On the sharp end

Wilderness First Responder Training

2012-01-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

The 80-hour Wilderness First Responder is the medical training all trip leaders have to pass in order to lead groups into the wilderness. The 10-day intensive experience is a rite of passage for outdoor leaders. I have been teaching these courses for almost 15 years through SOLO, the oldest wilderness and rescue medicine school in the country.

This week I am preparing to teach a course to will recertify some of the CCO's instructors. I am looking forward to spending this time with them and to hear the stories of their own adventures in wilderness medicine since the last time we met.

During my preparation, I ran into this clip which offers a humorous snap shot of what we will review. Enjoy.

Best Christian Workplace

2011-12-19T06:16:00.000-08:00

For the 10th year in a row, CCO has been named a Best Christian Workplace. This competition is based on employee surveys. CCO has consistently scored high on categories describing various aspects of organizational life. A recent post on the Harvard Business Review blog, explains what Joy and I have experienced working for the CCO for over 12 years now: the culture makes the difference ().

BCBC

2011-10-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

There is a church that goes by BCBC (Brice's Creek Bible Church) in New Bern, NC. It is a church made up of an incredible family of families who share a passion for missions both local and abroad. This relatively small group of folks generously support more missionaries than any other church I've known. We are invited back every other year to their missions conference to share what God is doing in our work.

We were so blessed to be cared for in person by the BCBC family last weekend as we shared about the work of the CCO. As we described our efforts to equip tomorrow's world leaders with the attitude of Christ, they affirmed the importance of college ministry in the kingdom. We spoke to the congregation during the Saturday night session and had a nice visit with the youth Sunday school class. We hope someday to see them again on one of our Summer Opportunities like Peru, Wyoming or Canada!

This is a map of where all our supporters are. I wish we could do our own mission conference where we would gather all of you who have been supporting us through your faithful financial gifts and prayers. We would love to share more of what is going on in our ministry and to hear what God is doing in your lives, family and work. Ia think this may be what Paul had in mind when he encouraged us to build each other up. Please feel free to send us your own updates and prayers. In the mean time please keep the following in your prayers.

Prayers:

- Thank God for a fantastic day with students at the Williamson Orientation. We facilitated 100 young men for a day of team building as they enter their freshmen year at the Williamson Free School of Trades.

- Fall break trips are around the corner. Students will be heading to the woods for backpacking, climbing, and character development.

- Christian Adventure Association conference. October 19-23, 2011. CCO is co-hosting the Eastern conference of this national association of Christian professionals and students studying camping and outdoor education.

- Summer Opportunities. The CCO's Experience Peru trip and the classic Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness expedition to Wyoming and the college transition experience, Crossings, are scheduled to happen summer 2012. Please pray that God would call enough students to make the trips a success.

- Supporters. The economy is taken its toll on our team. Please pray that God would raise new supporters to join our team. The end of the year is a key time for us to regain ground.

- Kayak-a-thon on November 5th. Our annual paddling fundraiser on Pittsburgh's Three Rivers.

- Joy's back. Her back issues took a turn for the worse after that long drive to NC and Annelise's growing weight. Thank God for a speedy recovery, a great chiropractor and please pray for continued strengthening.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support of our work with college students. We could not do this without you.

May Newsletter

2011-05-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Jubilee- It Could Change Everything

2011-03-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of several posts on the amazing Jubilee conference that CCO just put on for 2,500 college students. Check out this video by our most talented colleague, Phil Mollenkoff.

Update: Reposting after some glitch on Blogger. This is not in chronological order!

It Could Change Everything from Jubilee on Vimeo.

Jubilee- Standing on Shoulders of Giants

2011-03-17T08:16:00.003-07:00

Here is the list of the many speakers that came to Jubilee this year (click here). From writers to scientists, teachers to architects, engineers to lawyers, Jubilee offered a chance for students to engage over sixty professionals who are working out their faith and calling in their professions. Inspiring and thought provoking. You can view videos of many of Jubilee speakers by clicking here. Thank you to Scott Calagaro, Katie Tarrara, and Chris Carson for putting together such an amazing line up of resources for our student.

Jubilee 2011- The student experience

2011-03-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

A short highlights reel of students talking about their experience at Jubilee 2011. The wonderful soundtrack offered by Pittsburgh's very own Colonizing the Cosmos who performed at Jubilee. Props to the CCO Communications department for getting this out for everyone to enjoy.

Jubilee 2011 from CCO Campus Ministry on Vimeo.

The first ever CCO Experiential Designs catalogue

2011-02-15T11:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the result of the work of the XD team this fall. It was handed to campus staff at our training event in January and is finally available online. Enjoy ...

Open publication - Free publishing - More cco

or you can read by clicking here.

Do the mountains speak? or the importance of experiential design

2010-11-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

"Wilderness, in itself, makes nothing happen. Saul and David were both in the wilderness. Saul was running after David, obsessed with hunting him down, his life narrowed to a murderous squint. Meanwhile, David was running to God and finding himself in his God-refuge praying, wide eyed in wonder, taking in the glory, awake and ready for God's generous love, for the God who 'makes good on his word.'"- Eugene Peterson

I read this quote this morning (thanks to my friend Gideon for posting it) and I couldn't help be struck by its timing. There is an argument in outdoor education about the role of the instructor in learning. The minimalist believe the mountains speak for themselves and thus the role of the instructor is to take people places where they can hear the mountains. The other side of the spectrum could be called the translators. They believe the mountains might speak but student won't learn much from the experience itself without some guided translation/reflection/ application. This they believe is the role of the instructor.

The CCO's Outdoor Leadership Team has spent a good part of the summer and fall thinking about how to best serve the CCO in its mission to transform college students to transform the world. In the next few posts, I will share some of the changes that have come out of this research and reflection. The first change is our name. The group formerly known as the Outdoor Leadership Team has been renamed CCO Experiential Designs or CCO XD for short. While it doesn't quite roll off the tongue, it is much more accurate to what we do. It highlights that not all of our work is in the wilderness and it also gives a good idea about what we think the role of the instructor is when using experience as education.

New Arrival!

2010-10-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

We thank God for the arrival of Annelise Sandra Josiane Guilleux. Annelise means "the grace of God's bounty" and indeed she is.

She has been a bit of a distraction from our work so if you haven't heard from us in awhile, here's the reason:

Joy is doing great in her new role and as expected suffering from severe sleep depravation. If you want more news about how Joy or Annelise are doing, drop us an email or a call.

