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Throughout all our programs we talk about LIGHT. Jesus is that Light. To better understand our 2009 Vacation Bible School we believe it is important for you to understand about light, and lighthouses since the VBS program is The Lighthouse of Life...Jesus. Not all the information will be valuable in teaching of the program but the research and facts contained within the next several pages we believe you will find it most interesting:
Women Lighthouse Keeper's/
 The Tools of a keeper/ The Construction of a lighthouse/ U.S. Lighthouse history/ Colonial History/ Light House Diagram and layout/ The Lens/ Pharos one of the 7th wonders of the world/Research from National Park Service Public Domain and books. Click here to read full resource list used.
  Dayspring [ the first light of day]One of my favorite scriptures is Found in Luke 1:77-79 "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. Light, guidence, mercy,peace,salvation many words used in this passage but DAYSPRING what a word. Throughout the ages where would we be without light? ONE OF THE 7 WONDER'S OF THE WORLD IS A LIGHTHOUSE: The lighthouse, Thank God for Jesus Christ. I love lighthouses as many other's do. As children grow into adulthood this seed planted we pray will grow as they journey their life. To relate as one of the 7 Wonder's of the world a lighthouse. We pray that the children will remember Jesus Christ as the Wonder of it all, and make him their All in all.
Webster discribes a lighthouse as: 1. a structure (as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or intermittent signal to navigators 2. a [beacon] lighthouse or other signal for guidance I love lighthouses. Perhaps you may say, well what does a lighthouse have to do with a music program? Simply put, within all our programs we use the word and example of "LIGHT". Jesus is the light of life is our Youth program scripture. The word LIGHT is mentioned 237 times in the Bible. The lighthouse was used to guide ships home to safety. The long steps leading up to a high tower, where there a lantern or lens was a guiding beacon of light. I have always held the parables of Jesus so very close. In dealing with children we can use the lighthouse as a example of how we must reach up to God as He the beacon of light of his love leads us in the darkness of sin. We want to stress the point that light cover's all darkness and Jesus Guides us home to safety as we also teach children history and things of importance. Here they can relate to Jesus when they think upon the wonder's of the world.
LIGHTHOUSE, a form of building erected to carry a light for the purpose of warning or guidance, especially at sea. Roman lighthouse still stand today.
  I. Early History. - The earliest lighthouses, of which records exist, were the towers built by the Libyans and Cushites in Lower Egypt, beacon fires being maintained in some of them by the priests. Lesches, a Greek poet (c.660 B.e.) mentions a lighthouse at Sigeum (now Cape Incihisari) in the Troad. This appears to have been the first light regularly maintained for the guidance of mariners. The famous Pharos 1 of Alexandria, built by Sostratus of Cnidus in the reign of Ptolemy II. (283-247 B.C.) was regarded as one of the wonders of the world. The tower, which took its name from that of the small island on which it was built, is said to have been 600 ft. in height, but the evidence in support of this statement is doubtful. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century, but remains are said to have been visible as late as 1350. The name Pharos became the general term for all lighthouses, and the term " pharology " has been used for the science of lighthouse construction. Maps of ancient times documented the location of lighthouse. Lighthouse's were carved upon walls, on tablets, and on coins all throughout ancient civilizations.
The tower at Ostia was built by the emperor Claudius (A.D. 50).50). Other famous Roman lighthouses were those at Ravenna, Pozzuoli and Messina. The ancient Pharos at Dover and that at Boulogne, later known as la Tour d'Ordre, were built by the Romans and were probably the earliest lighthouses erected in western Europe. Both are now demolished.
The light of Cordouan, on a rock in the sea at the mouth of the Gironde, is the earliest example now existing of a waves wept tower. Earlier towers on the same rock are attributed the first to Louis le Debonnaire (c. A.D. 805) and the second to Edward the Black Prince. The existing structure was begun in 1584 during the reign of Henri II. of France and completed in 1611. The upper part of the beautiful Renaissance building was removed towards the end of the 18th century and replaced by a loftier cylindrical structure rising to a height of 207 ft. above the rock and with the focal plane of the light 196 ft. above high water (fig. 1). Until the 18th century the light exhibited from the tower was from an oak log fire, and subsequently a coal fire was in use for many years. The ancient tower at Corunna, known as the Pillar of Hercules, is supposed to have been a Roman Pharos. The Torre del Capo at Genoa originally stood on the promontory of San Berrique. It was built in 1139 and first used as a lighthouse in 1326. It was rebuilt on its present site in 1643. This beautiful tower rises 236 ft. above the cliff, the light being elevated 384 ft. above sea-level. A lens light was first installed in 1841. The Pharos of Meloria was constructed by the Pisans in 1154 and was several times rebuilt until finally destroyed in 1290. On the abandonment of Meloria by the Pisans, they erected the still existing tower at Leghorn in 1304.
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In the 17th and 18th centuries numerous towers, on which were erected braziers or grates containing wood or coal fires, were established in various positions on the coasts of Europe. Among such stations in the United Kingdom were Tynemouth (c. 1608), the Isle of May (1636), St Agnes (1680), St Bees (1718) and the Lizard (1751). The oldest lighthouse in the United States is believed to be the Boston light situated on Little Brewster Island on the south side of the main entrance to Boston Harbour, Mass. It was established in 1716, the present structure dating from 1859. 
