LIVING WATER THE NEWSLETTER OF LIVING WATER MINISTRIES

Transcription

1 Fall 2017 LIVING WATER THE NEWSLETTER OF LIVING WATER MINISTRIES In This Issue: Making Change the Constant Summer 2017 Infographic Far Reaching Impact for the Sake of the Gospel An Elementary Approach to Camping The 2017 Gathering Blazing the Trail with Bridge Builders Fearfully & Wonderfully made Immersion Kills Stereotypes at MYLA With God, All Things are Possible Bold Leadership Dedicated to Impact Our Donors Day Camp participants pose for a joyful picture at Grace In Action in Detroit.

2 Mission Bringing together all of God s children to experience Christian community, grow in faith, develop leadership skills, and serve others. Vision Create communities centered in Christ to transform lives and the world. Core Values Excellence Christian Community Faith Formation Welcome to All CALENDAR DEC 27 The Michigan Gathering December 27-30, 2017 at The Radisson in Lansing, MI JAN 15 Summer Camp Registration Opens January 15, MAR 24 The Junior High Charge March 16-18, 2018 Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI Making Change the Constant C.J. Clark Executive Director I m almost ashamed to admit that I want the new iphone X. The $1,000 price tag gives me pause, but to be honest I m drawn in by the idea of having the latest and greatest phone. It s cooler looking than my iphone 6s with its edge-to-edge screen, it has more features that will simplify my digital life, and the camera is better. I crave its innovations. My guess is millions of other people also crave its innovations because, without a doubt, Apple will make millions and millions selling these things. For quite some time I ve been wrestling with the fact that almost all of us crave innovation in our everyday life. Some of us want the newest phone, others want the nicest car, some of us seek the latest shoes, others quest for the best laptop, and so on. My struggle with this hunger for innovation, especially as a person of faith, isn t because it can quickly become a form of idolatry (which does happen). My struggle with this hunger for innovation is that it exists ferociously in almost every facet of our lives except the church. Now don t get me wrong. I m not saying that the church is incapable of innovation, and I m definitely not saying that there are no examples of where some pretty awesome changes have taken place in the life of the church. However, what I am saying is that there is often an instinctual resistance to change when it comes to our life together as people of faith. Too often we (the church) can be slow to adapt in a world that is rapidly changing around us. It s no secret that many mainline denominations are in a process of transition caused by declining memberships and the scarcity of financial resources. In the midst of that reality I have to wonder if it s this resistance to innovation, that often exists in the church, that is central to our unraveling. While we fully accept that a company like Apple can t continue to exist unless it innovates its products on a frequent basis, we neglect that the same rule of innovation might also apply to us in the church. I recently attended a conference where one of the speakers was the leader of a new Presbyterian worshiping community in Kansas City, MO. As he shared with us all the cool stuff happening there he said, We ve made change the constant. As somebody who has been wrestling with our resistance to change in the church, this statement resonated with me. While I had never articulated it this way, this is exactly what we are trying to accomplish at Living Water Ministries. We are trying to make change the constant. We are continually trying to adapt to the ever-changing landscape, while simultaneously being uncompromisingly faithful to the gospel. (continued on page 3) 1

3 SUMMER 2017 BY THE NUMBERS 141 scholarships awarded in 2017 totaling $48, Campers at Stony Lake from 10 states 14 Day Camps serving 608 children 73 Campers on Road Trip Adventures rated performance above average would recommendour programs friends above average rated The idea of forgiveness and grace seemed to make sense to her. She enjoyed the leadership and service opportunities parent They both enjoyed learning more about their faith in a fun, welcoming, non-judgmental setting parent 2

