Boys Adrift

The retreat ministry at HoneyRock is slowing down a little.  By slowing down, i mean that we have only been having guests on the weekends so we have had some time during the week to do other things.  Last week we went downhill skiing (I snowboarded) on Wednesday.  We had a couple inches of fresh powder so that made for a pretty good day.  This week I will be doing work projects around camp on Wednesday and Thursday.

This last weekend was very different compared to previous weeks where we have dealt with a lot of suburban  middle and high schoolers.  This week we had an inner city group and i was working with a full age range church group.  It was a refreshing to work with all ages at once and to find ways to encourage small children, middle schoolers, and adults who have been coming to HoneyRock for longer than i have been alive!  It was amazing to see them experience community with one another and be challenged by being out in God's creation.

By this point you are probably wondering at the title of this blog post, "Boys Adrift".  This happens to be the title of a book that i just finished reading by Dr. Sax, a MD and PhD Psychologist who has been studying the changes in American culture and how that has affected the motivation of young men to succeed in life.  Boys Adrift is a must read for parents, those involved in ministry, and those in their 20's who are wondering what has happened to them and around them.  I would place myself in 2 of those categories so the book has been very instrumental in my learning about my self and about how to frame ministry that i am involved in.
-Things i have learned about myself:  1- I am very competitive.  This may sound like a strange thing to learn at my age, but i have always thought i wasn't competitive because i didn't play competitive sports.  2- There are educational reasons why I have disliked school.  3- I like to have some control over the environment that I am in.  4- I am very visionary.
-Things i have learned about ministry:  Most boys thrive on low levels of competition whereas most girls thrive on having experiences together.  Thus it is best to frame activities for mixed groups in such a way that there are some levels of competition and opportunities to have shared experiences.  This plays out on the micro scale with a few well timed words of encouragement to the macro level of setting up an activity or even a whole retreat.  It is important to have some level of gender specific ministry so that better mentoring and more intentional programming can take place.

I feel that this week i have received several confirmations on my calling to experiential education ministry that will probably take place in the camp setting.  One of them was through reading Boys Adrift and getting excited about encouraging people from that mindset.  Also several adults that I worked with told me that thought i had found my calling and they were very encouraged by my ministry to them.  I also have seen ways that God has been working in groups and in lives around me.  It is exciting to see the ways that God has been working in my life, through my life, and in the lives of those around me.  I have a lot more to learn about camping ministry and i am excited venture further down that road.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a statue of a Hodag :)

Wow, It's February!

Hi Friends and Family!  I really not quite sure where the last few weeks went.  So much has happened that it could easily been several months but yet it has flown by.  I have had the opportunity to work with a number of different groups, primarily middle school and high school ages, that have come from schools and churches.  Most groups that come are from the Chicago area or southern Wisconsin.  So for them, they are coming north to "get away" and grow in their relationships with God and each other.  My role has been to create space for groups to have these experiences, teach lessons, and lead activities.  Doing these things has been challenging and rewarding.  It has been wonderful to learn more about how to connect with and engage people in ways that will be meaningful to them and point them toward Christ.

I have also had the opportunity to officially visit Wheaton College, tour the campus, look at the grad program options and talk to some of the professors.  The particular program that i'm looking at is designed in such a way that it would really tie together my previous educational and camping experiences in a way that would allow me to have better understanding as I serve in future camping ministries.  I don't know if or when I will do this, but it is encouraging to know that such an opportunity is available.  The trip was also encouraging because it allowed me to see how HoneyRock fits into the greater mission of Wheaton and the role HoneyRock plays in the educational experience.

God is continuing to teach my how to be humble in many ways.  I am thankful that God's Spirit is working in my heart continually assuring me that he is in control and that i can trust in Him in all things.  I am learning the importance of listening to Him and listening to others.  Thus if i were to sum up what i have been learning over the last couple weeks, i would simply say, "Listen!"  The following set of goals have become important to me. I share them so that you can get a glimpse at how God has been working in my life.
-Be intentional
-Spend more time alone with God
-Spend more time with other people
-look for ways to be positive and encouraging with everyone
-actively trust God in all circumstances
-Listen first and speak second and only with gentleness

This weekend we have a couple church groups coming followed by our staff super bowl party.  Most certainly the next few days will be filled with excitement.  Blessings...

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God"


PS here are a couple pictures; broomball and big hill tubing :)

Winter Retreat Season kicks off

The winter retreat season has begun at HoneyRock.  I have been very busy since I have been apart of hosting several retreats back to back.  I have played broomball an average of more than once of day since Christmas.  I must say that my skill level is gradually improving at this sport.  I wish i had pictures of this, but I've been too busying playing to actually take any!  coming soon.

Hosting retreats has been challenging and rewarding as i have been continually faced with opportunities to minister to and encourage those around me as i attempt to create space and opportunities for people to grow.  This has led me to play lots of broomball, lead skiing trips, teach about God, worship and pray with people, and have lots of conversations about what it means to live for Christ.

There are several things that i have grown to understand more.  It is important to maintain an attitude of humility. It is hard to focus outward when you are tired.  It is important to have to times of being still before the Lord in prayer.  This is difficult when one becomes busy.  Intentionality is key.  You can be laid back and still be intentional, but you can't go with the flow.  Being intentional is about always having a reason for everything you do and say in all circumstances.  This is difficult to do from you one's own strength.  It requires a continual dependence on Holy Spirit.

Some incredible things i've seen...  I've seen several groups enter HoneyRock and leave transformed.  I've seen many individuals come and leave changed.  I've seen God working in people's hearts to do a new thing in their life.  I've seen fresh snow.  I've seen my first bald eagle and otter.  I've seen community.

