By Deanna Beckner and Emily Tyler
“Side by side” is truly how the 341 youth and advisors worked this summer during the 2015 Church of the Brethren Workcamps. Thank you to all of those who participated, as well as the 39 who contributed their time and talents through their leadership of the workcamps.
The summer yielded service outreach, friendships, spiritual experiences, and much more at the 19 workcamp locations, 4 of which were new sites. We invite you all to join us again this next year for the 2016 workcamp season!
The Workcamp Office has welcomed Deanna Beckner and Amanda McLearn-Montz as assistant coordinators for the 2016 season. They began serving at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on Aug. 24, as volunteers through Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS).
Deanna Beckner of Columbia City (Ind.) Church of the Brethren and Northern Indiana District graduated from Manchester University in May with a degree in communication studies.
Amanda McLearn-Montz graduated from Tulane University in May with a degree in Spanish and public health. She is originally from Panther Creek Church of the Brethren in Adel, Iowa, in the Northern Plains District.
One of the first tasks for a new workcamp season is to develop a theme to focus the workcamps. Fixing on 1 Peter 1:13-16 in The Message sparked the theme “Blazing with Holiness.” Key facets of the theme revolve around what holiness is, and the steps to developing one’s own blaze of holiness.
In the summer of 2016 there will be young adult, senior high, intergenerational, and junior high workcamps, as well as a “We Are Able” workcamp for youth and young adults with intellectual disabilities. Dates and locations will be posted on the Workcamp Ministry webpages at www.brethren.org/workcamps
— Emily Tyler is coordinator of the Workcamp Ministry and volunteer recruitment for the Church of the Brethren. Deanna Beckner is one of the two new assistant coordinators for the Workcamp Ministry, which is a part of the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service.