4 Far Reaching Impact for the Sake of the Gospel Living Water Ministries is the little engine that could. By most measures we are a small non-profit, however our impact has gone national! In the last two years we have hosted summer campers and event participants from twelve states outside of Michigan! Through a bold scholarship approach, transportation assistance, and partnership development we have drawn campers from all over the country for our Bridge Builders program and our partner program with Rescue, Release, Restore called MYLA (see page 8). We ve also hosted youth from Minnesota for our Road Trip mission programs in both Detroit and Chicago. In addition, The Gathering (see page 5) continues to evolve into a regional event, drawing congregations from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio! Similarly, Charge (see page 6) draws from the greater midwest region, has a strong ecumenical reach, and sold out in our inaugural year! Our mission calls us to bring together all of God s children for experiences of faith formation, service, leadership and community and that is exactly what we are doing. It is a time of great focus, energy, and excitement at Living Water Ministries as we reach out into the world with powerful programs centered in Christ! Making Change the Constant (continued from page 1) As you look through the contents of this newsletter, it s my hope that you will see our commitment to innovation for the sake of the gospel. As we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we seek to honor that history by continuing a legacy of innovation and by creating access to the gospel for more and more people. With our bold scholarship approach, our commitment to leadership development, our programs connecting faith and life in today s world, and our growing constituency of underserved populations we are striving to be an engine of innovation for the church and the world in the name of Jesus Christ. C.J. Clark Executive Director 3

5 An Elementary Approach to Camping For many of our constituent congregations, when they think of camp they think of Confirmation Camp. Confirmation Camp is one of our summer programs for middle school youth in grades 6-8 that typically attend with their church group as an extension of their congregation s rite-of-passage confirmation program. While our programs for youth in middle school make up about 40% of our campers in the summer, it is a lesser known fact that we also offer programs for elementary campers in grades 1-6. In fact, 20% of our campers were enrolled in elementary programs in 2017! Our primary program for youth in elementary school is called Discoverers and is offered to children in grades 3-6. Unlike the culture around our Confirmation Camp program, youth attending Discoverers are less likely to attend with a church group or adult leader. Living Water Ministries summer staff lead bible studies & activities specifically tailored to this age group. Discoverers also have a special opportunity to visit Lewis Petting Farm on the last morning of camp. Similar to Discoverers, we also offer an abbreviated camp experience for even younger children in grades 1-3 called First Timers. First Timers is an excellent entry point for children who have never been away from home before, as it is only three nights. Whether your child attends Discoverers or First Timers, they will be in a safe, loving environment where they are nurtured to grow in faith, confidence, and independence. To learn more or please visit Our faith journey begins as we discover who we are as children of God, how we form loving community in the name of Christ, and how we have a blast together in the midst of it all! First Timers $275 For campers grades 1-3 An abbreviated camp experience for younger campers wanting to give camp a test drive. This program begins Sunday and ends Wednesday. Discoverers $405 For campers grades 3-6 A classic camp experience designed for your child to discover the love and grace of Christian community as they also begin to discover who they are as children of God. Includes a trip to Lewis Farm Market and Petting Zoo. Each week we celebrate the community we have formed with Community Night, a celebration that includes games, music, face painting, and crazy outfits. 4

6 Registration is open! Our 2017 Theme: What does it mean for our lives to truly follow Christ? What kind of change can we bring to the world when we do? How do we find our voice and the strength to boldly love others, serve others, and walk alongside others in a world that continues to embrace division? The rebellion we are seeking isn t rooted in hate or violence. The rebellion we are seeking is rooted in Christ s Kingdom. In Christ s Kingdom the sick are healed, the mourning find joy, the homeless find shelter, and the oppressed are lifted up. Christ has set us free to be a light to others. This is the rebellion we seek. $ 160 if registered by Nov. 15th (free t-shirt included) $ 185 if registered after Nov. 15th (free t-shirt NOT included) THE GATHERING December 27-30, 2017 The Radisson/Lansing Center Lansing, MI The Gathering is an opportunity for groups of high school aged youth and young adults ages to experience four days of service, leadership and community. Convening for its 35th year, The Gathering offers participants an opportunity to experience meaningful worship, engage in small groups, serve others, grow in faith, and have a blast! Participants have opportunities to be small group leaders, serve as peer ministers, lead worship, make a difference in the world through service, and form community with other youth from Michigan and beyond! Rev. Neichelle Guidry Speaker Rachel Kurtz Musician Asé Musicians Peer Ministry Training for Adult Leaders 5

