100 Years of Vacation Church School in the Philippines United Methodist Church

Reaching more than 200,000 children (and their families) annually

In 2024, The United Methodist Church in the Philippines celebrated one hundred years of vacation church school. I had the privilege of interviewing two wonderful deaconesses: Mary Joyce Villanueva, who is currently serving as the executive secretary of the Philippines Central Conference Board of Christian Education and Discipleship (BCED), and Phebe Gamata-Crismo, former executive secretary until her retirement last year.

In this conversation, Phebe and Mary Joyce share the history of vacation church school (VCS) in the Philippines, how it evolved from “vacation Bible school” to “vacation church school,” what happens at a typical VCS in the local church and community, how the whole local church comes together to launch and support this program, and how its impact is felt beyond the walls of the church and in the community. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:

In the Philippines, deaconesses usually run and support VCS.

Vacation church school started in 1924 through a special grant from the Sunday School Union in the United States.

Methodist Christian educators decided to call it “vacation church school” to make it ecumenical and open to non-Protestants.

VCS is a week-long (sometimes, ten days) program where children sing songs, learn about Bible stories, and express themselves through art.

Every year, the Board of Christian Education and Discipleship of the Philippines Central Conference produces resource materials, consisting of several booklets, based on a curriculum in line with the United Methodist Church’s quadrennial theme.

Launching a VCS program is a whole-church affair: youth and young adults serve as teachers and teacher’s assistants; church women usually prepare lunch and meals for the children and volunteers; men serve as marshals, and families sponsor snacks or meals.

The church collaborates with community officials and leaders, especially for extension programs and ministries.

In any given year, the VCS program in the Philippines ministers to about 200,000 children and their families.

Some challenges VCS and the Board of Christian Education and Discipleship face include shortened attention span of children and youth because of social media, logistics, and finances, and equipping the church to continue children’s ministries beyond the vacation church school.

Congregations in Asia, the United States, and Spain use the VCS materials developed by the Board of Christian Education and Discipleship.

Click the link below to download an edited transcript of the conversation:

DOWNLOAD 100 Years of VCS Transcript (PDF)

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