The Indiana e-Christian

Iglesia Hermandad Cristiana (IHC) (Discípulos de Cristo) in Indianapolis, Ind. has had a very full summer.  In the spring of this year, the congregation wrote a grant proposal to the Regional Commission on Reconciliation for funds that would allow them to send their junior and senior high students to the Indiana Region’s camp programs during the months of June and July. 

Youth and other members from Iglesia Hermandad Cristiana pose with Associate Regional Minister Carolyn Reed following the celebration on August 23.

As a result of the grant being approved and additional regional camp scholarships being secured through the Regional Office, 18 youth were able to attend the summer camp programs offered at Camp Barbee and Bedford Church Camp.  In addition, one of the young adults from IHC, Francisco Pérez, was also able to serve as a counselor for the Bedford CYF Camp in July.

On Sunday, August 23, IHC held a special celebration in recognition of the youth that were able to attend, the congregation’s leadership that provided transportation to and from the camps and Carolyn Reed from the Regional staff. 

Alejandra Alpizar represented the youth of IHC and expressed the appreciation for the experience. He indicated that the time at camp is now motivating the youth from IHC to become more involved not only with the local church youth program but also with other opportunities that will be offered by the Region throughout the year.

The youth, mostly Hispanic with one Vietnamese member, were first time attendees to such an event.  One of the purposes of the camp experience, as it was outlined in the proposal to the Commission on Reconciliation, was to provide and share a multicultural experience to the  youth of IHC for this summer’s camp program.

IHC is grateful to the whole Regional staff for their collaboration throughout this process.  We are especially thankful to Cheryl Cloar, who presented the request before the Commission on Reconciliation, Carolyn Reed, who had major responsibility for working with registration and assignments for the campers, and Vonnie Cloud and Enid Colón who worked with finalizing registrations through the Regional Office.

Following the camp programs, the congregation was also involved with different aspects of the General Assembly which met in Indianapolis, IN from July 29 to August 2.  On Sunday, August 2, IHC, together with Meadlawn Christian Church and Casa del Alfarero, served as host to over 150 in worship, primarily Hispanic delegates to the General Assembly, at the Meadlawn Church facility.  The Reverend Héctor Méndez, one of the founding pastors of IHC, was the guest speaker.

IHC is grateful to all who have helped to make this a very memorable summer and commit to working towards other such experiences that can unite us as one Church in Christ.

It’s time to get Bedford Christian Camp ready for the summer camping season. The spring work day at Bedford Camp is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2009, beginning at 8:00 a.m.

Many volunteers are needed for the various chores of spring cleaning in buildings and cleaning up debris on the grounds. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The most pressing needs are the spring cleaning of cabins, bathhouses, Craft Cabin and Overlook Lodge. The camp also needs people that day to remove fallen limbs from the mown areas.

There is always wood to be cut, split and stacked.

Contact Leila Dailey, associate pastor at First Christian Church in Bedford, for more information and to say you will be coming. The church needs an accurate count in order to prepare food and supplies. Please contact Leila at the church, (812) 275-4497 or by email to let her know the size of your group.

The Camp Commission has released the schedule for camps and conferences at Bedford Christian Camp and Camp Barbee for the summer of 2009. 

The schedule for the coming summer includes three sessions of Grandparent and Me, two at Barbee and one at Bedford.  Grandparent and Me camp has been growing in popularity since its introduction two years ago.

The Camp Barbee schedule includes CROSS Camp for outdoor sports and recreation as well as MAD Camp for music, art and drama.  Four sessions of Young Disciples Camp, two at each campground, will be held again this summer.

Created to Be Me, the eighth grade camp focused on sexuality and faith issues, will be held at Camp Camby in 2009.  Camp Camby is located in Camby, Indiana, between Indianapolis and Mooresville.  This is the only camp available for eighth graders, so Camp Camby was selected in part because of the central location.

A complete schedele of camps and conferences for 2009 is available at http://www.indianadisciples.org/camp2009.php.