7 Blazing the Trail with Bridge Builders Bridge Builders is our leadership development and anti-racism program for high school youth from all over the country. Through an intentional scholarship approach that includes travel assistance, Bridge Builders hosted campers from Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas in 2017! Since its inception, Bridge Builders has reached 160 participants, approximately 36% of which have been people of color. In 2015 Bridge Builders received a grant from the ELCA to bolster our outreach efforts. In 2016 Bridge Builders received the Innovative Program Award from the Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Network. This fall, Bridge Builders has been invited to present at the Looking Back and Called Forward: ELCA 500 event in Washington D.C. as the ELCA commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and looks to the future which God is calling the church. Participants in Bridge Builders are trained by blending peer ministry curriculum with anti-racism curriculum to create leaders equipped to listen, facilitate, and engage others about challenging & meaningful topics. Our Bridge Builders planning team is made up of camp professionals, pastors, educators, social workers, and youth ministry professionals. An Exclusive Offer for Bridge Builders Gear! Support the work of Living Water Ministries and be part of battling the hate and fear in today s world with love and courage centered in Christ. As a reward for your generosity you will receive an exclusive Bridge Builders Be a leader. Fight racism. t-shirt and/or hoodie not sold in our camp store. 6 Donate by November 28th, 2017 to take advantage of this offer by visiting

8 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Written by Elspeth Muzzin She s wonderful, exclaimed Mary Anne to a fellow Abundant Life camper as I served them slices of cheese for their sandwiches. The response to the question, What is Abundant Life week all about? is almost always, It s one of the happiest weeks at camp. Before I experienced Abundant Life week for myself last year, I had always wondered what made this program so special. Now I understand that what sets this week apart from the rest are the little joys the Abundant Life campers bring to us, like Mary Anne, who will forthrightly tell you when she thinks you are wonderful. Abundant Life is a week at camp for adults with developmental disabilities, primarily in partnership with Angels Place in Metro Detroit. Many of our Abundant Life campers have been joining us for years now, and camp is a place they truly look forward to all year long. Camp offers a time to relax, a time to fellowship with old friends, and a time to learn new songs and skills. We give our Abundant Life campers the opportunity to do all of these things, but in return, they teach us vital lessons of patience, grace, and love, as if straight out of the Gospel. The Gospel is full of reversals, so it s no surprise that while we are providing a week of ministry to our Abundant Life campers, they are actually ministering to us! At worship, the campers were eager to share their testimonies and at the talent show, they proudly presented their acts. This keen enthusiasm to celebrate each other s gifts is unparalleled by any other week at camp. Abundant Life may have been dubbed one of the happiest weeks at camp because it allows us to step back and view even the smallest things in life as celebrations. This is Godly living. Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. God has discerned our existence with the utmost intention and because of that, we should rejoice. Despite our level of ability, we are all made in Christ s image. Once we can recognize this, like our Abundant Life campers already do, we are one step closer to making the world look a little more like the Kingdom of God. March 16-18, 2018 Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City, MI GET CHARGED! Charge brings groups of middle school youth (grades 6-8) together to form faith through worship, small groups, and congregational time. Registration opens November 1st, 2017! Pastor Yehiel Curry will be our speaker in 2018! (includes access to waterpark) per person program fee if registered by January 17th (includes access to waterpark) per person program fee if registered after January 17th Our Abundant Life campers bring to camp a love for Christ, intense joy, and an unhindered love for each member of the community. per room per night fee booked directly with hotel (each room houses up to 6 people) 7

