Region 3
2481 Como Ave., St. Paul, MN
55108
Ph: (651) 649-0454, et. 228 Fax: (651)649-0468
Email
CAMPING NETWORK
NEWSLINE
Hear the Gospel!
Celebrate God's Creation!
Find Spiritual Renewal!
A Newsletter for
Outdoor Ministry Professionals in Region 3 of the ELCA
Vol. 7, No. 2, Fall 2004
Important
Links...
ALOMP School - Program Track
2004 National OM Conference
Region 3 Calendar
2005 Recruiting Fairs
Calendar
Job Openings
The Camping Network is a member of the Minnesota Materials Exchange Program, an online network that connects organizations who are in need of or trying to get rid of "stuff." Check it out at www.mnexchange.org. Contact Ruth for user name and password.
Welcomes
Pete Tonn, Wapo, Ox Lake Site Director
Andy Schumacher, LOSD, NeSoDak/Klein Interim Program Director
Mollie Ronge, LOSD, NeSoDak/Klein Retreat Host
Alane Peterson, LOSD, NeSoDak/Klein Cook/Retreat Host
Nate Pequette, LOSD, Outlaw/AMR Program Director
Teri Gayer, LOSD, NeSoDak/Klein Interim Director
Annie Dahlquist, Amnicon, Retreat Coordinator
Kerri Haldeman, Retreat Host
Chris Lenning, Camp of the Cross, Executive Director
Nicholas Johnson, Upper Missouri Ministries Executive Director
Farewells
Joel Sunde, Wapo, Development Director
Trish Larson, LOSD, NeSoDak/Klein Director
Lando Anderson, LOSD, NeSoDak Assistant Director
Edith Conn, LOSD, Director of the
Black Hills Outdoor School environmental education program; Outlaw
summer program director and winter retreat host
Suzie Porter, Luther Crest Program Director
The planning team for this year's joint regional gathering has been meeting since last spring to put together an event you won't want to miss! Plan now to attend the gathering which will take place December 6-9 at Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp just outside Amery, WI. Gathering attendees will be housed in Wapo's newly completed program/retreat center overlooking the lake. Rev. Paul Hill of Wartburg Seminary will be our keynote speaker, Dave Eliason of Green Lake Lutheran Ministries will be our worship/music leader, actress Marilyn Mays will entertain us, and a variety of workshops and other activities are being planned. Stay tuned for more details and registration information.
Planning team: Craig Corbin, Dave Frei, Dick Iverson, Dave Herder, Ruth Buuck, Heather Eggert
Don’t just stand there... Live It!!
-
By Marc Grams
Dear friends in Christ, so often people
ask me, “How can one week at CAMP have such a powerful impact on
a person’s faith?” I’m sure there are many factors that affect one's
experience, but I think the answer is very simple. That is…
at camp, people live
out an integrated faith daily, and are given a safe opportunity to
experience what it is like to build a relationship with God and the
people around them in a Christ-centered environment.
Being witness to this kind of powerful transformation of faith
among so many people who come to camp often renews my personal Call and
passion to serve in ministry. It has also helped me better understand
how I might honor and serve God as a father, a husband and as a
Christian in my local community and beyond!
Year after year, when the summer season is at an end, it is often
difficult for me to get used to camp without the full energy of our
summer staff and the kids being a constant presence. I think our young
people are incredibly vibrant, creative and bright human beings. (A few
of them may be a bit misguided at times, but overall, they are pretty
amazing folks.) I also think they are hungry to be loved, and will seek
this love in whatever form they can get it! Because of this, I feel
strongly that parents need to be intentional about putting their kids in
faith-filled experiences, and modeling Christian hope and faith at
home. I also feel it is our job as brothers and sisters in Christ to
make sure we are there for our youth as a community of believers,
teaching positive values and morals within our church families and
camps. “For many children, religion is a major force in their moral
development; for some, it is the chief determinant of moral behavior.”
(Quoted from the National Commission on Children)
I believe the only way to form and build these kinds of positive
relationships with our youth is by building them around Christ.
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the
children of God.” Romans 8: 14
At camp,
we pray with kids, read the Bible together and talk openly about the
ways we can all honor and glorify God. Most importantly, the love of
Jesus is present and shared among all who are there - even in a wicked
game of Bonkers or Capture the Flag! Bible camps and
Christian retreat centers are places to build these kinds of
relationships and we are very blessed to have so many of these
life-giving places for people to come and be fed by the Spirit.
A huge word of thanks needs to go out to all of you who have taken the
Call to serve God through this kind of work, whether you’ve been on a
summer staff, or are in it year round. Thank you so much for all that
you do! Thank you for not just standing there! Thank you for
living it!
In 2004, the Camping Network office processed paperwork for 608 applicants! This is an increase over last year of roughly 40 applicants. The average turn-around time was 15 business days. There are two things that can be done to bring the turn-around time down:
1) submit your camp's paperwork to the network office early and often - the process is more efficient if the stream of paperwork is constant rather than clustered around the end of May or beginning of June;
2) encourage your applicants to use the online forms - check them out by visiting www.r3campingnetwork.org and clicking on "Applicant Forms." Use of the online forms will generate paperwork that is more complete and legible!
Green Lake Lutheran Ministries has been given a church building which is currently located in the rural Canby area not too far from Marshall, MN. Marble Lutheran Church will be closing its doors in September and didn't want to see its beloved church building torn down. Through a mutual acquaintance, GLLM heard of their situation, and after talking with them it was decided to move the church building to Shores of St. Andrew Bible Camp!
Dave Eliason has been busy helping coordinate things with the moving company because of the distance involved and the number of power lines to be crossed! It's going to be expensive, but the congregation has also made a remarkable gift of $70,000 to help with the cost of the move which will take place during the last two weeks of September. The plan is to arrive at Shores on Saturday, October 2nd and have a big party!
WCCO channel 4 and KARE channel 11 are both doing stories on the church which will be aired sometime in September. The Lutheran and Thrivent magazines are doing feature articles as well. Both area and metro newspapers are following it too and will run press releases as the move grows closer.
People are welcome to come and watch the move and be present at any of several nightly celebrations at various churches on the route and at the final resting place at Shores of St. Andrew. GLLM's website, www.gllm.org, has regular updates on the progress of the project and a separate website dedicated to Marble Lutheran Church. Check it out for the latest information.
Camping Network
NEWSLINE
is published by the Region 3 Camping Network, a non-profit
organization affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
to share the news and ministry of over 30 outdoor ministry sites in the
Region 3 area.
The mission of the network is to support the outdoor ministry professionals in Region 3 and its nine synods, and to serve the people and congregations that work with them.
STAFF: Network Coordinator/Editor, Ruth Dalager Buuck
Officers/Executive Committee:
Marc Grams, President; Loren Teig, Vice President; Gretchen Bachman,
Secretary; Kyle Debertin, ND Rep; Teri Gayer, SD Rep; Alana Butler, MN
Rep.
Photos and information are welcome and encouraged!
Ruth Buuck, ELCA Region 3 Camping Network, 2481 Como Ave, St. Paul, MN
55108
Phone: 651-649-0454 x228 Fax: 651-649-0468
Email:
ruthbuuck@r3campingnetwork.org
Click on the link above to review and respond to the draft proposals for the ELCA churchwide structure and governance. We are invited to GIVE OUR INPUT via the ELCA website through October 17th!
