On a Mission at Vacation Bible School
One of the most powerful parts of our Vacation Bible School program this year was watching kids put their faith into action through hands-on mission projects each day. At VBS, we don’t just talk about God’s love, we live it out. By giving children and teens the opportunity to serve others, we help them understand that faith isn’t just something we keep inside, but it’s something that we share.
These projects taught our VBS children and leaders the joy of generosity, the importance of compassion, and the impact they can have in our own community and around the world. From collecting supplies to spreading kindness, each mission was a chance to make meaningful memories and reflect Christ’s love in real, tangible ways.
Day One: Sharing God’s Love in Our Town
We kicked off our VBS mission week with a powerful reminder that small acts of kindness can make a big impact. On Monday, our kids created custom labels filled with words of encouragement, Bible verses, and uplifting messages to wrap around disposable water bottles. These aren’t just decorations, they were heartfelt reminders of God’s love, designed to reach those who visit Pendleton Park and may be in need of both hydration and hope.
Each bottle became a simple but meaningful gift, offering refreshment and spiritual encouragement to anyone who picks one up. These labeled bottles also became part of our Friday mission project - Blessing Bags.
Through this project, our kids learned that sharing God’s love doesn’t require grand gestures, just a willing heart, a thoughtful message, and the courage to serve.
Together, our kids assembled:
100 water bottles for Pendleton Park, offering refreshment to neighbors and visitors in our local community.
176 water bottles for Blessing Bags, which will be distributed to those experiencing homelessness and hardship in Buffalo.
Day Two: Pennant Prayers: Covering Each Other in Love
On Tuesday, our mission focus turned inward as kids participated in a project called Pennant Prayers. Each child took time to write a personal prayer. Some for their family, some for friends, and many simply expressing their hopes, gratitude, or needs to God. These prayers were written on colorful pennants and displayed in Mission Central throughout the week, creating a vibrant wall of faith and intention that reminded us all of the power of prayer.
At the end of the week, each pennant was sent home with a member of our congregation or a VBS family, inviting them to pray specifically for the child who wrote it. In doing so, we created a ripple effect of spiritual support, linking generations, households, and hearts in prayer.
This project reminded our kids that prayer isn’t just something we do alone but that it’s something we share. It’s a way to lift one another up, to speak truth and love over someone’s life, and to invite God into our everyday moments. Through the Pennant Prayers, our kids learned that their words matter, their faith matters, and their prayers can move mountains.
Day Three: Sweet Encouragement: Sending Love to Triadelphia
On Wednesday, our kids turned creativity into compassion with a mission project that reached far beyond our walls. They made flower and butterfly sucker holders. These flowers and butterflies not only carried a treat, but they also carried encouraging messages.
These handmade gifts are being sent to Triadelphia United Methodist Church in Triadelphia, West Virginia, a community recently impacted by flooding. Each flower and butterfly was carefully decorated by our kids, transforming simple materials into heartfelt signs of encouragement for those facing hardship.
In total, our kids made 331 sucker holders. This is 331 moments of joy, 331 reminders of hope, and 331 prayers wrapped in color and kindness.
This project taught our kids that even small gestures can bring light to someone’s day. It was a great way to live out the message of being the hands and feet of Christ.
Day Four: Rock Solid Kindness: Planting Hope, One Stone at a Time
On Thursday, our mission project invited kids to leave a lasting mark, both in the community and in their own hearts. Each child decorated two rocks with vibrant colors, encouraging words, and symbols of faith:
One rock was placed in our Community Kindness Rock Garden, a growing space of hope and positivity where anyone passing by can find a message of encouragement. These rocks will remain as silent witnesses to God’s love, reminding our neighbors that kindness is always within reach.
One rock was taken home, serving as a personal reminder to pray for others, for themselves, and for the world around them. Whether placed on a nightstand, tucked into a backpack, or set by the kitchen sink, this prayer rock becomes a daily nudge to pause and connect with God.
This project taught our kids that kindness doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful. A simple rock, lovingly decorated and placed with intention, can speak volumes. And by taking one home, each child carries a piece of VBS with them, a reminder that prayer is always available and that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Day Five: Blessing Bags
Our final day of VBS mission projects was all about compassion in motion. Kids came together to assemble Blessing Bags for the Feeding Hope Ministry, which serves individuals who are homeless or experiencing hardship in downtown Buffalo. These bags weren’t just filled with supplies - they were filled with love, intention, and the message that Jesus sees you, loves you, and walks with you.
Each Blessing Bag was a drawstring bag printed with the words “Jesus Loves You” - a simple but powerful reminder for anyone receiving it. We chose these bags not only for their encouraging message, but also because they’re reusable and practical, giving recipients a way to carry personal belongings with dignity and care.
Inside each bag, our kids thoughtfully packed:
A water bottle from our Day One project, wrapped in a label of encouragement
Crackers and granola bars for nourishment
A toothbrush, toothpaste, and comb for hygiene
Chapstick for comfort and care
A bar of soap and three disposable body wipes for personal care
A handmade card from the children, filled with heartfelt messages and prayers
This project was a powerful way to end the week—reminding our kids that serving others is a reflection of God’s love in action. They learned that even simple items, when given with compassion, can restore hope and dignity. And through their hands and hearts, they became messengers of grace to those who need it most. Together, our kids assembled 176 Blessing Bags.
Donation Drive for Community Missions
In addition to our daily mission projects, our VBS families took part in a weeklong donation drive to support Community Missions, a nonprofit organization in Niagara Falls that provides integrated human services to individuals and families in need. Their mission is to meet people where they are and help them discover and elevate their place in the world. Throughout the week, our families generously contributed 166 washcloths, 27 bath towels, 349 razors (for both men and women), and 61 deodorants (for both men and women) These donations will go directly to those served by Community Missions, reminding them that they are not forgotten and that love can be shown in the simplest of ways. To learn more about their incredible work, visit communitymissions.org
What a week it was, five days of faith in action, hearts wide open, and hands ready to serve. Our VBS kids and families lived out the message of loving like Jesus. Each project was a chance to show kindness, build connection, and remind others that they are not alone. Together, through every project and donation, our VBS became the hands and feet of Jesus, spreading love, hope, and dignity in ways that will echo far beyond this one incredible week.