Summer is officially over! We ended quite well, though. Every department finished strong, and we made it through the last weekend without any additional ER trips (making the total number 6 for the summer!!! eek!), despite certain staffers' goals to make it an "even 10."
I have finished my week of semi-vacation (I use that term loosely...) and tomorrow will head into the office to start the official "wrap-up" of the summer. That is, there is filing, note-taking, letter-writing, pictures to weed through, directories to get out, dates to finalize, and correspondence to catch up on. This is the week where the sadness sets in for me. After the chaos of Labor Day Weekend, I typically savor the quietness of the first week post-summer staff...now I will begin to miss the noise! Keswick is waaaayyy too quiet without the staff around... ;0)
Speaking of the staff...I think I can speak for everyone when I say thanks for the prayers! It was a busy summer with some rough spots, but I think we did alright. And a large part of our "success" is due to prayer support we receive from friends and family. So thanks. Thanks a latte!
Bidding a fond farewell to the summer season,
Melia :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
It's September!!!!
Wow... I cannot believe it's September already! Where did the time go? Victory Week 6 ended well--only a few minor injuries. :) And we lost a few more staff, including the rest of the Leadership Team! Eek! However, we welcomed Rob, who stepped in as the male dorm supervisor.
Last week we spent debriefing the summer. That is, we took some time out to reflect on our experiences and the lessons we've learned and how they relate to us going home. It was not necessarily a happy topic of conversation--the end of the summer is always so bittersweet--but it was necessary. We also took some time off--we went to the beach, the mall, and out to dinner. It was definitely a much needed week of rest.
Tonight marks the first night of the last conference of the season. We are back up to 18 staff + volunteers for the weekend. Crazy times...
As I reflect on this summer, I am realizing how good God has been to us. We have had the most ER trips ever (6!)...but nothing very serious. Overall, we've stayed relatively healthy and energized, and our ministry has been effective. Praise the Lord for that! :)
As we finish out the summer, pray that the staff will be able to keep focus and finish strong!
Remaining staff:
Melia / Rob / Lauren (Leadership)
Will (a/v)
Leah / Jenna / Andrew / Betsy / Melissa (Children's Ministry)
Ali / Zach (lifeguards)
Katie / Novella / Tori / Tia / Zeke / Jordan / Chris / Eric / Stephon
Blessings!
Melia
Last week we spent debriefing the summer. That is, we took some time out to reflect on our experiences and the lessons we've learned and how they relate to us going home. It was not necessarily a happy topic of conversation--the end of the summer is always so bittersweet--but it was necessary. We also took some time off--we went to the beach, the mall, and out to dinner. It was definitely a much needed week of rest.
Tonight marks the first night of the last conference of the season. We are back up to 18 staff + volunteers for the weekend. Crazy times...
As I reflect on this summer, I am realizing how good God has been to us. We have had the most ER trips ever (6!)...but nothing very serious. Overall, we've stayed relatively healthy and energized, and our ministry has been effective. Praise the Lord for that! :)
As we finish out the summer, pray that the staff will be able to keep focus and finish strong!
Remaining staff:
Melia / Rob / Lauren (Leadership)
Will (a/v)
Leah / Jenna / Andrew / Betsy / Melissa (Children's Ministry)
Ali / Zach (lifeguards)
Katie / Novella / Tori / Tia / Zeke / Jordan / Chris / Eric / Stephon
Blessings!
Melia
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Bare Bones...
Here we are at Victory Week 6. We are down to 22 summer staff (from about 30) after losing Muffin (male dorm sup), Zakira (female dorm sup), Netta (Children's Ministry/D-Team), Jacob (dining room), Tyler (dining room), Becky (Teen Min), and Jalapeno (teen ministry/d-team).
So we're barely scraping by...but we've got enough to cover. God continues to amaze us as He works in us and through us. I am excited to see how He is going to teach the staff as we are all working hard, getting tired, and having to rely solely on Him to be our source of strength.
I know we would all appreciate your continued prayer for energy and strength as we finish out the summer conference weeks...take some down time next week...then gear up for Labor Day weekend. Be in prayer for the Leadership, as we are dwindling down in number...plus having to fill in a lot more holes. Also pray for those who have left us. Many are starting school and the transition between Keswick life and "normal" can be tough.
