09/22/2020

'God had a plan and we were called to carry it out.’

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
-- 1 Corinthians 12:27

Mystery Museum, the online VBS, embodies this verse. Mystery Museum was rolled out this summer by Deacon Dan Jacob as a way to connect youth at his congregation during the forced time of separation because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

‘When I first created Mystery Museum as an in-person VBS back in 2017, I set out to create a program that did not merely have a token female Bible character, but actually made the experience and accomplishments of Biblical women the centerpiece. Pairing those stories with Jesus’ beatitudes seemed perfect,’ said Jacob.

Then COVID hit.

Deacon Jacob updated the material to suit an online format and to incorporate Project Based Learning & Vision Based Serving—something that he and Gary Pecuch, SOS Youth & Family Ministry Coach, both see as invaluable to shaping the spiritual lives of the younger generation.

‘I’ve heard from some churches that had great success in using Mystery Museum to not only provide a VBS during COVID-19, but also to reinvigorate their faith formation for families. These churches took the time each week to play and explore scripture together as a family. Mystery Museum, as a program and a website, was carefully designed to help churches and families do that and it seems like it had some pretty good success.’

One such success was at Augsburg Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, where Pr. Grace Werzinske and her team, took a huge leap of faith to transition their yearly Amazing Grace Day Camp experience for local youth into an online opportunity to share the Gospel. Pr. Werzinske will be the first to admit that doing anything online has been difficult and a bit daunting for their congregation, as they didn’t have the skills or resources when COVID shutdowns first hit. BUT she gleefully reported to Gary Pecuch--who assisted her with learning how to do Zoom and overcome other obstacles to moving their Amazing Grace Day Camp (AGDC) online-- ‘Augsburg completed our virtual AGDC last night! Yahoo!!! God’s work! Our minds, our faith, our hands, our voices!’ They had 11 children register, eight returning from last year’s in-person AGDC, two from First English, Ashville and one member’s grandson. While attendance was spotty and not what they hoped for, Pr. Werzinske recognized this year’s camp as a provision and encouragement from God. ‘I have refused to allow myself to be disappointed in the numbers. This was God’s thing. God had a plan and we were called to carry it out…Augsburg is extremely limited in persons with any interest or skill in technology…and that includes me. I certainly didn’t choose to do this. I was a reluctant servant being pushed by the Spirit. Thanks to your (Gary Pecuch) guidance I was able to bring all the pieces together.’

Pr. Werzinske went on to say, ‘The free Mystery Museum curriculum made this possible. I had fun (as did the cast and crew) – the first fun in several months.’

Other team members from our synod who made Mystery Museum possible were Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt, Rachel Kurtz, Maia Grandy (Wittenberg student), Carol Mitchell and 5-year old Clara, providing the voices for the notable characters.

This collaboration of gifts, all orchestrated by the Spirit, resulted in 52 families from Peace Lutheran in Beavercreek (Deacon Jacob’s congregation), 257 families from Ohio and 14 other States including Texas, Colorado, Florida and Michigan, plus the Augsburg crew, connecting and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with each other, their families and their communities.

Mystery Museum, plus other Spirit-inspired faith formation activities and materials can be found on Deacon Dan Jacob’s website, bannerblue.org. To learn more about Outcome Based Ministry, like that used by Mystery Museum, check out Gary Pecuch’s Faith Webbing website at https://www.faithwebbing.com/.

We truly are stronger and better together as we join Jesus in the restoration of the world…online or in-person!

Related Story: Sunday School must go on…Your guide to Faith Formation during COVID-19 and beyond