Now that summer is drawing to a close here in the United States and all of our summer United Youth Camps are completed, I would like to thank everyone for their contribution to another very successful summer camp program.

Our camps are a very good example of how advance preparation, teamwork, dedication, positive attitudes and cooperation all come together for an outstanding outcome. Of course, God’s blessing upon our efforts is greatly appreciated as we strive to please Him and help our children experience just how wonderfully God’s way really does work—and how fun it can be too!

This summer UCG sponsored seven preteen camps and five teen camps. Once again, our camp program was enthusiastically supported by the active participation of a total of 392 preteen campers (including 32 mini-campers), 470 teen campers, 488 preteen camp staff (including 157 teen staff) and 324 teen camp adult staff for a combined total of 1674 people! No doubt, there was a little overlap of some children attending more than one camp and some adults also serving at more than one camp, plus it is likely that nearly all 157 teen staff serving at a preteen camp also attended a teen camp but, any way you slice it, it’s a very impressive number!

For any of us adults who have experienced a preteen or teen camp in UCG, I believe it is safe to say that all would agree that there are so many positive aspects of children becoming involved in camp. Just watching the preteen-age children interact with each other at the various camp activities and experiencing their smiles and their energy as they face challenges and “teachable moments” is rewarding. Our teens are also learning a great deal and are really developing and solidifying important relationships with other teens with similar backgrounds, beliefs and aspirations. Both preteens and teens also develop very important relationships with adults who they see as loving and caring mentors.

Steve Nutzman has served so well and so faithfully for the past 12 years as the UYC teen camp coordinator (which also includes our Challenger camps for young adults). He has done a superb job of guiding various teen and Challenger camp directors over those years. His leadership, organizational skills and godly focus has helped our camp program to really thrive for many years. Steve has decided it is time to turn the reins over to someone else and so he is now effectively retired from his camp responsibilities. We greatly appreciate Steve’s invaluable contribution to our UYC Camp Program!

We are now actively gathering input as to who may become our new UYC camp coordinator. You may have noticed I left out “teen,” as I believe it is now the perfect time to bring the Teen and Preteen Camp programs under the leadership of one overall coordinator. I have served as the UYC preteen camp coordinator, also for the past 12 years, so this allows me to now simply focus more on my responsibilities as operation manager for Ministerial and Member Services, which also includes oversight of our camp program under the direction of the president. So, I am very glad to continue to be actively involved in our camp program and still hope I will have an opportunity to visit teen, preteen, and maybe even Challenger camps on occasion.

Please join me in praying for God’s direction and blessing in finding the best man for the job of UYC camp coordinator!

May you all have a very restful, but spiritually rewarding Sabbath!