The Upstate New York Synod is a Resurrection People who Pray First, Walk Together, and Change Lives. We believe that the power of God that raised Jesus Christ to new life on Easter is alive in us and in our world today. We prayerfully seek to live with Christ at the center of our lives; to journey together in and with Christ; and to participate in and bear witness to the ways in which God changes lives.
Feed the Roots supports sharing and growing this faith with our young people through outdoor ministry programs offered at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center, Vanderkamp and the coordination of camping programs with Camp SonRise and Camp Fowler in the eastern area of the synod. The campaign will address significant capital and program improvements.
The campaign will ‘feed the roots’ of campus ministry programs across our synod as they nurturing discipleship among faith-filled students and seek to proclaim God’s unconditional love to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ. Funds will strengthen campus ministries in Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, and Ithaca, New York.
Feed the Roots campaign also supports Seminary Education at our ELCA seminaries as they identify, gather, teach, educate and nurture the church leaders of the future. Scholarship dollars will also support seminarians in our companion synods - the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa).
By Rev. Jim Slater, St. Luke's and Emanuel Lutheran Churches, Valatie, NY
Conference camping programs are getting in gear for this coming summer. In the Hudson/Mohawk Conference, a week of camp is offered for Senior High youth and for Confirmation aged youth. Senior High Camp will be held June 24-29 at Syke Farm, a camp of the United Methodist Church located near Warrensburg, NY. Those who have completed 9th-12th grades at the end of this school year may register with Pastor Jim Slater (jhsiii@fairpoint.net). Confirmation Camp, generally serving 6th-8th graders will be held the following week (July 1-7) at Camp Fowler, a ministry of the Reformed Church located near Speculator.
Post-graduates are able to apply for staff positions at Senior High camp and are asked to reflect on the meaning of their camp experiences in the faith life. Here are some responses:
I have been through a lot of difficulties. Because of this, I have had struggles with my relationship with God. Even though I have had my problems, God has always helped me get through. I hope camp can have the same impact on a camper's life that it had on mine.
I am continuously questioning what spirituality is, and what role religion plays in my personal spirituality and my growth as a human being. Each year I learn things from the campers and the staff at camp that are like big leaps ahead in my otherwise steady path of spiritual understanding. They're really kind of amazing.
I have been partaking in camp ever since the first year of confirmation camp. I've met people from all different backgrounds who have shared their life events with me and have shared mine with them. I have been through a lot in my life and camp has grounded me each year, giving me a place to recharge, surrounded by a spiritual, judgment-free zone. My faith throughout the year tends to dwindle based on things that happen to me and around me, but is always refocused upon my return to camp each year.
Attending a public school means that Jesus is never brought into the school setting. Because of this, it was easy to detach myself from God during the school year. Camp, however, was my jetpack back to God. During the week of camp I was able to let my school stresses aside and let the atmosphere and people around me reestablish my relationship with God.
Sounds like some great reasons to make camp part of your faith experience!
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Help us Feed the Roots of Leadership by supporting our capital appeal for outdoor ministry, campus ministry and seminary scholarships.
New and exciting things are happening at our camps! Recently the Walmarts of Cicero and East Syracuse donated $4,000 to help Vanderkamp get their Community Farm Project off the ground! The camp will start by planting one acre of land with organically grown vegetables - using 1/2 to supplement their own kitchen, and half to give to people in need in this area. Seedlings from C & J Farms, seeds from Matthew 25 farm, and fertilizer from North Riding have been pledged, and offers to help with garden construction. There is plenty of work still to do! Walmarts' money will be put towards fencing and irrigation systems, and a shed to house the supplies for maintenance. Volunteers will be needed to help with planting, weeding, and harvesting. Read more: http://www.vk.org/wpsite/farm.
This is an example of how our camps are growing leaders who will be aware of the importance of caring for God's creation. You can help to grow leaders by supporting the Upstate New York Synod's Feed the Roots of Leadership campaign.
My name is Kristine Jaunzeme. I am Hubert H.Humphrey Fellow from Latvia in 2011/12 academic year in Syracuse University, Maxwell school. Back home in Latvia I work as a lawyer for local governments and serve in my church in Bible study groups, prison and social house ministries. My church is Riga Old St.Gertrude Evangelic Lutheran Church. I've been member of Old St.Gertrude since 2001. I am so very happy that I found a place to worship and a community to fellowship with while I am studying here in Syracuse.
