Director Guide
Quick Start Guide
What’s in the Box?
Congratulations! You are the proud new owner of Super Saints: Heroes of Our Faith! Our team could not be more excited for the journey you are about to take with the young people in your community. This Quick Start Guide will familiarize you with the contents of your Super Saints box so you can hit the ground running, doing what you do best: building relationship with your students!
For Leaders
• Director Guide: This guide is the playbook for the leader of the entire program. It will answer any questions related to implementing Super Saints.
• Craft Leader Guide: This is the playbook for the person chosen to lead the craft sessions during VBS.
• Music Leader Guide: This guide will equip a leader with all things related to VBS songs, troparia, and Church hymnology. (Note: The Music Leader and Opening/Closing Celebration Leader are often the same person.)
• Game Leader Guide: This guide has everything the Game Leader needs to know to run a station full of fun and exciting games!
• Lesson Leader Guide: This guide makes teaching the lessons about the saints easy and plug-and-play.
SAMPLE
• Opening and Closing Celebration Leader Guide: This guide will help you welcome
For Students
• Student Activity Books (10): Each student will need an activity book to complete lessons, fully participate, and take home their learning. Order more at Faithtree.org if you have more than 10 students.
the students each morning and wind down at the end of each day, recapping the most important learning nuggets.
• Leader Name Badges (10): Name badges help students and parents quickly identify leaders.
• Lanyards for Name Badges (10): Attach these to the name badges and around your leader’s necks they go!
• Sample Registration Form: Make copies so you can keep keep track of students, payments, allergies, and the like.
• Completion Certificates (10): Celebrate your student’s completion of Super Saints in style! Order additional copies if you have more than 10 students.
• Thumb Drive with Digital Files, Music and Videos: Your thumb drive contains everything you need to implement an exciting and easy program including slide shows, hand-motion videos for songs, digital leader guides and more!
• Student Name Tags: These easy to print labels will help your volunteer team keep track of your students and remember who’s who!
Quick Start Guide
What’s in the Box? (Continued)
For Promoting VBS
• Promotional Posters (10): Hang these marketing posters around your church.
• Promotional Postcards (24): Mail these branded invitations to excite your families about Super Saints VBS! On your thumb drive, you will find a PDF template you can personalize with your program’s details.
For Display
• Saint Posters: These posters will allow your volunteers to decorate the teaching space with icons of our beloved saints!
• Troparion Posters: Help your students learn the troparion for each of the six saints they will meet during VBS.
For Fun
• Verse of the Day Posters: Memory verse posters will help students memorize Holy Scripture—a new verse each day!
• Theme of the Day Posters: These posters will drive home the five themes of Super Saints VBS including Repent, Seek Truth, Stand Firm, Witness and Endure!
Samples of our Super Saints Swag Pack: Buy as many as you need (one for each student). Each swag pack includes:
• Sport Pack: for storing a superhero’s belongings—with attached cape!
• Hero Mask: for dress up and pretend play
• Pen: for completing VBS lessons in Super Saints style
YOUr role
Thank you!
Dear friend, congratulations! You have bravely stepped into perhaps the most crucial role necessary to launch an extraordinary Vacation Bible School at your church: Director. Because you are willing to serve your community, the students in your parish are going to enjoy one of the most important, relationship-building, and faith-growing opportunities of their year. As you rally the troops and ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone involved, know that your parish is providing a multi-generational ministry while glorifying God. Way to go!
Role of VBS Director
• Oversee the entire VBS program
• Coordinate with church staff on needs related to VBS: dates, venue space, clergy availability, volunteer screening
• Recruit and collaborate with volunteer staff
• Schedule training opportunities
• Pray about all aspects of VBS—before, during, and after
Tips for a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Take some time to read through all the Leader Guides, in addition to this Director Guide. This will give you full context for your students’ experience and help you prepare your volunteer leaders.
Be available: Designate an area for information and/or troubleshooting during VBS. Volunteers of all ages, as well as parents and guardians, will benefit from knowing where to go for information or an emergency. While you might consider acting in this capacity, keep in mind you will be overseeing logistics of the entire program each day. Assign a volunteer to assist you if needed.
