FORTVILLE — Easter services online. Camps closed. Mission trips canceled or postponed.
A sequence of traditional church events have been missing from the calendar amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
But for some local churches, Vacation Bible School is on — even if “on” means online.
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Fortville Christian Church hopes to move forward with its VBS, set in mid-July. Its theme will be Focus: Take a Closer Look. “It’s exploring ways that we can focus on God,” said Amy Griffey, assistant to the family pastor at Fortville Christian.
If the Indiana Back on Track Plan proceeds as expected, social gatherings of more than 250 people will be permitted by then.
“We’re aware that there is still a possibility that something could change, requiring us to postpone or cancel Kids Camp at the last minute,” the church said on a page about “Kids Camp” on its website. “We are planning with that in mind. While we will make every effort to eliminate unneeded crowding, it is simply not possible to make a large gathering of kids comply with social distancing.”
The week typically includes large group time with music and then breaking into smaller groups to rotate to activity stations, such as snacks, outside games and craft time.
“We are going to have some more careful sanitation procedures,” Griffey said, including nightly sanitizing after the children leave. “We’re doing our best to keep germs at bay.”
The church plans to resume in-person services June 14. With people not gathering till then, the item donations that precede the event have taken a twist; instead of dropping off supplies such as craft materials, members have been ordering from an online wish list of supplies and having their donations shipped to the church.
Just as churches have varied in their timing for resuming in-person services, they have varied in their approach to this year’s Vacation Bible School. Some have canceled. Others are planning online events. Greenfield Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), for example, plans to offer a virtual program, “Bolt,” from June 19-21.
Carla Carter at Calvary Baptist Church in Greenfield said her church is also planning a virtual VBS. “All the materials and supplies would be provided with a drive-through pickup for parents, and then there will be an online connection for lessons each day,” she wrote in an email.
The Rev. Mark Havel at Cross of Grace Lutheran Church in New Palestine said plans are still taking shape, but “We canceled the idea of gathering for VBS as usual, but will do something for/with the kids and have a couple ideas … for things they can do at home with their families, which we will help share ideas and materials for,” he wrote in an email.
Rob McCord, senior minister of Outlook Christian Church in McCordsville, said the church is excited about its revised plans. “We’ll be supplying our families with all the supplies to do their own backyard VBS, but alongside that we’ll be broadcasting live all the VBS segments and activities from a different backyard each night,” he wrote.
Other churches are still weighing their Vacation Bible School plans. Bishop Joseph Riggs of Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Greenfield said he’s not yet sure what will happen to the VBS planned for July, but either way the church will still have its traditional Back Pack Bash school supply giveaway on July 25.
Brandywine Community Church does not have a date set for Vacation Bible School. Ethan Davis, pastor of children’s ministries, hopes to time it to help kick off the reopening of children’s ministries during Sunday services when the time comes.
Griffey hopes Fortville Christian’s event, which wraps up with a Parent Night on the Friday of Kids Camp, will also help entice families to be part of what’s happening on Sunday mornings. She’s hoping it will motivate them to be part of a church, whether hers or another one.
“The end goal is families would feel like they could find community … in a church,” she said. “We would be showing them there’s something to being a part of a Christian community.
“If our church can be part of that for even a week and plant that seed, that’s our goal. We want to partner with them in teaching their kids and ultimately their family about Christ.”
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Outlook Christian Church (online)
June 15-18. Families can receive supplies to follow along in their own backyards. Theme: "Mission: Deep Blue." More information at https://www.outlookchurch.org/vbs.
Greenfield Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (online)
June 19-21 for children and youth preschool through high school and their Families. Theme: "Bolt! For information, go to www.facebook.com/greenfieldchristianchurchyouth.
Brookville Road Community Church (online)
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 6-9. Theme: “Rocky Railway: Jesus’ Power Pulls Us Through.” For preschool through fourth grade (according to 2019-20 grade level). Select "Register Now!" at https://www.brookvilleroad.cc/children. Information: brookvilleroad.cc; 317-861-3880.
Fortville Christian Church
where Kids Camp runs from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. July 13-17 at the church, 9450 N. County Road 200W. For children age 3 through those who just completed fifth grade. Theme: "Focus: Take a Closer Look." Information: http://fortvillechristian.com/kidscamp
Is your Hancock County church planning Vacation Bible School, whether in person or online? Add it to this list by emailing [email protected] with "Vacation Bible School" in the subject line.
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