Things to Bring:
EVERYONE BRING:
- Camp chair
- Water Bottle
- Yourself, looking gorgeous and ready for yearbook photos first thing on Thursday morning
SENIORS BRING:
- Commonplace book (with your Armor of God scriptures from History assignment)
- Paper Scriptures
- Pen/pencil
- Marked copy of Wednesday Wars or notes from Wednesday Wars
- Closed toe shoes for archery, day one
- Closed toe shoes and thick jeans for day two
- Swimming clothes/shoes/towel to change into for day two
- Have memorized your lines for the play so you can earn Vanbucks
JUNIORS BRING:
- Great Hall of Characters book, costume and written intro (day 2)
- Paint clothes to change into
- Foam swords if you have them
- Have prepared and watched Traci’s grammer videos (Found Here)
- Shoes/Clothes for playing in the river on day one and for playing at the resevoir day 2
- Your first-aid kit from last year (if you have it)
ROOKIES BRING:
- Paint clothes (both days)
- Foam swords if you have them
- Clothes and shoes for playing in the water
- Medieval Costumes (optional) for day two
- Life jackets and swimwear for day two
- Your first-aid kit from last year (if you have it)
MOMS BRING
- Food Assignments (Check Here)
- Armor Up 20x
- Items needed for class intros
- Cutting tool for cardboard if you have it
- Kayaks/Paddleboards/life jackets for day 2
- glue guns (juniors moms)
Vision Day Book Assignment
BEFORE you start reading Wednesday Wars 😉 I have a challenge for you! I want you to focus on, “Things are not as they seem.”
Not as they seem? What do you mean?
You’ll run into middle school bullies, baseball (whoot! ⚾), Shakespeare, the Vietnam War, track, racism, broken families, and so much more.
I want you to look for “things are not as they seem” as you read. Pay special attention to first impressions and what is actually real.
Although this book highlights Holling’s dysfunctional family and the Vietnam war, those are not what I’d like us to dwell on.
The part I’d like us to have fun with is, drum roll 🥁,
Shakespeare 🎭
Shakespeare?
Yeah!
That dead guy?!
Yup!
So if you’re struggling already to think Shakespeare might be fun–give me a chance–because I’m actually right there with you. This might not be as it seems!
I am a visual/auditory learner so reading Shakespeare was one of the worst things I ever did in public school!
You’re not going to have that same experience!
Gear up for games, insult wars, dramatic love connections, epic revenge, forgiveness and lots of growth. Because, believe it or not, most of the stories we love are based off of the Bard’s clever tales…it’s everywhere!
Here’s a secret: Wednesday Wars is packed with references to seven Shakespeare plays. 🪶📃
I’ve selected a short video for you to watch about the play so you won’t get left behind with unfamiliar names and stories.
When you get to the part of the book when our hero Holling battles the Bard…stop and hop on over to these clips to get the gist and then get back into Wednesday Wars.
One last challenge: when you think you’ve figured someone out…look again. In Wednesday Wars, things are not as they seem 📚😉
~Steph Sparks
Book
Video Summaries
PS–if you are already familiar with the play you can skip the video 👍🏼
Vision Day History/Theme Assignment
This is a soft launch to our theme for the year, the Armor of God.
Watch this video which recites our scripture of the year
Watch this video and be delighted (yes they make these for primary and yes these videos are quoted at my house by all ages)
Both of these videos illustrate how putting on the whole armor of God is more than just a cutesy lesson at church, it is a literal strength and protection against the deception of the world, the hurtful lies of the enemy and all the firey darts thrown your way in this world.
For your assignment I want you to examine YOUR personal battlefields or fiery darts. In other words, “Where does Satan most often try to discourage you?” or “What lies are you most tempted to believe?”
Examples could be:
- I’m not enough.
- I’m alone.
- God doesn’t hear me.
- Everyone else has life figured out.
- I’ll never change.
- I have to be perfect.
- I need everyone’s approval.
- I have to control everything.
- My future scares me.
- I’m not worthy.
I want you to write down 1-3 of these firey darts that you clearly see yourself battling. Put them in your commonplace journal. Feel free to illustrate it as firey arrows shooting at a shield if that is fun for you:)
NEXT, now that you have identified the LIE, I need you to search the scriptures for the TRUTH.
For example:
| Fiery Dart (Lie) | Sword/Shield (Truth) |
| I’m alone. | “I will not leave you comfortless.” (John 14:18) |
| I can’t change. | “With God nothing shall be impossible.” |
| I’m not enough. | “My grace is sufficient for thee.” |
Find a scripture for each of the 1-3 lies that Satan is throwing at you.
I want these 1-3 scriptures you choose to be ones you feel are POWERFUL. That may take some searching — maybe the first scripture or a well-known scripture doesn’t speak to you as much as one that may take a little digging. Put in the effort, we will be using these scriptures all year long!
Write down your three scriptures in your commonplace book and bring it to vision days. We’ll unfold the rest of the vision for the year and these scriptures there!
