VBS offers children SCUBA lessons

By Ethan Nahté

Although July may have had several rainy days leading up to August, the approximate 5 inches was not enough to require a boat, much less a submarine. Despite that, First Presbyterian Church of Mena held their SCUBA event the week of Aug. 7-11. The church hosted their vacation Bible school (VBS) from 9 a.m.-noon and this year’s theme was SCUBA — Super Cool Undersea Bible Adventures.

From the sanctuary to the hallways to the fellowship hall, spaces were converted to oceans with assorted sea life everywhere. The sanctuary was even complete with a yellow submarine and a Davy Jones charac-ter who rose from the sea amidst rumblings and bubbles to deliver the treasure chest containing the treasure of the Bible verse for the day.

Each morning, VBS director Judy Thompson and pastor Bill Seitz would go over the Bible point for the day, re- ceive the treasure chest and then read the Bible story for the day.

In addition, there was a skit each day with Seitz and some ‘doggie characters’ named Scuba Dooba Doo and Cutie Poota Poo, followed by music.

For the entire day, activities from crafts to interaction Bible adventures to snacks would incorporate the theme of the Bible story. For instance, when the story was about Jonah not obeying God then being eaten by a big fish, the kids saw a 20-foot-long fish. They were escorted inside the fish where Annette Hays told the story in almost total darkness with varying sound effects.

There were also daily craft classes, snacks the children put together, songs and other activities. Teens from the church’s LIFT Youth Group assisted as well as several adults helping with the activities and food, not to mention the assortment of costumed characters.

Thompson said, “Even though First Presbyterian has a small membership,

[I] felt SCUBA was a great success according to all of the kids. A combination of prayer, scripture, music and fun helps to bring children closer to Christ while enjoying themselves.”

After the week’s activities, nearly 20 children put on a program for the parents and family Friday afternoon. A few of the costumed characters were part of the program, as was Seitz and Thompson. The children sang and read Bible verses to the audience, there were bubbles coming up from behind a whale and the waves as Davy Jones emerged from the sea with his treasure chest, a yellow submarine with port windows cut out made for a great prop and photo op. As a matter of fact, “Yellow Submarine” and “Octopus’s Garden”, both sung by Ringo Starr when he was with The Beatles, were a part of the show as the audience watched a presentation of the children’s activities throughout the week via a combination of photos and videos.

As the audience watched the video, Seitz quietly spoke to The Pulse about how much fun the children had and how receptive they were to the lessons. Seitz also grabbed an acoustic guitar and was joined by a Roman centurion on a second guitar as they led the youth in a couple of songs, including a spirit competition. The girls were definitely much louder than the boys.

Each child also received a colorful certificate before the show was over.

Thompson added, “It does take a church in its entirety to host a successful vacation Bible school.”

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The new school year is starting, and with it comes a scary tradition. That tradition is parents agreeing to allow schools and teachers, to post pictures of their children, along with their name, classroom or teacher, likes & dislikes, future dreams, pets, etc. on Facebook. These Facebook posts contain every piece of information a child kidnapper/trafficker could want. And unlike just being printed in a local paper, these pictures go around the world and onto an unknown number of phones, tablets, computers. There is a common misconception that people must be “approved,” or have a child in the school district to join a school’s FB page, but that isn’t true; “anyone” can follow a school/school district Facebook page. It’s incredibly easy to see these children, and to figure out which ones would be the easiest to take. Even a private picture shared online to a specific group of friends can be downloaded, and then shared again and again. Parental control of online pictures are lost as soon as the “post” or “send” button is clicked.

Lastly, when it comes to kids, it isn’t just the online photos that can create harmful situations. Apps, and online access in general, can create issues, and as parents, you “definitely” need to check them out “before” allowing your children access.

Parents, please protect your children!!!! Please “stop” letting everyone blast your precious children’s pictures!! And stop allowing your children to have access to every popular app.

Mary Meier, Mena

Sleazy bar entertainment should never be used as entertainment at an American rodeo! But it was!

Saturday, Aug. 12, our Mena rodeo’s clown acted out a very vulgar performance wo the audience, which included several hundred children.

He started by bringing out a folded chair, opened it and set it down in the middle of the arena.

Then he went over and picked up a large, old-fashioned camera and tripod, taking it to a position about 50 feet from the front of the chair. Once it was set up for a photo, he turned, walked over to the audience, and put out his hand toward a woman who promptly put her hand in his.

Then he led her to the chair for her to sit down on. He promptly then turned and proceeded to the camera.

As he was lifting the cloth cover so as to put his face up to the lens to focus and take the picture… the woman was struggling to get seated properly — being dressed in a skirt.

Looking through the camera lens, and finishing the focus on the subject (the woman seated on the chair) he threw his head back and up, falling backward to the ground yelling, “O.M.G.”

The announcer yelled, “What’s wrong?”

The clown promptly yelled out that the camera had focused on her crack, because she had left her skirt up by her knees and her legs were open, exposing her privates.

He picked himself up off the ground, ran to her end and proceeded to tuck her skirt around her

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Letters may be submitted by e-mail to news@mypulsenews.com; mailed to P.O. Box 1450, Mena, AR 71953 or dropped off at 1168 Hwy. 71 South, Mena, AR. A drop-box is provided by the front door for after-hour convenience. TO legs as to cover up her private area. Then returned to camera.

Then the whole scene was repeated, him yelling out, “I just saw her crack.”

What next Mena? Are we so desperate for entertainment that we expose our children to such trash?

Concerned for our Polk County children, June Wise, Mena