Dear ministers and members,

There has been a lot that has happened in the last few weeks since I last wrote a column here. We have had some very encouraging meetings with pastors and others. But there has been sadness and some obstacles along the way.

Two ministers—Carmelo Anastasi from Italy and Dwaine Hudson in Kansas City—have died. You will see a tribute to Dwaine that follows this letter. We plan to print a tribute to Carmelo in next week’s eNews. Yesterday, Carmelo’s family conducted a small family funeral service according to his desires.

We appreciate so much the service that these men have provided in their areas. They have served God well, and we look forward to seeing them in the resurrection.

Both teen and pre-teen camps have been held, and a retreat was held for the pastors in the Northwest region.

While the first camps of the year were successful and a joy for everyone, COVID-19 has “reared its head” and was disruptive at our Northwest pastoral retreat, where more than half of those who attended came down with COVID-19 (all cases were comparatively mild and everyone is recovering well), and at Camp Pinecrest which began just this past Sunday.

Let me explain what has happened and why the decision was made to close Camp Pinecrest when a few campers came down with COVID-19.

The staff did their very best to ensure no one had COVID-19 upon arrival at camp. But, despite following many protocols, the virus showed up just two days into the camp.

Without going into unnecessary detail, suffice it to say that no one should ever question our love and desire to serve and provide for our children in the United Church of God. In fact, it is the safety of our children that has always been the number one principle stressed going back to the inception of the United Church of God and the United Youth Camps program in 1995.

You may recall that we had an outbreak of COVID-19 at Pinecrest last year, and we did our best to plan in advance for that possibility this year, coming up with an extensive plan and policy developed with input from the Council of Elders, administration and the camp directors in an attempt to minimize the spread of COVID-19 at future camps.

The reason we needed to close Pinecrest this year is because we are bound to follow the current COVID-19 plan and policy that is in place. And here is the directive from the plan that led to the very difficult decision that had to be made to shut down Pinecrest when we did:

CAMP SHUTDOWN DIRECTIVE & CONTAINMENT PLAN: If a COVID test is positive, or other highly infectious disease is found at camp, the sick camper or staffer must be kept isolated and sent home as soon as reasonably convenient—the sooner the better. The Camp Director must both call and email the parent of this situation. If it is demonstrated that the sick camper or staffer was around only a small identifiable group, then that exposed group must be immediately isolated and tested. If any camper or staff in that group also tests positive, closure of the camp is to be considered after consultation with the Camp Director, the Camp Nurse, the overall UYC coordinator, the MMS director and, if possible, a consulting MD.

However, if a member outside that small group also tests positive for COVID, or any other similar infectious disease, it is to be presumed that there has been a widespread exposure to the contagion and the camp must be closed (shut down) and all campers and staff sent home. IN ADDITION if a person has generally mingled with other campers and staff (prior to isolation, testing and identified as having COVID, or another infectious disease), then that camp must be immediately closed down and all campers and staff sent home.

All parents of campers must be notified by a phone call and/or an email that a COVID case (or other infectious disease) has arisen at camp and directed to pick-up their child as soon as possible. Parents will be advised to quarantine that child and have him/her tested upon arrival home.

The evening before a camper at Pinecrest tested positive for COVID-19, a camp dance was held. There was, of course, significant interaction then, not to mention all the group meals, Christian Living classes and camp activities that are scheduled every day. Clearly the infected person “generally mingled with other campers.” Also, an additional person tested positive for the virus in the same dorm as the infected camper.

Based on our very recent experience at the pastoral retreat in the northwest, there was concern that many more would be infected with the virus and that the prudent and right thing to do under the circumstances was to comply with established policy in an effort to minimize the spread and its impact on our campers, staff, families, and even local churches.

Knowing how much our teens love camp and how much we love to provide camp for them, this was a difficult decision to make from every perspective. But we had a plan in place that all agreed upon, and we had to follow it.

Given the current condition of COVID-19 infection, which seems to be milder than last year, we will be discussing this policy with camp directors and administration during the upcoming week to determine whether revisions are necessary. We will communicate with parents and staff once those discussions are held and any decisions are made.

We are so very sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment that the closure of Camp Pinecrest has caused. Please be assured we will be reviewing everything in order to prevent, to the best of our ability, such inconveniences in the future.

Please keep all of God’s people in your prayers. He is our Guide, Shield, Protector and Sustainer. Ask Him to watch over every gathering of His people, including every camp, and to shield us from this virus and any other sickness or problem that might affect our gatherings.

And please keep the families and local congregations that have lost pastors, elders, and loved ones in your prayers. Our God is the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Take care, brethren, and have a restful, inspiring and uplifting Sabbath!