Jerry Olstad named Interim Executive Director for Crossways Camping Ministries

On behalf of the Crossways Board of Directors, I am pleased and excited to announce that Mr. Jerry Olstad has been named Interim Executive Director for Crossways Camping Ministries. The Executive Committee of the Board had endorsed the Transition Task Force's recommendation of Mr. Olstad for the position. Mr. Olstad has accepted the offer and will start in this position on January 15, 2011.

Jerry comes to us with a lifetime of experience in camping ministry. In addition to 20 years of direct leadership involvement with camps, Jerry served as the National Director of Camping with the old ALC and as the National Director of Outdoor Ministries for the ELCA until 1996. He also served as the ELCA National Director of Vision Mission Offering from 1997 until his retirement in 2000. Since his "official" retirement, Jerry has successfully served as Interim Executive Director of camping ministries in Minnesota and California. He most recently served as Interim Executive Director at Lutherwood Camp and Retreat Center in Bellingham, Washington. Jerry and his wife Diane have a residence in Cambridge, Minnesota.

Jerry obviously comes to us with a wealth of experience. In each of his Interim roles he has also worked with the Boards to develop a strategic plan for the future and has guided and assisted with the search for a permanent Executive Director. The Executive Committee plans to draw on that expertise as we move forward.

The Executive Committee is very pleased with the work that the Transition Planning Task Force has done and is thankful for their service to Crossways. We are now looking forward to this new phase of our ministry together.

As we go forward together in the New Year, please include in your prayers Mr. Olstad and all Crossways staff members, Crossways' Board of Directors and the ministries through this camp so that we can continue to boldly bring people together in Christ so that lives are changed and communities enhanced.

Shalom,

Pastor Rich Block
President, Board of Directors
Crossways Camping Ministries

Job posting - Interim Executive Director for Crossways Camping Ministries

This position would be 8-10 months in length and is open to all rostered and non-rostered persons interested. Please read carefully the attached job description/expectations and consider if you or someone you know may be an asset to Crossways in our time of transition. Please feel free to print and share this information with potential candidates.

This is an important role for Crossways and we will be looking to fill this position in a timely manner. Resumes and references should be submitted to the task force chair:

For more information, please contact:
Steve Olson
71 Continental Ct.
Appleton, WI 54911-1607
stevenholson@gmail.com
Phone: 920/540-8611

Deadline
October 18, 2010

For more information, please click here.

Executive Director Position Transition

Member Congregations of Crossways Camping Ministries Association:

Rev. Wayne Harrison has informed the Board of Directors of his plan to resign as Executive Director of Crossways camping Ministries effective November 30, 2010. We appreciate all of the passion and work that Pastor Harrison has brought to the ministry of Crossways. We also pray God’s blessings upon him as he moves with his family to Ohio.

“What are we going to do now?” is a question that quickly comes to the surface of conversations. Here is our plan.

1. We need to celebrate with thanksgiving the ministry of Pastor Wayne. There will be a farewell celebration on October 23. Please refer to the Celebration information enclosed with this mailing.
2. We have consulted with the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries churchwide office and have received valuable support and information from Mark Burkhardt.
3. Because the Board of Directors feels that this time is an opportunity to review and prepare for the future, we will be developing a Strategic Plan this fall. In conducting this plan we will draw upon the insights of people from the Association. If you have information for us to consider, please contact Pastor Rich Block at pastorrich.mtcalvary@frontier.com.
4. In the meantime, we have established a four person Transition Planning Task Force with the purpose of facilitating our transition time and recommending to the Executive Board an Interim Executive Director. The plan is that this person will be hired by December 1, 2010.
5. In December and January a Search Committee will be formed to employ an Executive Director. With the information from our Strategic Plan and a position description from the Board, the Search Committee will begin work. We have a target date of introducing a new Crossways Executive Director to the Association on September 2, 2011.
   

This time of transition is not a time to “retreat” from our support of Crossways. Rather, we encourage you to continue to support the ministries of Crossways as a vital extension of the ministries in your congregation. Please pray for the camps, the staff and the Board of Directors during this time.

