Camp brings Bible Alive for youth

• Puppeteers, from top, Micah Afflerbach, Anna Noel with “Gruffy” and Ellie Noel prepare to start a show for the “Bible Alive” camp at First Baptist Church in Yorktown. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The puppet team is ready and so are the teachers, crafts and snacks. The fourth year of “Bible Alive” at First Baptist Church of Yorktown will launch on July 8, focusing this year on Moses.

“We are working our way through the whole Bible,” Bethany Noel, co-team leader, said. “Especially if they keep returning as youth helpers, they will get an overview of the Bible and how it all ties to Jesus.”

When the program started four years ago, the topic was creation. The next two topics were Abraham and Joseph.

Each day of the camp starts and ends with a puppet show that is written by 17-year-old Ellie Noel.

“I had a little bit of experience writing fantasy and I’m a bit of a jokester,” Ellie said. “So I thought it would be fun to do puppets.”

She said she starts by reading the verses to be studied that day and then hones in on the emotional conflict. Her favorite skit so far was with evil sock puppets interacting with an angel. “We got to have a lot of fun with the voices,” she said.

Ellie’s older sister, Anna, said her favorite part of being on the puppet team is seeing the kids’ reactions when they tease the audience by peeking over the stage.

“They laugh and go crazy,” Anna said.

The Bible Alive camp starts Monday, July 8 at 9 a.m., finishes at noon and continues each day of the week through Friday. Registration is free and open to all children who have finished kindergarten through 5th grade. To register, scan the QR code or call 361-563-6004.