Following the Path

ALBUQUERQUE – Like many, the Albuquerque Central Church’s Pathfinder Club grappled with whether or not it should stay active in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the newly appointed director, I assembled a team, and we decided that the club was a vital ministry. The church leadership and board agreed. We moved forward with planning outings and events that adhered to COVID-19 safe practices.

The new staff took a kayaking trip down the Rio Grande river that allowed us to practice team building skills essential for working together. One of our first challenges was to find a video chat platform and develop rules to support our virtual club meetings. God provided and we pressed forward.

In the fall, the church held a special induction ceremony on World Pathfinder Sabbath conducted by Fred Daniel and supervised by the Northern New Mexico Area Coordinator, Nora Graham. I had the pleasure of being invested as a Master Guide while many pathfinders were inducted into their Pathfinder groups. Jim Wilson was also appointed as Deputy Director and Central’s pastor John Abbott was inducted as club pastor.

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The Sentinels participated in a virtual campout in which each pathfinder set up tents in their own homes or yards. In the spring of 2021, they went further into nature and did an overnight campout as part of the hiking honor and participated in a physical camping trip in the New Mexico Manzano mountains. The club has been active with snowshoeing, hiking, identifying different animal tracks and swimming activities, as well as taking part in completing the sanctuary and pizza maker honors. We have also been active in community outreach through a program headed by our outreach coordinator Clyde Marlin that distributes “Brown Bag Lunches” to the homeless and those in need in our local neighborhood. The Sentinels also placed third in the area/conference Pathfinder Bible Experience events in February and March of 2021.

Although challenging, the 2020/2021 Pathfinder Club year was full of blessings. Our goal is to keep striving and further challenge, and inspire, our Pathfinders to keep moving on the right path towards Jesus.

By Richard Wical