How the CCO's outdoor ministry shapes students' lives

2010-10-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the story of Jim Paul who was on the Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW) trip that Francois led to Wyoming in 1999. He does a great job describing how the different CCO ministry help students grow into men and women who practice their faith in all areas of life.

check Jim Paul's story here.

Jim is another example of God's faithfulness and why CCO plays an important role in the lives of college students.

The class of 2014 is coming

2010-08-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

'Tis that time again when first year students arrive on campus and CCO staff prepare for orientation time. Yesterday the Outdoor Leadership Team sent its instructors to facilitate Fresh X, Ohio Wesleyan University's orientation. For three days, the students will hike, rock climb and canoe while getting to know the folks they will spend the next four year living and studying with. Saturday will be Waynesburg University's turn and then Westminter College follows next week.

Here is an interesting article about the benefits of outdoor orientations for students who participate. (Did you know all 8 Ivy league schools have outdoor orientations for their students?) Check it out here.

This time of year is also the unveiling of the Benoit College Mindset list, a list of cultural references about the incoming freshmen class. Check it out here. Be prepared. It can make you feel old to read it!

A new familiar face around the Outdoor Leadership Team

2010-08-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased to welcome Sean Purcell to the CCO. Sean will be serving the Outdoor Leadership Team as the event coordinator. Sean brings a wealth of outdoor experience, a sharp mind steeped in his PhD studies in philosophy, and a gift for teaching. His wife Krista and daughter Ella will be joining him in the move to Pittsburgh. While Sean has been working with CCO for many years as a volunteer, we are very excited about having Sean join our team more formally. You may remember Sean from past posts on his teaching at our staff trainings last year or his leadership on Crossings, the sea kayaking trip designed for graduating college students. With Sean coming on staff, we look forward to many great discussions filled with challenging ideas and laughter whether in the classroom or in the wilderness (especially when snow is involved!).

College campuses and religion

2010-08-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

From the Princeton Review, this year's rankings of America's most and least religious campuses.
Most religious Brigham Young University, least religious Sarah Lawrence College.
click here for article.
One of CCO's core value is "We love college students". Wherever they are. From the most religious campus to the least religious campus. Here is an example from the Atheist/Christian roundtable at last year's Jubilee conference. Click here for the video.

CCO: Transforming College Students to Transform The World.

Photos from the Alpine Pilgrimage

2010-08-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Howie getting ready to snap another one.

Joy beginning to display the baby bump met
Howie and I at the end of a long hike.

Howie Shultz, photographer extraordinaire, has started posting photos from the Alpine Pilgrimage. They are amazing! Click on the link below to have your breath taken away by the beauty of creation.
Howie's photo album

If you are inspired, registration for next year's trip will open soon. You can get more information about the Alpine Pilgrimage on the CCO website by clicking here.

CCO's Alpine Pilgrimage- pics of a day on the trail

2010-07-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

Here is a snapshot of a day on the Tour du Mont Blanc. This was probably one of our hardest hiking days from Contamines Montjoie via 3 different mountain passes to the Refuges Des Mottets.

Getting ready to set out for the day.

A breather on the trail.

Leaving Col du Bonhomme on the way to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. A little snow school lesson was necessary to prepare for this section.

Finally at the refuge-an old dairy farm. A home cooked meal with our closest 93 hiking companions! Heart food to prepare our tired muscles for tomorrow's climb over the Col de Seigne from France into Italy.

The old man...The Mont Blanc. Keep the mountain on your left and a 100 or so miles, seven valleys, 11 mountain passes, and 3 countries later you will return to where you started but you will have changed as Renee Dumal wrote:

When one has been to a mountain top
One has only to come down again
So why bother in the first place?
Just this....
One climbs...One sees
One descends...One sees no longer
But one has seen
There is an art of conducting oneself
in the lower regions
By the memory of what one saw higher up.

More pics for CCO's Alpine Pilgrimage

2010-07-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Enjoy...

Setting your heart on a pilgrimage

2010-07-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage." (Psalm 84:5 NIV)

During the month of June, we got lead a group of 17 participants on the CCO's first Alpine Pilgrimage. Inspired by the CCO president Dan Dupee's experience of a sabbatical a few year ago, we worked with Dan to design and offer a trip for CCO donors and board members and their family. Our destination, the Tour du Mont Blanc, has been named one of the world's 25 greatest treks. The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a 100-mile trail (with 30,000 feet of elevation gain and lost) through France, Italy and Swizterland that circumnavigates the highest peak in Europe.

Our theme of pilgrimage offered a chance for the 17 participants to experience the way CCO staff use the wilderness to help students grow in faith, character, and leadership. The famous trail actually follows in some places old Roman roads used for pilgrimages to Rome centuries ago.

The thousands of photos (literally) taken by the group tell the story of how God's creation still speaks to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see (psalm 19).

The pilot trip was very well received and we have already received request to do offer another one next year.

Here are a few shots to enjoy (special credit to Howie Schultz for the most beautiful pics in the lot).

A moment of reflection on the trail

The group in Chamonix

New staff for OLT!

2010-04-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to welcome Jamie Z. to our team as the OLT Administrator. She graduated from Penn State in December and has a perfect combination of skills for the job. In addition to being an accomplished outdoor leader with a winsome personality, she's organized and gifted in administration. (Not a combo you find in too many people!)

Jamie will be spending about half of her time working in the main office managing communications, record keeping, and a lot of details that go into making it possible for our staff to go on adventures with students. Her acceptance of this job is an answer to a few years of prayer for more administrative help for OLT.

The other half of her time, Jamie will be leading those adventures for freshmen orientations, fall and spring break trips, and LDW during the summers! She has been involved in Crux, a CCO outdoor program at Penn State University Park with Steph Wessel. She was a participant on LDW Wyoming during the summer of 2008.

Please join us in praying for Jamie as she begins to raise significant financial support and attends CCO's New Staff Training in June.

On a personal note...

2010-03-08T12:35:00.001-08:00

Francois and I recently found out we are expecting TWINS this October! We are both excited and overwhelmed at this new phase of life. So far, mom isn’t too sick, but needs a lot of rest.

LDW 2010

2010-03-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

Does your life have distinct “ah-ha” moment? For me (Joy), it was LDW 1996 in Wyoming. I grew up in a Christian family, at a Christian camp, and attended Messiah College. But, I didn't realize I was living bad theology. I lived as tho’ I needed to earn love by being perfect and independent… until LDW. Living with people who didn’t stop loving me because I hurt them or needed some help from them woke me up. God softened my heart just enough so I could receive their grace. I learned from them that I didn’t need to earn God’s love either. Oh, what freedom!

