Nearly 2,000 children draw close to Christ at Mount Horeb VBS

LEXINGTON—One of the largest vacation Bible schools in the nation celebrated 1,967 children registered and almost 1,000 volunteers, all there to learn more about how Jesus rescues when all else fails.

Mount Horeb United Methodist Church, Lexington, held its “Shipwrecked” themed VBS June 17-22 with three sessions offered: morning, afternoon and evening. Children from preschool to just-completed sixth grade attended the sessions, with older preteens coming alongside them to serve as leaders-in-training, plus teens and adults serving as camp directors and in other capacities to help foster a deeper relationship with Christ,

“It was truly an outpouring of the spirit,” said Vicki Reke, children’s ministries director at Mount Horeb, who still keeps the large stack of commitment cards on her desk from Day Four of the event—salvation day.

Reke said of the fourth and fifth grade students who got time with senior pastor the Rev. Jeff Kersey on Day Four, 87 of them made a first-time commitment to follow Jesus.

What was really amazed her was the far larger stack of commitment cards of children who said they have already accepted Jesus as their savior.

“I was blown away by the fact that so many of our children are walking with this Jesus who they know loves them like crazy, and they are on that journey of VBS to deepen that,” Reke said. “We were just guiding them into deeper relationship.”

She said as the weeks and days lead up to VBS, she always prays for God to send her enough volunteers to be able to accommodate all the children who want to attend. This year, as she watched how many students and adults alike stepped up to volunteer their time and talents, their response to the call reminded her of the story of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah, tasked with rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, called on all the people of the city to take up weapons to defend the wall as they rebuilt and stand with him in the gap, and they did—just like the volunteers did with VBS.

“I am overwhelmed and amazed” at their generosity and obedience to God, Reke said.