However, praise Him that we have made it thus far without any catastrophic occurrences, and that He has continually provided for us and blessed us. Also, praise the Lord for the staff that we do have left--they are doing a great job!!
Blessings,
Melia
So we're barely scraping by...but we've got enough to cover. God continues to amaze us as He works in us and through us. I am excited to see how He is going to teach the staff as we are all working hard, getting tired, and having to rely solely on Him to be our source of strength.
I know we would all appreciate your continued prayer for energy and strength as we finish out the summer conference weeks...take some down time next week...then gear up for Labor Day weekend. Be in prayer for the Leadership, as we are dwindling down in number...plus having to fill in a lot more holes. Also pray for those who have left us. Many are starting school and the transition between Keswick life and "normal" can be tough.
However, praise Him that we have made it thus far without any catastrophic occurrences, and that He has continually provided for us and blessed us. Also, praise the Lord for the staff that we do have left--they are doing a great job!!
Blessings,
Melia
Monday, August 17, 2009
Waaaaaaaay overdue...
So since our last update, much has occurred:
-On August 8, we held our annual "Iron Chef" competition. The "Snapple Apples" took the prize in "Battle Sandwich," winning by a mere 3 points.
-On the 14th, we had our annual banquet where we fellowshipped with some good food...Arroz con pollo, pico de gallo, etc. It was a spanish theme, can you tell?? Ole!
-Also that evening, we held our Summer Staff talent show...seems as if not too many staffers clued in parents as only a couple showed up.
-We are mourning the loss of Cameron, our snack shop supervisor, and Will (teen ministry) who had to return to school while celebrating the addition of new staff: Katie (dining room), Novella (dining room), Yvonne (children's ministry) and Emily (snack shop supervisor).
We are nearing the end of the summer season. I can't believe that Labor Day is only 3 weeks away! Eeeek! At the end of this week, we lose a lot of staffers to schools starting early. As the group disbands and returns home, pray for their adjustment from Keswick life to home life. Often times, the transition can be difficult. Also pray for those of us left here...we still have departments to run, guests to serve, and learning to do. Pray for energy and perseverance to finish well. God has done some mighty work this summer, and I'm looking forward to continuing to see Him teach us!
Until next time!
Melia
PS--check out my facebook album for new pictures! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2235687&id=55705017&l=288173abcb
-On August 8, we held our annual "Iron Chef" competition. The "Snapple Apples" took the prize in "Battle Sandwich," winning by a mere 3 points.
-On the 14th, we had our annual banquet where we fellowshipped with some good food...Arroz con pollo, pico de gallo, etc. It was a spanish theme, can you tell?? Ole!
-Also that evening, we held our Summer Staff talent show...seems as if not too many staffers clued in parents as only a couple showed up.
-We are mourning the loss of Cameron, our snack shop supervisor, and Will (teen ministry) who had to return to school while celebrating the addition of new staff: Katie (dining room), Novella (dining room), Yvonne (children's ministry) and Emily (snack shop supervisor).
We are nearing the end of the summer season. I can't believe that Labor Day is only 3 weeks away! Eeeek! At the end of this week, we lose a lot of staffers to schools starting early. As the group disbands and returns home, pray for their adjustment from Keswick life to home life. Often times, the transition can be difficult. Also pray for those of us left here...we still have departments to run, guests to serve, and learning to do. Pray for energy and perseverance to finish well. God has done some mighty work this summer, and I'm looking forward to continuing to see Him teach us!
Until next time!
Melia
PS--check out my facebook album for new pictures! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2235687&id=55705017&l=288173abcb
Monday, August 3, 2009
Zechariah's Month
We find ourselves at an interesting place.
Despite the fact that the final month has just begun, we are still looking forward to some new additions to the staff! And with a rainy, yet funtaculous, trip to Six Flags behind us, we are taking this week to fully refocus ourselves on the Lord, that we may walk in a manner worthy of His call on our lives. Based on that brief allusion... you guessed it! We are studying Ephesians! Each day this week - Week Zero, as we have dubbed it - we have an extended quiet time devotional focusing on one chapter of Ephesians. The title "Week Zero" has several meanings, such as our zeroing in on God and His Word, our going back to extreme basics (further back than Week One... to Week Zero), and our own becoming "zero" that Christ may increase.
