As of now (July 23, 2020), we are still planning on meeting for this year’s Northeast Iowa Backbone Rally, currently planned for Sabbath, August 15.
There’s plenty of room to social distance, and hand sanitizer will be available. Measures have also been put in place to keep the bathroom areas sanitized and clean.
This year’s speaker is Pastor Frendell Reyes, from the Illinois Conference. He has been a pastor for 29 years and recently earned a doctorate focusing on how to grow churches with a healthy congregation. He works with families and conducts seminars on processing woundedness, as well as discipleship in churches.
This year’s theme is “The Reality of Heaven.” Topics include looking forward to the healing of relationships in heaven, a picture of heaven, and getting/being ready for heaven. For everyone’s safety, there will be a haystack lunch provided by servers wearing masks and gloves (no potluck).
The rally, named after Backbone State Park, where it is held, was established by pastors in northeast Iowa more than 20 years ago to foster friendships between their local church members.
Anyone who would like to come is invited! Backbone State Park is centrally located in northeastern Iowa (map), allowing those who want to just come for the day plenty of time to make the drive. There are also a variety of camping options for those who want to make a weekend trip out of it. Those who camp are invited to bring their own food to a Sabbath evening campfire supper and vespers (no potluck), and a pancake breakfast Sunday morning, Aug. 16. Again, for everyone’s safety, the pancakes and standard toppings will be provided by servers wearing masks and gloves. Feel free to bring uncut/unopened fruit or other breakfast items in sealed packages to share. We will open fruit/packages only at the time breakfast is being prepared.
