Update: we have reached capacity for our first prototype class and registration has closed!

MindGear Labs and LOVEHuntsville are excited to present ReEngineering VBS made possible by a partnership with The Berean Church, The Village Church & Westside Community Church.

As families seek out summer enrichment for their children, Vacation Bible School is frequently atop the list of options in Huntsville. There are no shortage of traditional VBS options in the area, but many are geared more toward young elementary age children.

It is the desire of this partnership to provide a hands-on, content rich experience for upper-age elementary and middle school age children. This desire was the catalyst for ReVBS.

What does a program like this look like? With the expertise and knowledge provided by MindGear Labs, children will have the opportunity to discover God as Designer and Creator through a hands-on engineering exploration of Noah’s Ark.

The program will run from 9-12 each day starting July 25th-29th. With a class of approximately a dozen middle schoolers, each day will provide an opportunity to experience God as Designer through the design and recreation of a true to scale replica of the Ark.

  • WHAT: ReEngineering VBS
  • WHEN: July 25th-29th
  • WHERE: Lowe Mill, 2nd floor MindGear Labs and Education Classroom
  • WHO: Middle School Age Kiddos
  • WHY: Provide a creative, interactive experience with God as Designer and Creator in a way that engages and challenges kids where they are at. Provide a place for theological questions to be explored authentically and sensitively.

Sign Up Registration has closed!

Vacation Bible School has a wonderful history of color, joy, games, and songs for little kids.  But those little kids grow up and begin to have big questions.  Somewhere in the gap between elementary school and college, these same kids begin hearing about elements of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (S.T.E.A.M.) that often come with questions about who God is and why He is (or is not) doing things in the world.  Perhaps it is time for us to re-  engineer VBS to aim at bigger kids with bigger questions!  Berean is partnering with other local churches to bring STEAM education into the educational aspect of a middle-school age bracket 1 week course.  Our pilot program will have the kids building a scale model of Noah’s ark – with equipment provided by MindGear Labs!

Noahs Ark0_2c

They will be learning about God as Designer of the earth (geology), of engineering principles (in the design of a ship far beyond the skills of ancient ship builders), and life itself.  This packed week will most importantly focus on God’s plan in creating the world, how to read and study the story of God in the Bible, and how the Gospel is revealed in the story of Noah.  The time for this kind of fun and challenging investigation and exploration is now for these youth – especially in light of real questions that come from learning about STEAM topics. If you are interested in the ReVBS (Re-engineering VBS) program, please fill out this form so we can get in touch with you about the details. (Please submit a new form for each child.)

NOTE:  Berean Church will also provide an opportunity for younger siblings of registered participants as well, without the more complex STEAM curriculum.

*We are requesting a donation for each child of $50 to cover daily expenses and supplies for the kids – however no kid will be turned away for financial limitations (if space is available). Berean has partnered with several local churches and LOVEHuntsville (www.LOVEHuntsville.com) to build the prototype curriculum.  The total cost of the project far exceeds what would be reasonable to charge for any kind of admission, thus we are in no way expecting to “charge” fees to parents to recover the cost of the program; our goal is to raise enough support so that only nominal costs (supplies and snacks, about $10 per day) would be passed along to parents.  NO CHILD WILL BE TURNED AWAY FOR FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS!  If you have multiple children or can contribute only a small amount, please put down what you are able.  If you are able to contribute substantially to the cost, we are asking for church fellowships and private donors to invest to the program development so that next year we can offer this curriculum to / through any area church that desires to participate. Any proceeds from the program will continue to support STEAM education in Title 1 schools through this partnership and the sponsorship of LOVEHuntsville and MindGear Labs. If you wish to invest, even if you do not have a child to put into the program, please email us at info@bereanhsv.org.  Thank you!