Westminster parish ignites wonder in youth

The Portico at St. John in Westminster buzzed with excitement Sept. 12-14 as the parish hosted its pop-up Wonder Station, a children’s museum designed to inspire awe, playfulness and imagination.

Featuring six themed “Wonder Zones” – from Glow Grove to Whispering Pines and St. Nick’s Workshop – the interactive exhibit invited families to explore faith in a welcoming, joyful environment.

“We wanted to make this open to people interested in God … and not feel preachy,” said Kenn deMoll, St. John’s director of formation and innovation. “We want people to come in, experience it and have fun.”

Students from St. John School were the first to step inside on Sept. 12, exploring each zone by grade. Excited shouts filled the air as children ran through a dark maze, toasted marshmallows over a toy campfire and discovered new ways to play.

“It’s amazing what the children are able to experience and the hands-on activities,” said Tracie Amey, a first-grade teaching assistant. “They are loving it.”

Kindergarten teacher Rochelle O’Connor agreed

“We’re so lucky we got to check it out,” she said. “It’s perfect for the kids.”

A vision years in the making

The Wonder Station was three years in the making. St. John received a $50,000 grant through the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s innovation challenge. Initially envisioned as a St. Nicholas-themed display, the project expanded as more people offered ideas.

“We had all these ideas and narrowed it down to six,” deMoll said. “We are testing all the ideas for the first time. So many different people troubleshooted and imagined this.”

Over the weekend, children explored:

• Whispering Pines – “When life feels too big, remember: God is bigger.” A camping-themed space with tents, toy campfire and an inflatable planetarium telling the story of creation.
• Outfitters and Identity Emporium – “Every role matters. You were made with purpose and are loved just as you are.” A dress-up area filled with colorful costumes.
• Glow Grove – “Even in darkness, God brings light.” A neon-lit zone with mini golf and games.
• St. Nick’s Workshop – “Joy grows when we give.” Craft stations where children made ornaments and learned about St. Nicholas.
• Created to Create – “God made you on purpose, to create with love, beauty and truth just like Him.” Hands-on activities, including a virtual reality sandbox.
• Maze Quest – “You may be lost but God isn’t.” Two mazes – one made of straw, the other under a black tent.

Children were encouraged to take home some of their creations, such as ornaments. In Whispering Pines, a wishing well invited them to write their worries on rocks and drop them in, symbolically entrusting their concerns to God.

DeMoll noted the fears were both ordinary and profound: “homework, bees, getting hit by a baseball,” but also “the future, death and parents who were sick.”

“It’s a good reminder to me that even little kids experience big moments in life and need God’s help with it,” deMoll said.

The pop-up drew an “amazing turnout,” deMoll said, with 561 visitors over the three-day weekend. Organizers now hope to secure a permanent location, ideally on Westminster’s Main Street.

“We need to approach different investors,” deMoll said. “We’re pretty excited about it.”

Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org

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