Executive Pastor David Troublefield read a comment on XPastor that said, “And if you want to forget all your troubles, eat a cherry popsicle while running through the sprinklers barefoot!” So David put on his administrator thinking cap and saw all sorts of problems of doing this at church. Have a laugh as you see his thoroughness in considering the problems of eating that popsicle!

Some questions to consider if planning an “eating a popsicle while running through the sprinklers barefoot” event at your church:

  • Where are Accident/Injury Report forms being kept now?
  • What is our liability if toes are broken while running among the sprinklers in the yard?
  • Was the required Health Information and Release from Liability form completed by the runner and notarized prior to this event?
  • Is the runner (and any associates) bonded and insured for this event, and is his supporting documentation on file?
  • Has our insurance agent been notified that this running event actually was a spontaneous one for which permission was neither sought nor granted?
  • Has the Medical Ministry Team (MMT) been notified to attend this running event?
  • Are the MMT’s Red Cross life-saving certifications current?
  • Does anyone on the MMT have prior experience using a portable defibrillator?
  • Is it possible for the MMT to practice using the defibrillator prior to the running event?
  • Have traffic control officers been hired for this event (what is their per-hour rate of pay)?
  • In the event of rain, has an alternate date for this running event been calendared?
  • If a death occurs as a result of this running event, must a memorial plaque be erected?
  • How long will it take the Grounds Crew to replace sprinkler heads broken by running among them, or by being fallen upon (and to mow around a memorial monument erected), in the yard?
  • What has become of the “Keep Off the Grass” signs we posted last year?
  • Whose idea was this running event?
  • Should oversight of this event be included in some staff member’s annual review?
  • Will a loss of wages occur if the running event is not considered a success?
  • Are our grievance policies up-to-date?
  • Was the popsicle purchased individually or did we get a volume discount?
  • Was the popsicle obtained via an approved purchase order referencing a specific general fund budget account or a designated account, and was a Check Request Form completed in triplicate as required? Was a purchase receipt returned following the purchase? Were we charged a sales tax?
  • Is the runner in this event actually the Student Minister, and did he take a popsicle from the freezer in the Preschool area—again?
  • After the popsicle is eaten, can its stick be sanitized and placed in storage with other such sticks in the Preschool Supplies Closet?
  • If the stick is broken during a fall, can any of its pieces still somehow be used for preschool crafts or as an object lesson for a Bible story?
  • Does use of the word “popsicle” in any of our publications require the notation of our CCLI number?
  • Will this running through the yard among the sprinklers become an annual event?
  • Can tickets be sold for this event, and the funds gathered be given to missions (after expenses)?
  • Can we just sit on the sidewalk and imagine running instead?