REFLECTIONS FROM THE REGIONAL MINISTER
 
            One of the most important ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Alabama-Northwest Florida is our camp/conference ministry.  This ministry is a partnership between the Region, congregations, parents, grandparents, and many other individuals who work hard to make it so successful.  Why is it important, and why do so many people work so hard to provide this ministry?  Because going to camp can change a person's life!  It's that simple.

            Our desire in Alabama-Northwest Florida is that every young person, from those who have just completed the second grade to those who have just completed high school, would be in camp each summer.  Each camp is led by a dedicated and capable director and a staff of volunteers who love God, the church, and each young person who comes to camp.  A special community is created at each camp which is rooted in spirituality, respect for one another, and affirming the worth of each individual as a child of God. 
            The young people in our congregations are in and out of various kinds of communities - in their schools, clubs, neighborhoods, etc.  Few of these communities are intentionally designed to reflect the love of God for each person.  Most of them are competitive and place value in superficial qualities.  It is not uncommon for young people today to get the idea that acceptance from others (their friends and the significant adults in their lives) is carefully measured according to the grades one makes, the clothes and shoes one wears, the car one drives, the house one lives in, or the friends one chooses.  The Alabama-Northwest Florida camps create communities of unconditional love for our young people, patterned intentionally after the love shown to us in Christ.  Because such communities are so rare in our world, it is essential that adults do everything they can to get these young people to camp.

            The stories abound of people who discovered their own drumbeat at camp.  Because of the affirmation found at camp, many young people at camp get in touch with who they really are, at a very deep level.  Stories also abound of young people who sense God in a personal way, maybe for the very first time, at camp - maybe by the lake, or at the cross, on a nature trail, or maybe just from being surrounded by a loving community.  Still other stories are told by many who felt that God was calling them to have a special role within the life of the church.  Many Disciples ministers today tell of first sensing the call to ministry at camp.
            The Region, congregations, and parents do not really do the work of changing lives.  That's God's work!  But together we can help create a context in which our young people can reflect, pay attention, and hear the voice of God.  There is nothing that we do in the church that is any more important than that.
            I want to thank our Youth Ministries Staff Person Nisha Warbington, the outdoor ministry committee, the Regional Youth Council, the camp directors and staff of counselors, the staff at YMCA-Hargis, our administrative staff person, Susan Henderson, and other supportive volunteers for making our camp/conference ministry a success each year.  Thanks to you, the parents and congregations are assured that their young people will have a high-quality experience when they attend camp.  And thanks to the work of God, it can be a life-changing experience!
 
Your Partner in Ministry,
 
John P. Mobley