VBS, Summer time Camp, and Intergenerational Curriculum Perennial Favorites

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Various publishers of Christian formation sources launch new Trip Bible College and camp program curricula yearly. For some communities, these full-fledged kits with a number of supplies like lesson plans, multimedia sources, ornament concepts, and craft guides serve program administrators’ wants, objectives, and budgets nicely. For different communities, nevertheless, the latest curriculum choices might not present what formation leaders are looking for, particularly for many who wish to reshape a standard VBS for his or her ministry context, who’re focused on intergenerational formation, or who want extra reasonably priced sources for a smaller price range.

Thankfully, extra curriculum choices can be found that may assist meet a spread of wants, objectives, and budgets for VBS, camp, and intergenerational applications throughout the summer time and all year long. We at Constructing Religion have explored a large swath of sources, and we’re excited to share our up to date record and opinions of our 11 favourite perennial VBS, camp, and intergenerational curricula for 2025. For those who’re looking for a curriculum on your group’s summer time formation, this text may help you get began.

Our Evaluate Course of

For our 2025 replace, we invited a crew of ministry leaders to conduct the opinions with us. We included curricula which are designed or well-suited for Trip Bible College, residential or day camps, and intergenerational occasions or applications. The crew primarily examined publishers’ web site content material, pattern supplies which are obtainable free of charge, and movies; in a couple of circumstances, crew members had the chance to assessment the complete curriculum.

Within the analysis course of, the crew thought of six interrelated dimensions:

Theological messages
Interpretations and makes use of of scripture
Approaches to studying and formation
Language and practices relating to inclusivity and variety of human identities and experiences, particularly in relation to race, tradition, gender, sexual orientation, incapacity, and financial standing
Consideration to social justice, service, and creation care
Program construction and logistics

We developed opinions of all the curriculum choices that we advocate within the slidedecks linked under. Every assessment offers an summary of the curriculum and highlights what the curriculum does nicely in addition to what could possibly be improved. You may also comply with this hyperlink to view the full slidedeck of all of the perennial favourite opinions.

We provide our suggestions and demanding suggestions in a spirit of compassion and dedication to enriching religion formation for all folks in liberating, life-giving methods. As at all times, we encourage you to replicate on the presents, wants, values, and commitments of your ministry context in an effort to discern which curriculum could also be greatest on your group.

Our Perennial High Picks (Up to date March 2025)

The curricula that we’ve included in our perennial favorites record are (in alphabetical order by title):

1. Plentiful Life Backyard Undertaking

Writer: Episcopal Aid and Growth
Use(s): VBS or youngsters’s formation collection
Full curriculum reviewed

2. All God’s Kids: The Church Household Gathers for a Very Blessed Summer time

Writer: GenOn Ministries
Use(s): VBS or intergenerational program

3. Arts Camp

Writer: Morehouse (written by Christina Clark)
Use(s): VBS or day camp
Full curriculum reviewed

4. Good Stewards Collectively & Journey Collectively

Writer: Sparkhouse
Use(s): intergenerational program

5. Dwelling God’s Dream: Dismantling Racism for Kids

Writer: Church Publishing
Use(s): youngsters’s formation collection or VBS
Full curriculum reviewed

6. Operation Restoration: Mending God’s World

Writer: Augsburg Fortress
Use(s): VBS

7. Praying All of the Time

Writer: Chief Assets
Use(s): VBS or youngsters’s formation collection
Full curriculum reviewed

8. ReNew: The Inexperienced VBS

Writer: Sparkhouse
Use(s): VBS

9. S.P.Y. Parables

Writer: Chief Assets
Use(s): VBS

10. Water All Across the World

Writer: Dwelling Waters for the World
Use(s): VBS or intergenerational program
Full curriculum reviewed

11. Waves of Gratitude

Writer: United Thank Providing
Use(s): VBS
Full curriculum reviewed

The sources on this record are all ones that we advocate. They often function supplies to assist domesticate age-appropriate, theologically significant, enjoyable, inventive, and socially and ecologically conscious formation experiences for VBS, camp, or intergenerational applications. Whereas all of them might be improved in numerous methods, we predict that these curricula might be helpful choices for formation applications in the summertime and past.

