church of God in Sanford.

For more information, call Joyce Webster at 386-575-0510.

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