Ludlow B.
Ludlow B.
When COVID-19 entered on the world’s stage, churches around the globe shut down, and members went indoors. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Church faced the same predicament. Their membership, comprising many elderly and infirmed, resorted to utilizing a fully online platform for Sabbath services.
Director of the Family Life Department, “Heather B.,” and her husband, “Ludlow,” brainstormed to see how church members could safely unite, enjoy the benefits derived from the Eight Laws of Health, and “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
The idea behind “Trail Trekkers” was for church members to quarterly visit a different park. Members were expected to bring lunch and eat it sitting on blankets in family groupings. After the meal, department leaders would lead the group on a trek of the trails in the park. Long Key Park in Davie, Fla., was visited first with 34 people in attendance.
While leaders first thought people came out because it was a novelty, over the course of a year, between November 2022 and December 2023, the turnout at each event increased by word of mouth.
Seeing such a large group of people walking along the trail was enough to draw the attention of onlookers. Some stopped to ask what the event was about. Others saw the “Happy Sabbath” T-shirts the leaders wore, and loudly yelled, “Happy Sabbath” in return.
Jeffrey Thompson, lead pastor, recognized early the value of the event. With a mindset toward evangelism, he requested the leaders have a Trekk every other month, rather than quarterly. Seven Trekks have now been completed, with each event ending with a biblical lesson discussing a fruit or berry and an activity.
A recent event was best loved with the larger group of 24 broken up into five groups, with each receiving a kite to decorate. Messages of “God’s love,” “Nature,” or “Creation” were then displayed in the evening skies alongside varied hues of pink, red, and purple in the sunset.
Post COVID-19’s “new norm” requires creativity in witnessing and leading others to the Lord, even if it’s simply having them read the message, “God IS Love,” flying in the evening skies.
Florida | April 2024
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