2015 Workcamp Commissioning Resources
Theme Scripture
Philippians 2:1-8
The Message
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if youcare—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, becamehuman!Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
New International Version
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,if any tenderness and compassion,then make my joy completeby being like-minded,having the same love, being onein spirit and of one mind.Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very natureGod,
did not consider equality with Godsomething to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very natureof a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Litany
Leader: May you be blessed and feel uplifted by us as you begin your journey of service at workcamps. May you grow to be deep-spirited friends with each other and those you encounter.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility side by side, we look forward to being a part of a community of believers who strive to live humbly, serving one another as Christ exemplified.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you experience the peacefulness of solitude and remember to nourish your personal journey with God as you serve alongside others.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility with faithfulness, we open our hearts and minds to hear God’s plans for us.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you sense the powerful, calming presence that fills you when you spend time praying to God. May you not be afraid to tell God your needs, and not forget to be thankful for how those needs are met. May your worries subside, and your thoughts and hearts gain quiet rest as you trust in Jesus.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility in prayer, we ask that God be ever-present in our thoughts and actions as we serve others.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you be patient with one another, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love for each other. Allow the holy spirit to lead you together in order to be at peace with one another.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility within community, let us encourage, comfort, love, and share, looking to the interests of others.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you recognize the unique gifts and skills you have been blessed with and use them to bring prosperity to others as you set aside your own desires and lend a helping hand.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility through service, we seek to humbly act as the hands and feet of Christ.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you place your life as an offering to God and allow God’s spirit to move through you, empowering, enlightening and renewing you.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility for renewal, we embrace the life God has planned for us and welcome God’s spirit to transform us from the inside out.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Leader: May you learn how to be a shining light of hope and love in a world that often seems to be surrounded in darkness.
Participants: Imitating Christ’s humility as light, we desire to shine brightly and push back the dark every opportunity we get.
Congregation: Live in the love of Christ and carry it, hand in hand, side by side.
Prayer of Sending
Loving and gracious God, we thank you for these youth who have responded to their call to service. We are grateful for these brothers and sisters who express their faith in witness through service. Please be with them as they travel to and from (insert workcamp), and as they spread your love to all they encounter along the way. Bless their efforts that they may help many as well as grow in their own faith. In your name we pray. Amen.
(Adapted from “Commissioning Service for Church Leaders” in For All Who Minister, page 326)
Suggested Hymn: Take My Life #389
Workcamp Project Descriptions
Feel free to read the workcamp write up for your participant’s workcamp so your congregation can know more about how they are serving.
Dominican Republic
The young adults serving at the Dominican Republic workcamp will have the opportunity to interact and build relationship with the Dominican Church of the Brethren, especially with the churches hosting this workcamp in the city of San Juan. Participants in this workcamp will help with construction on a new church that’s being built in San Juan, and lead devotions and games for children in the area. They will also be visiting two other Church of the Brethren congregations in more remote areas, to help with building repair needs and to spend time with local children.
Koinonia Farm
Participants of this workcamp will spend their week learning about nonviolence, equality and service as they live and work on the farms of Koinonia, an intentional Christian community. Service projects will include gardening, home maintenance repairs and harvesting the food grown on the farm. Through working with and living alongside community members, participants will gain an understanding of community life focused on prayer, work and fellowship.
New Orleans, LA
Participants of this workcamp will be staying at a community center in the Lower Ninth Ward and will be volunteering with Capstone, an organization working to serve families in this community by growing and providing food at no cost. Those serving in New Orleans will get the opportunity to learn about food desserts and the importance of having access to fresh food. They will work in Capstone’s community gardens and orchards tilling the ground, preparing it for planting and assisting with harvesting food.
John Kline Homestead
Participants in this workcamp will live and serve at the John Kline Homestead. Their work projects will include cleaning, yard work, working on a fence, and cleaning out a spring. They will also volunteer at Crossroads, the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center.
Pine Ridge Reservation
This workcamp is held in Kyle, South Dakota, a small town on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The workcampers will be hosted by the Little Wound School, and will serve them with painting, roofing, and flooring projects. The workcampers will also serve at the local youth center and senior center with gardening and painting projects. They will have the opportunity to get to know those in the community and learn about Lakota culture.