We've made it through four days of study, but the heart of our time still lies ahead. On Friday, we are devoting our afternoon to fully focus on God away from the distractions of work, play, and each other.
Please pray for:
- the adjustment and integration of our new staff members.
- focus and refreshment in God's Word and presence as we focus on Him this week.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Whew! What a week it's been! We are in day 2 of Victory Week 2 here. The staff are slowly, but surely, adjusting to the "conference week" schedule as opposed to the "guest group" schedule. It is much busier for them--all of the departments are definitely in full swing.
From the leadership end...things are going fairly well. I am still recovering from having my wisdom teeth pulled out so much to the delight of the staff, I had chipmunk cheeks and they are now a pretty green tinge from the bruising. Many pictures were snapped. :) Praise the Lord that He has strengthened and energized the Leadership Team daily to be able to lead with excellence.
Healthwise, we had our first "incident" last night when one of the staff had pretty severe pain from sunburn. Long story short, we took a ride to the ER where we recieved pain medication and all is well this morning. I told him "there's always one every year..." so here's to praying that last night was the only "one"! Otherwise, the staff has remained in good health overall.
This Friday we are taking our annual trip to Six Flags Great Adventure! The kids are all excited for some time away to have some fun. Also coming up: Iron Chef 2009 (August 8); Talent Show (tentatively August 14).
I have pictures on my facebook profile--here is the link if you're interested! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2235687&id=55705017&l=288173abcb
Prayer concerns:
-continued strength and energy for the staff
-wisdom for the leadership
-a continued spirit of unity among each department and for the staff as a whole
-that God would use this coming week in the life of every staffer
Love!
Melia
From the leadership end...things are going fairly well. I am still recovering from having my wisdom teeth pulled out so much to the delight of the staff, I had chipmunk cheeks and they are now a pretty green tinge from the bruising. Many pictures were snapped. :) Praise the Lord that He has strengthened and energized the Leadership Team daily to be able to lead with excellence.
Healthwise, we had our first "incident" last night when one of the staff had pretty severe pain from sunburn. Long story short, we took a ride to the ER where we recieved pain medication and all is well this morning. I told him "there's always one every year..." so here's to praying that last night was the only "one"! Otherwise, the staff has remained in good health overall.
This Friday we are taking our annual trip to Six Flags Great Adventure! The kids are all excited for some time away to have some fun. Also coming up: Iron Chef 2009 (August 8); Talent Show (tentatively August 14).
I have pictures on my facebook profile--here is the link if you're interested! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2235687&id=55705017&l=288173abcb
Prayer concerns:
-continued strength and energy for the staff
-wisdom for the leadership
-a continued spirit of unity among each department and for the staff as a whole
-that God would use this coming week in the life of every staffer
Love!
Melia
Monday, July 20, 2009
A New Week!
Greetings from the aforementioned LT member. The internet has decided to cooperate tonight!
I must admit that I am not all that surprised with the first few weeks of this summer, but the full weight of the time has impacted me greatly. God is working. Prayer is powerful. We are growing.
I'm being stretched in new ways every day, which I didn't think could be possible for a K-12 Christian-schooler (I went for 13 years!). Now, three years out of that environment (senior year of college approaches for the fall), I am able to spend weeks at a time with guys who are at the same critical stages at which I found myself three, four, five years ago. My biggest stretch is preparing devotionals and sermons (!) every week. I'm an engineering major! Yet my primary responsibility is to provide for the spiritual well-being of 14 young men. Exciting!
I echo the need for prayer for the leadership team and our decision making. We have the opportunity and responsibility to design a summer that catalyzes growth in Christ's love and Godly wisdom. Pray for our guidance in this.
We're well into conference week #1! Godspeed!
In Christ Alone,
Andrew
ps: I'm the one eating the hot dog.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Yeah, about that...
So much for posting weekly. I had assigned one of the other Leadership Team Members to post last week, but there were some logging-in issues that prevented that from happening. Apologies for the lack of updates.
