Stories of Ministry

From Wake Forest to D.C.: Sharing a VBS Built From Scratch

Hope Lutheran Church’s sanctuary, transformed into a miniature U.S. Capitol for Road Trip USA

Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest, NC didn’t just run a VBS this summer — they wrote one. “Road Trip USA” was an original program built entirely in-house, timed to celebrate America’s 250th birthday while pointing every child back to something bigger than the country: the greatness of God.

The church became a miniature U.S. Capitol for the week. Kids traveled from stop to stop — Niagara Falls, Yellowstone (complete with a working indoor geyser), and Mount Faithmore, where the presidents’ faces were swapped for biblical figures. Each stop pointed to the same truth: God’s creation is vast, and every child in the room is uniquely made by Him.

Kids on the road at Hope Lutheran’s Road Trip USA VBS

The Bible lessons followed their own road — Exodus and God’s faithfulness, Jesus’ escape from Herod, the road to the cross. Every day ended the same way: a mission, repeated out loud together.

Hope Lutheran built original Bible Buddy videos and a theme song from scratch to make the lessons stick. More than 500 children came through their day and night programs.

Then the trip kept going. Hope Lutheran packed up “Road Trip USA” and brought it to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C. — a weekend VBS led by Hope’s own high schoolers.

This is what ministry looks like across the SED: one congregation’s creativity becoming another congregation’s VBS week. Thank you to Hope Lutheran Church, Prince of Peace, and every volunteer who gave up their summer week so kids could hear it loud and clear: FOLLOW GOD.

Want to find an LCMS church or school near you to partner with and support throughout the year? Check out the SED Locator.