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Brian Frick is the Associate for Camp and Conferences Ministries with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He has been involved in camp and conference ministry since high school. For the past ten years, Brian has served as program director of Johnsonburg Center in New Jersey, Westminster Woods in California, and Heartland Center in Missouri.

Camp and conference ministry compliments and partners with other ministry aspects of our church to foster faith development and reflection. As our communities and our church changes, our ministries need to grow and adapt with creative and emergent programming and leadership to meet new realities.

These blogs entries, though varied, are intended to spur thought and conversation around the opportunities and challenges before us.

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June 9, 2010

Prayer for summer staff

Brian Frick

100_1930-1 Maria Shupe (Executive Director of Highlands Camp and Retreat Center in Allens Park, CO) sent an email asking leaders, pastors and others to write notes to the Highlands summer staff that she would share to inspire them.  Well writing it inspired me and reminded me of my time on summer staff and how transformative that experience was for me.  I thought I would share my letter to the Highlands staff with you.  Maybe it will inspire you or maybe you would like to share it with your summer staff.

Dear summer staff -

Remember, all of you who have given of your time and talents this summer to serve in ministry at camp, that you are God’s hands and feet, God’s shoulder to cry on, God’s hands to high five, God’s face to smile, God’s arms to hug (side hugs of course!), and God’s heart to love among so many other things.

I pray you will overcome your fear if you are new staff and be emboldened no matter what year you are on your staff to speak the Truth. To spread the God News.  To invite their campers and each other into a community that is walking “on The Way” together.

Rely on your leadership. They are experienced and there to help you.  Rely on your judgment.  Your campers are looking up to you.  Rely on God to be there to help you when you don’t know what to say or are afraid to say it “wrong.”

I like to say that ministry is “dirty.” Strange I know, but if you don’t get in there and try it, even if you are not ready (or should I say, don’t think you are ready) you will never experience the joy of sharing God’s love.  When it comes to leading Bible Study and sharing scripture, answering questions – remember that you are learning and growing in the Word every time you are with your campers helping them learn and grow in the Word.  You won’t hit it out of the park every time – you are not supposed to.  You are making it real and available to your campers in a way that may not happen very often, if ever for them.

I wish I could be there with you now to encourage you, but also at the end of the summer, when you are tired, when you never want to smell another sweaty cabin, itch another mosquito bite, or walk another camper to the dining hall.  Because it is then, maybe a few months after then, that I hope you will look back a the person who came into Highland in May/June who had the same name you do.  Because you will be so shocked at how different you are and how much of an impact this summer had for you, when you gave all you had to your campers.

May God bless all that you do.

Peace,

Brian


Brian Frick

Office of Camp and Conference Ministries, Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.