Lutheridge counselors Jon Lakeman and Madeleine Rhyne had very different paths to get to camp. After several great summers serving on staff, now they are both headed in a similar direction – to seminary and future ministry in the church.
Madeleine grew up going to Lutheridge. “I was a camper for a long time,” she says, “and I always looked up to my counselors and wanted to be like them.” Madeleine knew being a counselor was a big responsibility, but after talking to some former Lutheridge counselors, she decided to apply to be on summer staff.
“My experience was the exact opposite,” Jon laughs. “I went to scout camp and sports camps, but I never went to any kind of church camp. I had grown up with the notion that bible camps weren’t really my thing.” That changed when Pastor Drew Yoos, Lutheridge Program Director, visited Jon’s college to talk about summer jobs at Lutheridge. “Pastor Drew said being a counselor at Lutheridge would give you experience in a way no internship can,” Jon remembers. “That convinced me, and I have not regretted my choice at all. The past three summers have been the best part of my life.”
Serving on staff at Lutheridge for several summers has helped Jon and Madeleine think a lot about church ministry. “Being a counselor is a difficult job and puts you in so many different situations,” Jon shares. “The ways that counselors support campers and one another feel like pastoral care.It’s such a great experience of Christian community. Knowing such a real body of Christ exists in the world has strengthened my conviction to be in ministry and offer that to others.”
Madeleine says she was already discerning a call to ministry before being on staff, but her time as a Lutheridge counselor has deepened her awareness of her gifts for service. “Camp convinced me that this was possible,” Madeleine says. “My years on staff have shown me that I can do ministry. It’s equipped me, giving me the chance to dip my toes into ministry leadership as a counselor and senior staff, and reinforced my sense of call.”
This fall, Madeleine and Jon will be on different paths again, each heading to a different seminary to begin ministry studies. As they step into this next chapter, they both say their camp experiences will stay with them. “The way I’ve experienced so many kinds of people and needs at camp will stay with me,” Madeleine says. “At camp I’ve learned how to take initiative, when to ask for help, and how to lead in healthy ways. Being able to teach God’s children that they are loved unconditionally is so inspiring and continues to move me toward ministry.” Jon says being on staff at Lutheridge has taught him that difficult things are worth doing. “The real work of Christ is possible,” Jon says. “It’s not just something to talk about in a class, it’s happening at camp. Understanding that has energized me to be a faithful and active disciple of Christ.”
Research on camp ministry and summer staff experiences at camp shows that working at a Christian camp is one of the most significant places young adults feel a call to ministry. Thank you for your gifts to NovusWay which are helping young people grow into the servant leaders needed in the church and in the world.
