Minute for Mission
Leaders in the Making
At Camp Kee-Mo-Kee in Komoka, ON, our Mission and Service gifts help to strengthen something at the heart of every summer camp experience: the people who make camp possible. By supporting an experienced senior staff role, our gifts help equip emerging leaders, support campers, and strengthen the entire camp community. Many of Camp Kee-Mo-Kee’s senior summer staff are still growing into leadership. They are capable and committed, but leadership takes experience, and that experience grows through mentorship and support. This summer, our gifts through Mission and Service helped fill the gap by funding a senior staff position dedicated to supporting the summer team.
The person who stepped into the role brought years of experience as a former Camp Director, along with strong relationships throughout the Camp Kee-Mo-Kee community. Her role was intentionally flexible. She mentored and coached newer senior staff, provided hands-on training, and stepped in wherever she was needed. Whether that meant covering a staff break, helping in the kitchen so another staff member could remain focused on camper care, or supporting a camper through a difficult moment she was ready to step in. Her presence created a steady source of encouragement, experience, and connection across camp. “I’ve been able to support all over camp and take on the other small or behind-the-scenes tasks to support staff success, which then carries on to support camper success,” she shared. “Being able to be out and around, building connections across camp, and always on the move to jump in where needed has made for a tremendous summer experience.”
The impact reached beyond funding that single position. Senior staff had an experienced mentor to turn to, which strengthened staff preparedness and helped build a stronger leadership team. The campers benefited from having confident, supported leaders who could be fully present for them. This is the ripple effect of our Mission and Service gifts. When we invest in people, that investment reaches entire communities. At Camp Kee-Mo-Kee, this has not only supported staff and campers for one summer. It’s created a model of mentorship that can continue developing strong camp leaders for years to come.
Our gifts through Mission and Service help strengthen communities by creating places where children and youth can belong, grow, build meaningful relationships, and experience God’s love. Let’s give generously so camps like Camp Kee-Mo-Kee can continue nurturing leaders, supporting campers, and creating meaningful experiences for generations to come.
– Thank you –
Refugee Project
Nov 17, 2022
As we watch with disbelief a war waging in the Ukraine and over 600,000 being displaced in under one week fleeing the bombs, we appreciate the greater need that exists to welcome refugees. Our faith calls us to respond and through this ministry, we try to answer this call. Our Lenten Project for this year was our St. Paul’s Refugee Campaign, to raise funds for our work with refugees. As you know, we are working with St. Mark’s Anglican/Lutheran Church to sponsor a family from Syria who just last week arrived here in Canada. We are also working with a local Afghani family in co–sponsoring six members of their family who have fled Afghanistan and the have now arrived. With the invasion of Ukraine, we know that there are now many more refugees who have fled their homes and we have no idea if they will be able to safely return to their own country or not.
To donate to our Refugee fund, please make your cheque payable to St. Paul’s United Church and clearly mark on the memo line of the cheque that is for the Refugee Fund. If you are making an e–transfer or donation online through our website, then please indicate that it is for this fund. Thank you
Scott Warnock, Executive Director of the Huronia Community Foundation, presents a cheque for $2,000 to Ken Woods, of St. Paul’s Refugee Committee.
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St. Paul’s United Church in Midland is in the process of sponsoring a family from Afganistan, and is also assisting St. Mark’s Anglican – Lutheran church as they are sponsoring a family from Syria.
St. Paul’s has a long history of sponsoring refugees going back to the 70s with the sponsorship of a family fleeing Vietnam after the war.
All funds raised will be used to cover the costs of supporting the refugee families once they arrive in Canada, for the sponsorship period of 12 months.
Refugee Programs
We asked Rev Martin Giebel, from St. Mark’s, for an update on the Ismail and Maghrebi families which is included here.
The Ismail family (from Syria): all the children are in school, enjoying it and making progress both in English and academically. The father is employed. Regarding the son who is still in Germany, his application is now at the Vienna visa office – it’s progressing.
The Maghrebi family (from the Ukraine): everyone doing well. They are now in their own apartment.
The Maghrebi family are in touch with the Ismail family and Rev. Martin visits both regularly. The two mothers, Jihan and Svitlana, are forming a friendship even though both hardly speak any English – they ‘understand’ each other.
Everyone takes ESL lessons. Rev Martin is trying to establish in-person ESL in Midland.
We have a Travel Date for the family from Afghanistan; for now, it is for late October (no names and dates are included for their safety). We are making efforts to bring them to Canada as soon as possible as the situation where they are is very dangerous; we are very concerned.
We are all grateful for the safe arrival of all refugees; please pray for those who are still waiting to travel to Canada, and safety.
This family has arrived and more information will be forth coming.