Register now for Redeemer's Vacation Bible School

The Church of the Redeemer, located in the heart of downtown Sarasota at 222 S. Palm Ave., invites parents of all faiths to register their children to attend the parish's annual Vacation Bible School, Aug. 12-16. This year's theme is "Lord, Teach Us to Pray," and will include Bible Study, painting, singing, outdoor play and a community service project. The school will run Monday through Friday, beginning at 9 a.m., and ending at noon.

Registration is open to children from age 4 (by Sept. 1) to those in fifth grade, and may be made online at redeemersarasota.org, or by contacting the church's Parish Office at 941-955-4263. The cost is $10 per child; some scholarships are available.

Redeemer focuses its curriculum on teaching the young Vacation Bible School students about the importance of helping others. Each year, the children are engaged in a hands-on project to help others locally, elsewhere in the U.S., and across the globe.
 
“Each year, we intentionally focus our young Bible School students on experiencing their first taste of being Christ’s light in the world,” said Jacki Boedecker, Director of Children’s Christian Formation. “It’s a tangible way of instilling an early ability to recognize need, and to share blessings.” This year’s outreach, developed by VBS Director Cathy Brush, partners the parish with Alta Vista Elementary.

According to Alta Vista Principal Dr. Barbara Shirley, 93 percent of Alta Vista students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Redeemer's VBS participants will learn the basics of leading a food drive, and will fill and deliver “First Friday” school backpacks for Alta Vista families who would otherwise be in need over the weekend. Surplus food will help stock Alta Vista’s food pantry, which supplies food to the school's community.

Past VBS projects have included building porch benches for Habitat for Humanity, sewing blankets for a local pregnancy center, and crafting storytelling sets that illustrate Bible lessons and sending them to children and churches in foreign countries.
 
On the Sunday after Vacation Bible School concludes, VBS attendees and their families are invited to attend “VBS Celebration Sunday,” on Aug. 18, which involves the children in presenting the anthem during the 9 a.m. mass. All children are also encouraged to bring their school backpacks to church that Sunday when Redeemer’s rector, the Rev. Fredrick A. Robinson, will offer special blessing for the children as they begin a new academic year, and will lead the congregation in a special “Blessing of the Backpacks.” The service will be followed by a “Sundaes on Sunday” celebration in Gillespie Hall, with a delicious smorgasbord of ice creams and toppings for the children to enjoy.