What are you working on now?

Even though summer camp is still four months away, COCUSA is already working hard on every aspect of our summer program.

One part of the summer that I take the lead on is planning Staff Training.  The image above is representative of one day's schedule during training.  We'll have our summer staff members attending as many as 20 workshops over the four days of training.

Ultimately our goal and prayer is that these counselors, junior counselors and site directors will be fully prepared for a summer of ministry.  We want to give them the practical tools and instructions so they can care for children and do so with excellence.  But we also want to encourage and equip them to share the gospel, make disciples, and serve the Lord in every area of their life (both now and into the future.)

Training our staff is a daunting task considering we only have four half-days with JCs, four full-days with counselors and six full-days with site directors.  If you think of it, can you pray that 2012 Staff Training will be effective and glorifying to God?

Encouraging Staff

Yesterday I met with a staff member.

This dude is awesome for several reasons.  But the one that always jumps out is that even though he hasn't worked a full summer at COCUSA in several years, he is still all about the ministry that we do.  He encourages, supports, and otherwise cheers us on.  It's pretty great.

When we met I was able to encourage him in his efforts to disciple a small group of guys (he co-leads a freshmen Bible study).  God's using him in really cool ways, both to encourage some of our current summer staff members and to point guys at the University of Illinois to Christ as well.