May 12, 2020
Dear Fellow Ministers of the Louisiana District UPCI,
Greetings to you today in the only saving name of Jesus Christ.
It is with much sadness in my spirit that I write this correspondence to you today. Just moments ago, the Louisiana District Board met via a Zoom conference call. In addition to the District Board, we also invited our Children’s Ministry Leader, Tommy Parker, and our Youth President, Drew Galloway, to sit in on the conversation regarding their respective youth camps.
The District Board decided to cancel the Camp Meeting, Crusader’s Camp, Junior Camp, and Senior Camp for 2020. With respect to our Camp Meeting, it is our intention to try to get the same speakers we had scheduled for Camp Meeting 2020, to be there for Camp Meeting 2021.
District Conference is still scheduled for Monday night, June 29, 2020 and Tuesday, June 30, 2020. By my request, our Headquarters representative, Jerry Jones will be preaching on Monday night, which is also the night we will hold the ordination service. The service will begin on Monday night at 7 p.m. with presentation of awards. These services will be held in the tabernacle, and thus we will be able to comply with the 25% occupancy rules established by the governor. On Tuesday we will conduct our business and elections.
The Youth Department has made an adjustment for their year-end Holiday Youth Convention that was scheduled to be held in Baton Rouge. Due to the cancellation of their youth camps, they are going to hold the Holiday Youth Convention at the District Campgrounds here in Tioga, Louisiana beginning on Wednesday evening, December 30, 2020 and ending on Saturday morning, January 2, 2021. The Youth Department will soon be informing you of the details of that event. (Obviously, they needed to schedule it at a time when young people will not be in school.)
The scripture teaches us that there is safety in counsel. That is why we have waited this long to make these decisions. The decision to cancel these meetings was not an easy decision. In fact, I personally made it a matter of prayer, and sought counsel with fellow ministers and other District leaders. All of the District Superintendents that I have consulted with (probably at least six or seven) are Superintendents of some of our larger Districts. All of those I have talked to, have already cancelled their camps this summer. I am now 64 years old. This will be my first year not to be able to go to a UPCI youth camp and/or camp meeting. (It probably goes without saying, but I do not like these government imposed restrictions.)
Thankfully, our governor has loosened the restriction on assembling in our church buildings (with certain restrictions). My prayer is that the Holy Ghost will be so imminent in your services that everyone who enters your sanctuary will know that they are in the presence of Jesus Christ. I do believe that some of the folks who were not previously attending your church, but have been watching on the internet, will now begin to assemble with you. Be ready for them. Have your baptismal tanks clean and full. Be prepared to see people repent and be filled with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And, because many of them have been filled with fear of this virus, have hand sanitizer on hand. Don’t force them to shake hands if they don’t want to. Rather than pass the offering receptacle, have an usher stand up front and let them walk to the usher and place it in the receptacle. Whether or not you have fear of the virus, some really do, so respect their feelings.
Finally, for a final word of caution; the Scriptures teach that you reap what you sow. Be very careful that you do not sow discord. Do not sow grumbling. Do not sow rebellion. Because as our beloved T. F. Tenney told me numbers of times, “You usually reap more than you sow.” Thus I conclude with one of my “go to” scriptures found in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.”
Kevin V. Cox
Louisiana District UPCI Superintendent
