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Featured Product for June 2009
Bible Memory Buddies for Crocodile Dock
$3.29 to $3.69 for each set (volume pricing)
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From the President
Many of you are in the midst of planning and may even be already beginning your VBS Program. We have some more helpful hints and tips this month on planning and ideas. Order early and order extra, you can return unused items for credit if returned within one week of the end of your VBS. Thank you and enjoy this month's edition.
We encourage you to call us anytime you need any information or advice regarding VBS. We hope that this newsletter along with our website provides helpful tips and tools to make your planning a little bit easier.
Steve Belko
President/Owner, Concordia Supply
P.S. REMEMBER - Concordia Supply VBS Headquarters often has stock when others don't. Call us us for last minute or hard to find VBS items.
Call: 1-800-521-0751
www.concordiasupply.com
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Planning Calendar for June
Three to Six Months Before Your VBS
2 to 3 Months Before Your VBS
8 Weeks Before
4 Weeks Before
2 Weeks Before
1 Week Before
During Your VBS
After Your VBS
Click Here for More Details and Planning Tips...
This month we are highlighting what to do 1-2 weeks before you VBS. You can click the links to see what to do at other times in the planning process.
2 Weeks Before Your VBS
Check your registration count.
Make sure you have enough Student books for each child to have one. Order extras just in case; many churches experience last-minute additions, first-day surprises, and unexpected increases as kids bring their friends throughout the week. Also double-check that you have enough Leaders, assigning one Leader to five children.
Check your supply collection.
Make a final announcement, or put a final supply list in your church bulletin. Gather or purchase additional supplies as necessary.
Continue publicity.
- Send copies of a news release to your local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations. Use the snazzy clip art found on the Clip Art and/or Resources CD Set to create fliers, bulletins, posters, newspaper ads, and more.
- Announce VBS in worship services and other church gatherings. Put bulletin inserts in your church's worship bulletins.
- Before your worship service, have a few volunteers perform a publicity skit. Show a video or message.
- Mail additional VBS invitation postcards as necessary.
Make backup and emergency plans.
What if it rains during your program? Plan in advance how you'll handle bad weather. You may also want to line up backup Leaders in case some drop out. Inform Leaders of procedures to follow if there's a fire or other emergency.
1 Week Before Your VBS
Dedicate and Pray for VBS staff.
Introduce Station Leaders, Student Leaders and other volunteers during your church service. Then have your pastor or other church members pray that God will use these workers to touch kids' lives with his love during VBS.
Assign kids to groups or classes.
Using the preregistration forms you've received, assign children to the appropriate level. Depending on the VBS program and your preference you may mix up the age levels within the groups. Look in your Director Manual for additional helps and tips on this for your specific program.
Meet with the Main Leaders again.
Check with leaders to make sure they have all the required supplies, and answer any questions they may have. Work together to smooth out any last-minute details.
Decide when and where Main Leaders and other Leaders will meet each day.
It's a good idea to have your staff arrive early on Day 1 to greet children and assist with registration. Be sure each Leader has a large sign with his or her group/crew number or name written on it.
Help decorate rooms.
Use the decorating ideas found in the colorful VBS catalog or leader manuals to turn your church into an environment that's loaded with fun.
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Fundraising Ideas
There are plenty of ways to raise money your VBS Program. Here were some unique ideas submitted by our customers from last month's newsletter...
From Sandy:
On the Sunday after Easter, each person coming into the church was given a plastic egg. During the announcements our pastor explained that any monies placed in the eggs would go toward funding VBS. He asked them to put the eggs in the giant basket in the foyer of the church at dismissal.
The Christian Ed. Director and her husband counted the money that afternoon, and were overwhelmed! There was over $400 collected... everything from one dime to $20 bills. They were very thankful, "ask and it shall be given" took on a whole new meaning for her.
From Jody in Oklahoma,
We have an Ecumenical Council of five churches that are on a two-mile stretch of the road on which our church is located. Several of these have few or no youth, so we go together to have VBS. Our "Fun Raiser" is a progressive dinner on the first or second Sunday in May. It is freewill offering, but we ask at least $5 per person. We usually hit 3 locations - two sponsor appetizers (where the money is usually given), two sponsor salad and main course and the dessert is usually at the VBS location with entertainment. This year, we had 5 youth group girls who sang and did the moves to three of the new VBS songs. Then we had an old fashioned gospel and camp sing along (made them stand and move to several songs) and then to the fellowship hall for homemade desserts. It was very successful - we had Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians and Disciples; many denominations don't do the "gospel" type music, but most of the people knew those songs (even if they hadn't sung them for 30 or 40 years) and really enjoyed the foot-stompin', hand-clappin' sing along. We have funded our VBS this way for close to 10 years.
We can all use new ideas and you just never know what might work.
Here are some ideas from the Rome VBS, these can be adapted to any program as well.
Bakery Sale
There's nothing as tempting as the smell of baking bread. So capitalize on the tantalizing scent and bring in some additional dollars for your Rome VBS! Let your congregation know you'll be having a Bakery Sale-not a bake sale-on a specified Sunday morning. State your prices and location. Then purchase loaves of frozen bread dough (or utilize the talents of any master bread bakers in your church). Bake the bread during your Sunday morning service, so the aroma makes tummies growl during the service. (You may even want to have a few bread machines running in your meeting area!) Sell slices of warm, soft bread and provide butter, jam, honey, or other tasty toppings. Yum!
Taxes for the Emperor
Ask a hammy volunteer or two to dress in togas, laurel wreaths, and sandals. (Or, if you've got some great costumes, have volunteers dress as Roman centurions.) Give each volunteer a basket or bag to gather donations. Station your "Romans" in the church parking lot, near the exits. As cars leave, your volunteers will ask for "taxes for the Emperor." Most folks are more than happy to get rid of spare change from their car cupholders...and all that change can really add up.
Give it a Shot Put
Host a simple version of the ancient Olympics (but this time, your VBS gets the prize!). Set out a few soft, weighted exercise balls and mark a starting line with a rope (if you're outside) or a piece of tape (if you're inside). Charge a small fee for congregation members to use an exercise ball as a shot put, and to see how far people can throw it. You may offer a simple prize to the person who can throw the shot put the farthest. (This is a great fundraiser to have during youth group, since teenagers will love a little friendly competition.)
We want you to share any of your ideas or experiences for fundraising. Let us know about it and we will include in our next newsletter.
Email: danny@concordiasupply.com
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Coming Soon...
Sunday School Catalog for 2009-2010 will be out soon look in the mail for this catalog coming in late June. You can view, order and request samples for all Sunday School online at www.concordiasupply.com
"BUZZ" the new Sunday School from Group. It is a new way to think about Sunday School.  You can order a free sample pack and check out what all the buzz is about.
Not the Sunday School Director? Forward to this email to the person in charge.
Complete information will be on the website soon...Stay tuned for ordering info next month!
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Get to Know Us
Office Employee Spotlight
Our customer service representatives are the ones who answer your calls, process your orders and help you out with any questions. All of our customer service reps have been here for several years and can answer pretty much any question you can throw at them. They take pride in offering exceptional customer service.
Our Customer Service Team: Beverly, Christa, Pam, Rochelle, Tammy, and Joel.
Look for more employee spotlights in the future and learn more about Concordia Supply. Click Here
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