Food Truck Party…On a Roll with God!
2022 Vacation Bible School
Dr. Thalia Love-Brown, Director of Christian Education, Ninth Episcopal District
The St. John Christian Education Department hosted a “Food Truck Party” for this year’s Vacation Bible School (VBS). Vacation Bible School was held Thursday through Saturday, July 21-23, 2022, with the theme Food Truck Party: On a Roll with God! The Top Chef for the food trucks was Dr. Thalia F. Love, with the Reverend Maurice Wright, II serving as the Spiritual Health Inspector. Assisting with the daily nourishment were sous chefs Sister Lillie Rivers, adults; Sister Bernetta Pride, upper elementary and teens; Sister Kay Adkins, younger elementary; and Brother Willie J. Sandifer, media. Also assisting with the provision of suitable nourishment were the members of the Soup Kitchen Ministry, Sisters Stephanie Scott, Mary Allen, Maeola Peoples, Paulette Williams, and Rosemary Wells. A special thank you to Brothers Bobby Adkins and Guy Ginn for their grill skills on Saturday.
The main course for the lessons for the food truck party was centered around Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread. Two lessons were presented Thursday evening. The first lesson focused on Exodus 16, God provides manna and quail, which covered the Israelites as they left Egypt and began to grumble, complain, and wish they had remained in Egypt. Moses told them that God would provide. As promised, God would rain down bread from heaven every evening, and quail came and covered the site where they camped. Week after week, month after month, year after year, this was how God provided for the Israelites. Lesson Two, 1 Kings 17: 8-16, Elijah, the Widow, and the Endless Oil covered the prophet Elijah who displeased the king by prophesying a drought. Elijah encountered a widow who used the last of her flour and oil to make bread for him. Miraculously, the jars of flour and oil did not go empty for a long time. She was able to make many, many meals from those jars until the rain finally came back to the land. God provided daily bread for the widow and her son.
On Friday, the second lesson came from Daniel 1 and John 6:1-13. The first chapter of Daniel tells about the adventures of four very brave and faithful young men: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted them trained for his court. Daniel and his friends refused to eat from the king’s menu. After ten days of vegetables and water, Daniel and his friends were healthier than the other men who ate the king’s menu. The lesson from John 6:1-13 covers the familiar story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men, women, and children with two fish and five loaves of bread. This fantastic miracle reminds us that even when little is given to God, it can grow much more than we could ever imagine.
Saturday was the Food Truck Finale. This final lesson for the day was taken from John 21:1-17, Jesus Cooks the Catch of the Day. This chapter describes the disciples out fishing all night without catching anything. Jesus tells them to lower their nets on the right side of the boat. They caught so many fish that they could barely pull in the net. They cooked over the fire. After, Jesus commanded the disciples to fish for men and feed his sheep. The VBS closed with a Food Truck Party to celebrate these amazing stories of faith, family, friendship, and food. Brothers Bobby Adkins and Guy Ginn braved the heat to provide burgers and hot dogs. Trey Johnson of Big Shakes provided chicken and fish meals, and Mr. Bantu’s Ice Cream Truck provided refreshing desserts. The St. John security crew members, Brothers Jesse Johnson, Ron Johnson, and Bill Williams, ensured a safe environment.
The VBS lessons remind Christians to thank God for the provision of daily bread. They are also reminded to share the good news of God’s provision with those around them.
