If time is money, we oughta be crawling with volunteers!

As the VBS committee attempts to find volunteers for this summer's "Amazing Wonders Aviation" I'm reflecting on all the times I've asked people to help with different things over the years. In just the past two years, First Baptist Church of Selma has provided Bibles for a group of third grade public school kids none of us knew... paid off the entire loan amount to renovate a building that desperately needed serious help...provided my family with a beautiful place to live for three months when our house burned...pressed money into my hands and my husband's hands in that time of need...gave scholarships to children and youth who wanted to participate in camps and special weekends...gave generously to Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon offerings...provided snacks, meals and housing for speakers and bands for different children's ministry and youth ministry events...and many more things and times and situations that I don't know anything about, because that's just how this precious church works. We are a giving body of Christ.
The phrase "time is money" is often credited to Benjamin Franklin, as he wrote in Advice to a Young Tradesman in 1748, "Remember that time is money. He that idly loses five shillings' worth of time loses five shillings, and might as prudently throw five shillings into the sea." However, the phrase was used decades earlier, in a periodical called "The Free Thinker" "I remember to have heard of a notable Woman, who was thoroughly sensible of the intrinsick Value of Time: Her Husband was a Shoe-maker, and an excellent Craftsman; but never minded how the minutes passed. In vain did his Wife inculcate to him, That Time is Money: He had too much Wit to apprehend her; and he cursed the Parish-Clock, every Night; which at last brough him to his Ruin;"
Regardless of where the phrase originated, IF time is money, then our church should be crawling with volunteers, right? ........then why is it so difficult for us to fill the remaining spots for VBS teachers? I know a lot of the reason is many women who previously stayed at home, even if only during the summer, have taken on part-time or full-time jobs. Maybe another reason is that those who have taught VBS for a zillion years are just tired, okay, exhausted and burned out? Maybe some people just don't see the value in Vacation Bible School, and feel like it's a waste of time and money? Maybe you didn't know we still didn't have enough workers? Maybe some people would just rather stay home that week...
Whatever the reason, we're playing with the idea that maybe we need to move VBS to evenings in order to accomodate working mamas and daddies so we'd have more workers, but I sure hate to do that. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I just love rounding the kids up in the parking lot in the mornings and being finished by lunchtime every day! My family loves going to the pool every day after VBS, and that's a tradition we'd really miss if we end up having to move it to evenings... We have planned to have a family night on Friday, so if you're one of those people who would love to help, but have to work during the day, there's an opportunity for you to serve!
Now don't get me wrong- we have some incredible volunteers! I'm so thankful for our nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, regular Disciple Now host homes, children's church teachers, etc! One sweet lady takes a WEEK off of work just to help with VBS! Not only that, she even found her own helper, talked to her about working together, and then let me know. I could KISS her! :) Then there are Claire Ralston and Jean Pearson- grandmamas who team teach happily every year. I'm grateful for those who "give with a cheerful heart" of their time, just as so many cheerfully give their money when a need arises.
Below you'll see our teaching team, and the spots that are still vacant. Please take a look, and if you feel led to fill in one of those empty spaces, please let me know! I know we'll have all of our workers for VBS. Teaching kids the truth of the gospel is a vital opportunity to impact our community and our own children. We average over 100 kids every year. Vacation Bible School is the largest evangelistic effort our church undertakes in the course of a year! If you feel like I do, that it is a blessing to share the Truth this summer with precious children, I know you'll volunteer to join the team!

Amazing Wonders Aviation: "Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite." Psalm 147:5

Bible Study Teachers:
preK
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade: Tory Jones & Kerri Chappelle
3rd Grade: Annette Chittom & Meredith Johnson
4th/5th Grade: Jean Pearson & Claire Ralston
6th Grade: Janie Mothershed

Missions:
preK-Kindergarten
1st-5th Grade

Music:
preK-Kindergarten: Rosemary Traywick & Kitty Cosby
1st-5th Grade: Rebecca Hastings

Crafts:
preK-Kindergarten
1st-5th Grade

Recreation:
preK-Kindergarten: Ashley Moore (with helpers Grace Robbins & Kamryn Chappelle)
1st-5th Grade: Dori Norris & Tracy Stevens

Snacks:
Joan Seibel, Carrie Colvin, Jo Hise, Nancy Creech

Worship Rally coordinator:
Catherine Thomas

Friday Night Team: