Between campers and volunteers, over 200 people spent August 7-11 learning, teaching, or otherwise volunteering during Grace Family Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS).

Adam Fredericks, lead pastor of the Hawleyville church, said this year’s theme was Twists & Turns. While the overall theme and many of the teachings were scripted around games and fun (“how Jesus changed the game”), the message was serious.

“We’ve spent the week looking at the life of Peter,” Fredericks said August 11. “Just like us, he made mistakes, but God forgave him. Peter was a regular fisherman, who still made a difference helping others.”

Campers were ages 4 to those who will be entering sixth grade with the approaching school year. Fredericks said approximately 155 children participated this year, guided by more than 60 teens and adult teachers. Sessions ran each weekday from 9 am until 12:30 pm.

“Many of the adults took time off from work, they used their vacation time and rearranged their lives to help us out,” he said. “It’s just amazing.

“And the teens,” he said. “They’ve been equally impressive. It’s been a blessing to have them.”

Fredericks has been involved in his family’s church — parents Sheila and Barry founded the church in 1984, then as Grace Christian Fellowship — and its summer program for so long, he’s now seeing a new generation of VBS campers.

“A lot of kids who went through Vacation Bible School with me are now here with their kids,” he said, watching families find each other once classes concluded and the traditional finale picnic began.

Most classes finished indoors, while a few were under tents behind the building as Friday’s session neared completion. As campers, young adults and adult volunteers emerged from the rear of the Covered Bridge Road building midday Friday, they joined those who were already outdoors for their final class.

A bounce house and a large inflated water slide was waiting for everyone, lunch was being laid out, and another year of Vacation Bible School was about to conclude with a celebratory meal.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.