9 Immersion Kills Stereotypes at MYLA In the midst of the turbulent times in which we live, are you looking for a glimmer of hope that displays a narrative of unity rather than division? The Multicultural Youth Leadership Academy (MYLA) strives to deliver on just such a narrative and bring hope to a troubled world. Imagine a place where people who are Pacific Islander, Sudanese, Indian, Hmong, Native American, Latinx, African American, White, and more can come together to live in intentional community for a week while growing together as leaders. Imagine a place where each of these cultures has the opportunity to experience the richness of every other culture present, to experience their sacred rituals, to share in culturally specific meals prepared with family recipes, to sing together in each native tongue, and to worship together with one voice. What you are imagining exists. It is called MYLA (Multicultural Youth Leadership Academy), and it is one of the most powerful camp programs ever created. Incepted by Pastor Yehiel Curry and provided by Rescue, Release, Restore ( MYLA exists to create a new narrative that shatters stereotypes while embracing each culture s unique gifts for youth ages The work to create such a place of welcome for so many cultures happens through the intentional partnerships of three organizations. Rescue, Release, Restore is a Chicago based non-profit connected to Shekinah Chapel (ELCA), GLOCAL is an ELCA ministry based out of the churchwide office, and Living Water Ministries is an ELCA/Episcopal outdoor ministry organization in New Era, MI. Each of these partners come together to make MYLA happen at our facility at Stony Lake. Much like the community created by MYLA, these three entities offer their unique gifts, perspectives and cultures to implement a camp program that creates a new narrative about what happens when you bring together all of God s children in Christ centered community. 8

10 With God, All Things Are Possible How Our New High Ropes Course Impacts Faith Formation Written by Elspeth Muzzin Imagine that you are 35 feet off the ground. You hear your friends cheering you on from below as you traverse the double tightrope on Stony Lake s brand new high ropes course. The exhilaration you feel as you fly through each element is incredible. But I ll let you in on a camp secret. The goal of high ropes is not for campers to complete the course. While it is a very physical task, we have high ropes here at Stony Lake to empower campers and strengthen their faith. We honor where each camper is at physically, mentally, and spiritually by practicing Challenge By Choice. Challenge By Choice allows campers to have agency over their achievements, big or small, by letting them pick how much they would like to do at high ropes. For some campers, climbing halfway up the ladder and returning to the ground is an incredible feat and a real sign of their faith. High ropes teaches campers what Jesus taught his disciples long ago, With God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26) At Living Water Ministries, we emphasize that the success of the group is just as, if not more important than individual success. This means that during high ropes, the focus is on uplifting each other instead of winning. Our Ropes Director, BJ Lyons, reflected on this idea: The [physical] goal is essentially a means to reach a different goal which is team building, communication, and encouragement. Basically [you learn] how to love each other and grow in faith, but together, as a team. To each and every donor that made the new course possible this year, your donation contributed to changing lives and the world for the better. You made it possible for campers to leave high ropes feeling more confident in themselves and/or more grounded in their faith. You made it possible for them to spread their newly found confidence to their friends. You made it possible for them to take their strengthened faith and share it with others around them. And for all of those reasons and more, we thank you. Campers in high school and middle school have the opportunity to overcome their fears, learn to trust God, and experience the support of a loving community through our high ropes course. 9

11 Bold Leadership Dedicated to Impact Living Water Ministries has accomplished a great deal because of the generosity of our donors. The work we do has expanded, like ripples in a pond, to include regional and even national impact. The people we serve has expanded beyond the walls of our constituent congregations to also include adults with developmental disabilities, children in foster care, families experiencing homelessness, and children from underserved communities. We re also powerfully connecting faith and life through innovative programs like Bridge Builders and MYLA, tackling issues like racism and cultural inclusivity, and preparing young leaders for today s world and church. Never in the history of this organization has our mission and vision been more focused, our outreach so bold, and the path forward so clear as it is today. Never in the history of this organization can your annual support of Living Water Ministries make as significant of an impact in the world as it can right now. Annual support is the life-blood of any non-profit organization. Living Water Ministries is no different. To continue to fund our scholarship approach, to continue to make improvements to our programs & facilities, to continue to offer competitive wages to our gifted summer staff, and to continue to keep our prices competitive we need your help. By being a member of Wave Makers, you are stepping forward as a leader with your generosity. You are making a statement that you believe the mission and vision of Living Water Ministries matters, that it is making an impact, and that the ripples of that impact change the world in the name of Christ. Also, as a member of Wave Makers, you are rallying others to share your passion and help carry this important work forward. Please consider joining Wave Makers today. Your support will enable Living Water Ministries to reach more people with the gospel. Please visit to learn more. Please cut along dotted line and return by mail World Changers $1,000 and up World Changers believe that what God is doing through Living Water Ministries has the ability to change the world around us. Support received at this level helps Living Water Ministries create partnerships and programs that are truly innovative and impactful in our pursuit of sharing the gospel with all of God s children. Life Changers $500 - $999 Life Changers believe that what God is doing through Living Water Ministries has the ability to change the lives of those who attend our programs. Support received at this level helps Living Water Ministries pursue our core value of excellence, so that every participant have a powerful experience of faith as they learn to see Christ in others and in themselves. Community Builders $250 - $499 Community Builders believe that what God is doing through Living Water Ministries is made possible through the creation of sacred communities where each participant is loved and valued for who they are. Support received at this level helps Living Water Ministries curate the environments where each participant has the opportunity to know the love of Christ through receiving love from the community. I/we wish to be members of Wave Makers and so indicate by making the following gift to Living Water Ministries: 10 World Changers $1,000 and up Life Changers $500 - $999 Community Builders $250 - $499 Membership Form Specific gift amount: I/we plan to complete this membership gift as follows: In full now Monthly Annually Please set up a recurring gift on my behalf Name: Street: City: State: Zip: Phone: Please charge my credit card Visa MasterCard Discover American Express Card Number: Expiration Date: CVB: Signature: Date: Please make your check payable to: Living Water Ministries 7898 W. Stony Lake Rd. New Era, MI Donations may also be made on-line at

