The Alexander City Outlook

Vacation Bible School takes children at the Arbor back to biblical times

Children sanded dreidels at the carpenter shop and listened to a hammer dulcimer at the musical instrument shop.

The Jerusalem Marketplace Vacation Bible School at The Arbor recreated what a market in Jerusalem might have looked like in biblical times.

More than 160 children, from 2 year olds through sixth graders, attended Wednesday. About 40 youth and 40 adults led the lessons, and everyone was in costume.

The children broke into groups, or tribes of Israel, for their lessons, and watched a few of the youth perform a skit about the events leading up to the crucifixion.

After they danced and sang, the children traveled from shop to shop to explore skills like carpentry, weaving, pottery, baking, sewing and the use of herbs and spices.

The Alexander City First United Methodist Church has a Vacation Bible School every year, but this year the organizers wanted to do something different, said Tammy Wendling, children’s director.

They wanted to use a different theme than usual “because it was realistic,” Wendling said. “Every year it’s cutesy. But this year, you get a glimpse of what we think Jerusalem was like. This makes it so easy to teach.”

At each shop, the instructors taught the children skills and what it was like in biblical days. They interacted with the children, talking about the events that were covered in the skit.

“It kind of keeps the buzz going, between that and the drama,” Wendling said.

The Bible school would not have been possible without the volunteers, she said.

“When we were putting stuff up, there were over 100 adults here,” she said. “The volunteers are amazing.”

Catie Radney, who oversaw the decorating, was a huge help, too, Wendling said.

Most of the materials were donated, and were it not for the donations, the marketplace would not have been as authentic.

“Without the donations from the community, it never would have happened,” Wendling said.

“We were able to costume everyone,” she said. “It makes it so authentic, to look out and see everyone dressed like that. We didn’t think we could do it, but (with the donations) we did.”

Even the volunteers were impressed with the Bible school.

“I wish I had this when I was a kid,” volunteer Kelly Forehand said. “This is so cool!”

This year, like last year, children and volunteers from St. James Episcopal Church joined in the Bible school.

Watching the children sand wood and mold clay, Wendling said she thought the Bible school was a success so far.

“Its gotten better every night,” Wendling said. “Monday night was chaotic, Tuesday was better and tonight is well on its way to being great.”

The Jerusalem Market runs through Friday at The Arbor from 6 to 8 p.m.