Dear POPC Family:
This is typically about the time I write a couple of very engaging, witty, provocative emails to encourage (lovingly pressure) as many of you as possible to volunteer for the best week of the year, Vacation Bible School!
But, as we all know, 2020 has been a year unlike any other. We have all had many losses throughout these last few months that have deeply grieved us. So, sad to say, I am announcing yet another: We will not be having VBS this year.
In consultation with the pastoral staff, it has become clearer to me that, even though our VBS is in mid-July, it is just not feasible to go ahead with it this summer. To sum up our thinking: If gathering again for worship is our Phase One of our campaign to “Making POPC Great Again,” then VBS is really a Phase Three event. And since Phase One doesn’t begin until May 31 (Lord willing), we just don’t have the time to get to Phase Three. We still need to progress to having on-site evening worship, Sunday School, etc. (Phase Two), before we could/should safely and wisely move on to something as significant as Vacation Bible School. Having hundreds of children, youth, and adults on campus for five days in a row is just too big of a leap in such a short time. Hopefully, this makes sense to you—it does to me, even though I don’t like it at all! VBS is truly my favorite week of the church year!
I also want you to know that Kristi Clark (VBS Director) and Adelle Johnson (Asst. VBS Director), as well as the Children’s Ministry Team are in full support of this decision, yet are deeply saddened too. When all the other churches in our area were cancelling VBS, we were looking forward to giving children and families an opportunity here at POPC. Kristi and Adelle were already hard at work recruiting and planning. I so appreciate them being on my team! Again, Kristi and Adelle are especially grieved, but they understand the decision.
So, we will look forward to VBS 2021, and hopefully witness God restore what the coronavirus locust has eaten. Of course, that means—NO EXCUSES FOR NOT VOLUNTEERING NEXT YEAR!
In the meantime, if you are a parent of one our covenant children, continue discipling your child(ren) at home! We look forward to having them back in Sunday School and our other POPC discipleship ministries as soon as possible!
Love in Christ,
John C. Kwasny
Director of Discipleship Ministries