Family Abuse Center
Lake Shore Baptist Church and the Family Abuse Center will host those serving in Waco, TX. Participants will volunteer at Family Abuse Center’s shelter and thrift store, spending time with the children who live at the shelter, painting their fence, helping with cleaning, gardening, and organizing, and sorting donations. They will also do some service projects for the church hosting them.
We Are Able
The Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, MD will host these participants as they serve on campus at SERRV and in the Material Resources Warehouse. The participants of this workcamp will help to package and price products at SERRV and will assist with assembling health kits at the warehouse.
We Are Able Assistants
The We Are Able assistants are participating in the We Are Able workcamp, a workcamp for intellectually disabled youth and young adults. These participants will serve alongside the We Are Able workcampers, helping to care for their needs and helping them with their work at SERRV and the Material Resources Warehouse on the campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor MD. Work projects will include packaging and pricing products at SERRV and assembling health kits at the warehouse.
Elgin, IL
This workcamp will be hosted by Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren. The workcampers will have a busy week serving at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Feed My Starving Children, Feeding Greater Elgin, Rockford Feeding Ministry, and the Church of the Brethren General Offices.
ECHO
Saving Grace COB in N. Ft. Myers, FL will host this workcamp as participants spend their week serving at ECHO Global Farms, an organization seeking to develop sustainable and innovative agricultural practices in order to produce food in impoverished lands across the world. Participants of this workcamp will aid in construction projects and will work in ECHO’s fields and gardens, growing and harvesting crops. They will learn about the environment, agriculture and efforts to diminish the effects of global hunger.
Innisfree Village
Participants in this workcamp will live and serve at Innisfree Village, a residential community that houses adults with intellectual disabilities. They will spend time with the residents at their work stations, as well as help with gardening, maintenance, and cleaning projects.
Crossnore, NC
This workcamp will be hosted by Camp Carmel in the beautiful mountains of Linville, North Carolina. Participants of this workcamp will be serving at Crossnore School, a residential, educational home for children in need. Those serving will assist the school with its property maintenance and have opportunities to interact with the children.
South Bend, IN
Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren will host those serving in South Bend, IN. Workcampers will volunteer at a local food bank, homeless shelter, and community garden. They will sort food donations, work in a clothing donation center, prepare and serve lunch for those in the shelter, and work outside on gardening projects.
Seattle, WA
Those serving in Seattle, WA will be hosted by the Olympic View Community Church of the Brethren. Seattle workcampers will spend the week learning about urban environmentalism. In addition to service projects at the church, workcampers will also serve in local park and creek clean-up.
Washington, DC
Participants of this workcamp will be staying at Washington City COB where they will be learning about urban poverty and food issues. Work will include serving with the Brethren Nutrition Program, a soup kitchen that provides healthy and wholesome lunches to those in need. Workcampers will also serve with a variety of other local area food and clothing banks.
Harrisburg, PA
This workcamp partners with On Earth Peace to serve the Brethren Housing Association, which helps to provide housing and social services to homeless individuals in the Harrisburg area. Work will include projects such as renovations, yard work and cleaning. Participants of this workcamp will also serve at local soup kitchens and shelters. Workcampers will learn about urban housing issues and homelessness as well as explore peace education and justice. Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren will host the workcampers for the week
Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn First Church of the Brethren will host those serving in Brooklyn, NY. Participants will be volunteering with two different senior centers. They will spend time working in a food pantry and kitchen preparing and serving lunches for those at the center and interacting with the senior citizens. They will also have a chance to learn about the urban community of Brooklyn.
Roanoke, VA
The participants serving in Roanoke, Virginia will work with different shelters and soup kitchens addressing inner city poverty. Their work will range from preparing and serving lunch to making beds at a homeless shelter. They will also do some volunteer work at Roanoke First Church of the Brethren, who will be their host for the week.
New Horizons Ministries
Participants attending the workcamp in Cañon City, Colorado will be serving with New Horizons Ministry, an organization that provides Christ-centered nurture and programming for children and families whose parents are incarcerated. Workcampers will be doing work projects both with their children’s ministry and at their thrift store.
Los Angeles, CA
Restoration LA Church of the Brethren will host the Los Angeles workcampers for the week. The participants will have the opportunity to serve on Skid Row at local soup kitchens and shelters. In addition to preparing and serving meals, sorting donations, and helping with cleaning projects at these locations, they will also be passing out water, health kits, and blankets to those in need.
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