Brewster blazes to Bible Bowl win

How well do you know your Bible? Brewster Blazers Pathfinder Club sure does.

The club's Bible bowl team recently travelled to Berrien Springs, Michigan to represent the club at the national Bible bowl finals.

Over the last three months they won a first place in regional, state and North Pacific finals, which gained them a place at the finals held at Andrews University on April 20.

The Bible bowl has been challenging youth to learn their Bibles for over 25 years.

Each year a different book or series of books is chosen and the clubs choose a group of 6 Pathfinders to be part of the team.

The competitions consist of 100 questions on the chosen books and those gaining first place proceed to the next level. Brewster Blazers travelled to Omak, Spokane and Caldwell, Idaho to gain the right to go to the national finals.

This is the first time that the local team has achieved the privilege to go to the North Pacific and national final and it was a great surprise to receive a Blue Ribbon and first place certificate from the national event.

This year the chosen Bible book was the gospel of Mark.

The team members Victoria Smith(Captain), Graciela Smith(Scribe), Clair Barrutia, Angel Lamberton, Joshua Lamberton, Ryan Smith and Dustin Stolp spent many weeks in preparation for the events.

Brewster Blazers Club Director Merlin Ekvall and Pastor Ryan Kilgore were coaches for the team. Parents Rob and Cheris Lamberton, Dan and Angie Stolp, and Gordon and Flor Smith also helped the team prepare. Lambertons and Smiths also travelled with the team to Andrews University.

Seventeen teams from across the United States and Canada filled the sanctuary of Pioneer Memorial Church for the finals.

The questions were given in English and French since a number of the groups came from Quebec.

After the competition finished, the atmosphere was tense as teams with their coaches waited for the final results.

Brewster Blazers team captain Victoria Smith was notably surprised and happy as she was called forward to receive first place from the creator and director of the Bible bowl, Pastor Terry Dodge.

The team want to thank all those who contributed to make the trip to Michigan possible.

It was an unforgettable experience and the team feels privileged to be able to represent Brewster at the national event.