Impact Report | North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries

ELI PARTICIPANTS
What are your God-given strengths? What are you passionate about?
Is there only one way to lead, or does a leader lead in different ways
based on the needs of a group? What does it mean to be a Christian
servant leader? How do you care for followers? How do you cast a
vision and motivate yourself and others to get after it?
ELI participants spend a week of intense leadership development
diving deeply into these questions, then spend 1-8 weeks practicing
servant leadership together while volunteering as counselors for nearly
1,000 children at local churches all over the northern half of Georgia.
The impact is huge in every direction – for the ELI participants, the day
campers, the families, and the churches.
In 2015, the actual program cost for an ELI participant was $645. This
included the intense leadership development week at Glisson followed
by anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks of continued room and board and
mentorship while practicing servant leadership as a day camp counselor.
Thanks to the generosity of our 2015 program sponsors – North Georgia
Conference Board of Laity, LaGrange College, and Reinhardt University
– applicants accepted to the program automatically received a $500
leadership award toward their ELI fee, dramatically reducing the cost
from $645 to $145. We were thrilled to be able to offer the same high
quality leadership development at a fee that helped make this lifechanging
experience a possibility for more youth than ever.
2013 2014 2015
27 34 51
Grow In Faith,
Develop As Leaders,
Make A Difference
Eli Program Sponsors Make Servant Leader Development
More Accessible
ELI 2016 Schedule
The Experiential Leadership Institute (ELI) is a safe space for rising 11th
and 12th grade youth to discover, practice and reflect on their emerging
leadership skills in live ministry settings. Put simply, ELI is a chance to
grow in faith, develop as leaders, and make a difference.
In 2015, 51 ELI participants volunteered 5,750+ hours as day camp
counselors making camp ministry experiences possible for 928 children
at 32 local churches across the North Georgia Conference. We’ve made
room for 100+ ELI in 2016. Our ultimate goal is to immerse over 200
rising high school juniors and seniors each year in a culture of Christian
servant leadership conducive to hearing God’s call in their lives and
being better prepared to respond.
October ‘15 - April ‘16 May 29 - June 3, 2016 June ‘16 - July ‘16 Fall ‘16
Applications, Interviews,
Registration
ELI Leadership Training
Week + Commissioning
1 to 8 Servant Leadership Weeks
As Day Camp Counselors +
Summer Celebration Banquet
Servant Leadership Role
in Home Church
Taylor’s
ELI Story
“ELI changed her life.”
Pellum Peters couldn’t stop talking about the impact ELI had on his
daughter, Taylor. He told one staff member in-person, then talked to
another by phone, then sent a follow-up email to make sure we caught
it all.
“This experience gave her a new sense of accountability and
responsibility for serving her peers – a new desire to help her peers in
the development of their relationship with Jesus Christ.”
While many ELI participants have been Glisson campers in the past, a
camp ministry environment was foreign to Taylor at first.
“Her confidence grew,” Pellum explained. “She was initially very hesitant
going into a strange environment with people she did not know. It was
an opportunity to trust Jesus in a way that she had not previously. She
walked out on faith.”
“It was very inspiring…”
A few months removed from summer, Taylor reflected on her experience.
“It was very inspiring – looking at yourself, at your leadership style,
and getting experience working with others and seeing life from their
perspective. Stepping into a new environment and meeting new people
prepared me to make new friends in college. And talking about others’
faith and experiences allowed me to grow closer to God.”
When asked what she loved about ELI, Taylor mentioned listening to
the campers’ stories, and that while being a day camp counselor could
be challenging at times, “The kids didn’t want to leave and neither did I.
Every day was a good time.”
ELI participants debrief with their mentors on a daily basis. That practice
has stuck with Taylor moving forward.
Emily (2015)
Northpoint Church
”This summer truly changed
my life. The change in my
mindset has already been
so evident this year as I go
through senior year. ELI
helped me find my passions.
I have found that I am truly
passionate about servant
leadership, and since the
summer has ended, I have
been heavily looking into longterm
opportunities to serve in
the mission field.”
Joseph (2014-15)
Kennesaw UMC
“ELI is the perfect training
program that teaches you the
skills and mindset for being
a leader of all age groups.
Everyday is perfectly planned
out to give you real-life
situations. I couldn’t have
asked for a better way to learn
about leadership.”
Jorge (2014-15)
McEachern UMC
“I came into ELI with
leadership skills from the
sports that I play, but I was a
little shy about taking a lead
role outside of sports. Now I
know more about my natural
strengths and how to use them
in a variety of new settings,
and I’m the first to volunteer
and take on harder tasks
because through ELI, I learned
that everything is possible with
faith and Christ.”
ELI · EXPERIENTIAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
“Evening reflections helped me make the next day better. I find myself
reflecting on my experiences every day. I try not to be too hard on
myself when things go wrong – just reflect and find a way to make it
better. I pray a lot.”
Pellum was thrilled with his daughter’s experience and just thrilled in
general that ELI exists.
“ELI should be a priority in the church. It’s crucial for the growth of the
church and the development of our youth into the type of adults that
will make the church vital and vibrant on into the foreseeable future – to
bring about the change that we say we’re about.”
Pellum praised the chance to learn leadership theory at a young age
and then the opportunity to put it into practice immediately, solidifying
the lessons learned. He also made a point to note the cultural aspect
of the experience. “Serving all types of churches – small/large, urban/
rural, black/white – encourages innovation in one’s approach for
making disciples for Jesus Christ.”
Taylor wrapped up her thoughts on her experience with this encouraging
directive:
“Everybody should do ELI.”
Leaders Circle
Helping Raise a Generation
of Servant Leaders
For 2016, we’re looking for a group of
leading congregations to partner with
ELI in developing Christian servant
leaders by identifying five emerging
young leaders in their church and
supporting them through the ELI
experience. Contact us to become part
of The Leaders Circle.
Margaret (2014-15)
Mt. Pisgah UMC
“Last summer I had the most
incredible experience of my
life. The training week had
a huge impact on the way I
see myself as a leader. I loved
learning the way people work
together and my different
strengths. I discovered that
leadership doesn’t have to
be loud and crazy and that
my leadership style is very
relational.”
Reid (2013-14)
Lawrenceville First UMC
“Now, I know what I want to
spend my life doing. I want to
go into ministry after college.
Specifically, children and camp
& retreat ministry areas inspire
me. I feel like God is calling
me to do this, and I know a
life doing something I’m truly
passionate about is a life
well spent – especially if it is
potentially changing the lives
of others. My ELI experience
has blessed me beyond belief
and has pointed me in a
whole new direction I never
imagined.”
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries 7 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 IMPACT REPORT · 2015 8
North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries