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Petra Roche did not grow up in a Christian household, so when her childhood friends would invite her to Vacation Bible School (VBS) at their churches, her parents were a bit tentative and declined the offers.
She made a personal decision in her mid-20s to follow Jesus, and she began attending Trinity Bible Church (TBC) in Severna Park in 2019. Early on, she volunteered as a Sunday school teacher, and currently serves on the board of trustees, but after the pandemic Lead Pastor Stephen Mitchell approached her with a special request.
Mitchell invited Roche to take on the volunteer role of VBS director, pointing out that it was “in her DNA” because she already enjoyed working with children and managing projects.
At TBC, as is true with many churches, VBS is a summer experience that typically runs for about a week during which children engage in exciting activities while learning about the Bible and Christian faith. This year, TBC’s VBS will take place during the evenings of July 14-17. The event is free and open to all children in the community.
With an army of about 20 volunteers pulling off VBS each year, Roche oversees the planning, marketing and facilitation of the faith-centered week of fun. Each evening, children in kindergarten through fifth grade come to the church to learn Bible stories, do crafts and experiments, play games outdoors, memorize verses of Scripture, indulge in snacks, sing songs and more.
“Number one, we hope that they see the love of Jesus – that’s the ultimate goal – at least in a way that a child can understand it,” Roche said of the heart behind TBC hosting VBS for kids. She added, “We want them to get the message that Jesus loves them and that religion isn’t scary.”
Roche explained that this year’s VBS, titled “True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World,” will follow an Alaskan adventure theme. During a portion of each evening, animal characters called “Bible Buddies” will reinforce the Bible point of the day, and kids will get to take home small animal figurines with a corresponding Bible verse on the bottom.
Directing VBS was initially a daunting task for Roche, even though she had volunteered in other capacities. The fear she felt four years ago about facilitating the program has melted away over the years, as attendance has nearly doubled and Roche has enjoyed having the opportunity to create something.
“I love seeing the whole thing just come together, and every one of the kids laughing and having fun. It makes it all worth it,” she said.
Roche emphasized that all children are welcome at VBS, regardless of whether they attend the church. TBC views VBS as an opportunity to reach out to the community.
“Kids sing songs – nobody’s preaching fire and brimstone. It’s just a fun couple of hours with the children, and they get to take home what they want,” she said. “Some parents will reinforce things when they get home, and some of them will just take it, but I feel like we’re planting little seeds, which is a great feeling.”
Roche worked for many years in sales. She resides in Arnold with her husband, Dan, though she spends a good portion of the year in Florida. A self-proclaimed Disney fan, she loves visiting the theme park. Maryland is home base, though: It’s where her core friend group is, and is home to the church that is such an important part of her life.
Having completed multiple marathons and half-marathons, Roche is also a runner. With two cats of her own, she has volunteered with a local cat rescue through fostering, caring for and helping find places for feline friends.
To learn more about Vacation Bible School at Trinity Bible Church, go to www.trinitysevernapark.org.
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