After a year in which children and students experienced disruption and isolation, many churches are anticipating an exciting return to summer camp. This year, Lifeway Christian Resources is implementing careful precautions to help keep COVID-19 at bay.
“We know kids and students want to be together more than anything after spending so much time apart, and we want to serve churches well and provide many opportunities for the next generation to hear the gospel,” said Ben Trueblood, director of Lifeway Students. “One of the ways this is going to happen this summer is by taking steps to keep groups and camp staff healthy and safe.”
Lifeway’s 2021 COVID-19 precautions and protocols include:
- Implementing a health-screening questionnaire for all attending groups
- Emphasizing increased attention to cleaning
- Adjusting activities to allow for social distancing
- Following a detailed response plan should there be exposure
Additionally, Lifeway will require all camp participants and staff to wear face coverings and will have groups sit together during mealtimes and at all large-group gatherings. Multiple worship services will be provided as needed to allow for social distancing, and Bible study and recreation plans have been adjusted to limit close contact.
“A spirit of unity and a willingness to look after the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ is what will allow us to reach our shared goal of seeing a successful summer of camp happen,” Trueblood said. “The reality is that camp will look different, but we want to make it as normal of a camp experience as possible. The things that are the most foundational to camp will still be there.”
On March 5, Lifeway released camp COVID-19 guides to all 3,400 churches who were registered for camp so they could prepare for this year’s COVID precautions. The guides will receive monthly adaptations as the CDC releases their own updated guidelines. Guides for each camp can be viewed online using the following links:
Last year, Lifeway provided free digital worship experiences after canceling all camps due to the pandemic. It was a rare exception to the regular in-person camp experience churches look forward to each year, as more than 3 million campers have come through Lifeway’s multiple brands of camps over the past four decades. This summer, Lifeway plans to return to normal as it hosts more than 92,000 registered camp participants across 78 locations in the U.S.
“We truly believe the Lord is going to meet the needs of this next generation in a spectacular and transformational way this summer,” said Jessica Best, event marketing specialist. “After a year that has brought such heaviness and isolation, it’s our joy to help kids and students discover the goodness of Jesus and what a relationship with Him means for each of them personally.”
Additional information about Lifeway camps can be found at Lifeway.com.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Aaron Wilson is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources.)
