Charge for Vacation Bible School?

[luvmarypoppins]

No but I saw their sign! I think theirs is at the end of August. It was Full Gospel on Old Town Road just a minute away from there. I'll remember that for next year, thanks!

I know alot of people at Full Gospel too!! Ds 16 is going to one of the girls sweet 16 parties in a few weeks.

 

[sha_lyn]

What doesn't sit too well with you? That you're not getting something for nothing?
Did you volunteer your time to the program when you signed up? Offer to donate supplies? Teach the kids some of the VBS songs?
How much would you pay a sitter for the 4 hours or so a day that your children would be attending?

I just don't understand why people equate church with free programs. Some churches are able to fund these types of programs and others are just not. It does not make it a more undesirable church because they charge a fee for VBS.

"The church" is the congregation. The people decide. Maybe you should join that church and offer to chair the VBS program next summer.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I belong to a medium-large Southern Baptist church. We do not charge charge. That's never been a consideration. It's considered a ministry to the children of our community.

It is expensive, but it's part of our general budget, which comes from tithes & offerings.

That is wonderful. But not all churches have that budget. Our church for example has lots of after school programs for kids (don't have to be a member) that are in middle school. Around here, middle school starts in 6th grade and thats young for some kids to be going home alone. Its free, they will even pick them up from school, help with homework, do Bible Study, that sort of thing. If they didnt' charge for VBS, they might not be able to staff and run that other program. Like everything else, churches have to pick and choose. We do overseas missions, local outreach and lots of other things that are "free". But VBS is something we do ask parents to help out with.

I wish I could say that it suprises me that Christians are upset at other Christians over VBS, but one family left our church in a tiff about VBS. *sigh* It is really easy to judge people, but wouldn't it be better to be thrilled that people are working (however they choose to run VBS) for God?

It reminds me of baby showers for unwed mothers. Yes, that is not behavior we want to glorify, but what better way to show Jesus' mercy and grace.

That is so true. In the end, kids are learning about the Bible. To me, that's all that matters. And I am like you , I have never understood why people have a problem with baby showers for unwed moms. If anybody needs to be showered with love and some baby items, its them.

I paid $30 for my 9 year old DS's VBS, this is his first year attending. It was five days from 9-12. It was the Power Lab VBS. I honestly thought that was a deal! I guess I'm in the minority! He finished his last day today and he had sooo much fun and learned a lot! We don't attend church at all, and he has now expressed an interest in attending Sunday School so we just might go on Sunday He came home with a CD full of songs which are pretty good I must say. We have been listening to it all week!

ETA: I just looked at the website that sells the VBS supplies and wow that stuff really adds up!

And that is what is the best thing about VBS. I am sure that the church where your child attended VBS would be so excited to have you there. Its sort of that mentality that if just one child out of the hundreds that attend, wants to come back, it was success. Whether it was "free" or or "not free".

 

[summerrluvv]

I know alot of people at Full Gospel too!! Ds 16 is going to one of the girls sweet 16 parties in a few weeks.

Such a small world! Everyone seemed so nice there too!

 

[ajk912]

What doesn't sit too well with you? That you're not getting something for nothing?
Did you volunteer your time to the program when you signed up? Offer to donate supplies? Teach the kids some of the VBS songs?
How much would you pay a sitter for the 4 hours or so a day that your children would be attending?

I just don't understand why people equate church with free programs. Some churches are able to fund these types of programs and others are just not. It does not make it a more undesirable church because they charge a fee for VBS.

"The church" is the congregation. The people decide. Maybe you should join that church and offer to chair the VBS program next summer.