SAMPLE
Keep it fun: VBS is a time for students to learn about God and their faith in a fun and exciting way. Enlisting outgoing and enthusiastic volunteers will keep the energy level up and ensure the students are enjoying the learning environment throughout the week.
Make it interactive: Encourage leaders and volunteer helpers to participate in discussions or activities with the students. This helps keep them engaged and reinforces the concepts being taught.
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure for students. Have a plan in place for emergencies or unexpected situations.
Follow up: After VBS is over, follow up with the leaders, volunteers, students, and their families. This helps reinforce the lessons and builds a relationship with the families in your church community.
Core Volunteer Roles
*The roles of Music Leader and Opening/Closing Celebration Leader can be combined.
can be adults or teens. All rotation groups should have 1-2 helpers. Depending on VBS enrollment size, 1-2 helpers per class may be needed.
Sample Schedules
For Morning Vacation Bible School
Large Groups / Adequate Space
(The lesson is taught to students during group rotations.)
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
9:00–9:15 Opening Celebration (Everyone)
9:20–9:50 Lesson, Saint of the Day, Activity Snacks Games
9:55–10:25 Crafts Lesson, Saint of the Day, Activity Snacks
10:30–11:00 Games Crafts Lesson, Saint of the Day, Activity
11:05–11:35 Snacks Games Crafts
11:40–12:00 Closing Celebration (Everyone)
Small Groups / Limited Space
(The lesson is taught to all students at one time.)
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
9:00–9:15 Opening Celebration (Everyone)
9:20–9:50 Lesson, Saint of the Day, Activity (Everyone)
9:55–10:25 Crafts Games Snacks
10:30–11:00 Games Snacks Crafts
11:05–11:35 Snacks Crafts Games
11:40–12:00 Closing Celebration (Everyone)
Note: If hosting an evening Vacation Bible School, we recommend starting at 6:00 PM and ending at 9:00 PM.
Lesson
Leader Guide
Your Role as the Lesson Leader
As the Lesson Leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School! You have an incredible opportunity to excite your students about the Faith and help them get to know the holy saints. You’re going to rock it!
Here are four responsibilities of the Lesson Leader:
• Oversee the five lessons about the Super Saints.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff as needed.
• Schedule time to review the lessons and plan the activities.
• Pray about all aspects of the lessons for Super Saints—before, during, and after.
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Take some time to prepare your lessons in advance. Create an outline of what you want to teach each day and gather any necessary materials or props. Make sure you have enough supplies for each student.
Be flexible: The amount of time you spend on each section of a lesson can be adjusted based on the attention span and engagement level of the students. Keep the language simple and interactive to ensure understanding and participation.
Use visual aids: Students often learn better with visual aids, so consider using props or images to help illustrate your lessons. You can also use videos or interactive media to engage them.
Keep it fun: VBS is a time for students to learn about God in a fun and exciting way. Incorporate games and activities that tie into the lesson for the day. Keep the energy level up and make sure students are engaged.
Make it interactive: Encourage students to participate in discussions or activities that relate to the lesson. This helps keep them engaged and reinforces the concepts you’re teaching.
Be patient: Students may have a lot of energy and need reminders to stay on track. Be patient and positive, and remember you’re making an impact in their lives!
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure for students. Have a plan in place for emergencies or unexpected situations.
Activity: Salt and Pepper
Conduct the salt and pepper activity to demonstrate how God removes our sins when we confess them.
Explain that pepper represents sin, and salt represents forgiveness.
1. Sprinkle some salt on the plate to represent how we are pure and clean before we sin.
Supplies:
• salt, pepper
mistakes we make.
3. Place a towel next to the plate and rub the plastic spoon on the towel.
• plate
• towel
• plastic spoon
SAMPLE
4. Move the spoon slowly over the salt and pepper. The pepper will stick to the spoon, symbolizing God’s forgiveness.
Reflect on the significance of the activity and connect it to the concept of God’s forgiveness.
Craft Leader Guide
Your Role as the CRAFT Leader
• Oversee all of the creative crafts of Super Saints VBS.
