Spring Crew starts this Sunday at Mini-Yo-We! A group of about 30 young leaders will serve at Camp for the next seven weeks. Spring Crew is a step on our Leadership Pathway. We hire university and college-aged students to help get the property ready for campers. They go on to lead on our Program and Operations teams in the summer. As I reminisce with Spring Crew members from the last ten years and look back on my own Crew experiences from 2017 to 2019, I’ve been reflecting on both the changes and the things that have remained the same. I simultaneously look back and forward with the word investment in mind.
Work Crews Get it Done
One of the major thrusts behind Spring Crew has always been the work we do to prepare Camp for the summer. This work is a very practical investment in Mini-Yo-We. As the number of participants has grown in recent years, we’ve developed a variety of smaller, specialized crews that tackle certain areas. They lead spring guest groups, assist with administrative tasks, help with summer preparation and open our facilities. This investment not only prepares for the upcoming summer but also supports larger-scale projects for future generations.
Unique Community is Created
One of my favourite parts of this role is watching the community form. The group offers one another encouragement and fellowship. Outside of the workday, community is built during meal times and chores, when Crew members eat and serve together. Social events in the evenings, like meeting new people over a campfire, further contribute to this community-building process. Moments like these have always allowed fellow staff members to invest in friendships, which carry into the summer and through to their different walks of life. To further strengthen our community, we’ve added life groups that meet together over seven weeks. They are an opportunity to expand connections among Crew members as they study the Bible, help one another with chores, and plan and lead socials.
Our Purpose Remains the Same
At Camp Mini-Yo-We, three of our pillars of leadership are learning about, living like, and talking with Jesus. These pillars encourage us to be more intentional with our work and time off during Spring Crew. Having a group of young people together at Camp provides an excellent opportunity for participating in Bible and book studies together. Spring Crew is a smaller, more intimate community of those wanting to grow closer to Jesus and provides an excellent place to ask questions and discuss what life looks like as a follower of Jesus. This investment in the spiritual lives of our staff during Spring Crew helps equip them as they serve throughout the summer.
Pray for the Crew!
Serving on Spring Crew is a three-fold investment opportunity, in preparing and maintaining our site, in the friendship and community development between peers, and finally in our staff’s spiritual lives as they serve at Camp! As our Crew members are hard at work over the next two months, I’d love for anyone reading to be praying they would be aware of the investment they are making this spring!