There was an unusual amount of activity at the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Family Life Center March 14 evening as youngsters, along with friends and family gathered to officially weigh-in race cars.
These youngsters had attended Awana throughout the winter Wednesdays, memorizing God’s Word, having leaders listen to their memorization, learning life lessons from the Bible as well as enjoying game time each week. However, this spring something new was added.
The vision of Awana, a national program is simple: The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Its mission is threefold: Teaching and memorizing the Bible, plus fun. The emphasis includes parents in an effort to make the night a family activity. This year the local Covenant Church added “Bible 101” for parents interested in attending while their children were at their sessions.
Leaders Tom Holm and Tom and Melissa Holt said they came back from a leadership conference held last year motivated to “rev up” excitement about the program.
This included the introduction of this spring’s event known as The Grand Prix.
Each Awana child was given his or her own car kit. After designing the car and building it, they would race it in competition. Trophies were to be awarded for the fastest car as well as the best-designed car.
Ricky Roche, local stock car driver, introduced at last Wednesday’s event as “The biggest kid in town with the most toys,” was invited to lend his expertise. For the event, he brought his stock car and a go cart that his kids race at the local go cart track, although they proved to be a bit oversized for the project’s allotted 5-ounces per entry. Youngsters said they enjoyed sitting in Roche’s vehicles and admired their uniqueness. He also acted as celebrity judge for best design.
As each entry came into the Family Life Center that evening, they their car was registered, weighed and assigned a number. They proceeded to a checkpoint to get their axles “lubed” with plenty of WD-40. Next, they gathered at the start line where official starter, Tom Holm, who looked like he was having fun, gave the car a practice run on the track to make sure it was working properly. Final stop before starting time was to take their car to the designated pit area: either Cubbies (for preschoolers); Sparks (K-2) or TNT (3-6 graders).
Meanwhile, all information gathered at registration was relayed “race central,” a computerized program which was tied into the four tracks. Thanks to a sensor over the finish line, information was flashed within three seconds to an overhead screen depicting the child’s name, car number and the car’s speed.
As the race got underway, Interim Pastor Ryan Sarenpa drew similarities between racing and life. He posed questions such as:
• “How many want to win tonight’s race?,” to which all hands shot up in reply.
• “What do you have to have in order to enter the race?” “A car,” they responded.
• “Where does the car need to be to win the race?” “On the track,” a boy named Jackson replied.
• “Does everyone win?” The kids grew a little somber, as they answered, “No.”
“No, not in this kind of race, but there is a race where you can always win,” said the pastor. “To be a Christian is to be running on the right track to eternal life. The right track is Jesus and to win is eternal life which is available only in Jesus.” At this juncture he asked all the children present to shout out their memory verse of John 3:16.
After a supper provided by church members to help raise funds for the event, the youngsters gathered at the starting gate. It was time for the first set of four cars to be in place. Levers were pulled and the cars gained speed as they kept on their track, downhill. Carefully designed cars, built to gain momentum. edged in front. The sensor would convert time and miles per hour per scale size of each car. The correct timing was recorded automatically and projected on the overhead screen. The top eight cars would move to the next heat and then the top four from that heat moved on to the next and so on until there were first place, second place and third place winners.
In all there were 94 entries and over 200 people attended the event.
Sarenpa discussed the event with youngsters. “Competition is a fact of life. We must learn how to come in second, third, or last and still get back in the race and keep running. And, even winners need to learn how to win well,” he said.
The highlight of race day, Sarenpa remarked, “is entering a car which each child has had the opportunity to either build himself or to work together with someone else who is important in their life. Yes, they start with the vehicle kit provided through the Awana program, but it is something they could do together and in which they could take ownership. An event like this brings people together to have fun; to celebrate just having wholesome fun as a family,” he said.
Next year the “grand prix” will be bigger and better, according to organizers.
