News

Bible lessons under the stars

By Brian Kohls
Compass Correspondent

	SHELTERING LAIR: Participants in the St. Mary of the Angels Parish Vacation Bible School Family Campout pray under a fallen tree on the parish grounds in Green Bay. (Rick Evans photo)

Despite soggy weekend weather 25 people combined fun activities with faith education at the first St. Mary of the Angels Parish Vacation Bible School Family Campout.

Activities at the June 24-25 campout behind St. Mary of the Angels Church and Friary in Green Bay included indoor and an outdoor scavenger hunts, crafts, skits, prayers, Mass, a movie, a sing-along, and a campfire.

A Saturday highlight was the outdoor scavenger hunt. Two member teams were given a sheet of paper with 18 questions and a Catholic Bible. Teams had to locate a specific spot on the church grounds, such as a lily or a clump of birch trees, find something hidden there or read a specific Bible verse and then follow the question's instructions.

Timothy, my youngest son, and I teamed up for the scavenger hunt. It provided a chance see God's connection with nature - many beautiful flowers grace the earth; trees stretch toward the heavens; and birdhouses serve as both the chick's haven and a stepping stone to the future. Even Saturday's late afternoon thunderstorm was God's gift - water - that cured many plants' thirst.

Sunday's Gospel also dealt with nature. Jesus and his apostles are in a boat. While Jesus sleeps, the apostles encounter a storm they believe would cause them bodily harm or even death. The apostles awaken Jesus, who calms the storm. Jesus questions the apostles about their lack of faith. The underlining theme of the Gospel was that we should place our trust and faith in Jesus Christ. The storms of our daily lives, which may include job loss, the death of a family member or friend, sickness or ongoing physical or emotional pain, need to be placed in God's hands. We, like the apostles, need to have faith in Jesus Christ.

For one Sunday activity the children made a pinecone bird feeder. Children were given a long pinecone with a string tied to one end. They spread peanut butter over the pinecone and placed it in a bag with birdseed. Shaking the bag, the children made the seeds stick to the peanut butter. The children hung their creations on trees behind the church, in order to leave the friary grounds a better place than how they found it.

Nathan, my older son, learned that these pinecone bird feeders were significant in two ways - sharing and strength. Just as God shared his only Son with us, we shared our time, energy, and abilities to create feeders for the birds. Just as Jesus taught us about spiritual food at the Last Supper and spiritual strength by carrying his cross, we offered seeds so the birds would have strength.

Mary Sedlacek, religious education director, and Beth Gajeski, assistant religious education director, co-organized the Vacation Bible School Family Campout.