Give the gift of the National Gathering to yourself and to your staff!

The theme for the 2017 National Gathering is "Waters of Grace." Water brings to us the source of life in the body and life in the spirit.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”  John 4:10

Assemble with other camp and retreat leaders to rejoice in the living water! Consider the gifts that will be the focus of each day of the event:

Monday: Welcome to our Fellow Travelers. We gather as like-minded persons united in ministry and in a love of God and all creation.

Tuesday: The Gift of Grace. Our challenges and struggles don’t define us; they do, however, offer the opportunity for each of us to experience grace first hand. Maybe it’s when that “difficult” camper “gets” it for the first time? Or when a staff member takes responsibility for a mistake? Or even when we have to get real about personal and professional accountability as leaders in ministry—no matter the issue, God’s grace is alongside us and we’re loved in the midst of it.

Wednesday: The Gift of Water. It gets easy to think we’re doing it alone—that we are making the decisions and carrying the weight on our own. Remember and recognize God’s presence in our midst. Explore tools, resources, programs and applicable takeaways you need to distribute the work load, to innovate, and to uplift your staff and camp!

Thursday: Rivers of Living Water. Fill up spiritually, physically and emotionally! Celebrate your wins, commiserate in challenges and share in hope with friends and colleagues. Be nourished by colleagues, gain new perspective, and be filled with the source of life—the love of Jesus.