Bus Routes

[JustABigKid]

I have seen alot of crazy things done no bus routes to bring kids in for church.

Here is a story for you.

We had initiation Sunday for our new workers. Our captain got the bright idea of dragging the workers through a special mixture. It included lard, syrup, mustard, mayo, ketchup and a variety of other things. Needless to say those workers had an odd stinch to them for a few days even after multiple showers.

Any other interesting stories?

 

[IFB X-Files]

Years ago when I was a bus captain in So. Cal. we did a gig where I got a real cream pie in the face.  Bad mistake.  The cream curdled and the smell was awful as we finished the route.

Next time:  don't use real cream!

 

[JustABigKid]

Years ago when I was a bus captain in So. Cal. we did a gig where I got a real cream pie in the face.  Bad mistake.  The cream curdled and the smell was awful as we finished the route.

Next time:  don't use real cream!

Yeah I unfortunately learned that lesson the hard way as well.

I can tell you a scary one was when we had egg the easter bunny sunday. It was Easter and after church we went to the park but instead of an Easter Egg Hunt they had a guy show up in a rented Easter Bunny Outfit and threw real eggs at him. Pretty sure that was a bad idea.

 

[Just me]

Or the time the bus director had a helocopter show up and throw candy down to the bus kids out in the field. 

Sounds good until you think it thru.  Hard candy thrown down from about 100 to 150 feet in the air.  Did not take long to stop it due to the injuries.  That stuff stings and leaves welts!!

 

[JustABigKid]

Or the time the bus director had a helocopter show up and throw candy down to the bus kids out in the field. 

Sounds good until you think it thru.  Hard candy thrown down from about 100 to 150 feet in the air.  Did not take long to stop it due to the injuries.  That stuff stings and leaves welts!!

Oh do I remember that. Pretty sure I was one of those getting pelted by the candy. It was a cool idea just not completely thought through.

How about the time they staged a hold up while on the bus route for Cowboy Sunday. The people in the neighbor hood didn't know what was going on and called the cops.

 

[Just me]

They were hoping to recreate an incident like the famous Murphey story and fell way short of it.

But you know without the bus ministry I would never have gone to church that Sunday long long ago when I accepted Christ into my life.  And why did I ride the bus that day?  They were giving a prize that I wanted to every new rider that Sunday.

 

[JustABigKid]

They were hoping to recreate an incident like the famous Murphey story and fell way short of it.

But you know without the bus ministry I would never have gone to church that Sunday long long ago when I accepted Christ into my life.  And why did I ride the bus that day?  They were giving a prize that I wanted to every new rider that Sunday.

I know some call it "bribery" but if it gave you a chance to hear the gospel aren't you glad someone "bribed" you to church that day? Bus ministry if done right can make a difference in people's lives.

 

[JustABigKid]

[quote author=JustABigKid]

Oh do I remember that. Pretty sure I was one of those getting pelted by the candy.

I assume you are an Alumni, greetings.

This will be my last post down here.

God Bless ~
[/quote]


I may be and I may not. All I said was that I was one being pelted by the candy. If you were there you would know that there was probably well over 200 kids and adults so good luck with the assuming.

 

[IFB X-Files]

Or the time the bus director had a helicopter show up and throw candy down to the bus kids out in the field. 

Sounds good until you think it thru.  Hard candy thrown down from about 100 to 150 feet in the air.  Did not take long to stop it due to the injuries.  That stuff stings and leaves welts!!

LOL!  Reminds me of that episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati" when they did a "promo" and threw live turkeys out from a helicopter.  They thought turkeys could fly.  SPLAT!

 

[wtyson]

I am thankful and will always be thankful for the bus ministry!

Keep the buses rolling!

WTyson

 

[Binaca Chugger]

How about "The Human Pinata"

A guy wears a costume with a hole ripped in the stomach.  He was supposed to just run around dropping candy out while the kids chased and picked up candy.  But, they wanted the whole pinata thing to be real.  So, 40some kids pick up sticks and start beating the costumed worker until he is on the ground and other workers are picking the kids off. 

Not a good idea.

 

[Just me]

How about "The Human Pinata"

A guy wears a costume with a hole ripped in the stomach.  He was supposed to just run around dropping candy out while the kids chased and picked up candy.  But, they wanted the whole pinata thing to be real.  So, 40some kids pick up sticks and start beating the costumed worker until he is on the ground and other workers are picking the kids off. 

