Good Earth Village Camp
I traveled to Spring Valley, Minnesota (South of Rochester, MN) last week (June 20-22) to spend time with the staff at Good Earth Village Bible Camp.
Spring Valley is also the childhood hometown of a college friend of mine, Tracy. Since I was raised in hill country, I used to wonder how Tracy ever survived four years of college on the flat prairies of Moorhead, Minnesota; but this area of the country is, indeed, a beautiful place to grow up as well as put a Bible camp.
Camp was in full swing so I had opportunity to participate in a variety of activities with the staff and campers. I made hobos (ground hamburger & vegetables cooked in foil in the hot embers of a smoldering fire) for supper one evening with a group of junior high girls, watched a camper talent show which featured high school boys singing barber shop a cappella, and participated in outdoor meals and worship services daily.
I had two wonderful opportunities to give a presentation on discernment and church vocations. One was to the S.I.T.'s--staff in training. These are a group of high schoolers training to be camp counselors. They spend one week in training and then get two weeks to be junior counselors. I give these young people a lot of credit for taking time out of their summer to commit themselves to learning how to minister to others in this outdoor ministry setting. What a faith-filled and talented group of individuals. By the way their trainer was Cassie Sauter, soon to be a Greekling (a student studying Greek in the summer) at Luther Seminary in July. She and Jeanette Bidne, another counselor at Good Earth Village will be students at Luther Seminary this fall.
The other presentation I gave was to the entire staff at their staff meeting on Friday afternoon. I had wonderful conversations with a number of staff after the meeting regarding seminary study as well as a few theological questions. I think I did better at answering the former rather then the later questions.
My thanks to Gretchen Bachman, program director for her allowing me this opportunity and showing me great hospitality. It was a delight!
Spring Valley is also the childhood hometown of a college friend of mine, Tracy. Since I was raised in hill country, I used to wonder how Tracy ever survived four years of college on the flat prairies of Moorhead, Minnesota; but this area of the country is, indeed, a beautiful place to grow up as well as put a Bible camp.Camp was in full swing so I had opportunity to participate in a variety of activities with the staff and campers. I made hobos (ground hamburger & vegetables cooked in foil in the hot embers of a smoldering fire) for supper one evening with a group of junior high girls, watched a camper talent show which featured high school boys singing barber shop a cappella, and participated in outdoor meals and worship services daily.
I had two wonderful opportunities to give a presentation on discernment and church vocations. One was to the S.I.T.'s--staff in training. These are a group of high schoolers training to be camp counselors. They spend one week in training and then get two weeks to be junior counselors. I give these young people a lot of credit for taking time out of their summer to commit themselves to learning how to minister to others in this outdoor ministry setting. What a faith-filled and talented group of individuals. By the way their trainer was Cassie Sauter, soon to be a Greekling (a student studying Greek in the summer) at Luther Seminary in July. She and Jeanette Bidne, another counselor at Good Earth Village will be students at Luther Seminary this fall.The other presentation I gave was to the entire staff at their staff meeting on Friday afternoon. I had wonderful conversations with a number of staff after the meeting regarding seminary study as well as a few theological questions. I think I did better at answering the former rather then the later questions.
My thanks to Gretchen Bachman, program director for her allowing me this opportunity and showing me great hospitality. It was a delight!
posted by Liza at 4:05 PM
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