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Staff Summer Staff Support |
Letter from the Director; For those who haven't met me, my name is Glenn Smith. My wife Claudia and I have been married for almost 31 years. Our daughter Miranda is a Junior at the University of South Dakota and our son Holden is freshman in High School. I was named Director by the board as of Jan. 1, 2010. We have continued to live in Treynor, IA while we raise support and make plans for the future. I commute to camp many weekends and will be onsite for most of the summer. For the previous five years, I had been serving as the Director of Camp Promotion and Marketing. (I have spoken at churches and schools to promote camp.) Camp Witness is a non-denominational Bible camp in north central Nebraska. The camp is situated in the Pine Creek valley and is in one of the most picturesque areas Nebraska has to offer. Each summer, the camp serves 350-400 youth from as far away as the inner city of Omaha and the foothills of Colorado. Although most of the campers are from Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa, we have campers from all over the country. Each year, these campers are presented with the Good News of our Savior Jesus Christ, and each year many make life-changing decisions while at camp. This begins my third year as the Director. For at least one more year, I will be managing the camp while continuing to work at the bank. I will take vacation/leave time from the bank and spend it at camp during the camping season. Our prayer and hope is that by spring of 2013, we will have raised enough support and positioned ourselves financially to be able to give up our current jobs. Eventually we would like to see the Camp Director position become a permanent full-time position. This is exciting as well as frightening. Please pray with us that this new responsibility be done effectively and in a manner that honors God. Here are some prayer requests that we would ask you remember on our behalf. Pray for: · Safety of the campers · Spiritual decisions of the campers · Safety for me as I travel. I will be commuting about 17,000-18,000 miles for camp each year. · Finding the right counselors, speakers, and staff. (Over 40 individuals). · My family’s coping with my absence on the weekends and weeks I will be away. · A healthy year for my family to allow me to minister without distraction. · Opening of doors to speak at churches and other venues to promote the camp. · Opening of the hearts of God’s people to financially support the ministry of Camp Witness. · We are actively praying that camp will grow to between 500 and 600 campers this year. · As we make plans to finish the new kitchen and dining hall, that we can make the transition in a manner that does not impact campers/camps. Along with prayer support, I am seeking opportunities to share the ministry of camp. With a limited number of Sundays between now and the first week of camp, I can only speak at so many churches. Please check with the necessary decision makers and contact me early if you would like me to share the ministry of camp and my role at camp with your church. I am available to do pulpit fill if that is desired. To limit mileage, I would like to plan for speaking engagements closer to camp to coincide with my weekends at camp. I would like to identify a local “Camp Champion” who can coordinate the efforts of camp at local churches. If you would like function as the Camp Champion in your church, please contact me for resources. The decision to go or not go to camp often is nothing more than a timely reminder and someone to collect registrations before the early registration deadline. I would also ask that you prayerfully consider becoming a financial supporter. A gift of $10, $20 or $50 a month will allow me to begin building toward a full-time ministry at camp. The camp board has recently approved setting up the process that will allow the camp to automatically debit your account if that is a convenience you would prefer. Send a request to the camp or contact me for the required authorization form that would start that process. You may also send a check if that is your preferred option. One of the best ways to recruit prayer and financial support is to allow people a more intimate opportunity to learn about what is happening at camp and my role at camp. Would you consider hosting a Triple D night in your home? Triple D stands for Dessert, Dominoes and Deputation. Invite 3 or 4 couples who have a heart for the Gospel into your home for dessert. If you want to add an element of fun, a progressive domino game can be played. (I hand the details of the domino game.) This also allows everyone a time of Christian fellowship. Lastly, I will present an approximately 20 minute look at the ministry of Camp Witness. Deputation is the act of sending someone else to speak on your behalf. By allowing me to share, you allow others to share in the joy of ministry and send me as their representative to those that are ministered to by Camp Witness. Contact me if you are interested in hosting such an evening. If not hosted in your home, perhaps hosted in your church. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to be involved in this new adventure in our lives. Sincerely, In His Service, Glenn Smith Glenn, Claudia, Miranda and Holden Smith Camp Witness PO Box 283 HRC 62, Box 30B Treynor, IA 51575 Long Pine, NE 69217 (402) 740-0818 (402) 273-4352
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