Camp Piankatank Serves Kids and Their Families in All Seasons of the Pandemic, and Upcoming Missio Alliance Events

September 24, 2020

Camp Piankatank: Serving Kids and Their Families in All Seasons of the Pandemic

by Steve Gourley

I want to share with you how God provided for Camp Piankatank, even in the midst of a global pandemic, and showed us that his gospel will still reach all those who need to hear it. Camp Piankatank entered 2020 with high expectations for its 60th year of Christian camping.

... Our mission is to develop dynamic disciples for Christ through relationships and adventure. We just needed to figure out how we would accomplish this mission in different ways [this year].

As summer drew closer, despite our best efforts to reach out to state officials and make our case that we could safely have overnight camp with a reduced capacity, we were forced to cancel our overnight camp sessions. We then decided that we would do a shortened day camp for just the month of July, and decrease the number of summer missionaries that we use.

Missio Alliance Offers Upcoming Webinars

The Perils of Pastoring During An Election Season: How to Shepherd People Toward Allegiance to God

October 7, 2020 - 1:00 p.m. EDT

When thinking about the 2020 election season, pastors and church leaders can either be filled with partisan zeal or paralyzed with exhaustion. Engaging in conversations about politics both inside and outside of your congregations can be brutal. How can we shepherd our churches toward a posture of everyday peacemaking during the most divisive time in our nation? Get more information and register online.

Rediscipling the White Church: A Four-Session Learning Community

October 8, 2020 - 3:00 p.m. EDT

Pursuing racial reconciliation and justice as a church leader or pastor is not an easy task, especially in majority-white settings. There are unique challenges, and the road ahead seems interminably long and challenging. It can also be a lonely and isolating journey, as you contend with criticism and pushback from your church or from others around you. Where can you find a safe place to share and process your struggles in this area? Get more information and register online.

The Deeply Formed Pastor: Five Crucial Practices to Flourish in Faith and Ministry

October 14, 2020 - 3:00 p.m. EDT

Pastoral ministry in this current cultural moment is a disorienting enterprise. Pastors are trying to maintain meaningful connection with their communities in the midst of a pandemic, while navigating racial distress, economic upheaval, and a political maelstrom that will only become more divisive as we approach Election Day. How does one lead holistically, and from a deep center? How does one create a formational environment conducive for the Spirit to powerfully work in our lives and in those of our congregants? Get more information and register online.

FOR YOUR INFO

We Want to Feature Your Church at This Year's Annual Meeting!

With this year's annual meeting on November 9-10 being held online, we have even more opportunities this year to feature you--our churches! We want to highlight the great Kingdom work that you have been doing this year, especially during these challenging months of the pandemic we're still facing - especially related to creative worship, meaningful services, or any new ministries that may have arisen during this time.

We hope to get a lot of videos, so we can share some on our meeting website and some during our gathering session broadcast on November 9. If you have a video featuring your church's work, email us the link! If you have the video file but it's not online anywhere, email Jennifer Law to arrange a way to send it. Please submit your content by October 1.

Get more information about this year's meeting.