Sunset Bible Camp has from its very start been a way to bring students and leaders together in community while growing in their faith and worshipping their Creator. The outbreak of Covid19 has interrupted life across all avenues. Schools have closed and brought their students online for distance learning. Churches are worshipping remotely and gathering virtually for small groups, youth groups and more. Churches continue to help the needy and the poor. Businesses are closed and life has altered dramatically. The Sunset board of Trustees has seen this firsthand among all the churches they represent. It remains of utmost importance to create community in this period of isolation. Students still need guidance, encouragement, communion and challenge even as we operate in an unknown timeframe of flux.

The hope is that life returns to normal quicker rather than later, however there may be parts to life that never return to normal. Life has been forever touched by the cross-section of worldwide pandemic and retreat into a technology assisted isolation. That presents some challenges for Youth and Children’s Ministries and Churches in general. How do we plan for the unknown? What are the best ways for us to prepare for the near future?

Instead of focusing on the unknown and loss, the Trustees have determined to still make this year an impact on God’s kingdom through the renewal and transforming of kids and students for His work! Rather than spend time trying to do two things half as well, Sunset has determined to do one thing excellent this summer. The Trustees have decided that given the current situation, we are unable to adequately plan an in-person camp on the grounds at Sunset in Mannford. However, we still have many opportunities to create community, provide guidance and bring challenges to the lives of students that may still be stuck at home. For the first time in history, Sunset will be hosting virtual camps that can be streamed directly to the TVs and phones of our students and leaders across the internet. We hope to soon announce more details about the plan and vision. We know that it will not look exactly like a normal year at Sunset, but we also know this Spring has not looked like a normal year anywhere!

Imagine a virtual week where we provide materials for students to have simultaneous encounters with God in their own backyards. Or coming together on YouTube for a live worship experience that has real time encouragement and challenge. Utilizing tech like Zoom or Google Hangouts, we can bring students together for small group experiences from all over. And we’ll have the opportunity to bring in teachers that might normally be unavailable due to travel or scheduling!

As we continue to plan this there are couple things to consider. First, we still have expenses for the camp whether we use it on site or not. The camp is mutually owned by our churches. The major revenue for the camp comes from tuitions which will not be available. This means, we still need to come together to help support the camp even while we look into fundraising and relief packages to help during this unprecedented time in history. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more about how the summer programming will work and how you can help.

In the meantime, if you want to donate something to help, you can do so here: sunsetbiblecamp.org/donate

Please make sure everyone in your leadership sees this letter so that it can be communicated well. Also, please pray for God to be known during this period of uncertainty and for God’s will to be done even in the midst of chaos in the world.

In Christ,
Sunset Bible Camp Board of Trustees


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