CANORA – Thirty-five children discovered that when the world feels wild and uncertain, Jesus can always be trusted to lead the way.
The sounds of children singing, laughing, and playing filled the Canora Seventh-day Adventist Church during Vacation Bible School 2026. For five exciting days, from July 27 to Aug. 1, 35 children came together for an adventure with a powerful message: when life gets wild, we can trust Jesus to guide us.
This year’s VBS theme, True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World, gave the children an opportunity to explore what it means to follow Jesus as their guide. Through Bible stories, music, games, crafts, and hands-on activities, the children discovered that just as a compass helps travelers find their direction, Jesus helps us find our way through life.
The week was filled with excitement from beginning to end. The students learned new songs, participated in fun games, listened to Bible stories, created crafts, enjoyed good food, and made new friendships. One of the special hands-on activities was learning how to use a compass – an experience that connected directly with the True North theme and helped make the lessons come alive.
But beyond the fun and activities was a deeper purpose: helping children know that they are never alone. In a world that can sometimes feel confusing, frightening, or unpredictable, Jesus is someone they can trust.
A special celebration
The final day of VBS brought a joyful closing exercise. After five days of learning and adventure, the students were recognized for their participation and received special gifts to remember their experience.
Each student received a crown, certificate of attendance, and a sling bag containing the crafts they had made during the week and a class picture. These keepsakes will hopefully bring back happy memories of a week filled with friendship, discovery, and lessons about Jesus.
But the celebration did not end with VBS.
Children lead on the Sabbath
The following Sabbath, the VBS students became the leaders of a special worship service at the Canora Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The children proudly sang the songs they had learned during the week and shared the lessons they had been taught. Their participation brought smiles to the faces of parents, church members, and visitors as they demonstrated what they had learned.
For the congregation, it was more than just a children’s program. It was an opportunity to see the seeds of faith being planted in the hearts of the next generation.
A community effort
Behind every successful VBS is a team of people willing to give their time and talents. This year’s program was made possible through the dedication of parents and church members who volunteered as part of the VBS staff and crew.
From preparing lessons and crafts to organizing games, serving food, leading songs, and caring for the children, volunteers worked together to create a welcoming environment where every child could learn, have fun, and feel God’s love.
Their service demonstrated an important lesson in itself: ministry to children is a shared responsibility, and even small acts of service can make a lasting difference in a young person’s life.
The Canora Seventh-day Adventist Church would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to Regina Hill Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church for generously lending the VBS backdrop and some of the decorations.
Their generosity helped transform the church into an inviting and exciting setting for the children and contributed to the success of this year’s program.
The church is also grateful to all the parents, volunteers, church members, and supporters who helped make True North VBS 2026 possible.
Until the next adventure
As the final songs were sung and the VBS adventure came to an end, the message of True North remained clear: Jesus is our guide.
The Canora Seventh-day Adventist Church is already looking ahead to next year, hoping to welcome even more children to Vacation Bible School and give them an opportunity to experience the same joy, friendship, and blessing.
For the 35 children who attended this year, True North VBS was more than five days of games, crafts, food, and songs. It was a week of discovering that wherever life’s journey may lead, Jesus can be trusted to point us in the right direction.
When the world gets wild, we know where to look: Jesus is our True North.
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