Shalom,

Executive Board of the Board of Directors
Pastor Rich Block, President
Jeff Roznowski, Vice-President
Dave Down, Treasurer
Pastor Ben Sheets, Secretary

Resignation of Executive Director, Pastor Wayne Harrison

Dear Friends of Crossways,

As many of you have already heard, I have resigned as the Executive Director of Crossways Camping Ministries effective November 30, 2010. This has not been an easy decision for me, but after a great deal of prayerful thought and deliberation, I decided to leave Crossways to join my family in Columbus, Ohio.

My wife Tondi has accepted a position with Nationwide Children's Hospital as a Research Scientist in the Heart Research Center with a dual appointment to the faculty of the Pediatrics Department at The Ohio State University School of Medicine. This is a tremendous opportunity to advance her study of infants born with congenital heart defects. As a multi-generation household, my daughter and son-in-law and granddaughters who live with us have also relocated to Columbus.

Although I keep hearing from people that they've heard I'm retiring, at this point I have no definite plans to retire. I will be taking a personal sabbatical for a few weeks and then explore my options. Since I am not retiring or seeking a call in a different synod, I will be "on leave from call" until I make such a decision.

This ministry with Crossways has grown to be very dear to my heart and it was a difficult decision to leave. As I look around at the three sites and remember them as they were when I arrived back in the cold winter of 2000, I am amazed at just how much has changed. There have been significant improvements in the facilities at all three sites. I believe we have grown in the quality and variety of the programming offered. I am sure there are more than two dozen of our summer staff who have gone on to seminary either for ordination or for masters degrees in youth and family ministry. I have been particularly blessed to have been able to work with the Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and the 19 young people who have joined us from the Western Diocese during the summers, and to have visited there three times on behalf of Crossways. I believe that relationship's growth has enriched the camp's program, hundreds of our campers and, in fact, many of the congregations in this association.

There are so many things I will dearly miss and which have meant so much to me. But this ministry has never been about me. I love what we do and believe it is critically important to the lives of so many of God's children. Crossways, and all of you, will remain in my thoughts and prayers always. May God continue to bless this ministry for many years to come.

In His Peace,

Pastor Wayne Harrison
Wayne@CrosswaysCamps.org

Note from the Crossways Board of Directors: Information regarding the farewell celebration to be held October 23, 2010 for Pastor Wayne and the plans for the transition of Executive Director will be sent to congregations in the next week.

GoodSearch is giving away another $5,000!

GoodSearch is giving away another $5,000!

$1 will be donated to Crossways for every GoodSearch toolbar downloaded thru Friday May 21, 2010.

Crossways has raised over $375 with GoodSearch since it's inception - let's make that MORE! Please hurry and do this now so that we can earn the $1 bonus per toolbar!

Be one of the first to 5,000 to download and earn $ for Crossways! Please download the toolbar right now by following this link. Keep in mind, there's a $5,000 limit, so make sure you do this now to be one of the first 5,000 people to get to the site!

Our new Crossways Camping Ministries toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause every time you search or shop online! Once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Crossways - at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Crossways!

And, please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference for our cause!

Get the toolbar NOW!

Photo Contest voting is now open!

Crossways' Calendar Photo Contest

Voting is now open!

Here's your chance to share your favorite memories and scenes of camp with others. Choose your top three photos to be included in the Crossways Camping Ministries' 2011 Photo Calendar. Will your favorite photo be chosen?

Vote for your three favorites!

Voting will close May 1st.

Pine Lake Family Art Jubilee, July 24th

Find out the winners of the photo contest at the Pine Lake Family Art Jubilee, July 24th. Calendars will be on sale beginning at the event. Join us for camp activities, crafts, lunch, and cherries jubilee. Art created by friends of Crossways and local artists will be on sale throughout the day. Bring the whole family to this event!

Contact us with questions at info@crosswayscamps.org or 920-882-0023.

