Parkside News
A Picture of VBC at Parkside
Laughter and happy chatter filled the Auditorium as almost 700 kids gathered beneath the puffy clouds and soaring kites hanging from the ceiling. Painted mountain scenery framed the two campsites onstage. Out in the halls, birds flew, wild animal footprints marked the floors, and festive pennants hung from the ceiling. Parkside had been transformed into an exciting wilderness campground for 2025’s VBC, Upward Bound. But don’t let the décor fool you: VBC is more than just a fun time for kids—it is an amazing opportunity to share the gospel with children who might not otherwise walk into a church. Every day for a week, campers started their day in the Auditorium, preparing for three hours of fun, friends, and faith-filled lessons!
The call of the trumpet cut through the noise, and the kids hurried to their seats as the master of ceremonies, dressed as a park ranger, came up to the front and got them ready for the rest of the assembly, including a skit performed by teen and adult volunteers.
The skit followed the trek of Faithful and Hopeful, who were trying to reach the summit by the right path. Inspired by Pilgrim’s Progress, the story highlighted the difficulties and rewards of a Christian life and what it takes to do things God’s way. Tisha, the skit coordinator, said, “It’s such a blessing to draw parallels to the gospel story, which help kids identify what they’re learning in Scripture.” The skits really do meaningfully connect with the kids, to the point where they shouted, “No!” as Hopeful chose to go down the wrong path one day.
The students also practiced worship and generosity. Little else is like hundreds of children's voices singing praise. "It's a small glimpse of heaven," remarked Katie Egan, worship leader. The campers practiced generosity by having a coin race to raise financial support for Parkside missionaries. During every morning assembly, they reviewed the results, and the teams cheered as they saw how much money and canned goods they had collected.
When the assembly concluded, the campers were dismissed to go to different stations for their busy, fun-filled morning. Some campers began with the Bible lesson with Rusty Johnson and the Gospel writer Luke (or at least a volunteer pretending to be him). Filled with humor and warmth, they taught the kids about Jesus’ life, the overarching narrative of Scripture, and our need for a Savior. The lessons did not shy away from deep theological concepts, such as the incarnation or original sin, but they explained those concepts in a developmentally appropriate way.
Other campers visited recreation, where they played kickball, soccer, tug-of-war, and other games. Elsewhere, they learned a new worship song or made a cool craft. The most loved craft last year was a spin art bandanna, where the kids made a paint-splatter effect on their bandannas. But even the crafting was more than just an activity. Rosie Meeks, who led the crafting time, explained that when the older kids finished early, she talked to them about the ABCs of the gospel (Admit, Believe, Commit). She was blown away when one student added that this was so we could have life abundantly. Inspired by that student, she spoke of abundant life with the next group. When she asked what it meant, another student explained, “It means life to the full.” It helped the other students understand the concept even better than Rosie herself could articulate.
VBC really shines in the relationships the volunteers form with the campers, as Rosie shared. One adult leader, Mackenzie Villers, could attest to this. She grew up attending mini-VBC and VBC, she served as a teen helper, and in 2025, she was an adult leader. According to her, VBC is a great place for kids to hang out with friends and learn about Jesus, sin, and salvation in a way that is understandable to them. She formed precious relationships with her group as they had a snack picnic and captured a pet spider. “Name pending,” Mackenzie joked.
“I’d rather have a dog,” one of her campers chimed in.
But more importantly, Mackenzie saw spiritual fruit in their small-group discussions, especially recalling an activity page that challenged the kids to consider how their lives might change if they asked God every morning how they could live for him that day. It is a question that we all can benefit from considering.
As we look forward to our 2026 VBC adventure, won’t you prayerfully consider serving? Whether you’re leading a group, helping in rec, crafts, or the kitchen, or serving on the skit team, God can use you to meaningfully impact a child’s life and faith.
“It’s more rewarding than work,” Rosie said with tears in her eyes. “It is a ton of work, but it’s more than worth it.”