What's that you say? I said, Hey, I want to go to the PVM Family Reunion Pizza Banquet and catch up with this summer's campers and staff!! Mmmmmm-ah-ah-ah-mmmmm-ah-ah-ah-mmmmmmmm!

Yep, that's right. There's going to be a banquet in 3 different locations next month (see the home page or the newsletter for times and locations). We're inviting staff, camper families, and friends to come reunite, eat pizza, and learn about some exciting changes with the future of PVM. Staff, after the pizza time, we're going to be hanging out with the kids playing games in the other room while the presentation for the parents is going on. Families and staff are both asked to RSVP by calling camp before November 5.

I know I'm excited. So my question to you, campers and staff, is: Who's coming?

Hello dear staff, friends of staff, former staff, and even those few campers that have stumbled into this weird world of 'staff lounge'!

I was just sitting here at work in the Philosophy and Religion department of Central Michigan University (yes, the town is even called 'pleasant', Rob!), and wondered what you guys have been up to...

So I pose the question that I love to ask my dear friends:

What have you been learning lately?

(see comments for everybody's answers!)

Staffers,

Thanks to everyone that's come out to belay, help, or facilitate for some of our August events!! I've had a blast so far and its great to see you again. Here's a list of everything going on up through the end of September:

Sat.Aug.28- tower and challenge 1-4pm. WAKW paintball booth 11am-9pm
Sat.Sept.4- (Labor Day Weekend)- zipline 1-3pm (two more spots)
Sat.Sept.11- zipline- 1-2:30 (one more spot)
Sun.Sept.26- zipline- afternoon, time TBA (two more spots)
Wed.Sept.29- zip and tower 6-8pm. CHCA (Lance's school) 6th grade (4 more spots)
Thurs.Sept.30- zip and tower 6-8pm. CHCA (Lance's school) 6th grade (4 more spots)

These are open to any past staff who enjoy belaying and facilitating group challenges. If you are interested in coming, YOU MUST CALL OR EMAIL ME prior to the date- I only need so many and they do fill up.

Also, be thinking about a staff reunion of some kind this fall...maybe October. Could be at camp or away. Any ideas?

It is odd to no longer see campers running around with counselors and meeting at the mast for dinner.

One of the hardest things for me last year was leaving this wonderful community of brothers and sisters- not just the leaving but the living without seeing their faces every day week in and week out. But because of the pain God taught me a huge lesson about relationships.

In the absence of those wonderful and intensely close relationships that I yearned for, I realized that God, the one who I claim to be my best friend, was calling for me and He could be even better than what I had here at camp.

It was a hard winter, but my relationship with God blossomed and I craved more time with him to learn more about him, to feel his touch on my life- and it happened. Not all at once, and not easily, but it has made the prospect of life possibly without those people all the more tolerable, even exciting, because no matter what God has promised me he will always be with me, wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9)

I love you guys, and I do miss you. I really hope you fall even more in love with Jesus this winter, and that He remains the most important focus of your lives.

Hi everyone up at PVM!!! Here are a few momentos from the cookout at Hueston Woods on Saturday night. Thanks for letting a non-staffer tag along!!! It was a lot of fun! We need to remember to bring charcoal, lighter fluid, and foil next time :o)

Ok...so my computer is being slow and won't let me put the pictures on this message...I'll get some copies and put them on the board in the staff lounge.

Have a great week!!!!

As I write, various staff members (Lisa, Kelli, Laura, Tim, David, Amber, Nate, Brian, and Suzi) are chillin' here in the staff lounge after our first week of camp, Day Camp! I had a good time although I had no kids this week. I worked on the wall a lot with Luke, and in the kitchen with Steph and Suzi- let's not forget the ship-front debut of Captain Grace the Fierce!

The counselors this week were awesome. They served with all they had, and more with what God gave. As this week winds down, I guess my prayer request would be that the staff gets rest and recharge time. Since there's a storm coming right now, it looks like we'll be staying put too! :-)

Just wanted to say hello to everyone out there- I'm sure the others here say hi as well. We love you!

Hi Everyone at PVM!!
I bet you are all in the midst of training, devotions, servants heart, and possibly the lovely cicadas :o) I hope you are enjoying every minute of it!
It is a wonderful thing for you to devote your summers to serving the Lord at PVM I pray that God will do amazing things in the lives of the campers through you, and also move in your lives as well. I also pray for health and safety throughout the summer for you, and for LOTS of energy!
Have an amazing summer!!!!

We've looked through hundreds of articles related to Christian Camping and picked out the ones that we thought would most help staff get prepared to serve at camp this summer. We're sending these articles to the staff and junior staff in a packet via snailmail, but I thought it would be nice to post them online in PDF format too so campers, families, and forgetful staff have them at their fingertips.

Here they are (download Adobe Reader here if you don't have it):

• Buggy Behavior - A positive perspective on annoying actions of campers and staff
• Community Unity - Maintaining healthy relationships among staff
• A Light in the Darkness - Four factors that make Christian camping a powerful ministry force
• Meaningful Moments - Make the most of every opportunity to change lives
• Setting Sail for Deeper Waters - How to lead junior campers into more authentic worship
• A Throneroom Perspective - Focusing on God's glory during trying times

We will be using these articles as an integral part of our staff training this year ... please read them and take some notes, highlighting important sections and perhaps even journaling on what you find. Sure, they don't cover every important aspect of life at PVM, but they might really challenge your mind and stir your heart!