Not a good idea.

yep

Or have someone dress up as the devil and sneak up on the kids in junior churh.  Only to have a worker yell, "get the devil!!"  and 400 kids do just that.

 

[JustABigKid]

How about "The Human Pinata"

A guy wears a costume with a hole ripped in the stomach.  He was supposed to just run around dropping candy out while the kids chased and picked up candy.  But, they wanted the whole pinata thing to be real.  So, 40some kids pick up sticks and start beating the costumed worker until he is on the ground and other workers are picking the kids off. 

Not a good idea.

yep

Or have someone dress up as the devil and sneak up on the kids in junior churh.  Only to have a worker yell, "get the devil!!"  and 400 kids do just that.

I have seen that happen more than once. While it is crazy its kind of funny at the same time seeing the devil getting ripped to shreds by 400 little kids. LOL

 

[Binaca Chugger]

You know something is wrong with your church's version of the bus ministry when you have "workers" assigned every week to chase kids through the halls and rooms.  Why bring kids that don't want to be there? 

 

[Citadel of Truth]

Perhaps you could verify or deny a story for me.

I was told some years back that Jim Vineyard put a "quota" on how many black children each bus could pick up because the black children were disruptive in their Sunday school classes and in Children's Church. I thought to myself, "There's no way this could be true." Can anyone verify if this was actually the case? 

 

[Binaca Chugger]

Perhaps you could verify or deny a story for me.

I was told some years back that Jim Vineyard put a "quota" on how many black children each bus could pick up because the black children were disruptive in their Sunday school classes and in Children's Church. I thought to myself, "There's no way this could be true." Can anyone verify if this was actually the case?

I heard the same stories, but never had it put in print for me.  In Hammond, gang members would often ride the busses to church.  There were occasions in the 90's (After JV's time there) that rival gangs actually got on the bus to church for the purpose of fighting the rival gang that they would meet at church.  The most trouble came from the combination of black and mexican gangs.  When this happened, I heard the statement to the effect of "That is why we used to be careful about how many of each race we brought on each bus."  I really don't think it was as much a racial thing as it was a gang thing.

 

[Just me]

Perhaps you could verify or deny a story for me.

I was told some years back that Jim Vineyard put a "quota" on how many black children each bus could pick up because the black children were disruptive in their Sunday school classes and in Children's Church. I thought to myself, "There's no way this could be true." Can anyone verify if this was actually the case?

Confirmed

 

[JustABigKid]

Perhaps you could verify or deny a story for me.

I was told some years back that Jim Vineyard put a "quota" on how many black children each bus could pick up because the black children were disruptive in their Sunday school classes and in Children's Church. I thought to myself, "There's no way this could be true." Can anyone verify if this was actually the case?

I heard the same stories, but never had it put in print for me.  In Hammond, gang members would often ride the busses to church.  There were occasions in the 90's (After JV's time there) that rival gangs actually got on the bus to church for the purpose of fighting the rival gang that they would meet at church.  The most trouble came from the combination of black and mexican gangs.  When this happened, I heard the statement to the effect of "That is why we used to be careful about how many of each race we brought on each bus."  I really don't think it was as much a racial thing as it was a gang thing.

I can confirm that bus route were cut down due to the number of "black" kids brought in. I remember having to tell some very good kids that we could no longer come to their side of town. The little girl looked at us and said, "It's cause we are black isn't." That day really sucked. The problem was not the "black" kids the problem was the fact that there were fewer and fewer college students and church members to help in the SS and Children's Churches to help keep order.

 

[JustABigKid]

You know something is wrong with your church's version of the bus ministry when you have "workers" assigned every week to chase kids through the halls and rooms.  Why bring kids that don't want to be there?

NUMBERS!!!

When I was there I used to ask the same thing. Why bring a kid if they don't obey and don't want to be there. It was simply because they wanted a certain number on the bus or in the church. It is the same reason they had the ole and still have the ole 123 repeat after me.

 

[Binaca Chugger]

You know something is wrong with your church's version of the bus ministry when you have "workers" assigned every week to chase kids through the halls and rooms.  Why bring kids that don't want to be there?

NUMBERS!!!

When I was there I used to ask the same thing. Why bring a kid if they don't obey and don't want to be there. It was simply because they wanted a certain number on the bus or in the church. It is the same reason they had the ole and still have the ole 123 repeat after me.

Quite like so many others who have followed the same model.