Bible School's Marketplace Brings Early Church to Life


If you were driving on Fifth Avenue in Huntington earlier this week and happened to look in the courtyard of First United Methodist Church, you might have wondered whether you had time traveled back to 49 A.D.

The adults and children, many in costume, in the bustling Antioch Marketplace were learning about life in the Greco-Roman atmosphere during the time of Apostle Paul.

About 200 busy children attended the hands-on Bible School, sponsored by the Huntington Downtown Ministerial Association. In addition, more than 200 adults and youth volunteers were part of recreating the atmosphere of Antioch in Syria.

Antioch A.D. consisted of three main program areas -- the marketplace, the Christian city groups and the dramas -- that work together to help the participants learn about the tiime of Paul, his ministry to the Gentiles, and the beginning of the early church.

Norma Denning, coordinator of the 2002 Huntington Downtown Antioch Team, said the goal of the program helps children learn about life during that time by experiencing it. She said about 600 people (including parents and visitors) attended the conclusion of the program that was held at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church.

In the marketplace, children got to be apprentices and learn about metalsmithing, leatherwork, mapmaking, jewelry making, and fabric dying, just to name a few.

This is the 8th year that this re-enactment style summer church program has been offered in downtown Huntington.