Jesus, you’re my Superhero. You’re my star, my best friend” were the words of the theme song that echoed loudly through the outdoor amphitheater of the Loma Linda University church during the months of January and February. The Omicron variant spread quickly throughout our community, city, and state, and we knew that we needed to once again get creative while making Sabbath School happen for our families. The safety of our children was our priority, and creating a space where we had good ventilation with social distancing was our focus. We had a few days’ notice to prepare, and God more than delivered.
In the thick of planning our first Sabbath with such limited time, we came up with our Bible Superheroes theme on a Wednesday afternoon. We did not have much time to order supplies. By God’s grace, we received a random donation of a giant box of superhero costumes. Unbeknownst to the donor, this was a huge answer to prayer. Anything we could have possibly needed to get us through the first program was in that box. God provided, even to the smallest request.
Each Children’s Sabbath School class and our Adventurer Club were assigned a week with their own Bible hero. Children dressed up in character, helped decorate the stage, and were a part of the story. Each week, they presented their skit and taught us who our Bible superhero was, what they had done that was admirable, and how it still applies to our lives today.
God’s presence was felt all around, and families were happy to be able to fellowship. The sounds of singing and laughter were the culmination of God providing! Children came each week excitedly dressed in their capes, ready to learn about heroes like Samson, Noah, Esther, David, and Moses, to name a few! The cutest little “animals” dressed up from our infant class were ready to load up the ark, while our older children proudly donned their shiny soldier costumes.
This unexpected program transformed into something beautiful that touched many! We heard stories of children who put a stone from one of our family activities near their bed as a reminder of God’s love. The programs also encouraged families to worship together and elaborate more on the different superheroes. It was a reminder that God knew that this was exactly what our church families needed at that time. His faithfulness and glory reminded us that, in spite of current events, He is better than anything any superhero could offer.
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By Shawna Campbell and Joanna Hartnell