Anyway... there are moments in my job that I wonder why in the world I signed up for this *again.* More often, though, there are the moments when I realize that every headache, every heartache, and every frustration are so worth it, and I find myself humbled that God would allow me the privilege of working with this group of staff. Last night was one of those (long) moments. We spent about an hour in corporate prayer and worship as we head into the "real" summer season here. What a blessing to listen to the earnest prayers of these teens!!! It is during times like last night that I remember why I love my job so much. :)
Despite the praise reports, we do have some prayer needs if you're up for the challenge.
-A few of our staff are starting to get sick and/or burned out. Prayers for physical health and energy are much appreciated.
-Also, there are often situations where we as a leadership team find it difficult to discern a specific course of action that will be most beneficial, so prayers for wisdom are also coveted.
-Finally, at the moment we are fairly issue-free (praise the Lord!) save for minor disturbances which happen...pray that this spirit of unity lasts as God continues to mold and shape us.
Love!
Melia
Anyway... there are moments in my job that I wonder why in the world I signed up for this *again.* More often, though, there are the moments when I realize that every headache, every heartache, and every frustration are so worth it, and I find myself humbled that God would allow me the privilege of working with this group of staff. Last night was one of those (long) moments. We spent about an hour in corporate prayer and worship as we head into the "real" summer season here. What a blessing to listen to the earnest prayers of these teens!!! It is during times like last night that I remember why I love my job so much. :)
Despite the praise reports, we do have some prayer needs if you're up for the challenge.
-A few of our staff are starting to get sick and/or burned out. Prayers for physical health and energy are much appreciated.
-Also, there are often situations where we as a leadership team find it difficult to discern a specific course of action that will be most beneficial, so prayers for wisdom are also coveted.
-Finally, at the moment we are fairly issue-free (praise the Lord!) save for minor disturbances which happen...pray that this spirit of unity lasts as God continues to mold and shape us.
Love!
Melia
Sunday, July 5, 2009
One Week!
Well, today is the one week mark... Hard to imagine that 7 days ago at this time the Leadership Staff and I were frantically working to get Victory Hall ready for the arrival of the summer staff, and now we are full swing into our jobs! :) So far, we've been fairly impressed with the staff. It's still the adjustment period, but they're doing quite well.
Today the campground conference starts, which means that Children's Ministry will have children twice a day, and teen ministry will have teens in the evening. Pray that God would work through these two departments as they minister for the first time together as a team!
Other requests:
-energy and patience for the leadership
-a continued servants' heart
-that God would continue to change lives here at Keswick, whether through conferences, retreats, or summer staff
Blessings,
Melia
Today the campground conference starts, which means that Children's Ministry will have children twice a day, and teen ministry will have teens in the evening. Pray that God would work through these two departments as they minister for the first time together as a team!
Other requests:
-energy and patience for the leadership
-a continued servants' heart
-that God would continue to change lives here at Keswick, whether through conferences, retreats, or summer staff
Blessings,
Melia
Monday, June 29, 2009
Here are some pictures so far...To the right, the Discipleship Team (along with the dorm supervisors) is working together to complete a task during our Teambuilding Day!
Leadership Team + D-Team = Leadership Staff 2009!
During the first night of orientation, we played some silly games... Here, a guest judge is deciding which "Bubble Gum Sculpture" took the prize!
This is a little game we like to call "Bird Monster"(don't ask...)
Battling it out in the game of "Wah!" (again...don't ask... )
Overall, we are having a wonderful time!! God is so good, and He is teaching us something new every day! Thanks for your continued support!
Prayer needs:
-Energy / Continued Health
-Adjustment of the staff to Keswick life
His,
Melia
Let the madness begin...
Today is the first full day of summer staff orientation! We got up nice and early to spend some personal quiet time with the Lord before starting the day. The leadership are all really excited that everyone's here, and we're eagerly waiting to see how God is going to work in and through each staffer! Pictures should be up soon! :)
His,
Melia
His,
Melia
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
D-Team Training
So... I started this post on Tuesday when the d-team was about to arrive, but got sidetracked. We are now winding up our d-team training and wow, am I excited for this summer! What a great group of leaders! We've spent a few days blasting through a crash course on discipleship and small group leading. I think they're a little tired. :)
It's crazy to think that the rest of the staff arrive in just 3 days!!! Eeeeek! It's going to be a hectic weekend...we have a big group coming in so the staff are all dispersed to host homes until Sunday morning at which point we will work like mad to get everything set up in time!
