By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Epsom’s Natallie Raper, left, 11, and friend Olivia Bourque, 11, work some crafts in the children’s room at the First Assembly of God in Auburn. (The Hooksett Banner/Nicholas Brown)

A little faith is required to pull off a spirited snowball fight in the middle of July.

About 200 youngsters were recently part of the four-day Summer Blast Week, a vacation Bible school at the First Assembly of God.

It was the first big summer youth event since the church moved into its new building on Myles Drive in Auburn.

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s all Bible-based,” said First Assembly’s children’s ministry director Cindy Morin.

First Assembly, a Pentecostal church, holds a similar children’s program each year. This year’s theme was “Arctic Edge: Where Adventure Meets Courage.” The program ran from Monday, July 24, through Thursday, July 27.

“It’s really about knowing and having the courage to live with God,” said Morin, the program’s director.

Morin said the themes of the Bible were worked into the day’s fun activities, even down to the snacks, which included “snowflake tortillas,” “tundra tortillas” and “caribou crunch.”

Of the 200-plus students, ranging from preschoolers to sixth-graders, more than one third were new visitors to the church.

“The kids do come from all over,” said Morin. “One of them loved it so much he brought his mom into the building so she could take a tour.”

Morin said the church was designed in part to make children feel at home.

Portions of a second-story corridor are painted with vibrant purple and yellow shades.

The children’s wing, which is partly designed like a hands-on laboratory, features amenities like a rock wall, a basketball arcade and foosball.

“It’s a big family-oriented church,” said Morin. “We want to make kids feel like they’re welcome and that church isn’t only for grown-ups.”