McConnell chapel voyages through the Bible

Chantelle Emerson, 13, and Tori Gonzales, 4, Team McConnell family members, assemble a sailboat keychain at Vacation Bible School, June 18, 2010, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. VBS crafts like this one help children understand the Bible lessons and sided in team building. The base chapel hosted VBS from June 14 to 18. The base chapel hosts VBS to help meet the spiritual needs of Team McConnell’s children. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Chyrece Campbell)

McConnell chapel voyages through the Bible

Sonja Genke, 2010 Vacation Bible School coordinator, smiles and welcomes children and volunteers to Vacation Bible School, June 18, 2010, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. More than 40 volunteers helped with VBS this year. Volunteers and base chapel staff worked together to register children, order materials and build scenes since March. The base chapel hosted VBS from June 14 to 18. The chapel hosts VBS annually to help meet the spiritual needs of Team McConnell’s children. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Chyrece Campbell)

McConnell chapel voyages through the Bible

Katherine Ruffing, daughter of Lt. Col. James Ruffing from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Inspector General office, adds her “Bible sighting” to the wall of fame at Vacation Bible School June 18, 2010, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. More than 100 Team McConnell children attended VBS this year. The base chapel hosts VBS annually to help meet the spiritual needs of Team McConnell’s children. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Chyrece Campbell)

McConnell chapel voyages through the Bible

Team McConnell children sing together at Vacation Bible School June 18, 2010, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. The children learned how to apply the Bible to their lives and develop personal relationships during the week long VBS. VBS had an ice cream social for VBS volunteers, VBS children and their families on Friday to celebrate. VBS children also were invited to attend 11 a.m. Sunday worship at the base chapel to showcase the songs they learned for praise and worship. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Chyrece

McConnell chapel voyages through the Bible

Published June 24, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Chyrece Campbell
22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Chaplain Quentin Genke, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Protestant chaplain, stood on deck of the boat made by McConnell chapel volunteers and asked, "Are you ready to sail on a 'High Seas Expedition' for a week?"

"Let's go," replied more than 100 Team McConnell children, attending the chapel's Vacation Bible School June 14.

More than 40 volunteers created and operated the sailboat adventure, which started and ended at McConnell's chapel. The sailboat never touched a body of water, but touched the hearts and minds of all those who attend the 'High Seas Expedition' Vacation Bible School journey through the Bible, according to Mrs. Sonja Genke, the 2010 VBS coordinator.

"My children asked me every day for a week if it was time for VBS yet," said Cheyenne Buffin, wife of Staff Sgt. James Buffin from the 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron.

"My children love VBS and I love the fact that the chapel hosts such events," add Mrs. Buffin.

Mrs. Buffin's two daughters Alexis, 9, and Jasmine, 7, attended VBS in 2009.

Children like Alexis and Jasmine learned about the Bible through activities. They created crafts, sung songs, played team-building games and watched dramatic reenactments that tied to the weeklong theme about the Bible.

"This year was a great success and it would not have been made possible without the wonderful volunteers and the organizational efforts of Mrs. [Sonja] Genke, the VBS coordinator," said Chaplain Genke.

"They have been working for over three months to ensure that everything would be ready for the children," he added.

The chapel hosted VBS, June 14-18, from 6-8 p.m. To ensure that the families were not stressed about getting home after work, cooking dinner and being at the chapel on time, meals were provided for the whole family at 5:30 p.m.

"Not having to run home to cook was planned very well and it helped my family out a great deal," said Staff Sgt. Amanda Rempel, 22nd Operations Support Squadron host aviation resource management assistant NCOIC, who is a mother of four children.

The chapel hosts several wing events throughout the year to help strengthen spiritual readiness in Team McConnell Airmen. The next wing event will be a single parent's retreat Sept. 10 to 12 and a family retreat Oct. 8 to 10. In addition, the chapel is starting a new wing program for single parents call "Single Parents Network" which will hold its first meeting on June 29 at 11:30 p.m. For more information about chapel sponsored events call 759-3562.