In June, Church of the Nativity in Port St. Lucie hosted its first Vacation Bible School in seven years. The decision to renew VBS is part of a years-long intentional effort to revitalize the parish by building multigenerational bridges.
When The Rev. Tracy Dugger became rector in 2019, there were three children in the parish, including her daughter. Knowing Nativity wanted to “grow younger,” she worked with the vestry to establish one guiding principle to shape the church’s future: “Invest in the children we have, no matter how few.”
Then the work began.
One of the first steps toward revitalization was evaluating ministries that were failing or on life support and ending them. “That death required grief, but it also gave space for hope,” Dugger explained. “Because we no longer had to pour energy into things that once worked, we could pivot and learn to ask the question, ‘What does God want us to do now?'”
Next, the church leadership evaluated their facilities, prayed for ways to realign space with vision and made necessary changes. With the stage set, the vestry and leadership began to experiment. “God’s heart has always been for people, so we looked to our own people and toward the people we wanted to reach but couldn’t,” Dugger said. “We made friends, asked questions and dared to try something new. We knew if we failed, we would fail forward.”
Dugger developed relationships with two local schools and with Cub Scouts looking for space to begin a co-ed group, which Nativity provided. Eventually, two Cub Scout families began attending worship.
In the past, members Greg and Elaine Clem hosted a junior youth group, but after COVID restrictions lifted, they worked with Dugger to rebrand the gathering to a monthly Parents Night Out beginning in September 2021. Elaine said it is a gift for them to provide parents and caregivers a much-deserved night out. “As a couple of boomers, it’s a great way for us to connect with millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha.”
At the same time, Nativity reimagined ways to minister to children on Sunday mornings. Rather than separating children for their own service, the church built generational bridges by encouraging them to attend the main service. A children’s sermon is given each week, and a monthly Children’s and Family Sunday features children as ushers, greeters and readers. A favorite task among the children is pushing the electronic door button for people entering the building. Nativity also provides activities, books and felt toys for children to use during church. “When kids show up, we want them to know we were ready for them and that they weren’t an afterthought,” Dugger said.
All these steps enabled Nativity to take a leap by reimagining VBS this year. For several years, budget restrictions and an aging volunteer base prevented the church from hosting the popular summer event. “We had already reimagined so many things, we decided we could redesign VBS too,” Dugger explained. Rather than hold an evening VBS centered around a meal, they hosted it during the day. The entire budget was $500, including curriculum, supplies and snacks.
Kendra Hunter, a member since 2014, led the charge. “No matter how many children signed up, we wanted to create a meaningful experience for them to create connections and help them to feel loved,” she said. “We ended up with 15 children attending who included a mix of Sunday school kids, Cub Scouts who meet at our church, grandchildren of parishioners and kids from the community.”
Students and volunteers were thrilled with the week and are looking forward to doing it again next year after they have recovered from what they have termed “holy exhaustion.”
They will not have much of a break, however. With VBS completed, Nativity continues to look for ways to build lasting connections with children in the church and community. In a few weeks, a postcard photo of the VBS group will be delivered to the children who attended, inviting them to a back-to-school kickoff service, a movie night on the lawn, Sunday school and Parents Night Out.
Nativity has reimagined what was for what could be. When asked how other churches can revitalize, Dugger has one word of advice: “As counterintuitive as it seems, I dare you to let things die, see what God resurrects and trust that it will be what is needed now.”