Update from the President

This week we conducted a Camp Team Conference here at the home office for camp directors and their wives. We concluded that this was the best such conference that we have held. We appreciated the respectful, collegial and cordial atmosphere in which we discussed a full agenda of business regarding United Youth Camps. Three of the camp directors are also regional pastors and some are festival coordinators. While they were here, we were also able to have face-to-face time to discuss those areas.

In my opening comments, I spoke of how our United Youth Camps program serves our children, as well as gives us the tools we need to protect and assist them. Our UYC program is a very important and popular Church activity and provides tremendous benefit to our children and youth. Eighty-seven percent of campers this past year had been to camp before. It is not uncommon for a church youth to have gone to camp four times or more throughout their teenage years and to have been educated through the various annual themes. The theme for summer and winter 2018 is "God's Vision for You."

Meetings began Monday with reports from each director assessing the camp, venue, costs, challenges, trends and areas of concern. These were then discussed in more depth later in the conference. Mark Welch gave a report about the preteen camps.

Aaron Creech reported on the camper survey results. Average responses on a scale of 1-5 for the five summer and one winter camp were high and ranged from 4.53 to 4.78. Questions covered reaction to activities, staff, other campers and opportunities to understand more about God and His Truth. The latter received the highest 4.78 rating. Additional questions touched on "the Zone" and desire for future service as camp staff. Camp staff and parents were also surveyed.

Rex and Patty Sexton gave a two-hour presentation about discipline and misbehavior. In it, they talked about techniques to handle conflict and infractions. We can all learn from sometimes-difficult incidents. We want campers to learn the importance of staying in the Zone, which includes positive relationships, structure, challenge, support, success, inclusiveness and fun. You can see an overall view of the United Youth Camps program on its website at uyc.ucg.org.

In a number of the sessions the subjects of modesty, dress and grooming were discussed. In the world we live, we have to combat worldly attitudes and trends. This requires patiently teaching our campers what is proper and appropriate. We talked about modesty as it relates to occasion, culture, age, attitude and spirit. Lisa Fenchel led an outstanding discussion in which she pointed out many of the challenges that we must meet to make the UYC experience a pleasant way in which to learn what is proper.

In the financial report and future budget, we talked about the balance of keeping the tuition affordable for our campers, yet providing class activities and experience. Our children should be high on the list of our priorities. Should we not make this a higher importance in the Church? As mentioned, our children go to camp multiple times and have God's spiritual values imprinted in a very enjoyable way. In this year's fundraising letter for camp, we are going to include a brochure outlining some of the specific needs for each of the camp venues.

On Monday evening, Bev and I were pleased to welcome all who came to this conference to a barbecue at our home.

Visit to Oregon

At the beginning of the week, I visited in the Portland, Salem and Eugene areas in Oregon. I wanted to be with our people at this time after the sudden loss of pastor John Cafourek. I thank Rex Sexton for arranging the itinerary to visit others as well while in the area.

Together with Rex, I was able to visit with retired pastor Vern Hargrove. It has been nearly two years since the death of his wife, DeLee. Vern was formerly a regional pastor in Columbus, Ohio, and I frequently communicated with him about various church matters. He and his wife were always eager to help with whatever task needed attention.

Then, we visited member Jack Scruggs and his wife, Ruby. He is in failing health. Jack Scruggs has served as clinical supervisor for a facility dealing with abuse recovery. He has also worked over a decade within the Native American and Eskimo communities above the Arctic Circle dealing almost exclusively with the subject of abuse. He authored a book titled "Kids are Busy" that deals with this subject. A few years back, he gave a presentation to Ministerial and Member Services about how to help someone suffering the effects of sexual abuse.

Rex and I had lunch with retiree Noel Hornor and his wife, Becky. Noel and I graduated college the same year and later were neighboring pastors in the Minneapolis/St. Paul areas of Minnesota. It was very enjoyable to get together and talk.

Then I drove to Salem where I stayed two nights with Bruce and Linda Hansen who hospitably hosted me while in the area. Ben and Shannon Light invited me for dinner to their home. We deeply appreciate elder Ben Light stepping up to oversee the Salem, Eugene and Roseburg congregations. In services, I announced that Ben would be the interim pastor for the three congregations.

On the Sabbath, Ben and I drove to Eugene, where I spoke. Then back to Salem for the sermon, as well. I was able to spend time with Sandy Cafourek, her daughter Carmella and her husband. We had a social gathering at the Hansens' home Saturday night.

Today, Bev and I have begun traveling to Southern Minnesota where we will hold the North Central Regional Ministerial Conference from Sunday through Tuesday and a Leadership Workshop on Sunday. Also coming will be the rest of Ministerial Education Team, consisting of Darris McNeely, Steve Myers and Chris Rowland.

As so many commented this past week at the UYC conference, we have a wonderful Church, an awesome God and great hope in this troubled world. We are so thankful for God blessing our health and our ministry to serve our brethren. We are so thankful for our new ministerial trainees and ministers who are steadily coming along to step into overseeing roles.

A week from Monday we will be holding the third annual Pastoral Development Program (PDP) for almost two weeks at the home office.

Let's continue to pray for one another and ask God to guide us to what He wills.