VBS Block Parties

This summer, we tried something new! We combined the Summer Block Parties and VBS in the park. In the past, the North Main Campus has hosted cookouts onsite for the neighbors to enjoy but this year it was decided to go into a nearby neighborhood park to meet families where they love to go play. We also thought this would be a great opportunity to share Jesus through VBS.

We hosted two Summer Block Parties in June at Bernard Park. This took many helping hands to make this a success, and we cannot thank everyone enough. We started with a few songs to get them dancing and praising God, there were Bible stories, God’s Plan for Me was explained (that we use in Kidway), and way too much fun was had playing games, just like we have at traditional VBS. We ended the evening sharing a meal together.

I was overjoyed to see this event unfold! The parents and grandparents did not miss a beat and were dancing along with the kids, as well as right in the middle of the games (which were mainly water-based). The families that came out were so appreciative of what we were doing in Bernard Park.

Jenna Wilson was our VBS Block Party Director and when asked how she was impacted by this experience, she said “The biggest thing I’ve learned through the Block Parties is that we are going out of our comfort zone and into theirs. Gateway is our home, our comfort zone. By taking Jesus to THEIR comfort zone, it gives us the opportunity to welcome them back to ours. The hope and prayer is that they can call Jesus and Gateway their home and comfort someday, too.”

Another person behind this new venture was our North Main Campus pastor. This is how Jon sees the years to come, "My hope is that Gateway Church is out hosting Summer Block Parties every weekend during the summer months, at one of our local parks. I see us carrying out our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ and to one another out in the community. I see two or three Life Groups coming together at the park teaching kids about a God who loves them more than they can imagine. Just like we did this year with John, Anthony, Skylar, and their families when they joined us. We have already done this through traditional VBS, which is very familiar to us, and by taking VBS to other countries. Now we simply GO to the people right here in Hancock County."

I cannot wait to see what next summer could hold with bringing Block Parties into the community.