Well, considering I have never stepped foot in the church yet it would be jumping the gun a bit to volunteer to chair up VBS next year. Like I said in my OP, it's a church a few miles from my house and I have been meaning to church shop because I am not super happy with mine. My church does have kids programs, but they seem more geared to the 2nd grade and under crowd and the middleschoolers. Except for VBS, my 4th grader feels kind of left out. So yeah, I did think VBS would be a great opprotunity to check out the new church to see if it would be a better fit for my family. Considering it is because of programs for my kids that I am shopping to begin with. But, when I saw they charge for VBS, I realized it wouldn't be a good fit. Charging for VBS means it's not your highest priority in your budget to fund it, which is fine that they spend the money in other ways but to ME, a church that puts the kids (the future of America!) first would let them all go VBS. Limiting VBS to the kids who can afford it, or singling out parents to pay their kids way, I don't know, it doesn't sit well with me. This seems like a church that would always be giving sermons about titheing properly that they are nickel and diming like this..I am a potential member, not a member yet, but that's my impression from the outside and it makes me not even want to go inside. I can just see having my kids at the registration table, seeing the sign outside and popping in..not realizing we would have to pay admission. It's a church, I wouldn't feel right joining a church that I had to pay admission to. No, I am not trying to get the free daycare, I can watch my kids just fine. I just want them to learn about Jesus, but don't really want to spend $45 to do that. So, it just makes me even more thankful for my church. Now I am starting to realize that you can't make everyone happy, and I have a 8, 7, and 4 year old..I guess it's good that only one kid is feeling left out, right? Only 3 years till he goes to middle school, and then there is a ton again.

 

[summerrluvv]

And that is what is the best thing about VBS. I am sure that the church where your child attended VBS would be so excited to have you there. Its sort of that mentality that if just one child out of the hundreds that attend, wants to come back, it was success. Whether it was "free" or or "not free".

Yup and they said "see you next year" to everyone when they closed it, so it wasn't like they were really pushing you to come to church, which I thought was pretty cool.

 

[Kimmumum]

Our church charges $10/kid with a family max of $25. They get crafts, snacks etc plus they get a t-shirt and CD with all of the songs they learned that week. I don't think $10 is unreasonable

 

[ajk912]

Our church charges $10/kid with a family max of $25. They get crafts, snacks etc plus they get a t-shirt and CD with all of the songs they learned that week. I don't think $10 is unreasonable

I don't think $10 w/a family max of $25 is bad, either. I wouldn't have an issue paying that at all. But the $45 I am looking at, yeah, that's getting pretty high for the limited budget we are on.

 

[ZuZugal]

be jumping the gun a bit to volunteer to chair up VBS next year.
This seems like a church that would always be giving sermons about titheing properly that they are nickel and diming like this..I am a potential member, not a member yet, but that's my impression from the outside and it makes me not even want to go inside.

I just want them to learn about Jesus, but don't really want to spend $45 to do that.

I don't think it's ever "too soon" to volunteer. We have quite a few military families in our area and at our school. They are rarely here for more than 2-3 years. Most walk in the door volunteering.

If you haven't even stepped foot in the church you may not want to put such a negative spin on it. Just because they charge for VBS does not mean they will "nickel and dime" the congregation.

Our church charges around $15 per child for VBS, but also has a family max so no family will have to pay too much. There are always ways to work things out. If you don't want to pay $45 then ask if your kids could go free or at a reduced rate if you volunteer to help at the program.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Well OP, I think you have your answer. It would appear that its about evenly split as to whether churces "charge" or not for VBS.

I think this church rubbed you the wrong way. It happens, we are all human and I know that when I was looking for a church, sometimes there was something about the way it loooked or maybe somthing they had posted on their sign that would rub me wrong. It sounds like you have come to a new appreciation of your current church, so that's all good!

I just stress again, that churches simply cannot do it all. Some may say that its better to only do what you can do for free than over extend and charge for certain things. But I always say any attempt at outreach and education on a church's part is never a bad thing. I mean if your church charged a fee for VBS, they might have the funds available for more programs for your 4th grader. Who knows? But I think you definitely made the right decision to not pursue this church due to your strong reaction. Which again, we all have, just at different things!

 

[mickeylove2]

There isn't a single church around me that charges for VBS, but then again, the VBS programs here are not designed to be day camps like what some of you are describing. VBS programs are usually 6pm-8 or 9pm. In the event that there was a "VBS day camp" around me, I would gladly pay $15 per child for a whole week of half days!