For a full slidedeck of all of the perennial opinions, comply with this hyperlink: Constructing Religion VBS, Summer time Camp, and Intergenerational Perennial Favourite Evaluations (2025)

You may also try this chart to check key options of all our perennial favorites: Constructing Religion VBS, Camp, and Intergenerational Perennial Favorites Chart (2025)

Extra VBS, Camp, and Intergenerational Assets

In case you are focused on extra choices and concepts for VBS, camp, or intergenerational applications, listed here are some current articles on Constructing Religion to take a look at:

A Phrase of Because of Our Evaluate Group

Many thanks go to our assessment crew for 2025: Sarah Bentley Allred, Sally Benton, Molly Herman-Gallow, Juniper LaNunziata, and Marvin McLennon. We drastically recognize on a regular basis, power, and experience they supplied in assessing these sources. The opinions are all the higher for every of their voices and insights on this collaborative work.

You’ll be able to be taught extra about them within the bios under:

Sarah Bentley Allred (she/her/hers)

Sarah Bentley Allred is the Senior Formation Affiliate and Undertaking Director of Roots & Wings: Intergenerational Formation Collaborative for Lifelong Studying at Virginia Theological Seminary. Earlier than becoming a member of the Division of Lifelong Studying, Sarah served as Director of Kids and Youth Ministries for 4 years after which accomplished the M.Div. program at VTS with a concentrate on Christian formation. She is keen about youngsters’s spirituality, intergenerational worship, and small church formation. She loves native espresso retailers, board video games, the seashore, and exploring new locations along with her husband, Richard, and their toddler, Eleanor. Discover out extra at sarahbentleyallred.com.

Sally Benton (she/her/hers)

Sally Benton is the Director of Kids, Youth, and Household Ministries at St. John’s in McLean, Virginia and has been ministering to youngsters and youth for over 10 years. She and her husband are at present dwelling in Alexandria, VA with their two babies. They’ve had the enjoyment of ministering collectively not solely in parishes, however on school campuses, at summer time camp, and nearly all over the place in between. Sally is keen about religion formation for all folks and serving to folks construct confidence in exploring their religion independently in addition to in group.

Molly Herman-Gallow (she/her/hers)

Molly Herman-Gallow lives in Durham, North Carolina, the place she is pursuing her Grasp of Divinity at Duke Divinity College. She previously labored at St. Martin within the Fields Episcopal Church in Brookhaven, GA as its Kids & Youth Minister. In that position, she beloved ministering to all of St. Martin’s youngsters and households, and she or he particularly loved elements of curriculum creation and Christian schooling that her position required of her. Molly is a cradle Episcopalian and grew up within the Diocese of Atlanta. She graduated from Elon College in 2019 with a filmmaking diploma and a minor in non secular research. Molly loves persevering with to inform the story of the Church and discovering her identification additional as a Christian formation educator.

Juniper LaNunziata (they/them)

Juniper LaNunziata is a postulant for holy orders within the Diocese of East Carolina and at present serves as Campus Minister for The Nicely Campus Ministries of East Carolina College. They served as Director of Christian Formation at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Greenville, NC for 8 years. Juniper was born and raised in Pennsylvania however has been dwelling within the South for nearly 20 years. They like to bake bread, drink boba tea, and go geocaching. Take a look at their weblog for Christian formation and design at www.formedbyexperience.weblog.

Marvin McLennon (he/him/his)

Marvin is the Director of Kids and Youth Ministries at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock, AR. An Arkansas native and cradle Episcopalian, Marvin grew up at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the place he was actively concerned within the youth group, held diocesan youth management roles, and spent summers at Camp Mitchell as a camper and Counselor in Coaching. He went on to attend Hendrix Faculty, incomes a level in Communications. After graduating in 2013, Marvin joined the Episcopal Service Corps in Louisiana, the place he served as Assistant Youth Director at St. James Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. Following his 12 months of service, he grew to become the Youth Director for St. James and the Diocesan Youth Director within the Diocese of Louisiana. In 2016, he returned to Arkansas to start his work at Christ Church whereas additionally turning into an energetic member of the Forma Council in 2019 and a part of the Forma Government Council in 2021.

Featured picture is by Jake Givens on Unsplash

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