That is a big reason I’m still involved in LDW. In January, Francois and I facilitated an overnight retreat at our home for the 8 instructors who will be leading this summer’s trips. As the applications are coming in, Francois is spending time coaching and helping the paddling team get ready (including a graduating senior who was on the trip in ‘07). I continue to supervise Kelly, the LDW Manager, whose job it is to recruit students, organize the logistics, and make sure the instructors are ready!

It’s time again for students to sign up for LDW 2010. Would you pray for full trips (35 students) so that many students can be transformed by the truth that God wants to teach them through this powerful experience and for the instructor teams as they continue to prepare for these 4 and 6-week wilderness expeditions? Please pray also for the 12 spring break trips going into the wilderness from Arkansas to Ecuador in the next few weeks. These trips can be pivotal experiences of faith development for college students.

Jubilee 2010

2010-03-08T12:31:00.001-08:00

Bob Goff—one of the best Jubilee speakers Francois and I heard. Why? Well, for one his is FUNNY, which helps you pay attention. And he is radical! He lives in such a way as to not be limited by the world’s standards. He has eyes to see the evidence of Jesus everywhere and to join God’s work with the gifts he’s been given as a father, lawyer, and follower of Christ. He challenged students to develop an imagination that can see the fingerprints of Jesus in daily life. To listen to a similar talk, google Bob Goff Anderson College. We’ll give you the link from Jubilee when it’s published.

(photo © Andrew Rush)

CCO gets great review

2010-03-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome

We heard that Pittsburgh is nice in February. So we spent a few days there for the Jubilee Conference hosted by the CCO, Coalition for Christian Outreach.

This organization understands the intrinsic value of work. It's not good enough to preach heaven if you create institutional hell. But these folks practice what they preach. Every year, they are voted one of the best Christian workplaces in the U.S.

But more than that, the CCO works to extend God's redemption into all workplaces. As a campus organization, they help college students think about how they will bring Christ into their professional lives. In their words, "Students formed by CCO ministry give unique Christian expression to whatever they do."

Maybe you've never heard of the CCO or their Jubilee event. You can learn a lot from their conference videos and their interviews with professionals living jubilee in their work.

Take a moment to watch some of their interviews and celebrate what God is doing through this wonderful organization.

Watch CCO video interviews with professionals who live jubilee.

Transformed Lives
From the CCO

Browse through ten interviews with professionals who are serving God through their work—as homemakers, graphic designers, lawyers, doctors, and more.

©2010 ChristianityToday.com, Christianity Today International
465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
All rights reserved.

Creating time to think for yourself

2010-02-24T07:23:00.000-08:00

A great article about the lives of college students. While this is about Harvard students, I suspect it applies to many students CCO staff meet everyday on campus. The article highlights the powerful role of extra curricular activities in the life of college students (" The way social progress gets made is by learning to work together and the real place where people can learn to cooperate is in extracurricular activities"). This is exactly the kinds of opportunities CCO spring break trips and outdoor activities offer students.

But the article also describes some concerning trends among students and how framing some classic outdoor activities (like the three-day solo we do on our summer trips) need to be adjusted to meet the needs of this new generation.

"Many college students seem to suffer from horro vacui, a fear of empty spaces"

"You don't have time to dedicate to your friends or to yourself--or to thoughts that you haven't been taught to think."

Wow! that last quote is both bewildering and downright scary. Yet another reason the Jubilee conference and the CCO ministry to college students is important.

Faith and Reason in the University

2010-02-17T03:12:00.000-08:00

From Newsweek, an interesting read about the place of faith in higher education and another great argument for the work of the CCO. Check it out (ht KH). Quite a propos with the CCO's Jubilee Conference happening this weekend. 2,000 students will descend on Pittsburgh to do the very thing the article discusses: talk about faith and their academic and professional pursuits.

Best Christian Workplace 2010

2010-02-04T07:11:00.001-08:00

Five Religious and Spiritual Trends for 2010

2010-01-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

What do you think about this article about the spiritual and religious trend for 2010?
The spiritual A La Carte is certainly visible on many college campuses but what about the trend we see in Europe. A few weeks ago the Taize community held its annual meeting. 30,000 young people came from all over the world to attend. Take a look here.
How do you understand the response to the worship students find at Taize?

Year end reflection (V)

2010-01-04T15:56:00.001-08:00

A little worse for the wear....
We head into 2010 looking forward to what God has in the plans for us including a exciting opportunity for the Outdoor Leadership Team to support the work of the CCO's development department. Check it out!

Thanks for all your prayers and support that make our work of equipping CCO staff possible. Through them, college students get a chance to discover a different way of living, the way of Shalom and abundant life.

Year end reflections (IV)

2010-01-04T15:25:00.001-08:00

A little family vacation visiting Francois' dad.

Speaking of resurrecting traditions, in December Paul Harbison, Joy and Francois taught a classic four-day workshop called Working With Groups. The intensive training has been a foundation of CCO staff training for many years but had fallen off the radar. With 14 participants, we explore how groups work and how to facilitate groups from Bible studies to Spring break trips. (picture to come)

Which brings us to the end of the year. Francois defended his dissertation proposal.

A harrowing experience but not as hard as saying good bye to the best dog in the world just before the holidays. We miss her much.

Year end reflection (III)

2010-01-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

Speaking of water (you kinda have to read these posts in order!), Francois took advantage of the last days of sun this fall to help CCO staff Becky Snow (on the left) take a group of Waynesburg University students on the water.

The university is looking to find more constructive forms of activities to engage the students and has asked Becky to resurrect the outdoor club. The Waynesburg Outdoor Experience (WOE!) was one of the original CCO outdoor programs 25 years ago!

What a tradition!

Becky was on the sea kayak training Francois led last year and she will leading this summer's Crossings trip for graduating seniors.

Year end reflection (II)

2010-01-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

We already wrote about our wonderful visit to Bryce's Creek Church at the end of September here.
October brought staff seminar and the gathering of the Outdoor Leadership Team.

Sean Purcell (on the left) came down from Canada to teach our staff about the philosophical foundations of Christian outdoor education.

We welcomed 9 new staff to the Outdoor Leadership Team. Lots of training and administrative needs to get these folks up and running has kept Joy busy this fall.