• Determine the location for the crafts rotation.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff you might need.
• Create a list of materials needed for the week and purchase them in advance.
• Assemble and share a completed sample of each craft.
• Provide clear instructions that explain the craft step-by-step.
• Set up and clean up each day in the craft station.
• Allow creativity. While it’s important to provide guidance and structure, allow students to be creative and make their crafts unique.
• Be patient. Some students may need extra assistance or may take longer to complete their crafts. Provide support as needed.
• Set up craft stations where students can work in groups. This can encourage cooperation and also allow for more interaction and socialization.
• If you can, display the finished products. Students will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they view their work.
• Share your energy and enthusiasm about the saint, the theme, and lesson of each day.
• Pray about all aspects of the crafts for Super Saints—before, during, and after.
As a leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School!
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Plan ahead: Take some time to prepare your crafts in advance. Gather any necessary materials for each day’s craft. Make sure you have enough supplies for each student.
Be flexible: Some crafts are best for younger students and others for older students. Some rotations will complete their crafts quickly while others take more time. Adjust as necessary.
Keep it fun: VBS is a time for students to learn about God in a fun and exciting way! These crafts are meant to support the teaching of each day’s theme and Super Saint in a hands-on and creative way.
Make it interactive: Encourage students to participate in discussions that relate to the lesson. This helps to keep them engaged and helps to reinforce the concepts you’re teaching.
Be patient: Students may have a lot of energy and may need reminders to stay on track. Be patient and positive, and remember that you’re making an impact in their lives.
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure. Oversee students as they use scissors and consider pre-cutting items for younger ones. Securely close and label supplies that may be dangerous (paint, glue, etc.). Have a plan in place for emergencies or unexpected situations.
Game
Leader Guide
Your Role as the Game Leader
• Oversee the coordination of all of the fun games for Super Saints VBS.
• Determine the location for the games.
• Gather supplies.
• Set up each day’s game area and clean up afterward.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff you might need.
• Plan some time to learn the games and consider a trial run of the games with your volunteers beforehand.
• Share your energy and enthusiasm about the saint, theme, and lesson of each day.
• Pray about all aspects of the games for Super Saints—before, during, and after.
As a leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School!
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Choose games that are appropriate for the age range and skill level of the students attending Super Saints. Plan the rules and logistics of each game in advance.
Keep it fun: The primary goal of game time is to have fun and engage the students. The games included in your guide are exciting and competitive but also inclusive and fair.
Be flexible: Be prepared to adjust games as needed based on the size of the group, the level of energy, or any other unexpected factors that may arise.
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure for the students. Provide protective gear as necessary, such as helmets or pads, and ensure that any hazards are properly marked and avoided.
Encourage teamwork: Always help build camaraderie and a sense of community among the students.
Provide rewards: Consider offering small prizes or rewards for the winners of each game. This can add to the excitement and motivation for the students.
Include everyone: Make sure that all students have the opportunity to participate in game time regardless of their skill level or physical ability. Consider modifying games as needed to include everyone.
Keep it simple: While some games may involve more elaborate rules or equipment, consider keeping most games simple and easy to understand. This can help keep the focus on fun and enjoyment rather than confusion or frustration.
Music
Leader Guide
Your Role as the Music Leader
• Oversee the music for Super Saints VBS.
• Share your energy and enthusiasm about the saint, theme, and lesson of each day through the Super Saints songs, chants, and troparia.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff you might need.
• Plan some time to learn the hand motions for the songs (included on the thumb drive).
• Music at VBS is one of the most fun and impactful aspects of the program. Music is engaging, it is energizing, and most importantly, it is memorable. Be sure to know the music and the hand motions so you can lead well.
• Your role works closely with the Opening and Closing Celebration Leader and the two roles can be combined as needed.
• Pray about all aspects of the music for Super Saints—before, during, and after.
As a leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School!
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Make sure you have a way to play each day’s songs for each Opening and Closing Celebration. Confirm that the lyrics are visible for the students each day whether on the slides provided on the thumb drive or printed copies included in this guide.
