Norcross First Baptist celebrates 80th consecutive Vacation Bible School

NORCROSS – My, how time flies.

That was the sentiment expressed by three of Georgia Baptists’ oldest Vacation Bible School attendees as they helped Norcross First Baptist Church celebrate 80 continuous years of VBS.

The Gwinnett County church was one of the first congregations in Georgia to have a VBS when it opened its doors to the children in 1924. Through hard times and good, Depression years and boom years, the church has never missed an opportunity to teach children Bible stories and how to memorize scripture verses to guide them through the years.

Annie Mae Dean Lay, now a sprightly 92 years of age, can still quote every book of the Bible which she learned decades ago at the church. She and Floy Batease, now 87, and Lucy Nell Flowers, now 89, joined Lay in the celebration on June 21.

Flowers, who was nine-years-old in the summer of 1924, remembers the event like it was yesterday … instead of 80 yesterdays ago.

“We just had the best time. I loved meeting other children from the community and hearing the preacher tell us those Bible stories,” she says.

Lay, who was born in 1912 and was 11 at the time, still talks about the virtue of learning scripture verses at such a young age.

“I have carried those Bible verses with me throughout my life. They are always there when you need them to provide some encouragement or give a lift to your day. I can still recall all 66 books of the Bible to this day.”

Her statement was not an idle boast. The words were scarcely out of her mouth before she began reciting the name of each book in exact order.

Batease, who was the youngest of the trio at age 7, said she never thought she would live long enough to attend an 80th anniversary of the popular summer event. But she’s glad the church thought enough of children back then to provide them with a solid biblical foundation for their later years.

“Vacation Bible School … you know it was for a month back in those days, not just a week, and it was a time of intense Bible study. It was the only time some children heard the gospel on their level. Church was primarily for adults and there wasn’t that much attention paid to children. It was such a treat for the preacher to give us that kind of attention.”

“Vacation Bible School was how many children were first introduced to Jesus, and that’s still the case today.”

Carol Kohl, director of children’s ministries, says VBS is “the greatest opportunity to present the gospel to largely unchurched children in our community. Our Number One goal is for them to come to Jesus and to learn to walk in his truth.”

Kohl said the event is the church’s largest evangelistic outreach to children for the year. A dozen professions of faith were recorded by those who participated in the Rickshaw Rally-themed event.

Pastor C. Lee Smith agreed that VBS is an important event in the lives of children.

“We sometimes forget that the whole world revolves around adults but for about a week each summer the children are the focus of attention at VBS. They know this week is just for them and they can’t wait to hear the Bible stories shared in new and exciting ways.”

When did VBS begin in Georgia?

No one knows for sure which Georgia church sponsored the first Vacation Bible School in the state, but the earliest mention on record appeared in The Christian Index in 1922. That’s when pastor Homer Grice in Washington wrote to share how VBS had worked in his church for the two previous years. He reported an average attendance of 150 for the 20-day event.

Historically, VBS began in an East Side beer hall in New York City. A doctor’s wife, Mrs. Walker Hawes, used the approach to get children off the street.

Norcross First Baptist Church

Pastor M.D. Reed teaches Bible stories in Thrasher Park in downtown Norcross in the summer of 1924. The church was located across from the park in those early days. The old city library is shown in the background.

Norcross First Baptist Church

Children line up for the procession into the old sanctuary of Norcross First Church.

Joe Westbury

Philip Early, center, enjoys one of many activities that interspersed classroom learning at the annual event. He was one of nearly 200 children who were enrolled in this year’s VBS at the church; twelve made professions of faith.

Joe Westbury

Hannah Lewis, three-and-a-half, shows off her Japanese-inspired fan while teacher Jeanette Miller from Tucker looks on.

Joe Westbury

Theresa Huffman, a children’s church team member, portrays the woman at the well for children attending this summer’s VBS. The church wrote the drama presentation as part of this year’s event.

Joe Westbury

Emiko Deguchi, left, and Fujiko Kawano, right, prepare a learning experience for children visiting the mission house at Norcross First Church. Deguchi and Kawano are two members of the Japanese congregation which is sponsored by the church. Bob Boatwright is pastor of the congregation.

Joe Westbury

Floy Batease, left, 87; Lucy Nell Flowers, center, 89; and Annie Mae Dean Lay, right, 92, hold Norcross First Baptist Church’s 80th anniversary VBS birthday cake on June 21. Batease and Flowers are sisters, and come from a family of nine children. Norcross First is the only church Flowers has ever been a member of, she says. She has lived across the street from the congregation since 1954; he sister joined her 20 years ago.

Joe Westbury

As memories of yesteryear flash on the large overhead screen during Vacation Bible School at Norcross First Baptist Church, three of the state’s oldest VBS attendees enjoy a walk down memory lane. Floy Batease, 87, left; Annie Mae Dean Lay, 92, center; and Lucy Nell Flowers, 89, right, were not yet teenagers in 1924 when they attended the church’s first Vacation Bible School. Now they are part of the church’s history of teaching children about the love of Jesus. On June 21 the Gwinnett County church celebrated 80 consecutive years of conducting the popular summer evangelistic program for children.