umbrella over walcamp!

On a weekend that was supposed to be just rain and more rain, God answered our humble prayers and turned off the clouds right around the time we arrived at camp. It was plenty wet, chilly and muddy, but we powered through that triple threat and had a blast inside and outside. Joining us was our friend and former IYC youth volunteer extraordinaire Jeff W, as well as the youth he is now leading at St James in Chicago. Take a look at our weekend album at this link- you'll feel the good vibes!

What a road trip this summer, 700 lively miles all the way out to Frederick, Maryland! Once we arrived, it was a very blessed week of serving the residents in need in that region, and serve we did with the love of Jesus and in his name!

Connect with our experience at our "On the Job" and "Downtime" albums for a taste of what we experienced!

In Christ, Tom

pass the suntan lotion...

It was another chapter in the perpetual "learn not to burn" story at the dunes Saturday. A beautiful bright-sun day with 70 degree air and water. The red flags put a damper on our splash party, but we kept it safe and close to shore with an epic guys against girls keep-away battle I will not soon forget. Take a look at our photo album at this link and join in the fun next summer!

road trip to the rock!

We kicked off summer with a day trip downstate to Starved Rock State Park. It was a blast hiking and climbing through miles and miles of trails on a beautiful day. Experience the day with our photo album at this link!

super moon over walcamp!

T'was a weekend of firsts- the first IYC retreat during a supermoon, the first Walcamp late-night hayride, the first retreat ever for our fieldworker Rebecca and the first time she's ever led a retreat. It ended up being a great weekend, and God blessed her leadership and our lives, too. Take a look through the album at this link!

hot sand, cold surf, warm memories!

Even though we were stormed out of our first date, we persevered and made it to the dunes for a beautiful September Saturday. Unlike last year, no red flags were keeping us out of the lake- the water temperature did that! Take a look at our dunes album here to see how we squeezed a great day together out of a cold lake!

workcamp 2016 lives up to it's theme!

Our week in Imperial, PA lived up to the camp theme: Extraordinary!
Our crew served well and played well all week, and God was faithful to us in so many ways! Look for our Annual Report to be published soon, and for now, let the pictures do the talking. Click here for our worksite images and here for everything in between.

in christ alone in nola!

We're back from the National Gathering in New Orleans, and it was a memorable week of  road tripping, celebrating, growing, bonding... and eating! Our IYC and Trinity teens made the most of all that God had for us, and we found unity "In Christ Alone". Check out our photo gallery at this link. Praise God for blessing our trip so abundantly!

IYC is "Goin' to the Show" this Sunday, to experience the resurrection of our Lord in a different way through the movie "Risen". After the movie, we'll dine together and break down the story, digging for faith insights and biblical truth in our discussion together.
Meet at the Seven Bridges Cinemark theater at 4pm. Tickets should be $4.50, and bring dinner money, too. Call me if you need a ride to the theater, and feel free to carpool with other IYC'ers. Parents, if you'd like to see this film, you are welcome to join us for this event!

the year of the honeycomb at walcamp!

We squeezed a lot of living into our Walcamp weekend, and we're thanking God for the fantastic early November weather! During our study time, we were looking for God in the music we know and love, and, wouldn't you know it, we found him! Other highlights included our first pizza box torching, a frisbee-twist on Capture the Flag, communion with Pastor Nate, volleyball explosion, Sunday Morning Bible Time with Mrs Crowe and our very first honeycomb bonfire. Take a look at our retreat album by clicking here!

reframing in red lake

Our workcamp journey to the Red Lake Nation in northern Minnesota this July was a blessed one! As our crews spread out around the Red Lake region to do some needed "reframing" of homes in need of repair, we were challenged back at camp to "reframe" our understanding of Jesus and what it means to live for him. Take a look at what we experienced both at our worksites (here) and away from them (here) during this faith adventure!

seeing red at the dunes!

Our Dunes Trek 2015 was a rarity, and possibly a first- a red flag beach day all day. But rather than crawling into our beach blankets for a good cry, we did what we could, which was a whole lot in the great dunes weather. We took away a lot of memories, pockets full of sand and some good pics- take a look at them here and don't miss the fun a year from now!

brrrrrr's and burrs... 2x the fun at walcamp!

So we learned some practical things at Walcamp on the IYC Fall Retreat. One is that you can't wander around Walcamp in the fall with a blindfold on and not end up plastered full of prickly burrs. Another is that max capacity of the fire ring is 15, and the fire ring is the place to be when the mercury drops into the 20's. Fieldworker Ben led us all weekend, and we had a great time chillin' for real. Take a look at our gallery here!

dunes day 2014!

Our Dunes Trek to Warren Dunes in Michigan was everything we could hope for- fine, fine weather, lots of relaxing and reconnecting in a recreational wonderland only God could conceive of and create. Take a look at how we spent the day (click here) and join us next summer!

challenged and blessed in midland

Our mission adventure to the "crook of the thumb" in Michigan was just that! This Challenge Workcamp was loaded with construction and roofing projects that blessed us, and will bless our residents this winter and for years to come, too. God gets all the glory, though, for building our crew and empowering us to serve him and our residents in his name. The theme was "Repair"- outwardly, at our worksites, and inwardly, as we opened ourselves up for repair by our gracious Lord. Take a look at what we experienced both on (here) and off (here) our worksites during this intense week of service.

bonding and building at walcamp

The Teambuilder Overnight last weekend did just that as we worked in crews shaping up Walcamp in many ways. God blessed us in many ways, and gave us fabulous weather to work and play in. Get a feel for what went on at the photo gallery on the sidebar, or click here.

warm friends and cool weather: the fall retreat!

The Fall Retreat at Walcamp was very cool in multiple ways... One way gave us a true appreciation of the warmth of the campfire, and another appreciation of the unique gifts and personalities he put in us, and another a greater appreciation of our amazing Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thanks to those who "retreated" from the speed and noise of our daily lives to experience life together in God's wide open creation. Take a look at some of the pics at this link!

taking a stand in west virginia!

We returned renewed from the hollers' of West Virginia on July 27th after a week of ground level ministry. Our Kanawha River Workcamp was doubly blessed by God- a blessing to us and to the people of that region. Share the adventure in the pictures of our crew on the worksites and during our downtime away from our worksites. Say a prayer of thanks for all that God did through and around us!

living loved in san antonio!

Wow! The LCMS National Gathering week in San Antonio was a real adventure! Our team really did a great job of diving into everything the Gathering had to offer, and I think each would say that they were blessed and strengthened in many ways as we grew in faith and celebrated with the other 25,000 participants along the River Walk, at the Convention Center and the Alamo Dome. Get a hint of what it was like at *this link*...

sending off emily & nicole this sunday the 28th!

The time...
it flies! Nicole and Emily have been faithfully serving here at Immanuel for about 3 years, and they are finishing their classes and
heading out on their DCE internships. In honor of that, we will be sending them off with a nice BBQ Party this Sunday. Add your own side dish or dessert to the provided BBQ main dish and drinks and be at Tom's (5730 Hillcrest Rd) this Sunday beginning at 6pm. Wear some active clothes- the weather looks like it's going to be great!
In Christ, Tom