VBS Preview Family Celebration 1

family celebration explanation

We are excited to debut this special version of the VBS Family Celebration at the VBS Preview and Institute Events. Most elements of this plan have been adapted from the 2015 VBS material using supplies that are easily available at your church, the 2015 VBS Catalog, or on the VBS Event digital pass. We believe that VBS is an incredible tool to reach unchurched families and share the message of Christ with them. Our hope is that your family celebration is a time to intentionally reach out to families who might not be involved in a church or have a relationship with Jesus.

Other VBS Family Celebration Options: • The 2015 VBS Musical (005648003, 005652740) • A time of worship and a message by your pastor • Organized Mass Chaos (005185510)

• find VBS-themed task cards at centrikid.com/omc • A showing of The VBS 2015 Movie: The Lost Adventure (005732167)

• for more info about the movie, visit lifeway.com/films

Whatever your VBS Family Celebration looks like, we encourage you to not only plan a fun night for families to attend and watch their kids, but to plan a time of gathering or fellowship with your church members and guest families to welcome them and intentionally connect them to the Gospel, your church family, and the church. Don’t forget to collect information so that you can follow-up with these families!

Tips for Creating a Great Family Celebration Designed to Connect: • Design activities that promote conversation • Train workers to be conversational not just friendly • Train workers to collect and record essential information • Challenge each worker to adopt one family

VBS Preview Family Celebration 2

(As families and church members are entering, play the VBS music or other fun music. Consider using a 10

minute countdown on screen.)

Opening Song: Journey Off the Map (Track 1)

Tripp: (From offstage as if looking for Harvey.) Harvey? Harvey? (stumbles onto stage) Harvey? Where is he? (faces the audience) Oh hello! Have you seen Harvey? Oh no. Where’s Harvey? If he’s not here, how will I survive? I don’t know what I’m not allowed to eat. I don’t know how to do this! This is not good. This is really not good. What am I…

Harvey: (walks up behind Tripp and interrupts) What’s wrong, Tripp? I told you a hundred times that I needed you to welcome today’s team while I finished up the field guide for their Celebration tonight! (looks at audience) I’m sorry about that. This is my assistant, Tripp. He’s pretty new to the great outdoors. My name is Harvey, and I’ll be your guide during your time tonight. I’m glad you have decided to journey off the map with us.

Tripp: What Harvey didn’t tell you is that he’s a world-renowned wilderness guide. Last week, he discovered a new kind of quicksand—I fell in it, but he saved me. Stick with him, and you’ll be just fine.

Harvey: All right Tripp. Let’s review our survival tips. (to audience) Repeat after me. Always follow your guide. (points to audience to repeat), watch your step (audience repeats), and keep your eyes and ears open (audience repeats).

Tripp: I think we’re ready to journey off the map! Harvey— I didn’t pack anything. Don’t I need any special kind of gear?

Harvey: For our first part of the journey, you’ll only need this! (pulls out a VBS kids wrap) In fact, I think we need some friends to help us demonstrate how to use this piece of explorer gear. If your name is on the screen, come on up to the stage! (names on screen for game)

VBS Preview Family Celebration 3

Tripp: Woah! I would have never thought to wear the kids wrap like that. I really wish I had one to take

home.

Harvey: The kids wraps are useful on a journey— and they look good too! Say Tripp— would you like to take one of these gold kids wraps home?

Tripp: Yes!

Harvey: (to audience) What about you guys? Would you like to take one of these kids wraps home? (waits for a response) Great! Everyone here at tonight’s celebration will be receiving a kids wrap as they leave the auditorium!

Tripp: You get a kids wrap! And you get a kids wrap! And you get a kids wrap!

Harvey: Tripp, I think it’s time for our next adventure. Let’s get some more names on the screen to get ready for our next game. (give a bit of time for them to see their name and begin heading up to the stage)

While we’re getting these explorers ready for our next game, check out this video!

FUN VIdeo #1

(Optional VBS Song: The Way (track 4))

Tripp: Harvey! What are those?!

Harvey: Why those are just Journey Off the Map dragonflies! We need to catch some of these to take back home to show our friends the types of exotic animals we have found here. The cartographers here on the stage are going to help us play, “Dragonfly Launch!”

VBS Preview Family Celebration 4

Kids Wrap Mania • Each player has 10 seconds to put on the kids wrap in a new, creative way. • If they do not have the kids wrap on in 10 seconds, they are eliminated. • If they put on their kids wrap in the same way as another player, they are eliminated.