November brought the ninth annual kayak-a-thon on the Pittsburgh rivers. A gorgeous day for a 25 mile paddle! Joy was in charge of this rather complicated event. Everything ran smoothly as all her planning paid off. She kept us the 20 paddlers organized and well-fed (Thank you Chick-Fil-A) during this dawn to dusk fundraising event.

End of year reflection (I)

2010-01-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that the year had ended so quickly and all we have written is a few blog entries. The lack of writing may be a reflection of the busyness of our lives and ministry. Although it certainly does not excuse our silence to the folks who check in on us electronically. So I am going to do whirlwind tour of the last six months, plugging holes along.

Starting with last summer!

Francois taught two leadership classes at the University of Pittsburgh. Joy helped out with the teaching of the communication modules. We have really enjoyed training CCO staff and other students with the Core Communication material from Sherrod Miller.

In September, a few of us headed to Philadelphia to run an orientation program a new CCO partner, Williamson Free School of Trades.

We met some fantastic young men starting their next educational step. CCO staff Dan Hayner is loving these guys as the CCO staff at Williamsom. We look forward to helping them develop their leadership programs using wilderness trips.

A few weeks later, we gathered the outdoor ministry folks and headed to Erie to run an orientation for middle school students for another potential new CCO partner, Family First Sports Park. We spent the day with 200 students!

Where in the world is God?

2009-10-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last month, Joy and I attended a mission conference held by a church that supports our ministry. Speaking to the congregation about what we do with the CCO, we were impressed with the effort the church made to welcome its missionaries and maximize face-to-face time with church members. This church has a global view of its mission and wants to hear about what God is doing through the folks whose work it supports.
It was such a mutually encouraging weekend. We were able to share that God is on college campuses and God is in the wilderness where college students go on spring break trips or summer discipleship programs. Others shared about how God is at work in other parts of the US and around the world.
I think this is how it is supposed to work. We are not all called to the ends of the earth. Some students are called to build God’s kingdom in offices, schools, laboratories, and courtrooms while others will be called to use their skills in places far, far away. Like the mission conference last month, the service-learning and wilderness trips offered by the CCO seek to expose students to new ways of seeing themselves, the world, and where God is at work so they might more clearly discern the call for their lives.
Thanks for being people who make it possible for us to be out there with students.

The Freshmen are here.

2009-08-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Joy and I went down to Seneca Rocks, WV to help out with Ohio Wesleyan University's Fresh X program, a 3 day pre-orientation trip for 50 first-year students run by CCO staff. Through hiking, rock climbing, canoeing and rafting, the students get a chance to build relationships with their new classmates and together reflect on some key issues involved in a successful transition to college.

In case, you don't have a high schooler near you, here is Benoit's annual list to introduce you to the class 2013, also known as the on-demand generation because they've never had to wait for anything including Saturdays to watch cartoons!

Ministry is on the Rocks, literally!

2009-08-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

As first year students move into college life for the first time, our staff take them out on various experiences to get oriented to a new way of life and meet the people with whom they are starting that journey.
Francois and I had the chance to join them for a day at Seneca Rocks, WV where we led 9 first year students in rock climbing and rappelling. The theme question for the day was, "Why am I here?" Many students expressed excitement to meet new friends and start taking classes that really interested them. We were glad to be a part of setting the stage through rock climbing to enter college with similar gusto. Some needed to face fears, others to explore their options, and we encouraged all to ask for help and support from those around them.
Check out Francois in action:

Joy's work at Westminster stuck!

2009-08-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

The CCO is doing a series of stories about how it is transforming college students to transform the world. Check out the story by Allison, where Joy's work at Westminster is mentioned.

(Picture: Allison climbing at Joshua Tree National Park, CA. Spring Break '02)

New Staff Training 2009

2009-06-29T13:48:00.001-07:00

I saw a billboard yesterday that said, "Face time is better than Facebook". I was driving too fast to see what it was promoting, but it was catchy... and true. That is why I am driving an hour to Grove City and back - spending each Tuesday and Wednesday with our new staff... face to face.
The Outdoor Leadership Team is bringing on five new staff this year at various outdoor program sites! I am partnering with the New Staff Training Team to help in the on-boarding process as it directly relates to adventure activities. I'll be setting up these five staff with mentors who will help them get certified to lead activities, training them in the ever-important paperwork trail, and developing their professional development plan for the upcoming year.
Please welcome William, Amanda, Matt, Dan and Tom!

LDW WYOMING IS OFF AND RUNNING!

2009-06-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW) Wyoming, a six-week expedition to the Wind River mountains, left the CCO equipment room yesterday. Seven students and four staff will spend the next 40 days in the wilderness learning about leadership, outdoor skills and having their character shaped by God as He reveals, in the midst of his creation and this tight knit community, what was in each of their hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Hat tip to Phil M. in the CCO's communication department for creating a wonderful interactive map of the LDW itinerary. Check it out. It's got pictures and everything. Also The students will be tweeting weekly updates via satellite phone that will be posted here.
You got to love technology.
Joy and I have led this trip several times and it holds a special place in our hearts and in our ministry. It's good to see the next generation of CCO staff take over this amazing opportunity for students to be transformed in the wilderness.

Undercover at an evangelical university

2009-06-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

I heard about this during the semester when the author reported on an evangelistic spring break trip to Daytona Beach. I appreciate the commitment to learning by experience. In its own way it echoes the findings of the Murdock report on the state of campus ministry (more about that in a post to come): off campus experiences are what make faith development stick beyond the college years.
A story about a student showing a commitment to learning.

I LOVE COLLEGE!

2009-06-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

This comes to us from Good News Messaging
Hat tip to our friend Chris Cooke for his great argument for CCO's raison d'etre.

Click Here
to view the
MTV music video

Chorus:
That party last night was awfully crazy (i wish we taped it)
I danced my (face) off and had this one girl completely naked
Drink my beer and smoke my (stuff) but my good friends is all I need
Pass out at 3, wake up at 10, go out to eat then do it again
Man, I love college, ay!
I love drinking, ay!
I love women, ay!
I love college, ay!

Asher Roth is a 23 year-old "rapper" from Morrisville, PA. His single, "I Love College" hit the charts a couple months ago (currently at #15 on the Billboards) and has been downloaded (purchased) over ONE MILLION times. The music video is set at a fraternity house party and features numerous college students binge drinking, playing strip poker and beer pong and hooking up. Drinking, Women, Staying up Late and Partying...is that really all there is to life? Unfortunately, for many students the answer is yes.

