By Sami Hodges – Loveland, Colorado… Campion Academy students were welcomed back with a special worship service and a prayer of dedication for the new academic year on Sabbath, August 15.

Campion church holds a campus dedication the first Sabbath of every school year where students get involved, this year with music and the children’s story. Faculty members were introduced to the wider faith believer congregation and Lonnie Hetterle, education superintendent for Rocky Mountain Conference, gave a prayer of dedication over the pupils and educators.

Erin Johnson, English teacher at Campion, said, “I really enjoyed the service because it reminded us why we are here. While we are doing God’s work, we need a lot of prayer.”

The students who had to leave campus and their faith community abruptly last spring when coronavirus closed in-person education, experienced their first in-person worship service at Campion with their friends and teachers after nearly five months.

“I love our church community, but our full community includes Campion students,” Micheal Goetz, pastor of Campion said. “It’s only been half of us for the last four or five months. It felt whole again. You could tell the energy and enthusiasm was different.”

Due to the current pandemic restrictions on large gatherings, Campion has begun to hold two services. Most of the first service seats are reserved for students and teachers in an attempt to give space for the academy to enjoy worship together as a campus family.

“The two services are fun because there are fewer people in each service. I get to look into more eyes when there are fewer people,” Goetz said. “But it’s sad at times when I’m in a service and I wish that those in second [service] could hear the singing in first, or that the students in first could meet and connect with some of the great people in second. I want everyone to experience it all.”

“Church was definitely different because of coronavirus, but it was enjoyable,” Sophomore Haley Beckermeyer said. “Being able to use our Bibles interactively and play games at Sabbath School was really fun!”

Sami Hodges is a senior at Campion Academy; photos by Darcy Force