Vacation Bible School – Summer 2024
THANK YOU to our VBS campers, parents, and volunteers who made our VBS last week a tremendous success! This year’s mission supported our very own Mother Theresa Garden which will supply fresh food to the food pantry at Tree of Life. Garden topics such as weeds, good soil, mulching, and planting seeds were beautifully tied to scripture and being a Catholic witness for others. Leaving the garden, all campers were excited to take a walk through the misting tent to cool off.
The level of talent from the Drama and backstage team was something to see! Campers were entertained as the actors played out the scripts depicting Paul’s early persecution of Christians, to his conversion, to his death.
No program can be successful without the MC’s. Our teen MCs were amazing as they kept the program moving along, teaching the campers a song, visiting the stations, and sharing a wonderful video at the end of each day’s program.
The Craft Team went out of their way to provide first-rate creative crafts. Each camper made and took home a holy water font, a word illusion frame, a Eucharist magnet, a radiant cross, and note cards.
The Snack Team worked diligently every day to provide healthy and fun snacks on a tight schedule for all. They were our water angels, keeping everyone hydrated throughout the day.
During Church Time the campers learned about grace, mercy, and about the saints! Campers participated in Adoration on Wednesday and attended Mass on Friday. Be sure to ask your camper about the Divine Mercy.
Although the temperatures were steamy, the Games Team kept the campers cool with water activities and friendly competitive games.
Each day, campers were encouraged to share their God sightings which were recorded and displayed on the “rock wall”.
The entire week’s theme circled around how God’s love for us all is a gift and is worth sharing with others. We certainly felt His love this week! The Saint Francis de Sales has by far the best VBS program in the diocese. An outstanding job from everyone made the week the success it was! Well done!
A huge and grateful shoutout to Katherine Deming with Business Engineering Inc, and Norbo Dental for the donation of 500 VBS souvenir cups. Thank you!
Thanks to our own Knights of Columbus for the donation for the t-shirts. This generous donation helps to keep the registration cost down for our families. We also appreciate their help with the set-up and take-down of the drama sets.
Thanks also to Missy Krebs, owner/sales manager of S&K Management Promotional for providing St. Francis de Sales with excellent service and quality tee-shirts each year.
CLICK ON LINKS BELOW FOR SLIDESHOWS
VBS 2023 – EGYPT – Joseph on his journey from prison to palace!
Our 2022 Totally Catholic VBS was Totally the Best!
194 children joined faith filled fun by participating in bible based activities as we learned about Jesus being a child growing up in Nazareth. The children sang songs and learned bible verses that taught them that Jesus had a family, Jesus had a name, Jesus had a home, Jesus went to church, and Jesus served others, JUST LIKE US!!!
A daily drama was acted out each day, teaching the bible lessons: ‘Mary is chosen to be the Mother of Jesus’, ‘The dedication in the Temple’, ‘The Magi and the flight to Egypt’, ‘Jesus in the Temple’, and ‘Jesus performs His first public miracle’.
Church Time was filled with Catholic devotionals, lessons, scavenger hunts, and Adoration. Clever themed snacks and crafts were created. Fun games were played outside! We talked about God and filled a walled with our God Sightings.
We finished up the week with noon Mass on Friday and a hotdog cookout on the patio.
The VBS mission theme this year was “Children Helping Children in Our Own Backyard”. We raised funds to support Bakhita Kids, a 501c3 organization serving children ages 0-13 living in poverty in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. Every dollar brought in by the VBS campers will be used to help purchase some of the most-needed items of children in our area: diapers, wipes, booster seats, car seats, character-building books, and pack-n-plays. On Tuesday, Delores Nelson came to visit the children dressed as Saint Bakhita, and told about the saint’s life. We learned how Bakhita was taken from her family in Sudan at an early age and sold into slavery. We then listened to stories about her move to Italy where she eventually learned about Our Lord, was baptized and chose to enter religious life. The children had wonderful questions for Ms. Delores after the presentation!
We are very grateful to ALL of our youth and adult volunteers (over 120 strong!) who worked to make each day a success and tons of fun for the kids. And all those who stepped in at the last minute to help when Covid-19 took some of our volunteers! The vast majority of our volunteers are returning pros, including many middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults, all giving up a week of their summer for our little campers. We welcomed some new recruits. We truly could not have such a successful week without them!
Thank you Knights of Columbus for generous financial support, providing funding to offset the cost of the t-shirts for the huge number of volunteers and campers.
We especially thank Sheila Cowling and Cheryl Rider who prepared for months in advance, and many longs days and late nights with a solid team of creators making a memorable experience with their creative settings and daily drama presentations. They do this every year!!
We have the most remarkably exceptional volunteers at Saint Francis de Sales! The Lord will bless you abundantly!
VBS MISSION 2022:
ST. FRANCIS CAMPERS
HELPED MANY OTHER CHILDREN “IN OUR OWN BACKYARD”!
Our VBS mission theme this year was “Children Helping Children in Our Own Backyard”. We raised funds to support Bakhita Kids, a 501c3 organization serving children ages 0-13 living in poverty in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.
THANK YOU to our many VBS campers and parents who participated in the mission. Together we raised over $4000!! to help purchase some of the most-needed items for children in our area: diapers, wipes, booster seats, car seats, character-building books, and pack-n-plays.
Thank you to parishioner Sheila Cowling, proprietor of Jerry’s Florist in Leesburg, for the Mother’s Day Roses she provided for our Vacation Bible School 2022 fundraiser. We raised over $800 which paid for renting the big VBS tent!
We want to also wish to thank the Knights of Columbus for their continuing generous financial support. The Knights provide funding to offset the cost of the t-shirts for the huge number of volunteers and campers.
Because of their support, we are able to keep the VBS cost affordable for even large families. Thank you Knights for being great witnesses of Christian charity!
2019 VBS was the Best!
200 children joined in the faith filled fun by participating in bible based activities as we learned about Paul’s dangerous travels to tell the truth to the people. The children sang songs and learned bible verses that taught them that God is with us through good and bad times! A daily morality play was acted out each, teaching the bible lesson. The church time was filled with the Adoration, the rosary, and other Catholic devotionals and lessons. Themed snacks were served. Fun games were played and crafts were made. We talked about God Sightings and built the aquaduct with God Sighting Stones. The VBS mission this year brought in fresh vegetables that were delivered daily to Catholic Charities in Leesburg. The children learned that many of the poor in Loudoun County do not know where their next meal is coming from, and that we can follow Christ’s command to feed his sheep.
We are very grateful to ALL of our youth and adult volunteers who worked tirelessly for months in advance to make each day a success and tons of fun for the kids. We truly could not have such a successful week without the dedication of our volunteers: 25 adults and over 100 youth volunteers!
We especially thank Sheila Cowling and Cheryl Rider for their remarkable yearly efforts to create a memorable experience with their creative settings.
We have exceptional volunteers at St. Francis de Sales!
