Photos and video courtesy of Rapid City Canyon Lake UMC.

You are unique and special and God has plans for you. That is what the kids attending Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Rapid City Canyon Lake UMC learned. The number of participants grew this year, from 50-60 to over 105 participants and 51 volunteers.  “It was a time for us all to run, dance and scream about God’s love,” said Lindsey Rokusek, director of VBS and children’s ministry at Canyon Lake UMC.

Monday through Thursday, kids arrived at 5:30 and left on fire by 8 p.m.  Rokusek said, “It was astonishing to see the leap in the numbers this year!”  To promote participation, Rokusek advertised on Facebook, on a local Christian radio station, sent postcards and encouraged everyone to invite their friends.

Each day started out with worship and song, after a meal that was served from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Participants then rotated to stations—Bible discover, kid’s vid cinema and imagination station.  One of the favorite activities was G.U.T.S.Y. bears. Each child made a bear to bring home the message that you are  G.U.T.S.Y.—God’s Unique, Talented, Special You! Kids learned that we are all highly complex creations of God, then they filled their own bear with unique “guts,” like cellophane, stuffing, and yarn. No two bears were the same—a reminder that God created us all to be one-of-a-kind.

The theme and curriculum for the week was Maker Fun Factory. “The main thing we wanted to bring to the kids is that you are created for a reason. You are unique and wonderful. God has a plan for you,” said Rokusek.

Rokusek described that the participants towards the end of the week were living out the theme by singing loudly, giving her high fives and hugs. “They became so passionate about the dancing and singing. I loved it!”

One parent commented that, “It was awesome to see my child falling in love with God through VBS at Canyon Lake. This is the way it should be.”