Vacation Bible School

MORRISTOWN  With great haste, Katie Cannilla mobilizes a group of young children of Assumption Parish here to undertake an important, faith-filled mission in a darkened classroom in the parish center — inspiring them by uttering an unusual rallying cry: “Let’s destroy those false gods!”

Dressed in a robe, Cannilla, a high-school sophomore, lifts an electric lantern that cuts through the eerie darkness and leads the first- and second-graders — some holding make-believe torches made of plastic cups and aluminum foil — around the classroom in search of the false idols. Together, they have fun reenacting the biblical story of Gideon carrying out — at night — God’s command to destroy false gods that ancient Israelites were worshipping— one of many engaging hands-on activities that broadened their faith and imagination last week at Assumption’s 2017 Vacation Bible School (VBS).

“Remember that God is always with you — every moment, every day no matter what happens,” Carolyn Vallario, an adult volunteer at VBS’ Bible Stories Station, assisted by Cannilla other counselors, from sixth- through 12th-grade, told the youngsters, emphasizing that Gideon trusted God and believed that he was by his side. “Do what is right and the Lord will give you the strength to carry on,” she said.

From Aug. 7 to 11, Assumption’s parish center was transformed into a workshop filled with faith and fun for 105 campers, pre-k 4 to third grade, guided by this year’s VBS theme — “Maker Fun Factory: Created by God, Built for a Purpose.” For three hours each morning, the kids took in all the activities, which also included sports and games, arts and crafts and dancing to and singing faith-filled songs. They took into their minds and hearts the concepts that VBS highlighted, among them: “God made you,” “God is for you,” God is with you,” “God loves you” and “God made you for a reason.”

“I loved the Bible stories. We got to walk and hold fake torches. That was cool,” said Julie Votto, a first-grader, while leaving the Bible Story Station. “We learned that God is always with us. At Vacation Bible School, we have been learning a lot about God,” she said.

At 9 a.m. each morning, the 95 counselors, along with 22 adult volunteers, opened sessions by leading campers in singing and dancing to videos of contemporary Christian songs on a large screen. The adult leadership team of Sarah Neuhoff, Chrissy West and Colleen Carey said that they used a VBS kit by Group Publishing with songs, decorations and activity ideas but also devised their own ideas with input from counselors.

“We get to teach the message of VBS in many creative and fun ways,” said Neuhoff. She told The Beacon about one project that the kids loved: making a small teddy bear with a heart to show that we can love, a noisemaker to show that God gave us a voice and stuffing inside that shows that God made us. “Everyone — adults, counselors and campers — gets to hear the VBS message,” she said.

Each day, children passed by colorful decorations that made the center look like a workshop. A week before, adults and counselors transformed the area by displaying some of the kit’s posters, as well as making their own decorations.

The first activity session found adult volunteer Linda Jones directing the Nuts & Bolts Arts & Crafts Station in the basement. Pre-k and kindergarten students assembled small robots from cardboard tubes that they took home. Ginger Magnier, pre-k-4, said of her finished robot, “I like the way it came out.”

A room across the hall housed the Bible Story Station, where some of the first- and second-graders also shared personal stories of times, when they felt scared, sick or lonely, after the Bible-story reenactment.

“I love acting out these dramatic Bible stories and engaging the kids. They take in the stories better if we act them out than reading them on a page,” Cannilla told The Beacon between sessions.

For another session, second- and third-graders listened to another Bible story about Gideon, when he threshed wheat in a wine press to keep it from the Midianites, at the Sports & Games Station. Then they split into teams to race to place small balls into a cup in an allotted number of minutes.

“At this age, it’s sometimes difficult for these kids to sit through Mass. Here, they might be more open to hearing the message,” said Christina Cannilla, a high-school junior and a counselor.

The Imagination Station session started with a short video that shows a boy giving back to his community. Adult volunteer Michelle Mongey tells the kids, “Our breath is always with us, even if can’t see it and God is always with us, even if we can’t see him.”

“I consider faith a gift that I received from my parents. Through VBS, it’s a wonderful that I can share it with my daughter,” Mongey said.

The lessons of this year’s VBS lasted beyond the final session on Friday. Campers sang two songs at 10 a.m. Mass that Sunday, where they also presented an altar cloth with their handprints that they created.

Sarah Neuhoff’s second-grade son, Joseph, talked about his favorite activities, including sports and games, and about lessons he might carry on through his life. “I learned about how God made us and about everything that he created,” Joseph Neuhoff said.

Msgr. John Hart, pastor, expressed his pride over the program, telling The Beacon: “Vacation Bible School inspires a love for the Scriptures in our young people at such an early age. So much love and enthusiastic talent and work makes it a big success,” Msgr. Hart also thanked this summer’s VBS adult leadership team and Gale Grenna, who led the VBS team in years past and was helping this year.t