12 Our Donors (April 25, Present) Synods & Diocese North/West Lower Michigan Synod Southeast Michigan Synod Episcopal Diocese of Michigan The Forty Five Campaign for Scholarships Baldus, Valerie Burow, John and Kris Hill, Knut Howes, Tamara Kehnle, Paul McCarthy, Nicole Purcell, Luan Schaidt, Brian Schult, Bethany Ascension Lutheran Church- Saginaw New Life Lutheran Church- Spruce Prince of Peace Lutheran Church- Portage Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church - Walled Lake Annual Fund All Saints Lutheran Church- Hartland Arndt, Betty Aspeslagh, Kayla Berkesch, Mark Bethel Lutheran Church- St. Clair Shores Bethlehem Lutheran Church- Traverse City Blumke, Dennis Bright, Christina Campbell, Chad & Jennifer Cana Lutheran Church- Berkley Christ Lutheran Church- Sterling Heights Christ Lutheran Church- Waterford Cooley, Janice Cross of Christ Lutheran Church- Petosky Cross of Glory Lutheran Church- Detroit Decker-Burrous, Kathy Emmanuel Lutheran Church- Livonia Faith Lutheran Church- Saginaw First English Lutheran Church - Grosse Pointe Woods Fisher, Melanie Gackle, Marcia Good Shepherd Lutheran Church- Royal Oak Grace Lutheran Church- Hastings Griggs, Linda Hassel, Ronald Hendricks, David Hope Community Church- Rockford Immanuel Lutheran Church- Big Rapids Immanuel Lutheran Church- Grand Ledge Immanuel Lutheran Church- Muskegon Kane, Amanda King, Caitlin Kramer, Edward Kroll, Barbara Laughlin, Christopher Lord of Light Lutheran Church- Ann Arbor Lutheran Church of the Master- Troy McGregor, Alice Morin, Linda Mount Zion Lutheran Church Foundation Mulder, Joan Nelson, Albert Ozminkowski, Jeffrey Peace Lutheran Church- Holland Prince of Peace Lutheran Church- Ida Rau, Jacqueline Robinson, Melani Rose, Peggy Russell, Brittany Sahlhoff, Richard Samuelson, Sarah Schmiedeknecht, Ann Smith, Matthew &Michelle Sprang, David & Susan St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church - Grayling St. Lukes Lutheran Church- Muskegon St. Matthew Lutheran Church- Bridgeport St. Peter Lutheran Church- St. Clair Tanicala, Martha Teich, Andreas Trinity Lutheran Church- Grand Rapids Trinity Lutheran Church- New Era Veres, Robert Zion Lutheran Church- Chelsea Zorn, Marilyn Check out our new video highlighting the impact of Living Water Ministries! Watch at Members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Livonia, MI pose for a picture after spending the weekend roofing two of our camp cabins. Emmanuel Lutheran not only provided the labor, but funded the project as well! 11