New Cherith Chatter Available for Campers and Parents
Check out the newest Cherith Chatter for information about the upcoming camp season. Be sure to read it for check-in and check-out procedures, how to send letters and email to your campers, and special events going on related to our 70th Anniversary!
2016 Weekly Themes! Register Today!
Here's the announcement of our 2016 weekly themes! Come join in on the fun today! Remember: register for week 1 now for a special discount!
Week 1: Stories from Outer Space (girls only)
Week 2: Stories from the Kingdom (girls only)
Week 3: Stories from the Movies (girls only)
Week 4: Stories from Superheroes (boys and girls)
Week 5: Stories of the Old West (boys and girls
We're so excited for you to be a part of The Greater Story at CCWNY!
70th Anniversary Celebration Gala
Come enjoy a night to celebrate The Greater Story at Camp Cherith of Western New York. A catered event including pictures, friends, a program, and music on Camp's very own site!
If you have pictures or memories you would like to include in the event, please contact Stephanie Rawleigh at stephrawl@gmail.com
If you have questions, please contact Alana Matteson at mattesonalana44@gmail.com
When: Saturday, September 24th at 5pm
Tickets are $20 per person, or $140 for a table.
Light and Life
I’ve been thinking about the word “hope” a lot lately. It’s in those moments when I acknowledge the hope that we have in Jesus that I am filled with joy. Hope can make our eyes smile and dance with excitement because hope in Jesus is rooted in the promise of full and eternal life.
The passage that I keep returning to that reminds me of that hope and gives me peace is found in the gospel of John:
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…
He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:4-5, 10-12
We live in a broken and dark world, but because of Jesus we have light and we have life. His life is the light of men.
He came into this world, knowing that He would be rejected by the very people that He created and the people that He loves and so desperately desires to know. He came to give us a chance...to give us the right to become children of God.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3:1
Despite our brokenness, a holy and perfect God lavishes His love on us and calls us His children. We can live out every day with joy in our hearts because no matter what situations or challenges or decisions we face, God’s love for us remains unchanging, and we are allowed the blessing of being His children.
-Jay
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com
Platinum Year Reunion Weekend
How many summers did you spend at Camp Cherith of WNY? Whether you came every summer from the age of 9 and are still coming today, or only came one week, we want you to consider joining us for a Reunion Weekend this summer.
Many will be gathering July 22-24 on the camp site to celebrate God's faithfulness through the 70 years we have been an organization. Reconnect with old friends and make new ones. experience your favorite camp activities, and tour the site to see how things have changed and yet stayed the same.
The cost is $40 per person/ $100 max per family. Limited on-site accommodations are available. First come, first served. Come for all or part of the weekend.
Have questions before you register? Contact Leah Jane Dusel at 716-440-7391 or email ljdusel [at] gmail.com or call Egohr at 248-722-1531
July 22
Arrive between 7 and 8 pm for CILT graduation and Friday Night Campfire
July 23
Breakfast
Time to explore trails
Lunch, complete with jobs and singing
Riflery, archery, hiking, creeking, tree climbing, crafts, horseback riding
Cookout Foil Dinner with S'mores
Unified Evening Program
Campfire with songfest and testimony time
July 24
Continental breakfast
Informal Worship
Help out where needed to prepare camp for campers
A Compassionate Father
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it now more.
But, the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
Psalm 103:13-18
According to the dictionary, compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. I did not understand this very well until I had children of my own. My daughter is out playing, but falls and skins her elbow terribly on the pavement. I feel sorry for her, I help her; I clean the wound, bandage it up, send her back out to play. I could keep her from getting hurt by forcing her to stay inside on the couch, but what kind of life would that be? I let bad things happen for her to learn, but I am there to help and be with her.
I think the same happens with our compassionate Father, God. He allows bad things to happen, but He is there through it all because He remembers we are small and weak like children. His love is faithful and unwavering–from forever before time began to forever in the future. Praise God for His compassion today.
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com
Pond Scum
I’ve never been a big fan of rain, but I do like when it waters my flowers and vegetable garden. When we are at camp, though, the rain makes the paths muddy and sometimes ruins our plans for an outside UEP or evening campfire. But, I do remember one nice thing about the rain last summer. When I was at camp, there was a lot of green scum on the surface of the lake. Did you see it? I saw TONS of it. Pretty gross! Then one day, it rained really hard and after that, a lot of that pond scum had been washed away! It made canoeing a lot nicer and fishing a lot easier. It also made the water clear enough that I could see some plants growing on the bottom, some tiny fish and even some water bugs and rocks along the shore. More importantly, it reminded me of a verse in Titus, Chapter 3,
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
God wants to save us and wash all our sins away, just like the rain washed away the pond scum! Even though we try really hard to make good choices, we still sin and that makes our hearts dirty. If Jesus lives in us, we want our hearts to be clean and clear so that other can see Him in our lives! Ask God to forgive your sins and make your heart clean, just like the lake after a rain. He wants to wash away all the “sin scum” in your life, all you have to do is ask!
