Kids enjoy final day of vacation bible school at Messiah Lutheran Day Camp

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Many adults have fond memories of attending vacation Bible school as a child growing up.

VBS or day camp as it’s often called, can help build leadership and character skills for young adults.

Plus it’s a lot of fun.

Messiah Lutheran Church in Charles City held a Bible school all this week that was put on by Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp. The camp was open to all students going into first through the sixth grade.

Four day camp directors from RLBC helped facilitate the program that consists of worship and an assortment of activities including science experiments, art, recreation, skits, as well as survival and nature trails . The theme for the camp was “Press On.”

The four-day event culminated on Thursday with an evening program where parents could attend and day campers could say their good-byes to staff members. Ice cream and cookies were served at the reception.

“We try to teach the kids that Jesus is in it all,” said one of the camp’s directors, Claire Rittenhouse.

One team member of the camp, Charles City’s Erik Hoefer, said camp directors stayed with host families in Charles City from Messiah Lutheran’s congregation. Hoefer is a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Charles City and is a student pastor with Messiah Lutheran.

He said he couldn’t have been more pleased with the experience he was able to share in with RLBC and the 37 students who attended the camp. This is the first time RLBC has held a day camp at Messiah Lutheran.

“These four leaders from Riverside have been phenomenal. Not only have these four connected with the young people who are coming to VBS, they’ve also connected with so many of the adults in this congregation,” said Hoefer.

Rittenhouse said RLBC and three separate teams attended about 18 churches across Iowa during a nine-week period starting in June. Charles City was Rittenhouse’s last day camp before school starts for many later this month.

She said Charles City couldn’t have been any more accommodating and made everyone involved with RLBC feel right at home.

“Some of the most amazing people I’ve met have been here. I felt so welcomed right off the bat,” said Rittenhouse.

Her staff and the kids took part in National Night Out on Tuesday and watched “Toy Story 4” at the Charles  Theatre this week. They also did a lot of singing and dancing.

“Kids love worship. We get super pumped and we bring a lot of energy to the table when we get to share with the kids some really cool songs and dance moves,” Rittenhouse added.

Riverside Bible Camp was founded in 1943 and sits just two miles north of Story City in Hamilton County.

Messiah Lutheran Church was formed in 1968, according to Hoefer, and has conducted a vacation Bible school since that time.