COVID-19 Announcement — Summer Camps
Dear District Family:
I pray that this letter finds you well and growing in your faith and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have been reminded during all the disruption from this COVID19, when life hands you lemons, why not make some lemonade. Over the past many weeks, we have seen life as we knew it almost disappear. All the past “normal” that we have known, is now gone and we are adjusting to what is and will be the “new normal”. I am so thankful for my wife in this time that constantly reminds me that different is not wrong, it is just different. The truth is that I have seen so many good things coming out of all this change. One of the greatest is that the church has been forced to be more creative in the way that we communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The overtaking of the vast expanse of the internet with “Good News”, especially on Sunday mornings, is something to be celebrated! I believe there are many other good, maybe even great, things that have come out of this difficult season. But that will wait for another time.
My main reason for writing today is to share with you some sad news, another change to our normal. The District Advisory Board met for our regular meeting on May 14th. Along with our normal business, we conducted a review of the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pittsburgh District. This review included an update on the status of local church ministries, upcoming District ministries as well as the ministries of Mt. Chestnut Nazarene Center (MCNC). With the highest regard for the health of all participants and with uncertainty in regards to the phase-in process that would allow safe gatherings the size of our camps and other events, a decision has been made to cancel all District events, including all camps (Children, Teen and Family) through the end of July 2020. This was a very difficult decision for all involved. It is important to know that this decision was not made from any type of fear, but instead was made from love and concern for all those that would attend these events. This pandemic is real, as some of you have experienced firsthand, and we want to put our love for others, and their health and safety, above our own personal desire to rush into getting back together again.
The nature of gatherings at MCNC is not limited to a few hours as would be the case at a local church service, for example, allowing for deep cleaning before use again. Our campgrounds are an around-the-clock live-in environment with significant challenges for maintaining conditions to protect the health of our attendees and staff. Social distancing requirements for the protection of all ages would render many of our gathering spaces unusable considering the number of persons who attend Family Camp as well as our age-group camps and retreats. This impacts not just our District camps, but also all other groups that rent our facility. We look forward to the 2021 season when our hope is to safely gather for worship, fellowship, and discipleship on these grounds that God has so wonderfully provided. Since the camp will be closed, limited access guidelines for those with campers on the grounds will be communicated directly to RV tenants from the District Camp Board and Center Director in keeping with the directives of the District Advisory Board. Please be watching for these communications.
To be honest, it has been more than 30 years since I have not attended either Teen Camp, Family Camp or both during my summers. I know for some of you it has been even longer. Even as I write this I can once again hear Deb’s voice saying: different is not wrong, it is just different. What if we took the time we would normally be at camp and find new ways to share the Good New of Jesus with our friends and family (of course always in compliance with social distancing in mind)? What if, instead of putting our focus on getting fed spiritually, we focused on feeding the hungry both physically and spiritually? Once again, different does not have to be bad, it can be a good thing when we seek, trust and obey the Lord.
The District leadership team is working on trying to put together some events, both face to face and virtual, that will help to fill the “fellowship” void that will be left without camp. These events will be conducted in a safe manner using all the social distancing guidelines in place at the time. Please be paying close attention to emails in the coming days that will give more details on these events.
Please join me in praying that God will continue to bring healing to those affected by this illness and that swift progress can be made in the treatment and prevention of this virus across the globe. Pray also that God would use this situation to open hearts to His love and that we would have eyes to see and hearts to respond as God leads.
Pastor Dan