30 Churches | 606 Students
$7,852.17 for Haiti Missions Offering
We were blessed this week to have Sophia come to camp this week who was adopted from Haiti less than two years ago. Little did we know, Sophia went to Camp Le Phare in Haiti, the camp to which all of the missions donations benefit through the Baptist Haiti Mission. Sophia, who is very mature in her faith for such a young Christian, wanted to thank the camp for all they had given to send her and children just like her to camp.
On the last night of camp, Sophia got the opportunity to go up on stage in front of everyone at camp and thank them for their generosity and encourage them to give for the sake of children like her, not only so that they get the opportunity to come to camp, but so that they get to hear the Gospel.
Sophia blessed the camp with her positivity and love for Christ and with a first-hand example of the power of giving.
Meet Callie Deweese
Callie grew up in the small town of Bardwell, Kentucky where the closest fast food restaurant was 30 minutes away in the metropolis of Paducah. In her free time, she likes to read the love stories of Nicholas Sparks, but not in public so that no one sees if she cries. She also enjoys watching Marvel movies and learning new culinary techniques on the Food Network.
Until high school, Callie thought she was “too cool” for Crossings. “I had always valued sports over coming to camp, so I did not come at all until I was in high school.” It was not until her church came to a retreat here at Jonathan Creek that she realized her love for this property. After that retreat, Callie came to Crossings all throughout high school and loved every bit of it. Leading up to the summer, Callie participated in the LEAD program and then came to camp last summer on the Serve Team. Now Callie has arrived from her Crossings journey as a summer staffer, and she enjoys every bit of it.
Her staffer experience thus far has been incredible, in part due to the deep staff relationships she has made since the beginning of the summer. “It is so refreshing to have such great friends that are such solid believers because I really have missed out on that for much of my life.” Callie also loves meeting the girls in her small groups and getting the opportunity to have serious Gospel conversations and explaining what the Gospel really is and what it looks like in the lives of believers.
Through being a staffer, Callie has also learned just what it means to be empowered and strengthened by God to do things that would not be possible without God. “My favorite part is that at the end of the day I look back on what I did and see firsthand that what I did would not be possible without the power of Christ. It’s such an opportunity to watch the Lord work every day.”
From dancing around with the head of a mannequin attached to her head, to leading “girl talk” with her small groups, Callie is genuinely a versatile staffer that shows Christ in all of her work.
Meet John Nix
John Nix has been a staple in the Crossings community for 15 years; since Crossings was in its infancy. Many churches make sure to schedule their weeks of camp each year around when John Nix is preaching. It is not just his extroversion or sense of humor that attracts people to his camp week, but his clarity in Bible teaching and willingness to give counsel to anyone who would ask. “I know many students’ name and story, and have seen them grow over my long time here.”
Going above and beyond the typical duties of a camp pastor, John stays up past 11 most nights spending time talking with students and group leaders giving them biblical advise and an open ear. I had the honor of interviewing John about his Crossings experiences and getting a lens into the life of a traveling pastor.
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Quote of the Week
“Blood is not a symbol of death; it is a symbol of life.”
Sermon Highlight
Wired for Worship
- Group Leader Stories:
- Cherry Corner: Many students realized that they had made false professions of faith and this week their need for Christ was made clear to them and they have repented and are now committed to following Christ.
- Parkland Baptist: The granddaughter of a group leader who had not grown up in church soaked up the biblical teaching and came to Christ this week and now plans to take it home to her family who is not following Christ.
- Gracepoint: Gracepont takes their middle school to camp to Cedarmore and their high schoolers to Jonathan Creek. This year, they took two sisters to Crossings, one to Cedarmore and the other here to Jonathan Creek. Both of them accepted Christ at camp and are now a part of the Ebenezer walls at both properties that commemorate what God has done.
- Walnut Memorial: Two spots opened up right before camp, and a student in the youth group got to bring his friend who accepted Christ at camp.
- Chaz, an amazingly positive student with a disability, came to Christ this week and prayed over a group leader giving her encouragement and love in Christ.