Join us on May 1st for Crossways' Spring Work Day!

Crossways’ Spring Work Day is drawing near! Join us on Saturday May 1st, 2010 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm to get ready for the summer camping season. Stop up at your favorite site of Crossways to lend a hand in raking, washing windows, splitting wood, or helping with general clean-up.

Come on your own or bring a whole group! We’d love to see you there! Lunch and refreshments will be provided by Crossways as a Thank You for your time and hard work.

Please RSVP to the site you plan on attending by Wednesday, April 28th.

Imago Dei Village, Clintonville - 715-823-2902
Pine Lake Camp, Waupaca - 715-258-3813
Waypost Camp, Hatley - 715-454-6487

Farewell Tim & Rae Wilkinson!

Please join us to celebrate Tim & Rae's ministry with Crossways!

Over the last 29 years Tim and Rae Wilkinson have touched the lives of thousands of people. Join us in celebrating Tim & Rae's ministry with Crossways before they move to Petersburg, Alaska for a new, exciting adventure.

Tim began his service to Crossways as the Property Manager at Imago Dei Village on January 1, 1981. Tim and Rae moved to Waypost in October, 1990 where Tim became the Property Manager and Retreat Host. And that was just the beginning! A few years later, Rae began to work in the kitchen at Waypost, serving delicious meals to retreat guests and summer campers. She managed the kitchen until 2006. In 2001, Tim began a split position working as the Property Man-ager for both Imago Dei Village and Waypost. In 2007, Tim was once again able to give his full attention to the grounds and facilities of Waypost.

Now, Tim and Rae have an exciting new opportunity ahead of them as they move to Petersburg, Alaska to live near their daughter and son-in-law. Tim's last day with Crossways will be around April 20th.

Farewell Open House at Waypost Camp
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
4:30 pm- 7 pm
Hors d'oeuvres and beverages provided, formal program at 6:30 pm.

Planning on coming? RSVP by April 5.
RSVP's are appreciated, but not required.

Please pass this information along to anyone who may know or have been touched by Tim and Rae's service to Crossways.

Enter in the Crossways Photo Contest

Join us as we celebrate the beautiful sites of Crossways Camping Ministries. Now is your chance to share that perfect photo of a Waypost sunset, the Pine Lake chapel, or winter fun at Imago Dei Village.

Entries accepted February 24—April 1.
Vote for your favorite photo April 15-May 1.

Thirteen winning photos will be featured in a 2011 Crossways Calendar available for sale starting at the Pine Lake Family Art Jubilee on July 24, 2010.

Only $10 per entry and all proceeds benefit Crossways Camping Ministries.

Read the Photo Contest Rules and enter now!

Notice of 2009 Annual Meeting

Saturday, February 20, 2010
10:00 am (with light lunch to follow)
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Neenah, WI

Who should attend? Congregations may elect/appoint two voting delegates to represent them at the Annual Meeting. Delegates should be elected/appointed for a full year. From time to time it is necessary that we have a special meeting of delegates. Whenever you elect new delegates, please let our office know. You can report your delegate information to us by using this form or by calling us at 920-882-0023.

What about weather? Wisconsin weather is always unpredictable. Sometimes we get surprise storms, as happened last year when “snow flurries” turned into something much more than that. We still had a wonderful turnout. While we hope the weather will cooperate, the Board has set an alternate date of February 27 if bad weather forces postponement. Details on how notice of a decision to postpone will be announced will be included in the material packets sent out prior to the meeting.

Delegate packets will be mailed to all delegates of record (those delegates whose names and addresses you have given to Crossways) and congregations at least two weeks prior to the meeting. If you or your delegates have not received them prior to February 12, please call our office to let us know or email us.

We sincerely trust that you and your delegates will have the best information possible in making important decisions in our partnership in ministry. We Thank You for your partnership in “bringing people together in Christ so lives are changed and communities enhanced.”

The Board of Directors
Crossways Camping Ministries





Directions to St Mark Lutheran Church




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