LIVE WITH JESUS TO LOVE LIKE JESUS T
HE CHURCH I CO-PASTOR IN MOSCOW, IDAHO, HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY DIFFERENT OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. OUR CONGREGATION HAS BEEN WILLING TO TRY THINGS AND SEE IF THOSE IDEAS WORK FOR OUR AREA AND DEMOGRAPHIC. WE HAVE MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO NOT FOCUS ON FAILURES BUT SEEK OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE AND GROWTH.
The COVID-19 pandemic has stifled a few of our well-set plans and prayerfully organized ideas. It has made it much more challenging to come up with ways to effectively and safely reach out to those in our area. New and continually changing regulations, conflicting information relating to risk for infection, a changed AUTHOR Natashia McVay local demographic (we normally have a large college student population, but with in-person courses stopped or greatly limited, that has changed), and the ever-present general concern for both people in the community and our own members have forced us to think outside the church building. Just this last week, I walked around the neighborhood by our local Adventist elementary school, 58
september/october 2020
Palouse Hills Christian School. We were putting door hanger ads on people’s doors for the Vacation Bible School. Traditionally VBS has been held in the Moscow Church building, which is a wonderful way to show off our church. Because of COVID-19 concerns, we wanted a bigger and outdoor space to attempt a VBS program. A conversation I had with our lower-grade teacher led to the idea of doing VBS at our school — to give ample outdoor space for the program and to showcase our school. Had it not been for COVID-19 I don’t know that I would have found this to be a great suggestion, but in light of the current climate I jumped on the idea. How do you advertise and conduct a VBS where health and safety are exceptionally important? You just start crafting the outreach