Hey Y'alls,

Before the summer hits, we'll be putting up a new section of the PVM website that profiles all the current full-time and summer staff. Visitors to the website will also be able to email these staff members securely and directly from the website. Here's where I need your help, though ... what categories should we ask the staff about for their bios? Here's what we've got so far:

--- STATS---
First name (what you want people to call you):
Last name:
Other Nicknames:
Age (if you want to share):
Birthday:
Hometown:
College (if applicable):
Shoe Size:
Blood Type:
Website:

---PERSONALITY---
Hobbies:
Pets:
Favorite Color:
Favorite Sports:
Favorite Singers/Bands:
Make-Up-Your-Own Categories (unlimited):

---PVM INFO---
At PVM Since:
Job at PVM:
What brought you to PVM?:
Favorite memory of PVM:
Favorite place/activity at PVM:
Note from you to campers/website visitors:

Any other ideas? The sky's the limit!

Hey guys. I was blessed with the opportunity to visit my childhood pediatrician that I had not seen for 11 years. Anyhow, it was a really good experience, but my doctor, Dr. Shearin is going through a really hard time right now. His mom was recently diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. From what Dr. Shearin told me, the whole family is in shock and is in need of prayer to help accept the situation and achieve peace. Also Dr. Shearin has been presented with a decision that he has to make within in the next month, which is a really good opportunity if he decides to go with it. I can't be anymore specific than that because I was told to keep a secret. So I just ask for prayers that God would help guide his decision process. Thank you so much.

Tiffany :+)

What a wonderful season this is! I just got home yesterday from an amazing trip with Amber, Matt, and Lance where we went rock-skipping, ice-sliding, snapcracklepopping, bowdering, and more...

I hope you guys are getting your treasure hunting skills ready- we're in for one amazing summer at the cove.

When Amber, Matt, and I planned what would go on the Summer Crew website this year, we recorded a series of welcome messages for the staff. It never made it up there, but here it is for your listening pleasure anyways. :)

hey there past staffers!

for those of you who cannot come back as full time summer staff but are considering volunteering for a week this summer, we have a new online volunteer application (go to the downloads and links section) for volunteers working with kids. if you would like to volunteer some time this summer, we need to you let us know when (what week) AND submit a volunteer application. (also applicable to volunteers working with kids here who have not been pvm staff in the past).

thanks, yo!

Have a super birthday Steph-mom!!!!

Steve and Laura Hostetler
with Brittany, Tucker, & Travis

Please join us in prayer for a dear friend of ours and PVM board member, who was seriously injured last week in a car accident.

Amber, Matt, and I are pretty heavy into the staff hiring process for next summer already ... we've been advertising, visiting colleges, recruiting through the web, receiving applications, doing interviews, and making offers. And we're meeting some awesome individuals ... the future parts of the body of Christ at PVM.

But we'd like to ask for your prayers ... it's a big undertaking that requires a lot of discretion and wisdom. We earnestly have a desire to love these guys before we've even met them (to prelove them, much like how a parent preloves an adopted child or how you prelove your campers before they even arrive). We're expectant about seeing God literally "make matches in heaven" ... giving the counselors an envoronment that serves their own needs while bringing individuals to PVM that fill our most urgent physical and spiritual needs.

So please pray. That's all. :)

Hello,

I have some comments about your camp. I do not understand why you try so hard to help kids to learn about God and have a good time doing it. When I was their age I had never heard of your camp where kids wake up in the morning looking forward to camp songs, swimming, fun activities like the froggie game, a climbing wall and horseback riding, a zipline, and creeking. This is highly irregular compared to the normal contemporary youthful day in which staying inside playing video games and keeping to a clock are the norm.

It's just not right, that's what. You seem to have too much fun- and as for those pictures on your website (under information--> guests and grounds), they look too good to be true. I would have to go there to prove you wrong, so I am determined to investigate this place more thoroughly. You are too open and honest about the activities you have for a skeptic like me to trust you.

Sincerely,
Incredulous

~And about that whole theme thing: Last year you had superheroes loving God with their heart, mind, soul and strength and now you are looking for treasure? Who would go for that sort of thing?

Hello,
I had some questions about camp. First off I was wondering if we would be getting dirty. I really hate mud and dirt, but I would like to work at your camp...is this a problem? Secondly, I hate pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, any type of potatoes (including fries, tator tots, augratin, etc.). Do you offer selections for those of us who like "healthy" foods...such as salads and fresh fruits? Third, and last but certainly not least, I hate getting up early, and I usually don't get up till around 12. Would it be possible to have someone cover for me until 12 or so, so I could sleep in?

Thanks for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you soon. It sounds like you have a beautiful camp, and I hope you can accommodate me!

In Christ,
Possible Stupendous Staff Member :)
pleasehireme@iamcrazy.com