When to have VBS

So we've picked a VBS, now what do we do?  In planning a VBS, we have to think about the big picture at get smaller and smaller as the event gets closer.  When I did my first VBS, I had to decide what time to do it.  No one time is the right time for any church and if you don't get it right the first time that's ok.  Just chalk it up to experience and adjust next year.

There are several questions we have to answer to help us plan.

1. What time works best for my church for this VBS?
     a. At night
     b. During the day
     c. Sunday School
     d. Summer Camp
     e. Sunday Morning
     f. Wednesday night?
2. How long do I want this VBS to last
    a. 1 week
    b. 2 weeks
    c. a weekend
    d. the entire summer?
3. Consider volunteers
    a.  Do you think you have enough people to work at the time you want
    b. how much of a commitment are they going to need to make
    c. how many volunteers will you need
4. Are only children in the VBS or are whole families
5. Where will you hold the VBS
    a. at church
    b. at a park
    c. some other meeting place?

The next thing we must do is set the date.  Many churches choose to do the event right before school starts or ends.  Some in the middle of the summer.  Whatever you do, make sure that your volunteers can make it.  The last thing you want to do is decided on a date and have three of your best volunteers be on vacation.  Also you may want to look around to other churches and find out when their VBS is held.  Many families "VBS hop" every week.  You want to make sure that your VBS does not line up with the biggest in the area.  Then there is a good chance your numbers will not be as good.  Once you think you have a couple of dates that would work, ask around to other ministries and your volunteers to help you with your decision.  VBS is a big endeavor and will most likely need other ministry leaders to help.

After considering all of these things and from previous experiences, I have decided to do my VBS for one week from 6 to 9 pm in the middle of July.

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