Visiting the Old West

As I helped to decorate for Vacation Bible School 2022, I was reminded of many things I’d seen in the past when I drove the church teens to tent out West for seventeen days. There were seven drivers/ chaperones and seventeen teens. Unless I’m given a million dollars and a chauffeur of an RV, there were things I’ll never see again. I can’t sit for extended periods of time before my knees begin to ache.

Vacation Bible School this year has a western theme. The dais of the sanctuary of the Mt. Zion Community Church has been set up to look like the inside of a sheriff’s office with the baptistery as a “jail cell” for the dastardly criminal Black Bart. Borrowed items from the congregation and cardboard scenery lend a western air to the platform. A saddle, butter churn, potbelly stove, coat rack, and an eight foot tall mesa fill one side. A desk, wall clock, and “Wanted” posters decorate the other side.

Several of the classrooms, hallways, the fellowship hall, and the kitchen have been converted into scenes of the old West. The kitchen has taken on a chuck wagon flair and the cooks will be serving food although it won’t be beans cooked over an open fire. The fellowship hall has taken on a western town look with “buildings” lining the walls. Hallways have been decorated with trees, a large grizzly bear, and a criminal behind bars in a “hoosegow.” One classroom and the craft room have a definite Spanish theme, while the other classroom has a Native American theme with a teepee and an imitation “bow and arrows.”

The gym and passageways have tall cardboard mountains with a waterfall and rushing stream, with trees, bison, steer, rattlesnakes, lizards, Gila monsters, and coyotes. Cardboard cacti are scattered around. They are interspaced with cardboard cow head skeletons, several wagon wheels, covered wagons, cowboy boots, horseshoes, and stick horses. My daughter Anna and her friend Leah worked for quite a long time making and gathering the many decorations for VBS 2022. I’m a creative person, (sometimes called the Cardboard King), but when these two get together it is something remarkable. I’m surprised they didn’t import real cacti and sand.

I was out again Tuesday to take out a few more props and all I can say is WOW. The decorations are fabulous. The sanctuary, classrooms and hallways have been converted into scenes from the old West. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gabby Hayes isN’T hiding somewhere.