If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
-Sprig
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com
Never Once
“Standing on this mountaintop, looking just how far we’ve come, knowing that for every step, you were with us.”
Two summers ago, the day that campers left camp for good for the summer, I remember being in the office working on some paperwork. I was doing some last minute filing or writing up some last minute report or something. But I was in there for at least an hour. I was listening to Never Once on repeat the whole time. It was the only song that I felt completely described so beautifully how I felt. The whole summer had been spent climbing this mountaintop, and now we were at the top, looking over the valley and could see all the rocks we trampled over. All the trees that once looked like obstacles now looking like Polly-Pocket trees. God brought us through this incredible summer.
“Scars and struggles on the way, but with joy our hearts can say. Yes, our hearts can say ‘never once did we ever walk alone, never once did You leave us on our own. You are faithful, God, You are faithful.’”
Sometimes following God is really hard. We get so caught up in other people’s thoughts and feelings. We get hurt by other people, by situations, and by our messed up world. But if there’s one thing my seven (soon to be eight) years on staff at CCWNY has taught me, it’s that God is always with us. Constantly fighting for us, constantly using us to change lives. Christ has been in these past 70 years of ministry at CCWNY, and will be using many more years and stories to come to transform lives, cultivate disciples, and train leaders at CCWNY.
“Every step we are breathing in Your grace, evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise. You are faithful, God, You are faithful”
If you’re like me (which you probably are because you’re most likely a camp person), praising God through everything is so hard. And when it gets hard for me, I picture myself standing on the mountain top, looking over all the things God has accomplished in my life, and through my life. And when it gets even more difficult, I picture myself standing on the mountain top, looking over all the things God has accomplished through Camp Cherith, and through the people that have been changed at Camp Cherith… And it’s the most incredible site in the world. So when you think of the Greater Story of your life, and of CCWNY, I hope you realize how unique you are, and how you fit into this big story that God is creating through you. God has placed each of us here and each of us in the story of CCWNY, whether it be for a day, a week, a summer, or for many summers, and we each have a unique piece of that Greater Story. We have so many reasons to praise God! Never Once is the perfect song for our 70th summer!
<333 Roo
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com
You Follow Me!
When I attended summer camp, one of my favorite morning songs to sing was Peter was a Fisherman. This song tells the story of John 21. After Jesus had died and risen from the dead, he appeared to his disciples multiple times. In this meeting, a group of 7 had gone back to their regular jobs: fishing. Jesus miraculously fills their nets with fish, cooks them breakfast, then gives them instructions for their future work. I am most convicted by these verses:
When Peter saw him [John], he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
(Emphasis Mine) John 21:21-22. Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References) (p. 1094). Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Many times I look around me and wonder, why isn't so and so doing more to serve God? Or, it's easier for that person to live a Christian life than me. God doesn't tell us the details of another person's story or life. Our command from Jesus is, "YOU follow me." Don't worry about what others are doing around you. Are YOU following what Jesus commands? If you aren't sure about his commands, talk with a trusted pastor or other mature Christian you know. God has placed us in community with other believers so that we can learn from others' wisdom and the Holy Spirit. Who knows, maybe God has big plans for you, like he did Peter! "You follow me!"
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com
Letting God...
Happy #MorningWatchMonday from Rina!
Luke 18 and 19 contains three stories with three lessons: Which of these life lessons do you need to focus on today? (Ideas from Charles Swindoll)
1- When we don't know what we want, but know something's missing, let God educate! (Take a look at the Rich Young Ruler)
18And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to v inherit eternal life?” 19And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have z treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke 18:18-30 Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References) (p. 1057). Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition.
2- When we know what we need, but can't change the situation, let God liberate! (The Blind Beggar)
35 As he [Jesus] drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Luke 18:35-43 Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References) (p. 1058). Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition.
3- When we can't understand what's happening, but realize it's out of our control- Let God be God! (Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector)
He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6So he hurried and came down andreceived him joyfully.
7And when they saw it, they allgrumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References) (p. 1058). Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Do you need to take some time letting God....? Let Go, Let God!
Swindoll, Charles. Swindoll's New Testament insights (insights on Luke). Zondervan publishing 2012. Grand Rapids MI
If you would like to submit a devotional for Morning Watch Monday or have a topic you would like to see, contact Lorianne, loriannewalker7 [at] gmail.com