Some prayer requests:
-pray for energy and strength. We're all tired.
-pray for confidence for each of the d-group leaders. They are all going to be great, but I don't know if they realize that quite yet.
-pray for the safety of the staffers traveling here on Sunday
D-Team:
-Antionetta (Children's Ministry)
-Alexia (Children's Ministry)
-Will W (Teen Ministry)
-Andrew H (Teen Ministry)
Thanks for your prayers! We need 'em!
His,
Melia for the SS09 Leadership Staff
It's crazy to think that the rest of the staff arrive in just 3 days!!! Eeeeek! It's going to be a hectic weekend...we have a big group coming in so the staff are all dispersed to host homes until Sunday morning at which point we will work like mad to get everything set up in time!
Some prayer requests:
-pray for energy and strength. We're all tired.
-pray for confidence for each of the d-group leaders. They are all going to be great, but I don't know if they realize that quite yet.
-pray for the safety of the staffers traveling here on Sunday
D-Team:
-Antionetta (Children's Ministry)
-Alexia (Children's Ministry)
-Will W (Teen Ministry)
-Andrew H (Teen Ministry)
Thanks for your prayers! We need 'em!
His,
Melia for the SS09 Leadership Staff
Saturday, June 20, 2009
And so it begins...
I'm sitting at the San Diego airport with a lot of mixed feelings... To be honest, I am not all that excited about returning to Jersey after spending the week off in sunny California! But at the same time, I am so excited for summer staff to officially "start"! I land tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 6am, and the Leadership Team arrive that afternoon to start training (eek), so I hit the ground running. I think that I am about as ready as I will get. There are always unforeseen complications that will arise...even in this past week there have been a few staff changes/shifting. I am thankful that God's plan is bigger than mine, and am confident that He will provide the staff we need. As this week kicks off, please pray for us as we get to know each other and learn how to work together as a team.
Here's the leadership team:
Zakira--girls' dorm supervisor
Andrew P--guys' dorm supervisor
Lauren--head lifeguard
Cameron--snack shop supervisor
-Melia :)
Here's the leadership team:
Zakira--girls' dorm supervisor
Andrew P--guys' dorm supervisor
Lauren--head lifeguard
Cameron--snack shop supervisor
-Melia :)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Welcome
Welcome to the blog of the 2009 Summer Staff at America's KESWICK! We're trying this whole update-by-blogging thing, and we'll see how it goes. Hopefully someone will post an update every week. We'll also post some pictures, highlight events, and generally let you know what's going on. If you're not a fan of blogging, you can subscribe to get an email notification every time we update.
This year's training officially starts in less than a week!! The Leadership Team (dorm supervisors, head lifeguard, and snack shop supervisor) arrives on Sunday the 21st and the Discipleship Team arrives on the 23rd. Then, the big day...June 28th...when the rest of the staff arrive!! Hopefully we'll be ready. :)
At the moment, I'm still neck-deep in contracts, paperwork, and interviews as I attempt to confirm this year's summer staff. I would appreciate your prayers as I finalize things. As soon as I get a final list of this year's staff, I will post it.
I'm excited for this summer--I know God has a lot in store for us, and it's going to be a blast!
His,
Melia
Summer Staff Coordinator
This year's training officially starts in less than a week!! The Leadership Team (dorm supervisors, head lifeguard, and snack shop supervisor) arrives on Sunday the 21st and the Discipleship Team arrives on the 23rd. Then, the big day...June 28th...when the rest of the staff arrive!! Hopefully we'll be ready. :)
At the moment, I'm still neck-deep in contracts, paperwork, and interviews as I attempt to confirm this year's summer staff. I would appreciate your prayers as I finalize things. As soon as I get a final list of this year's staff, I will post it.
I'm excited for this summer--I know God has a lot in store for us, and it's going to be a blast!
His,
Melia
Summer Staff Coordinator
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)