This year's theme for Vacation Church School held the last week in June was "Moses and the Ten Commandments." Sixty children aged 3 to 12 years followed Moses from the bullrushes to Mount Sinai, with the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders performing a wonderful participatory play for us on the last day. The younger children got to be the bullrushes in the Nile, the flames in the burning bush, and the waves in the Red Sea. Our craft projects entailed weaving mats, making real leather sandals, fashioning bricks and clay pots, and baking leavened and unleavened bread. The youngest children concentrated on acting out the story of Baby Moses with props and costumes. We found we needed to do this skit every day since we had 23 three and four year olds and each child, boys and girls alike, wanted to have a turn being the princess.

Due to Stephen Elkins-Williams's sabbatical leave, we called on the Rev. Joshua Varner to lead us with our morning singing. Joshua, as many of you know, grew up in this parish, attended many Vacation Church Schools, has recently been ordained as an Episcopal priest, and is now working at St. Luke's in Durham. Joshua played his guitar superbly and with gusto led us in singing all the old favorites. The children got to sing, clap, stamp and shout to their hearts' contentóand in the 'Big Church' no less. Joshua's singing started the children off each morning full of enthusiasm for the day ahead. Our deep felt thanks and gratitude go out to him and to Stephen Elkins-Williams for providing us with (as one 3-year-old put it) "that happy man who comes and sings to us."

Cathy Markatos, Amelia Carew, Karah Rempe, and Rachel Fitzsimmons led us in our singing at the end of the morning. Amelia played the keyboard like a pro and Cathy, Karah, and Rachel, with their lovely voices, led us through our familiar repertoire and even taught us a new song, "Go Down Moses."

Instead of an ice cream social on the last day, this year we tried a pot luck supper. With little planning and less coordination it went off beautifully. Forty of us gathered to share an informal meal in the parish dining room. The grownups were able to relax and visit together inside while the children played on the playground outside.

For me the real beauty of the week was not just seeing how happy and engaged the children were, but in seeing the spirit in which the adults and teen helpers worked together. Each person worked incredibly hard and was essential to the wonderful program we ran. This was my first church volunteer project where I had to actually ask people for help. I went from dreading it to feeling happy to talk to people. The warm and open responses I got from everyone made me feel like I was part of a strong and caring community. I now know that being part of our church family means you can ask anyone for help and that when people volunteer their attitude is "what can I do to be helpful, ... and what else can I do?"

We truly appreciate all our fantastic volunteersóteachers, snack makers, craft creators, and all our teenage helpers who handled an enormous amount of responsibility helping to look after all the childrenóand our families who sent their wonderful children to us for a week of fun and learning.