The reality is that there are thousands of "Ashers" on college campuses across the country. Quite a few of them are even student athletes at Pitt. Our work with the CCO is to share an alternative vision of college, and of life, to students during their four years in college. This vision is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. It is exciting and challenging work, but students are "getting it", coming to faith and growing in their relationship with Jesus.

A College Education?

2009-05-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

When was the last you really thought about what happens to students during those four years of college? What does it mean to get an education? What kind of education do students get?
This poll certainly offers some suggestions. Check out the USA Today story.

View from our window

2009-05-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

This month's Christianity Today cover article

Things to be thankful for...

2009-04-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

Over the years, we've had many opportunities to be thankful to work for the CCO. Not everyone gets to work for an organization with a mission you can really believe in. Nor does everyone get to work in an organization where employees trust their leaders. These are just two of the many reasons why the CCO has recently been recognized by Christianity Today. Thank you to the many of you who contribute financially to the work Joy and I do as we try to fulfill the CCO's core purpose of Transforming College Students To Transform The World.

For those of you who are new to the blog, look around for stories of transformation in our work with the CCO. The CCO partners with churches, colleges, and organizations to develop men and women who live out their Christian faith in every area of life.

Check out the CCO website

Click here to learn a little bit more about the trip Francois will be leading for graduating seniors this summer.

Finally, our ministry is made possible by the prayers and financial contributions of a team of supporters. If you want to support our work with students and staff, we love to have you join our team. Here's some info on the many ways to donate to our ministry.
and you can even do it online.

If you have any questions, drop us a line, an email, post on our walls, or eventually we might all be tweeting!

Our work is hip!

2009-04-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

If there is any doubt that what we do with college students changes lives, check out the cover story of last month's Christianity Today!

He Talked to Us on the Road by Ted Olsen.

"We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves," travel journalist Pico Iyer wrote in his 2000 essay "Why We Travel." He's right, but it's much more basic than that, especially for the pilgrim who travels more to find God than to find himself. We travel, at first, to leave. Then, finally, we travel to come home.

Pilgrimage and journeys are a huge piece of what we do with students when we take them to the woods (or desert or canyon or water).

Spring Break - OLT Style

2009-04-02T09:00:00.001-07:00

There is not much beer pong or keg standing that takes place on Spring Break Trips run by our staff in the OLT.

The OLT offered 13 alternative Spring Break Trips for students this year - 118 college students took advantage of trips to GA, FL, NC, NH, AR, CA, and TN!

Students are challenged on spring break trips to engage issues of identity, community and spirituality. Our staff take students as diverse as the campuses they work on, and have the opportunity to travel and live with them for a week - apart from distractions of campus life.

(Joy's staff Emily Bean led a trip for a campus minister and his CMU students)

Conversations of consequence are had and lives are changed because students are introduced to truths about their identity as God's beloved, within communities that really practice love and forgiveness - all with attention paid to their uniqueness as a multi-dimensional being created in the image of God.

JUBILEE

2009-03-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

It was about a month ago that over 2500 students came to Pittsburgh for the CCO's annual event - Jubilee. Here are the highlights. Consider what student you know might benefit from a conference like this next year - February 19-21, 2010!

Dozens of plenary and breakout session speakers like author Lauren Winner

Andre Crouch, author of Culture Making

Great music

A huge bookstore by Hearts and Minds Books, specializing in books on EVERY subject from a Christian worldview

Tons of summer opportunities for students to plug into - camps, service projects, and, of course our own Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness!
Photos by Andrew Rush

Wilderness Medicine Training

2009-01-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

We spend a weekend with a group of 16 CCO staff upgrading their medical certifications. Joy did a great job organizing the weekend and making sure everything ran smoothly while Francois tried to keep folks awake with his teaching and fake blood scenarios. Thanks to SOLO, the oldest wilderness medicine school in the country, for their continued support of our ministry.

Follow this link for more great pics.

Transforming students to transform the world

2009-01-28T05:34:00.000-08:00

I got this letter from Grace who was part of the Institute for Adventure Education in Campus Ministry, a two year internship Joy and I facilitated a few years ago. Grace is the one in the white shirt in the photo. She is now nearing the end of her graduate work in architectural design.

hi,

[I]n my classes, we often discuss sustainable design, as it is the main issue in architecture and design these days. backpacking has really enabled me to understand what sustainable living really means. because of LNT [leave no trace] and simple rules of living well in the woods, i think i can understand the importance of sustainability and how it can be done a lot better then most people in my classes. i definitely have a much different perspective on the issue that makes it 'real' to me.

last week we read about an architect/theorist that called architects to be holistic in their design. this was written in the context of the 70's when modern design was taking over, designers started giving into capitalism/money and design vs quality work. for me, i can relate back to discussions we've had on not compartmentalizing our lives. architecture and modern lifestyle has definitely suffered because of 'our' lack of understanding of how it is important to think and live holistically. in architecture that means considering how design impacts all the other parts of our lives and considering people, nature, art, etc and not just creating a space that looks cool or is the cheapest.

it's been interesting how much is overlapping between discussions we've had and what we're discussing in class right now.

peace
- grace

Behind the scenes in the OLT

2008-11-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

Joy’s work this semester has mainly been pouring into a wonderful support staff team for the OLT (Outdoor Leadership Team). She not only coaches these staff in their work as employees, but strives to develop them as whole people, who lead lives of integrity, truth and intentionality. She meets with them as a group every other week and encourages them to challenge each other in their work. She also meets with them one on one to personally mentor them in work and life. We have two Montreat College students this fall, Ryan and Melissa, who are fulfilling their internship requirements by working with the OLT.
Joy enjoys the coaching/mentoring role in her work the most. She also spends much time meeting with key people in other departments such as training, conferences, finance, communications, and development to continue developing the ministry of the OLT within the CCO as a whole.

Family First Sports Park

2008-11-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Much of Francois’ work this fall has been developing a partnership with Family First Sports Park (FFSP) in Erie, PA. It is a large facility which contains a low ropes course, a climbing wall, and an alpine tower, all used for team building activities. FFSP is connected with a nearby church, day school, and boarding school.

