Letter to the Congregations: 2nd August 2025

Our Dear Brethren,

I woke up to the sound of my neighbor’s alarm and the distant sound of the trucks on the nearby highway. Both were strange sounds to hear in an otherwise quiet forest. My alarm had already gone off by that time but I was tired and felt like I just needed a few more minutes (or hours) of sleep. It was the last day of Camp Seven Mountains when the lack of sleep, the sore muscles, the tired eyes, and the attitudes really catch up with everyone. Was I ready for all of that?

I’ve served at the same camp several times and always feel worn out by the end of it all, even though the preteen camps are less than four days long. Besides the fact that serving at camp has always been very enjoyable for me, one thing that motivates me to get up and get moving on that last morning of camp is knowing that my teammates on the kitchen crew will be there chopping fruits and vegetables, washing dishes, preparing two more meals for the more than 250 people to enjoy. And they do it happily even though they are just as tired and sore as I am.

Besides cooking and cleaning, I also usually teach one of the Bible classes to at camp. This year the theme was focused on building on the foundation that God has laid for us. In one lesson in particular I focused on the plan that God has for building a family. God desires us to be part of that family, and as such He has called us and has begun teaching us how to act like members of that family. One essential part of being identified as the children of God is our willingness to serve others, and not just physically providing help when it is needed but also having the right attitude while we serve.

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). This is one of our biggest challenges. Many times we serve others but inwardly we are at least partially looking for praise. Many times we serve others but inwardly we don’t find pleasure in our service. Many times we serve but we complain that others aren’t helping as much as we think they should or in ways we think they should. In reality we need to learn to serve with the joy that our God finds in serving others. Do we serve for the benefit of other people rather than for our own benefit? Do we serve but complain to others that our service is difficult and we feel like giving up? Are we serving alongside others so we might all be strengthened in doing the good that God has called us to do?

Waking up on that last day of camp, feeling worn out and just ready to pack up and go home, I needed to be reminded of why I was there serving. Seeing my brethren happily serving without complaint gives me motivation to keep going, and not just at camp once a year but all throughout the year. Am I ready to take that example of joyfully serving “without complaining and disputing” home with me and put it into practice in every aspect of my life so I might begin to learn how to be a true child of God? I hope you also find this story and these words as helpful and inspiring as I do.

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle

Pastor, United Church of God

NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe