Game gets kids into church Using Halo to win halos

Published 10:19 pm Saturday, December 1, 2007

MARYSVILLE — Ordinarily, when getting ready for church, one rarely must choose between a Spartan Laser Rifle or a Covenant Brute Spiker.

Then again, this was no ordinary night at Marysville First Assembly.

Revolution Youth Church, the teen and young adult ministry of Marysville First Assembly, put together a Halo 3 tournament late Friday and early Saturday for any and all comers.

“Game on!” shouted Nathan Webb, an unassuming 13-year-old with red hair, freckles and a friendly smile.

But when he got behind his Xbox 360 controller, he was “ShadowNinja,” a ferocious competitor who blew away the competition.

“Go left, go left,” Webb called out to his teammate Jacob Lavelle, AKA “TacoBelly.”

The television in front of them was a blur of first-person-shooter imagery as Team Spartans laid into Team Butta Yo Bread.

Lavelle weaved and bobbed on his folding chair, mirroring the moves his character made on screen, taking shots at the opposing team with his UNSC Battle Rifle.

Lavelle popped out from behind cover of an alien building and immediately had his sights on an opposing team member.

Before he could take his shot, Lavelle’s character collapsed to the floor. These words appeared on the screen: “You have been killed by ‘MountainMan.’ “

“Owned,” taunted Kody Mattson, “MountainMan’s” alter ego.

The good-natured ribbing is all part of the gamer creed, ingrained in their culture where words and terms such as “pwnd,” “frag-out” and “lawl” have meaning, despite not having a place in Webster’s Dictionary.

While to a casual observer, the activity may seem frenetic and disjointed, to these teens it isn’t just a hobby, it’s a way of life.

It’s also something that youth pastor Josh Webb is looking to explore, engaging the gamers on their own ground — the virtual battlefield.

“This is the first time we’ve had a Halo 3 tournament, so we’re specifically targeting the hard-core gamers,” Webb said. “What we’re trying to do is create the best gaming environment that they can experience outside of their house, and really make this something for everyone.”

The four-member teams paid $10 each to play during the night. The teams with the best record over the night competed for the overall championship. A tie for first place was decided by a grudge match. The winners took home a GameStop gift certificate and will get free entry into the next tournament.

Gamers drank Mountain Dew and Rockstar energy drinks and consumed pizza. Refs and youth staff circulated the rooms, keeping the volume of the overcaffeinated down to a dull roar.

Webb gestured to the crowd of kids playing Halo 3, while another six teens played Dance Dance Revolution on a giant screen.

“This event tonight is a win for us,” Webb said. “There are a few church kids here, but most of them are new. We’ve never seen them before and already we’re getting to know them.”

Reporter Justin Arnold: 425-339-3432 or jarnold@heraldnet.com.