Keep it fun: Several of the Super Saints songs have hand motions that accompany them! You will find videos of these hand motions located on the
thumb drive. Train your volunteers ahead of time so they can lead the songs from the front of the room during Opening and Closing Celebration!
Keep it simple: The goal of the music of Super Saints is to support the lessons and themes each day in a fun and memorable way. Don’t be surprised if students have memorized the songs by the end of the week!
Supply List
On the Thumb Drive:
• songs for each day (full vocal, no lead vocal, and instrumental)
• lyric slides
• hand motion training videos
Leader Guide
Snack
Your Role as the Snack Leader
• Plan the snacks in advance and make sure you have all the necessary ingredients and supplies.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff you might need.
• Make sure to consider any allergies or dietary restrictions of the students attending VBS. Provide alternative snacks as needed.
• Offer healthy snacks that reinforce the theme of the day.
• Provide plenty of water for the students to drink, especially if the weather is hot.
• Encourage socialization. Use snack time as an opportunity for students to socialize and interact with each other. Consider setting up tables or seating areas where they can gather and talk.
As
• Serve appropriate portions of snacks to ensure all students have enough to eat but also to avoid excessive waste.
• Use this time for bathroom visits.
• Offer a selection of books about the saints that leaders can read to their group or students can read on their own while enjoying their snacks.
• If time allows, take students outside for some sidewalk chalk or bubbles for some extra play time.
• Share your energy and enthusiasm about the saint, theme, and lesson of each day.
• Pray about all aspects of the snacks for Super Saints—before, during, and after.
a leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School!
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Take some time to prepare your snacks in advance and gather any necessary ingredients and supplies. Make sure you have enough for each student.
Be flexible: Use what works for you in this list. Don’t feel you need to use all of the ideas.
Demonstrate: Show the students how to make their snacks each day.
SAMPLE
Keep it fun: VBS is a time for students to learn about God in a fun and exciting way. Incorporate snacks that tie into the lesson for the day. Keep the energy level up and make sure the students are engaged.
Make it interactive: Encourage the students to participate in discussions that relate to the lesson. This helps to keep them engaged and reinforces the concepts you’re teaching.
Be patient: Students may have a lot of energy and need reminders to stay on track. Be patient and positive—you’re making an impact in their lives!
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure for students. Review each student’s allergies on their registration forms to accommodate. Clean up any spills or messes promptly, and ensure that any hazards are properly marked and avoided. Have a plan in place for emergencies or unexpected situations.
Opening & Closing Celebration Leader Guide
Your Role as the Opening/Closing Celebration Leader
• Oversee the Opening/Closing Celebration each day.
• Recruit and collaborate with additional volunteer staff you might need.
• Coordinate with the Music Leader on the best way to play the music each day (live, digital, etc.).
• Schedule time to learn the hand motions for the songs by watching the videos included on the thumb drive.
• Pray about all aspects of the Opening/Closing Celebrations— before, during, and after VBS.
As a leader, you are the heart of this Vacation Bible School!
How to Create a Successful and Spiritually Enriching Experience
Plan ahead: Prepare the celebrations in advance.
Use visual aids: Students learn better with visual aids, so consider using props or images during each day’s Opening/Closing Celebration. You can also use the Super Saints digital slides and posters to increase engagement.
Keep it fun: VBS is a time for students to learn about God in a fun and exciting way. Encourage dancing and singing, and keep the energy level up. Students will follow your lead, so HAVE FUN!
Make it interactive: Using the hand motions with each day’s songs will help students stay engaged and reinforce the concepts they are learning.
Be patient: Students may have a lot of energy and may need reminders to stay on track. Be patient and positive, and remember that you’re making an impact in their lives!
Keep safety in mind: Make sure the environment is safe and secure for students. Have a plan in place for emergencies or unexpected situations.
Supply List
Day 1 – Day 5
• microphone
• posters
• verse
• saint
• theme
• troparion
• chairs/seating for students
• slides (if you have AV equipment)
• verse
• saint
• theme
• troparion
• song lyrics
• Music Leader and/or Music Leader Guide
• ENERGY and ENTHUSIASM!