Fellowship Church Spreads Gospel and COVID-19 at Allaso Ranch (UPDATED)

Keystone Church in Keller, TX is under fire from parents who want answers about the number of COVID-19 cases among teens returning from a camp experience sponsored by the church. However, Keystone may not be the only church needing to provide answers. I have learned that campers and staff who attended Allaso Ranch this month sponsored by Ed Young’s Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX have also tested positive after attending the church’s Mix Camp 2020.

On 7/20, Amy Smith at her Watchkeep blog posted some social media postings about a possible COVID-19 outbreak due to Fellowship Church camping experiences at Allaso Ranch. A public Facebook posting described a camper and staffer positive with COVID.  Since then, I have had several conversations with multiple parents about their children who have tested positive for COVID-19 since returning from Allaso Ranch. One parent on Twitter pegged the number at ten positives, while others have no way to estimate since the church or camp has not offered that information. Emails to both the church and Allaso Ranch have not been answered.

One staffer developed symptoms and was sent home and is now quite ill. Another child tested positive but has more mild symptoms. Parents I spoke with said that they have heard from parents that other children have also tested positive. A Fellowship Church pastor called at least one of the parents and left a voice mail saying that a staff member at the camp tested positive during the camp week.

The pastor also said in his voicemail,

We followed every single procedure, actually gone above and beyond that, and anybody who may have exhibited any symptoms of anything, headache, cough, sneezing,whether it be a temperature, anything, we were on top of it and in fact if it was a trainer we just sent them home, and that actually took place in your [child’s] room and we sent [them] home, [they] were having some mild symptoms, we don’t know if their COVID positive, but we just took precautionary measures and sent them home, and there’s a new leader in that group. So we just wanted to let you know that, and if there is any COVID positivity, we will let you know that immediately.

While it was good that the pastor called this family, is it true that the camp followed every procedure? A review of photos of students at camp indicates that masks were not worn and social distancing was not followed. Here is a tweet from Fellowship Church as an illustration.

I also reviewed several photos from camp during July and campers are bunched together without masks throughout the week. According to the camp guidelines, masks are not required for campers. However, the guidelines specify that “Camp staff will wear face coverings whenever they are in close proximity to others and while handing food.” In the tweet photos and any other camp photos I have seen, volunteer staff are not wearing masks when they are near campers. If volunteer staff are considered staff, then it is understandable that parents would be concerned that guidelines may not have been followed.

Allaso Ranch has not posted (or has removed) pictures of camp from 2020. However, there are many photos of camp from past years. If you want to see what camp looks like at Allaso Ranch in 2020, go look at what it looked like in 2019.

As with the Keystone situation, there are hundreds of teens back in the community who may be spreading the virus without knowing it. Furthermore, the camp remains open to continue acting as a super spreader. Surely, Fellowship Church can find a way to spread the Gospel without spreading the virus.

UPDATE: Just after I posted this, another parent posted word on Facebook that her daughter attended Allaso Ranch and tested positive for COVID-19. Although this parent signed a waiver, she was under the impression that the camp was going to require mitigation efforts. However, she also confirms she saw no evidence that any efforts were conducted.

Here are some additional photos of campers at Allaso Ranch. Also, Fellowship Church has blocked Amy Smith on Twitter. Scroll down to the bottom tweet to see the photos. You will need to click that tweet.

Allaso Ranch – July 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have more information about COVID-19 cases at Allaso Ranch, contact me here.

18 thoughts on “Fellowship Church Spreads Gospel and COVID-19 at Allaso Ranch (UPDATED)”

  1. I just watched an Ordination in my Diocese, where touching did take place – laying on of hands by the Bishop – after he used a goodly (or Godly?) amount of hand sanitizer, and where all the ordinands stood the correct distance apart, other than that particular part. The very small congregation was spread out over the whole Nave. Everyone wore masks. I would imagine that the scent in the air, rather than fragrant incense, was the scent of alcohol based sanitizer.

    It’s difficult for me to accept that these churches and their members, care so little about the health and safety of their neighbors (which is everyone but themselves).

    1. I don’t think it is as much them “not caring” but more like they expect that god will protect them because they are in church.

  2. I get that Abbott feels he has to be careful limiting what churches can or can’t do. What I don’t understand is how Keystone, Pine Cove, and now Alasso have just gone ahead with camp like no big deal when other churches cancelled camp or held it online. All three have sent home sick campers and staff. Gosh. You don’t think this was all about money, do you? Because I’d hope that a church that valued its parishioners would not risk their health or the health of their children. And isn’t it quite curious how the minister is marketing a book — The Fear Virus.

      1. You mean U.S. White Nationalist Evangelicals are reenacting a remake in real time?

        1. I was referring to the one with James Marsden and Alexander Skarsgård. However, you are correct they appear to be doing a real-time one as well.

        2. I was referring to the one with James Marsden and Alexander Skarsgård. However, you are correct they appear to be doing a real-time one as well.

  5. The infection rate will never go down unless people stop being stupid. Just because it’s open doesn’t mean it’s wise to attend, Just because your state or church may not believe in face masks, that doesn’t mean you can’t follow best practices and wear one.

    1. Fellowship Church is engaging in child endangerment. Such negligence is a felony in Texas.

      1. Maybe someone should issue a criminal complaint to Child Protective Services perhaps? They are minors after all…

      2. Maybe someone should issue a criminal complaint to Child Protective Services perhaps? They are minors after all…

        1. sticky – you sign lots of paperwork when you send your kid to these kinds of camp that pretty much absolve everyone of any liability. Although – there may be an argument that the parents were told one thing (re: masks, etc…) and those procedures weren’t followed by staff

Comments are closed.