Most recently, we facilitated two days of team building for the 40 inaugural students at the boarding school, Family First Academy. We presented to them the story of Earnest Shackleton, in which the arctic explorer in the early 1900’s took an expedition to be the FIRST to the south pole. He put an ad in the paper for a crew that read something like, “...terrible conditions, safe return doubtful, acclaim in case of success.” We challenged this group of forty 8-12^th graders from Asia, South Africa, UK, Jamaica, Mexico and US to consider the legacy they are leaving and the trajectory they are setting for the years to come at the academy. Being the FIRST means a lot, there are a lot of expectations on you, you are pioneering something that has never been done before, and setting the stage for those who come after you.

The Kayak-A-Thon is coming, the Kayak-A-Thon is coming!

2008-10-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday will be the 8th Annual Kayak-A-Thon to raise money for CCO's Outdoor Leadership Team. This year we will have 25 paddlers! Put in for the first group will be around 7:30 am from the Southside Park. Most people will try to paddle between 20 and 30 miles on Pittsburgh's Three Rivers. This year's event is being coordinated by Melissa Shoup, Montreat College senior who participated in last summer's trip to Canada with Francois and has spent the fall doing her internship with Joy in the CCO office. She has done a fantastic job.
Here's the press release about the event.
Weather is looking good for Saturday. See you on the rivers.

SSOLTAP

2008-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to the Support Staff of the Outdoor Leadership Team Around Pittsburgh (aka SSOLTAP, pronounced "soul-tap). This is the wonderful team of staff that God has given me this year. I feel a tremendous responsibility to pour into these staff and build them up to be faithful to their callings, much like I did with students when I was on campus. It has been a time of stretching and growth for me to lead them this Fall. I believe God has given me this support team for MY support as well as for the OLT at large.

Given that the OLT is 40 people strong - about a 1/4 of the organization doing outdoor ministry - we are in need of a great support team that works behind the scenes to make it possible for students be transformed by meeting God in different ways in the woods and out.

This is Karen. She is the OLT Adminstrator. She just joined staff in August and is responsible for keeping our staff informed of changes and news about trainings, taking and distributing notes from our meetings, and managing the details for training events. She is also a part time social worker, who loves to be with people and live out her faith in active ways. Karen graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, where she was involved in the CCO's chapel-based ministry called the Outdoor Ministry Team. We are so glad to have her on staff!
This is Kelly. She is our Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW) Manager. She is in charge of our summer adventure programs for college students to Wyoming and Canada. She was a student on our '07 trip to Canada, and joined staff this past summer after completing an internship with us in the spring. She graduated from Gettysburg College where she was involved in the CCO's church-based ministry there. It's rare to find Kelly without a big smile on her face, and we are so fortunate to have her on the team!

Next Post: a few more profiles from SSOLTAP!

Working Restfully

2008-10-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Does that sound like a contradiction in terms? A major paradox? Well, it did to me until this past May. Work had become a total drain on my energy and motivation, not because of WHAT I was doing, but HOW I was going about it.

I spent a lot of time reading and reflecting this summer on how to work more restfully. That simply means to work at a pace that allows me to breathe and be attentive and aware of God’s work in and through me. In contrast, I was working last year with PRODUCTIVITY as my only goal. And, not just my goal, but my measure of success! I had a To Do list way too long for one person, and I would buckle down each day and try and cross as many things off that list as possible. At the end of the year, I wondered what of importance or consequence had I really fulfilled when all I was attending to was the urgent?!

I want to pursue this way of work and life so I can remain for the long-haul. I don’t know how long God would have me stay in the CCO, but I am open. It is not uncommon to hear about burn-out in ministry. Some believe that since it is “God’s work” that it either makes you immune to becoming tired or that there is no good reason to put limits on how hard you work (health of body, mind, spirit, family, relationships, etc.) I believe the evidence that working restfully is actually more effective. It doesn’t mean I don't work hard. It means I work well.

So, I am learning to manage my priorities better, to ask for help and be realistic about what one person can or should accomplish. And, I am encouraging my staff team of eight to do the same. Its not just my goal to set up a sustainable pattern of work for me, but also for the Outdoor Leadership Team as a whole. We have good work to do and I want it to keep going for a long time.

Please continue to pray for me and Francois as we seek to be faithful with what God has given us in our time, money, skills, and even our home. That none of these things takes our focus or becomes what we live for, but that we live for Jesus Christ, and give him thanks for the grace to figure it out on the journey.

You may want to check out these books:

Keeping the Sabbath Wholly, Marva Dawn
Catch Your Breath, Don Postema
Practicing the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence

And this website:

http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/

And now for a word from our students...

2008-09-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

Anna was one of the participants on this summer's trip to the Georgian Bay. Having just graduated from Messiah College, she was getting ready to head out to San Diego to start the post college life. Anna is the one standing up in the blue jacket in the picture. Here's an excerpt from a letter she recently sent us:

So work is great and I love the people I work with. I'm living in a town house with all Christian girls I met through a church. I go to a Bible study for young adults, and I am slowly getting to know the people there. I am very motivated to try new churches, small groups, and just be outgoing. This motivation was given to me from my experience with LDW.

LDW taught me to be fearless. Learning to navigate on unsteady waters and sharing my personality and opening up to new people definitely prepared me to live with less fear in the future. Creating and discussing our future goals gave me a sense of accountability to accomplish these goals. I was accountable to my teammates from LDW, those who supported me financially,
and the one who was responsible for creating lake Ontario with is stunning beauty.

Now that I am a full time employee, I can most definitely see the benefits
of my trip. I'm not scared to share who I am with others, and I have a better sense of self-confidence. My faith was strenghtened by hearing others on LDW share their personal reasons for faith, as well as their life struggles. My co-workers may not realize what a great thing LDW did for my life.

God always has a plan, and for that we need to fear nothing. I was supposed to start work in early June, but my trip would interfere with this schedule. [ The medical center] is an extremely busy place with not a lot flexibility for vacation times since there are so many patients that need to be seen on a daily basis. There were other applicants who could have gotten the job and start earlier than I could have, but my employers saw beyond the time frame and allowed me to start later. They thought a kayak trip geared toward life transitions was a great opportunity I should not let go.

Seeing how God worked out these small details in my life schedule shows me that he cares about all aspects of our lives. He knows what is best for us, and His faithfulness will never fail. Thinking about these things reminds me to keep on trusting Him even when life seems like it is at its worst. With my parents divorce in process, I am reminded to trust God and know that he
has a plan for every member of my family if we are faithful to His word. It seems like this generation is plagued with divorce, so now is a good time to experience some of God's faithfulness.

2008-09-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

Preparing for leaving well...

