TEEN CAMP LEADER APPLICATION
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your willingness to be a camp leader at Ekklesia Camp. Without you camp just wouldn't work. I ask that you please look over the short descriptions of each position and prayerfully decide which to apply to (you can apply to more than one). Be aware, just because you apply to a certain leadership position does not mean that that will be the one you are assigned, and in some cases you may be told you will not be needed at camp this year.
Since our name can be translated “Church Camp”, why not structure camp as close as we can to the way the Church is structured? We will have people who focus more on spiritual leadership (like shepherds are to do), those who focus more on physical leadership (like deacons are to do), those who will focus on service leadership (as a lot of ministers do), and those who are being trained in leadership (as I would hope would happen in all churches). Since we don’t necessarily have Shepherds, Deacons, and Ministers at camp, we will give them names that coincide with positions we have at camp. Below you will find the descriptions of each.
- Nick
Camp Director
Since our name can be translated “Church Camp”, why not structure camp as close as we can to the way the Church is structured? We will have people who focus more on spiritual leadership (like shepherds are to do), those who focus more on physical leadership (like deacons are to do), those who will focus on service leadership (as a lot of ministers do), and those who are being trained in leadership (as I would hope would happen in all churches). Since we don’t necessarily have Shepherds, Deacons, and Ministers at camp, we will give them names that coincide with positions we have at camp. Below you will find the descriptions of each.
- Nick
Camp Director
TRIBE LEADER
Like the Shepherds of a church you are the Spiritual leaders at camp, and you will do that mostly through Tribes and additionally teaching classes and/or delivering sermons.
- Can be men and women, expectations will differ for men and women.
- Men will be required to either teach a class, deliver a sermon, or both as well as lead your evening tribe time.
- Women will be required to help your tribe time leading partner in leading evening tribe times. You will also be asked to (by yourself or partnering with another leader) lead or help facilitate a bonus class during free time. This class could meet one day, all week, or anything in between. It could be for girls only, or a certain age group that you and a male leader facilitate together. You will also deliver or mentor others in delivering devotionals for the girl’s cabin devotionals. And will make sure your tribe is involved in each class they attend.
- You will lead your tribe, which form the backbone of camp, during your tribe time each evening. This time can be seen as time to just goof off but is some of the richest time you have each day to really dig into who these kids are and help them with spiritual matters. This is like families meeting each night and discussing their day in deeper ways than just, “what did you do today.” With the help of a Tribe Time Leader Prompt you will lead your group in spiritual discussions over the Bible passage discussed during evening worship. You are not limited to this topic and the things in the Tribe Time Leader Prompt, but it is something to help you get started.
- Although you are to focus on being a Spiritual Leader during the week of camp, you may be asked to serve in another capacity as well, depending on the makeup of the members of leadership at camp each year. The goal is that you mostly focus on the things written above and not on other matters. Part of that idea is that you would not be required to be in the cabins with the campers, but in a cabin that is just adults. Again, this would depend on the makeup of the camp leadership each year.
CABIN LEADER
Like the Deacons of a church you are the physical leaders at camp, and you will do that mostly through being responsible for the kids in your cabin, and other responsibilities such as canteen, photographers, lifeguards, sports, etc.
- Your main responsibility is to make sure the kids in your cabin are in the cabin when they are supposed to be and not in the cabin when they aren’t.
- They are supposed to be in the cabin after Lights Out through right before Breakfast, during Cabin Clean-up, during ICFOB, if they are changing before and after Swimming, Clean-up before Supper, and if they need to change before our Evening Activity.
- All other times they should not be in the Cabin.
- Other expectations include:
- Having the kids actually clean up during Cabin Clean-Up.
- Make sure the whole cabin is there for breakfast on time and has what they need for their classes and dressed appropriately for sports. (Your cabin cannot eat until the entire cabin is present.)
- Make sure they are aware of and complete their cabin assignments throughout the week. Leading Morning Devotional, doing Mess Hall and Bathroom Cleanup for the boys and Meal Helpers and Bathroom Cleanup for the Girls.
- Make sure they all get to Morning Devotional on time.
- Make sure they leave After Hours on time and go straight to the cabin.
- You will be a member of a tribe but will not be a leader in the same since that the Tribe leaders are. You will cheerleader and a helper to the Tribe leaders you will particularly help during the tribe sports, evening activities, and making sure tribe projects get done.
- You may also be asked to organize or lead a devotional, either for Campfire (men) or Cabin Devotional (men and women).
STAFF LEADER
Like many Ministers in the church you will focus on a more specific job at camp, such as director, nurse, or kitchen staff. Some of these are more physically focused and some are more spiritually focused, but they are all jobs that need to be done.
- Director: your main responsibilities are to make sure the staff is organized and that you have trained them for their positions and equipped them with the tools they need to deliver the best service they can for the teens and to God’s glory.
- Assistant Director: your main responsibilities are to assist the director in making sure the staff is organized and are trained for their positions and are equipped with the tools they need to deliver the best service they can for the teens and to God's glory. You will also have a specific area of camp in which you are over such as Tribe Leaders, Cabin Leaders, etc.
- Nurse: your main responsibilities are to make sure you collect at check-in and keep track of campers/leaders medications, be available for medical issues that may arise, make sure the camp is aware of any health related issues that will help us through our week, and communicate with the director about needs or issues that arise.
- Head Kitchen Staff: your main responsibilities are to organize and purchase items for the week’s menu, recruit additional kitchen staff, and communicate with the director about needs or issues that arise.
- Kitchen Staff: your main responsibilities are to help the Head Kitchen Staff in their duties and making sure things are done in a timely manner.
LEARNING TO BE LEADERS (LTL)
This is for someone who is between the ages of 18-21 and has been out of high school for at least a year. Something that is so desperately needed within the church is for the current leaders to be training their eventual replacements, that is what this position is all about. You will be expected to shadow a Tribe Leader, a Cabin Leader, the Nurse, a member of the Kitchen Staff, and the Director/Assistant Directors
- You will be assigned to a Tribe for the week, use your time outside of tribe events to ask them questions about the position. You are encouraged to participate fully with your Tribe in all their activities that don’t interfere with your other duties.
- You will be assigned to a cabin for the week, use this time to ask them questions about the position. Although you do have the authority to enforce the rules, it would be best to defer to the cabin leader you are shadowing if the issue seems somewhat serious.
- You will be assigned for one day of the week to shadow the Nurse and learn about their position. Use this time to ask them questions.
- You will be assigned for one day of the week to shadow the Kitchen Staff, learn about their position, and help them in their duties. Use this time to ask them questions.
- You will be assigned for one day of the week to shadow the Director/Assistant Directors and learn about their position. Use this time to ask them questions.