We have many more groups coming this weekend and next.  Pray that we continue to press on and have fresh energy.

Blessings....


PS We built Quincy huts (like an igloo).  Below is inside of one of them.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Staff training has now been completed.  Ready or not here come lots of retreat guests in a few days!  I am currently at home in PA for Christmas.  Tonight and tomorrow will be filled with fellowship, food, presents.  Nevertheless, i still find myself taking the time to reflect, rest, and prepare for the upcoming season.

The last week of training consisted of three important things.  Learning how to cross country ski, learning how to play broomball (and spending hours resurfacing the ice), and praying for the upcoming year of ministry.  The camp has many cross country ski trails, a few of which i've been able to experience.  Broomball is a rediculous sport similar to hockey.  It is rather difficult to play since you don't really get much traction on the ice.  Thus it is very much a team sport which makes it a great camp game.  Prayer has become an ever more important part of ministry for me.  My hope is that if you are reading this that you will take the time to pray for the ministry of HoneyRock.

These pictures were taken the last day of staff training.  As always there are more on Facebook.

Training

We are now a little more that half way through staff training.  Training has been great for several reasons; getting to know the other staff, being outside, learning more about the philosophy of HoneyRock.

Getting to know the other staff has been a blessing.  It seems that we have gone over to a full time staff member's house every other night for times of fellowship.  The eight GPAs are a unique group of people, in that we literally come from all over the country with a wide variety of life experiences.  In some ways this makes things a little more challenging, but on the whole i think it is a blessing to be able to fellowship with other Christians is such fashion.  The highlight of the week was the staff Christmas party in which everyone dressed up in crazy Christmas outfits.  The GPAs reenacted Santa's sleigh with 8 reindeer and Rudolph and came crashing into dinner last night winning third prize, a CD.  I don't have a picture of the whole group.  However, here are Santa and Myself (one of the reindeer).  You can check Facebook or the HoneyRock blog for more photos.  The first is the dining hall which is now becoming decorated for Christmas.

Being outside.  Hum...  Well, to the locals winter has been a little mild so far, but to those of you farther south that are reading this it is getting pretty extreme.  For example today, we were outside all day.  I don't think it was above 5 degrees today, we have around a foot of snow, and the lake is frozen over.  This is just enough for us to learn snowshoeing, start packing down the tube hill and ski trails, and to work almost all day to get 2 of the 3 broomball courts flooding (as in we are making ice rinks).  Here a few outside pictures from before and after our first big snow storm.

HoneyRock is primarily centered about creating a place apart where people can learn and grow in their relationship with God.  Thus, everything that happens here is focused on where people's hearts are before God though enabling them to learn about God and to serve others.  This is for everyone including full time staff, temporary staff, retreat guests, campers, etc.  We strive to be a community with a missional focus.  This means that HoneyRock's reason for existing is to carry about God's work in the world through directly impacting people or enabling people to be sent out into other places of the world.  You can always read more info about this on the HoneyRock website but i just wanted to share these few things with you to demonstrate that i am overjoyed to be here literally making a difference in God's kingdom.

Praises:

-God has done amazing work in laying the foundation for our group to be a great team ready to serve.

-For numerous amazing and encouraging conversations with other staff.

-While it seams that the surrounding towns are pretty spiritually dark, the church is thriving.

Prayer Requests:

-That our community would continue to develop and be service oriented.

-That i would continue to serve others rather than myself.

-That we would continue to grow in our passion for Jesus.

-Several of us (including me) have been dealing with a light head cold (One doesn't notice when outside because our sinuses are frozen :).  Pray for renewed strength.

Blessings from the North Woods!

-Matt

Finally Here

Hello from the North Woods of Wisconsin.  I arrived here on Monday without any major setbacks.  It was snowing rather hard when i first arrived but only for the last little bit of the trip.  My first thoughts when i arrived were this place is pretty amazing and second this place looks just like Narnia complete with the lamp posts (sorry no pictures yet).  Not much snow yet (just a couple inches) because it has been abnormally warm here.  I'm told that is over though and that it probably won't be above freezing for the rest of the winter.  Hopefully more snow will come soon so we can do some of our outdoor activities.

It has been exciting try and get to know many new faces all at once, both the other 7 GPAs and also other seasonal and full time staff.  Our first day of training was yesterday.  We spent most of the day talking about what our Journey over the next 9 months is going to look like, walking around camp property, and doing a few team building activities.  We also went canoeing on the lake as a spontaneous way of getting to the other side of the main camp area.

It is exciting to be here, and even more exciting to see what God is going to do here over the next few weeks with the addition of the new staff.  You can pray that we continue to grow in our relationships with each other and with the Lord and that we would more fully understand the mission of HoneyRock and how we fit into that.

Blessings,
Matt

Info

I will be leaving on Nov 29 for the North Woods of Wisconsin.  In WI, I will be doing a 9 month Graduate Program Assistantship at HoneyRock Camp which is connected with Wheaton College.  I will be working with the winter retreat program, taking a couple graduate classes in camping ministry, and working with the summer camping program.  I will definitely appreciate all your support through prayer as i pursue this ministry opportunity.  If you are interested in learning more about the camp you can check it out at http://www.honeyrockcamp.org/. The program that i am doing is http://www.honeyrockcamp.org/storyGallery.asp?storyid=104.  You can also check out the HoneyRock blog, http://honeyrock.typepad.com/.
If you wish to send me mail.  You can address it to:

Matt Ulrich

HoneyRock – Apprenticeship

8660 Honey Rock Rd

Three Lakes, WI 54562