As many of you may have heard I will be working at camp Mardela in Denton, Maryland. God brought me this opportunity after I was not picked to be a part of the 2010 Youth Peace Travel Team. The YPTT is a group of college aged students that travel to church camps around the country sharing the message of peace. When I found out that I was not chosen I was encouraged to apply for Ministry Summer service. MSS is a ministry opportunity that the Church of the Brethren offers for College students that have completed one year or more of college. I felt called to do it and was given the choice to go to a church in southern PA or Camp Mardela. I decided that Mardela was where I could carry out my call to work with youth. I am so excited for my summer to start! It started on June 6th where I traveled to Elgin to the Church of the Brethren General Offices. All of the interns and Youth Peace Travel Team gathered Sunday. We had get to know you time and worship. Instantly all of the girls hit it off. I got the pleasure to stay in the room with the girls for the YPTT. Each morning we opened with a spiritual practice. Then we had a workshop on worship and all the different forms and ways that the church is dealing with the diversity. We also watched a short clip about the difference between culture and faith, and how the two go together, noting that culture is not necessary. After lunch we had a worship time with Bethany, an intern that will be going to a congregation in PA. She talked about the importance of laughter. That afternoon we had a presentation on the history of the Brethren. One fact that I found very interesting is that only 20% of the church supports the peace stance of the denomination. After that we had a session on how to discern our calling. This was very stimulating and started my thinking about this summer; it opened me to make sure I was listening for God’s call. That night we really got to know one another, I was so fantastic to be around people who have the same beliefs as me.
Tuesday we started the morning with lectio, which is a spiritual practice where a scripture is read, and then there is time for mediation, next a prayer is said, then there is time for contemplation. Josh Brockway was the one who lead each of the different spiritual practices. He said the difference between Mediation and contemplation is mediation is thoughtful reflection, while contemplation is thought free. We then dove into an area that I need work on: THEOLOGY! We started off with a simple Bible study, but then moved into a brief summary of all the theology, let’s just say it was one of the stretch moments that my dad has been telling me I would have this summer. :) That afternoon I was in charge of worship. The scripture I used was Timothy 1 4: 11-14. It talked about living your life for God in all walks of life. One of my favorite lines in the scripture is "and don't let anyone put you down because you're young" (The Message, Eugeneh. Peterson). I often feel that sometimes I am not taken seriously because of my age, and this passage really gives me the strength to live out my call in life. I then had people take some time and draw or right words that had to do with the talents god gave them, or the hopes and dreams they had for the world. At the end of that I played the song, "With my Own Two Hands" by Jack Johnson. I love that song. After Worship we had a session with Jim Chinworth. We had taken a personality test before we arrived. We talked about the results and did an interesting exercise where we went to the front and asked people to pick us out on a spectrum. For example (reserved 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 outgoing) so everyone picked a number and said why, then we revealed our own score. For me it was hard to be so venerable and to have people tell me what they think about me. That evening we had dinner at the McFadden's, and had a talk about BVS (Brethren Voluntary Service). It is something I plan to do in the future!
Wednesday I met my amazing mentor Chief her real name is Gieta Gresh, but everyone calls her chief. We went to dinner at Stan & Debbie Noffsinger's house, and played get to know you games!
Thursday we went over an interesting personality test that we had taken ahead of time. Each person has a behavior that they tend to lean towards, and each one is matched with a color. I ended up being a rainbow, meaning all my scores were similar. Then we had an expectations meeting!
Friday we had a closing worship and said goodbye to everyone. Marie Benner-Rhodes rode with Chief and I and had the same flight. Things were looking good when we got to the gate with an hour and a half to spare. While we were waiting it started to rain, but our flight was still on time. After boarding we got word that we didn't have a pilot so we sat in the plane for an hour. We had an uneventful trip to the place where cheif's husband ken, and daughter Mycel, work. They are lifeguards! I met the whole family! Mycel is 17, Westly 13 1/2, Anna 11, Freeden 11 (the last two are twins). I have to feel sorry for Freeden, the only boy! Then Ken dropped Mycel and I off to get her car from the shop, she then showed me around Denton. Then I set foot on camp Mardela for the first time! I got the car tour in the dark :) and got settled.
Saturday was pretty relaxing, but then we all went to a graduation party of their pastor's daughter. I got to meet a lot of the church members, and some of the camp directors that I will be working with this summer.
Sunday was simply wonderful. We went to church, it was a fabulous. The sermon suggested we stop going to church and start being the church. The pastor did something interesting he had a chance to question his sermon or add something. After that we went to Ocean City, it was simply beautiful, felt so good to feel the sand between my toes. After the beach we went back to the town that their church is in and went shopping to pass time until youth group. Youth group was fun, it was nice to meet the youth and I can't wait meet with them again.
Monday was wonderful it was the first day of staff training. I opened with a devotional over John 13: 1-17. We had some staff training then we had lunch. After lunch I helped Chief do random things in the office. That evening we went to Bible school at a church near the camp. I helped with registration and other random jobs.
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers, I feel so blessed!
