Below is Elaine's reflection of 2020 from the perspective of Children, Youth, and Families. All are encouraged to read it as we continue to process what 2020 meant for our St. C's community.

Children, Youth, and Families

In what was a roller coaster of a year, St. Columba’s continued to serve its Children, Youth, and Families in innovative ways. Children and Families gathered in a socially distanced manner outside for a number of family events including a campfire and a Halloween Party. While the weather and virus conditions allowed, the church was able to meet in person for a number of months, and Children’s Formation boxes were made available for their use each Sunday as everyone came together for Pop-Up Church in the parking lot. Children and Youth were even still able to participate in the annual Good Shepherd Sunday Church Take-Over, where children and youth take on as many responsibilities as they can during the service. Additionally, several of our families were able to offer formation to each other through the use of Godly Play and creative storytelling. Families were also blessed with Advent at Home boxes including the book “Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas” by Traci Smith, personally delivered to their homes by Elaine. 

Additionally, many at St. Columba’s participated in Buddy Groups, which were especially helpful early in the pandemic, but still continue meeting virtually today, these buddy groups focused on allowing church members to take care of each other however they could, whether it was dropping off a loaf of zucchini bread and toilet paper or simply providing a listening ear as all of our households faced numerous unprecedented events together.

Early in the pandemic, Elaine offered her video series “Children’s Spirituality” on Facebook, aimed at equipping the adults in children’s lives to be the primary formers of their children’s faith, the one they go to with questions and look to as an example of how to live a faith filled life. Topics included Spirituality for Toddlers and Teens, Where is God when I’m Sad?, and an Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer.

For the Youth in 2020, St. Columba’s offered Zoom Youth Group, gathering our teens together for both fun, and an impactful month long conversation on race with the leadership of Dr. Vibh Forsythe Cox. culminating in a neighborhood Black Lives Matter march to our local intersection. In October, the Youth met at the local corn maze for a quick walk through and relished the short time together in person. All in all, 2020 was a year like no other, but the St. Columba’s community, and especially our families with children and youth weathered it by staying connected, staying church, and taking care of each other.

- Elaine Ogden