Group VBS 2021 Programs

Group Publishing has released their 2021 VBS theme! COVID has changed most plans for 2020, and VBS is no exception. Group Publishing is doing things a little differently in 2021. Read on to see what Group is doing, what we (as a church) are doing and what you can expect here at Borrowed Blessings.

What is Group doing?

Due to COVID, many churches were not able to use their Rocky Railway starter kits. Thus, Group will be splitting their focus between Rocky Railway and Treasured during 2021. Rocky Railway kits and supplies will be sold, as long as supplies last. Group Publishing is releasing the new 2021 theme, Treasured, with pre-sale available ONLY to those churches that used Rocky Railway this year.

If you used Rocky Railway in 2020: you can pre-order Treasured with early access through January 18, 2021. Your order will not ship until on/after February 1, 2021.

If you did NOT use Rocky Railway in 2020: starter kits will be available to order beginning January 19, 2021. You can join the waitlist now, though (visit the Treasured home page, select that you did not use Rocky Railway in 2020, then you will have the option to join the waitlist). If Treasured kits are still available after January 19, anyone can order them. Your order will not ship until on/after February 1, 2021.

Usually starter kits start to ship December 1. Group won’t start shipping starter kits until February 1 next year, so this will put a bit more of a crunch on everyone. The good news is that you can do lots of research and brainstorming NOW with the information Group has already released. Check out my Treasured overview for some starter ideas.

What is our church doing?

Our church pre-ordered the Rocky Railway starter kit back in the fall of 2019. We did not have VBS in 2020, so we have not used that curriculum with our kiddos yet. Our plan (as of now – September 2020) is that our church will use the Rocky Railway curriculum for VBS in summer 2021.

What is Borrowed Blessings going to do?

I know that many people (like us) were not able to use Rocky Railway for VBS in 2020… and I’m still going to be knee-deep in Rocky Railway through next summer. For those reasons, I plan to keep sharing railroad-themed activities and ideas through summer 2021.

Don’t worry, though! I know some churches held a modified VBS or used their Rocky Railway curriculum in another way (for a fall event or Children’s Church). I’m planning to purchase the Treasured starter kit so I have access to the materials. I’ll share treasure-themed activities through summer 2021 as well.

This makes things a littttttle busier around here than usual, but I hope this allows everyone using either curriculum to access ideas and resources.

What curriculum will you be using for 2021? I’d love to hear your plans in the comments!