To learn more about Kristine and the exciting things happening in campus ministry at Syracuse University, read more...
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The Feed the Roots of Leadership Campaign is underway. Already we have received over $500,000 in donations and pledges. Many congregations will begin the three year drive in January 2012. If your congregation has not participated, now is the time. Donations support Outdoor Ministries, Campus Ministries, and Seminary Scholarships in our synod. Speakers are ready to meet with congregations, church councils, and pastors to share the Feed the Roots of Leadership story. Contact Pastor Joe McGarry (pastormcgarry@gmail.com) for information or see the synod website for more details.
Pastor Sandy Damhof is the Protestant Campus Pastor at SUNY Albany with Jessica Vermilyea, State Director, LDR Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, Louisiana
Help us Feed the Roots of Leadership Today
October is Feed the Roots of Leadership month. We are confident that most every congregation should be able to find a way to participate that matches their congregation's commitment to feeding the roots of leadership for the future of our synod's ministries and the church.
Pastor Sandy Damhof is the Protestant Campus Pastor at SUNY Albany. That ministry is a supported by the ELCA and several ecumenical partners. For the last six years Sandy has been taking groups of students to New Orleans to help with disaster relief and rebuilding efforts following Katrina. When floods came to Upstate New York she organized a group to work in Schoharie, one of the areas hardest hit. But that wasn't enough, so she invited SUNY Albany students to join in the effort and on Oct. 8 she brought 78 students to Schoharie to help with the cleanup. Campus ministry does more than Feed the Roots of Leadership for the future, it's making a difference now.
October is Feed the Roots of Leadership month. Three sample letters, a logo, a poster and three bulletin inserts (campus, outdoor and seminaries) are now available for use as congregations prepare to communicate this campaign to their members. We invite you to review the samples and use them as it seems appropriate, perhaps choosing from paragraphs here - or there - in planning a letter that suits your intentions for your congregation. We are confident that most every congregation should be able to find a way to participate that matches their congregation's commitment to feeding the roots of leadership for the future of our synod's ministries and the church.
Pastor Wendy Buckley has stepped down from the chair position for the Feed the Roots of Leadership Appeal for health reasons. We give thanks for her leadership in getting this campaign off the ground and pray for God's healing. Thank you to Pastor Jeff Hedin who has stepped up as the new chair for the Appeal. To get involved in Feed the Roots visit http://upstatenysynod.org/capital-campaign or call Pr. Jeff at (585) 739-3734. Here's what he has to say about Feed the Roots of Leadership...
Feed the Roots of Leadership is near and dear to my heart and to many of you. I am glad that we send our Confirmands to Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center for a week that offers more faith study than the average student gets in a year of Sunday Church School. Even a great camp like this is in need of capital improvements that will be addressed in this campaign. Ruth and I first met when we were freshmen in college. Campus Ministry in Ithaca offered a lunch after church and my life was changed forever. This campaign will encourage college students to continue their involvement in Christ's church. I was fortunate to be married to an employed spouse when I attended seminary. It made my education affordable. Many pastors begin their careers with massive students loans (college plus 4 more years for seminary). This will be addressed by this campaign. It will be addressed if you take seriously the opportunity to change lives and help develop leaders through a significant contribution to this campaign. I pray you will.
October is Feed the Roots of Leadership month. Three sample letters, a logo, a poster and three bulletin inserts (campus, outdoor and seminaries) are now available for use as congregations prepare to communicate this campaign to their members. We invite you to review the samples and use them as it seems appropriate, perhaps choosing from paragraphs here - or there - in planning a letter that suits your intentions for your congregation. We are confident that most every congregation should be able to find a way to participate that matches their congregation's commitment to feeding the roots of leadership for the future of our synod's ministries and the church.
Join us in ‘feeding the roots of leadership’ by supporting in the capital appeal of the Upstate New York Synod, ELCA for:
Sounds like some great reasons to make camp part of your faith experience!
My name is Kristine Jaunzeme. I am Hubert H.Humphrey Fellow from Latvia in 2011/12 academic year in Syracuse University, Maxwell school. Back home in Latvia I work as a lawyer for local governments and serve in my church in Bible study groups, prison and social house ministries. My church is Riga Old St.Gertrude Evangelic Lutheran Church. I've been member of Old St.Gertrude since 2001. I am so very happy that I found a place to worship and a community to fellowship with while I am studying here in Syracuse.