What a summer! I can't believe it's already September. As we start the semester and look back over the summer, we want to share with you on the blog and the upcoming newsletter all that's been going in our work with the CCO.

Francois started the summer by returning to the Georgian Bay with a group of students. Initially meant as a repeat of last summer's LDW trip, we found that most of the students applying were graduating senior preparing to leave college with a short window before their new jobs began. So we designed a 10-day trip with the focus of how to transition well. The parallel between the wisdom necessary to sea kayak in the uncertain and ever-changing conditions of the Great Lakes in early summer and the moving out of the familiar world of college into the adult work world was perfect.
Life on the islands of the Georgian Bay.

The instructor crew (r-l) Charity, Sean and Kelly (who was a student on last year's trip and after her internship with the CCO this spring, has come on staff to be the LDW manager!)

The crew back at the equipment room.
Can you thing of a better picture to capture the experience of transitioning out of college: the light at the end of the tunnel combined with the dark clouds of uncertainty!

2008-05-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

Making the headlines

check this out from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

2008-05-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Re-Creation is not a luxury

Quoted from an article in the International Herald Tribune:

A. Whenever I conduct workshops with any group, I ask people how free they feel and to rate themselves on a scale of 0 to 100. The responses are usually about the same whether I am talking to people in a correctional facility or at a workplace. I have learned firsthand that some people feel free while behind bars (and use their time in a positive way), yet others feel "locked up" while living in society.

One thing I learned from working with incarcerated populations is that having a good understanding of leisure and implementing it can be a coping skill, especially through transitions. Prison re-entry to society is a major transition in one's life. However, we all experience transitions whether big or small. Sometimes we have control of them and other times we don't.

Waking up every day is a new transition. Every minute is a transition. Taking a new job, retiring, going to school, finishing school, relocating, recovering from an illness, bereavement, having a new baby are just some of the transitions we encounter and there is an unknown associated with them. A satisfying leisure life can help an individual take control of part of that unknown. It also gives the opportunity for choice, which is often limited in other aspects of our lives, like during our work.

Improving our relationship with leisure can also reduce job stress, improve work-related skills, increase tolerance and understanding and enhance decision-making

Here's the link to the rest of the article

2008-04-10T09:28:00.001-07:00

LOOKING AHEAD

This summer we will run not one but two summer programs. Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW), the 40 day trip that Joy and I have led several times to the mountains of Wyoming or the water of Canada, is growing.

This year CCO is hoping to offer both the Canada and the Wyoming versions! We have assembled two instructors teams and they have begun to interview students. After leading a trip in May, Joy will spend the summer in the office.

I will be heading out as one of the instructors for the Canada trip. I look forward to working with younger team of eager up-and-coming instructors. Another exciting development we are seeing in the summer programs is the growing numbers of applicants who are about to graduate. On last year's trip, almost half of the participants were graduating seniors. The pattern is even more pronounced this year. I am excited to work with these students as they consider the transition out of college to the work world.

~Francois

2008-04-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Since 1995 Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness, the 4-6 week trip CCO takes to WY and Canada each summer, has also offered students the opportunity to become certified Outdoor Leaders through the Wilderness Education Association, the only organization in the country to offer this type of certification.

CCO receives Wilderness Education Association 2008 Affiliate Award

(Pittsburgh) March 17, 2008 — The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) has received the 2008 Affiliate Award from the Wilderness Education Association (WEA), a national outdoor education organization.

“I am pleased to report that your organization has set an example, in many regards, for what an outstanding WEA Affiliate should be,” writes Ivan Bartha, Coordinator for Experiential Programs at St. Cloud State University and Affiliate Representative of the WEA. (read more)

2008-04-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

Alternative Spring Break

Spring Break Trips are typically a time for college students to travel with friends, let their hair down, and blow off steam that has built up under the heat and pressure of mid-terms and academic fatigue. It’s been a few years since I was actually on campus, so I looked up what MTV was promoting these days...here’s what MTV’s Spring Break website called “Must-have’s”:

Floating Party Table
Treading water is hard. Especially when you've got a bottle of ummm... juice in each hand. Unless you have four arms. But come on. Nobody has that. So get this floating bar thing. It's a bar that goes in the water. A bar where you can drink your juice without drowning.

Essential Foreign Swear Words by Emma Burgess
Not much explanation needed here. If you're headed to some exotic spring break destination, chances are at some point you're gonna need to know how to tell the locals to &#$@ off.

D’ya think students need an alternative?

I had the privilege of taking 8 students to Joshua Tree National Park last week for an alternative spring break trip that offers a different atmosphere from Miami Beach and Cancun. We still had sun, but rather than substance abuse, there was substance to our conversations and friendships. Rather than tying one on each night, we tied into climbing ropes each morning!

In addition to providing an alternative spring break, I had the privilege of mentoring two student leaders -Jeremy and Lauren. They are part of Ohio Wesleyan University’s Outdoor Ministry Team (OWU’s OMT!) They began planning for the trip in November with their campus minister beginning in November. Once on the trip, OLT staff Steve N. and I took the role of mentor/leader-developers for Jeremy and Lauren. We met with them each day and helped them lead the group effectively.

The director of OWU’s OMT said this of Jeremy and Lauren after he spoke with them about their spring break experience: “Their lives are on a new trajectory as a result of this past week.” They are thinking differently about how their gifts of leadership can be used in God’s Kingdom.

Thank you for your prayers and support that make it possible for me to be part of the story in which students like Lauren and Jeremy get a glimpse of their role in the redemption of God’s Kingdom.

~ Joy

2008-03-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago was Jubilee, the CCO's annual conference. Two thousand college students came to the Pittsburgh convention center to connect with students and speakers about living out their faith in their work and studies. It was a fantastic weekend with great keynote speakers (I especially like Blue Like Jazz author Don Miller, Joy really enjoyed Anthony Bradley on Friday night), great break out sessions and amazing concerts. We had many opportunities also to meet with students to talk about going on summer leadership and discipleship trips to Canada or Wyoming.

Here some other people's reaction to the conference.

Washington Post writer and former President Bush speech writer, Michael Gerson writes:

“I have seen the future of evangelical Christianity, and it is pierced. And sometimes tattooed. And often has one of those annoying, wispy chin beards…”
To read the rest of the article click here.

Friday night speaker Anthony Bradley blogged about his first Jubilee experience, click here to check it out.

Here are more picture from the CCO's website, here.

