Promoting Your VBS: Raising Your Visibility in the Community

By Ann Hammond McCamy

In the seventeenth century, when the Puritans began settling our Eastern shore, Sunday was a cherished day of rest from hard work. These early Americans looked forward to spending an entire day in church, sitting on rough, backless benches in poorly heated meeting rooms. People today have much more than just work and church clamoring for their attention. Clubs, music lessons, sports, and an endless stream of media entertainment push more important matters into the background. How can the church get people’s attention when everyone is so busy? A simple answer is to go where they are! Here are some ideas for promoting your Vacation Bible School and other church events in the community.

Does your town hold a Memorial Day parade or other parade in spring or early summer? If so, organize a group from your congregation to march. Wear your Lambert Walking in SON Light T-shirts, and carry a placard or banner announcing the name and location of your congregation. Consider singing as you march (try to be placed far from any marching bands in the line-up). Have a few members of your group toss wrapped candy to spectators. See if you can obtain permission to hand out Lambert postcards or door hangers announcing your VBS along the parade route. If not, perhaps you can have a few non-marching members wearing matching t-shirts work the crowd as politicians do. Your presence at the parade will raise awareness of your presence in the community.

If your community has a festival, street fair, or community day event, rent a booth or table and be part of it! Attract people to your booth with an inexpensive festival freebie: cotton candy, snow cones, bottled water, popcorn, Lambert Bible trading cards, or face-painting. If you can invest a bit more, also print your message on flying disks, ball and paddle toys, ball-point pens, or other appealing gifts. While people are visiting your booth, share your VBS schedule and be sure to mention any other upcoming events your congregation has planned. One congregation has a drawing for a free Bible each year at its community day booth. The Bible give-away spreads God’s Word, sometimes with amazing results. A teen Bible winner and her entire family were baptized!

Finally, don’t overlook the old-fashioned, low-tech ways of bringing people in. Go door-to-door with a short and simple invitation to attend your VBS. Lambert door hangers are perfect for this. Hand them to those who answer the door, and hang them on the doorknob if no one is home. For a twist on the tradition of Christmas caroling, go serenading on an early summer evening. Sing traditional hymns and give out door hangers to anyone who comes out to listen. Mail out postcards to anyone who has attended your VBS in the past. Let your kids call their friends and fill your car or van to its capacity.

The Director Planning Guide that comes with your Lambert VBS kit has more exciting ideas for promoting your VBS. Hundreds of today’s church members first heard the gospel message at a Vacation Bible School. Start now to be sure your congregation is noticed in the community!