Volunteers Sought For New Holland Released Time Program

During 2020, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in an online format for ELANCO Released Time's New Holland Elementary School program. Looking to the fall of 2021, Deb Reimers, who coordinates the New Holland location, is excited to be holding the program in person again, but she is also concerned that Released Time may have to be capped at 60 students due to a shortage of volunteer adult listeners.

"(Before) we were shut down, I had 36 listeners, and we had 115 students," recalled Reimers. "I only have 15 listeners now."

Students in third through sixth grades at New Holland Elementary School will receive papers about the program during the first week of school, which will begin on Monday, Aug. 30. Children who choose to take part will ride a bus from the school to Petra Church on Airport Road in New Holland each Thursday at 2:15 p.m.

At Petra, students will be divided into two groups, with the third- and fourth-graders meeting in Petra's multipurpose room and the fifth- and sixth-grade students meeting in The Oasis. "They are taught (a lesson), and we sing songs and pray with them during the first 20 minutes," said Reimers. The ELANCO Released Time program uses a two-year sequential curriculum that begins with the establishment of God as Creator. The program establishes that humans are sinful and in need of a savior and that God provides a way to salvation through Jesus Christ.

"The second 20-minute (period), they have listening time," said Reimers, who explained that the students are divided into small groups of four or fewer with an adult who listens, answers questions about the lesson, and helps with worksheets.

Students who take part in the program will be given the opportunity to earn points toward a week at Woodcrest Retreat in Ephrata, Greenview Bible Camp in Denver, or Tel Hai Camp in Honey Brook. Students earn points each week by bringing their Bibles to Released Time and memorizing and looking up Bible verses. Students receive awards for each 25 points they earn. For each 15 points students earn, they have a chance to put their name in a camp box. Each grade has its own camp box. At the end of the spring session, two students' names from each grade will be chosen randomly from the boxes to win a camp scholarship. In addition, the two students with the highest number of points for the whole year will receive scholarships. Last year, 17 students received camp scholarships.

Adults who would like to volunteer may call 717-283-8921 or email drjr145@yahoo.com. Individuals who would like to learn more about the program may find "ELANCO Released Time - New Holland Released Time" on Facebook.