Also, if they put on their kids wrap in the same way a player previously did, they are eliminated.

• The last remaining player is the winner! Supplies Needed: a kids wrap (005701003) for each player

Tripp: (add this line in explanation) This sounds just like “Lunch Bag Launch” that is found in the recreation cards.

Harvey: Great job, explorers! Thank you so much for your help in catching all of those dragonflies.

Tripp: That was fun! Harvey, can we involve more friends in our journey?

Harvey: Absolutely! If you see your name on the screen, come on up to the stage for another fun game! (give them some time) While we prepare our new explorers for our next game, check out this video!

FUN Video #2

(Optional Song: Jesus is Our Guide (track2))

Harvey: This next game will be a true test of our new explorers’ ability to find things never yet found! Our friends will journey off the stage to find something extremely important to our adventure: our VBS motto!

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dragonfly launch • Divide each team into a dragonfly launcher and a dragonfly catcher. • The dragonfly launcher will use the giant fly swatter to launch the dragonfly to his or

her partner. • The dragonfly catcher will use the laundry bag to catch the dragonfly. • Whichever team catches 3 dragonflies first will be declared the winner!

Supplies Needed per team: 3 Inflatable VBS Dragonflies (005651431), a giant fly swatter, a laundry bag

journey off the stage • As the audience enters, hand 7 random people one of the motto shirts and ask them to

wear it throughout the celebration. • Instruct the players that they must work as a team to find all 7 people wearing the shirts

in the audience, bring them to the stage, and arrange the motto in order. • Instruct the audience that they cannot point to the people in the shirts, but they can

point with their elbows and make animal noises if the people wearing the shirts are near them.

Supplies Needed: 7 shirts with one word each of “This is the Way. Walk in It.”

Tripp: (to audience) Let’s all say our VBS motto together! “This is the Way. Walk in it!”

Harvey: Great job explorers! You all can have a seat. If you’re wearing a motto shirt, please give it to someone on staff before you leave tonight. While these folks are finding their seats, let’s get some new explorers up for our next game. (names on screen) Tripp, you can explain our next game!

Tripp: Congratulations! You all have some great memories and dance moves! You can have a seat. I want to play another game! Let’s get some more names up on the screen. Harvey, I would love to see one more of those hilarious videos. Can we please watch one more?

Harvey: Sure thing, Tripp. Check out this video while we get our new explorers ready for our next game!

FUN Video #3

(Optional Song: Your Glory is Forever (Track 8) or Stay On Track (track 5))

Harvey: This is our very last game of the night. Is everyone ready to play?

VBS Preview Family Celebration 6

motion madness • Instruct the players that a portion of a VBS song will play, and they must show the

audience the VBS motions to that song. • Instruct the audience to vote by applause which contestant they think performed the

motions the best. • Declare a winner based on the audience’s applause! • Optional: You can choose to play this game with multiple rounds.

Supplies Needed: Worship Rally CD Set (05650063) or Worship Rally DVD Set (005650064)

build a balloon tower • One partner must get down on his or her hands and knees while the other partner is

blowing up balloons and using masking tape to build a tower on their partner’s back. • Each team will compete to see who can build the tallest balloon tower in 60 seconds. • At the end of 60 seconds, whichever team has the tallest balloon tower wins!

Supplies Needed: 20-30 balloons, roll of masking tape per team

Conclusion

Tripp: Thank you so much for playing! You can have a seat, and feel free to keep the balloons taped to your back. You look like just like this exotic lizard I saw earlier today.

Harvey: We’ve seen lots of exotic things while on our journey. In fact, I’ve never charted so much land in one day! I cannot believe how much fun we have had. You all have been the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the icing on the cake. Tripp, you’ve really come a long way. You’ve learned almost as much as our friends have learned.

Tripp: It’s been a good day! I’ve turned over a new leaf and am ready for a new adventure (beings to walk off stage). I’m going to create the best cartographer’s equipment you have ever seen! I can’t wait I’m going to be…(large crash off stage). I’m okay.

Harvey: Explorers, you’ve come a long way too, and you’re always welcome here. We’ve had a lot of fun this week, and we want you to continue that fun with us. Now you are all professional explorers and cartographers, and it’s up to you to take others off the map! Until next time, keep exploring, and adventure on!

(Dismiss to time for church members and families to engage in intentional conversation.)

VBS Preview Family Celebration 7