Here's a story I wrote years ago:  (I'll finish it during the week.)

Summer.  Freedom.  Swimming.  Bible School.  That’s how it went each year in the Bible Belt.  Even those families who weren’t particularly religious took advantage of the two weeks of free child care that the churches offered.

Everyone from kindergarten through sixth grade went to Bible School.  (Seventh grade through graduating seniors helped the teachers.)  Some of us went to all the Bible schools that were offered in our small town--and filled them up.  Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, and Church of God agreed on at least one issue--there seemed to be a consensus that all children needed to be in Bible School.  

The pastors of all the churches staggered the schools so that everyone got to go to all of them.  Churches that disagreed on doctrine had no problem agreeing on Bible School in the summer.  After all, the Bible stories were the same in every denomination.

Children flocked in.  They marched to the anthem, pledged allegiance to the Bible and the flag.  We loved it.  The local parks were used for playtime, and teachers trained for months to find better ways to make the two weeks meaningful as well as fun.   Popsicle sticks were turned into art; milk cartons, paper towel tubes, and oatmeal boxes were transformed into trains, buildings, piggie banks, or whatever else could be imagined.  

The point was to learn about the Bible and to have fun at the same time.  And  everyone in those midwestern churches agreed on two issues.  One, there was good.  And two, there was bad.  And a good dose of good was good for you.  Every kid needed a dose of good.

And everyone agreed that Bible School was good.

Continued....