The 2020 Annual Report of the Director of Education & Program ~ Deannine Shipman

---

I continue to feel blessed working at SCPC, and especially in a year as hard as 2020 was for all of us.  To be reassured of employment and income was a sure relief during these times.  So thank you for your continued support for our ministry together here in State College.
 
I resource the Education Ministry Unit, as well as the Adult Education Committee, the Congregational Fellowship Committee, and co-resource our growing LOGOS program (GECKOS and Chrysalis) along with Ned. I enjoy working with Stay and Play, and Laura Steager, our Childcare Coordinator (Emma Sutterlin), and our fantastic kitchen coordinators for LOGOS and FISH – Mike and Amy Gordon.

---

​I do have some interesting memories of what all transpired in 2020.  For me, the year started off by creating a LENTEN bag for families to take home with them.  I had filled it with little items that matched up with stories and devotions.  I spent awhile putting the bags together, and we had already begun handing them out for LENT before we all shut down.
 
A few bags remain in my office as a reminder, and my bulletin and prepared notes/microphone are all sitting on my desk from where they were in the middle of March 2020.  I’ve now decided to leave them there until I can put the microphone back on and we go back to full in person!

---

​What I remember about March and April is that all of us very quickly learned new skills about videotaping ourselves so that we could have some sort of worship service up and running.  I’ve told several folks that I had to stop three times making my first video due to crying about missing the children at church!  Since that day in March, I have gotten a bit more skilled at doing a videotaped message, and yet I can’t wait to be LIVE on the steps again with the children!

I also began emailing out the Sunday School curriculum to our families. The PCUSA made that easier by having resources already online.  In the beginning I wrote the lessons, and then changed over to using what was already written.

---

For summer, we usually have a story based learning environment at the church for children with a craft that goes along with it.  For this past summer during the pandemic, several of our congregation members were willing to read books, tape themselves, and most offered a craft idea that went along with the books.  I put these on my YouTube page, and sent them out over the summer to our families.

---

Our LOGOS program was one of the biggest challenges.  How do we replicate a LOGOS program to one that won’t be done IN PERSON?  Well, we met on Zoom with our small group of coordinators, and I think we came up with something that has worked well.  Special thanks to Amy and Mike Gordon for their willingness to try anything!  And to Keri Rounsville for pretty much the same thing!

After Zoom meetings with parents and our past LOGOS volunteer staff, we came up with a plan for FALL of curbside meals for families, Zoom family times, a great story Bible gift for all, worship and Bible times on the alternating weeks, and Chrysalis actually got to meet outside at parks before it got cold.
 
Keri, Ned, and I shared our plan on a national Zoom call with interested folks from around the country through the GenOn Minisitries organization that supports our LOGOS program.

---

With the support of the Education Committee, I sent out curriculum all Fall to the families of our Pre School and Elementary children.  Our Children and Worship leaders put together special videos (with the help of Jerry and Kerry) for the Advent season, and I mailed out a special Advent resource on The Jesse Tree.

Adult Education has done very well this year with all of their plans.  It seems that after the shock on going all online, people warmed up to being able to offer videos or to Zoom and we filled our calendar quite quickly!  Thanks to Jenny Van Hook and a great committee!!

---

On a personal note, my mom died at the end of September, after medical issues arose after breaking her hip.  She would have been 91 in December.  She lived a long life, but I miss her every day.  So many of you wrote me cards and sent your prayers.  They were lovely and I thank you!

While I miss being in person with everyone, I have adapted to the videotaping of the Children’s Message, and have found there are things I can do online in Christian education that haven’t been done in person.  It’s been a challenge for sure this past year, but I look forward to the goal of all being together again.  Until then, I thank God for good health and the support of a loving congregation!
 
Deannine Shipman, Director of Education and Program

Eleanor Haney