2008-03-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

Comment Magazine

Comment is an online and paper magazine for college students. Edited by Gideon Strauss and the Work Research Foundation, it offers thought provoking articles for Christian students. Francois has a little piece published in their last issue with suggestions for making experience part of college education.

2007-12-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas Newsletter

I’m constantly reminded that one of the great things about being married to Francois is that we see things totally oppositely, and that he balances me out. You see, I am much more pragmatic and logical while he is more… well, relational. I hate to admit it. This issue most recently surfaced when I was intent on writing our next one-page-snapshot-of-ministry-with-enough-white-space-so-people-will-read-it newsletter . Then yesterday I received a friend’s two page, small font, verbose but exciting and interesting update on her life as a whole and thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I know you love and care for Francois and I, so here is more of a “panoramic shot” of our lives. (This is the blog version of a newsletter that went in the mail....)

The big question is often, “so how is the house coming along?” We bought a major fixer upper in April and we are slowly making it our home while living in it. We have heat in some rooms, and enough living space to have people over for dinner or stay in our guest room. We even had a progressive Thanksgiving, hosting appetizers and then moving to Francois’ sister’s home for dinner. The most recent beautification projects were tiling a tub surround (thanks to Francois’ dad for so much help) and replacing our broken picture window in the front. The next big things are finishing the ductwork to put heat in various rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors and installing the tile in the 2nd floor bathroom.

Francois is taking a few classes this semester towards a PhD in Education. He is doing well in his classes and spends a lot of time researching, reading, writing and philosophizing. In search of a dissertation topic, Francois posed an idea to one of his professors, who thought his questions were great and is helping him form his thoughts into a “juicy problematic.” He has another year of classwork before he officially starts the dissertation, which could then take another 3-4 years. Like sea kayaking this summer, Francois is practicing the discipline of long obedience in the same direction.

I tend to carry stress inadvertently; and now that I say it like that, I bet I’m not alone. But, I intentionally let things go from my mind and heart, but somehow my body doesn't get the message. I get headaches and my back pain gets worse. So, I recently took a few yoga classes at a local church and loved it! I thought I’d be bored out of my gourd, but the sole focus on breathing and stretching is a great release of the stress I tend to carry without knowing it. It is a great way for me to empty myself—but not to BE empty. I empty myself to be filled with the power of God in my life –and the stressors fade in comparison to the love the Creator of the Universe has for me.

I love our families. We are really blessed. We saw Francois’ mom for Thanksgiving. We are looking forward to spending the holidays in the Carolinas –NC with the Barron clan for Christmas and SC with JF and Trish Guilleux. My Aunt gets our extended family together now every October. Here’s a picture from that fun day of eating too much, apple picking, and catching up with cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

I am so thankful for friends, too. There are just so many people who love and care for us in so many different ways. Francois and I went to his 20th High School Reunion last weekend. Not only did it make me want to know where my high school buddies are these days, but it made me appreciate the friends we have gained along the way—many of them are you. We are amply blessed with friends here in Pittsburgh, the day to day kind of have-you-over-for-birthday-brownies-and-ice-cream-friends that will be in our lives for a long time.

I heard Lauren Winner speak and she was reflecting on consumerism and the abundance of God. It stuck with me when she said that there are many things that we can have an abundance of that won’t leave others without. So, we are thankful for you and wish you the richest of holidays in the ways we can all have abundance and there’s still more to go around—in peace and joy and hope and love.

2007-12-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

Conferencing this Fall

Little Rock, Arkansas
Assoc. of Experiential Education International Conference

The AEE is the largest professional conference in our field. It is an international association where all worldviews and ideas converge on the umbrella subject of “experiential” education, of which adventure programming is a part.

Francois, and colleague Sean Purcell presented on “Rethinking judgment”. Judgment is central to leadership. Good judgment allows us to take students safely into dangerous terrain. It allows us to know when loving means pushing a group or student on an issue, having a hard conversation, or standing by as they make mistakes.

Good judgment is what we try to teach staff in trainings. In their presentation, Sean and Francois shared how Christian philosophers and a Biblical worldview can add a richness and Truth to the way we teach leaders about judgment. They practiced being salt and light in the field of adventure education.

Orlando, Florida
Ivy Jungle Network, Annual Conference

The Ivy Jungle Conference is campus ministry central. It is where people who work with college students gather to share ideas, encourage one another and learn how to best serve and reach the ever-changing campus climate and student culture.

Joy presented on “Adventure Programming: engaging students: heart, mind, body and soul.” It was a chance to talk about how God changed her life through adventure programming, and how He continues to do so today for thousands of students through the ministry of the CCO’s Outdoor Leadership Team.

She described for the attendees how we are whole people who live interconnected lives and whose leadership comes out of our character and our character is discovered in community.

2007-11-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

Kayak-a-thon 2007

Last Saturday Francois and 18 others took to the rivers for the 7th Annual Kayak-a-thon, a fund raiser for the outdoor ministries of the CCO. I was logistical support, collecting all the boats to use, distributing the gear, making hot chocolate, picking up the donated Panera Bread sandwiches, and cheering on the weary-muscled paddlers. Here is a video from the start of our morning.

Thanks to all who prayed, pledged or found sponsors toward the sustainability of the Outdoor Ministries of the CCO! We are thankful to be supported by such a wonderful community of people.

From Crackle: Kayak-a-thon 07

2007-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Experiential Education in the News

Check out this article from the New York Times about what Outward Bound is doing for veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Click here.

2007-10-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

A weekend mission conference

This past weekend, Joy and I attended the mission conference at Brice's Creek church in North Carolina. The church is one of our supporting churches and every two years they invite the missionaries they sponsor to return and let the congregation know what they have been doing. The theme this year was: Where is God?

It was an incredible experience of hearing from 25 missionaries from around the world and the US how they have seen God move in their work. It's easy to for me to forget but God is working in Africa, in the Middle East, in Eastern Europe, in the Caribeans, and of course on US college campuses.

What an inspiration to hear from these folks that have been in ministry all their lives and are still following God's leading; some continuing in their work (the dentist ministry in Kenya for 25 years) and other moving to a whole new part of the world (Athlete in Action minister moving to Jerusalem after 10 years in Austria).

Joy and I also had a chance to talk to the youth group and to the college and career group about what it means to be a faithful to the calling of being a student.

Thank you for all your prayers and support that keeps us "out there" with students.

2007-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

Who said today's students are not spiritually seeking? I especially like the organic prozac comment!

Student Voices

Left to right: Cecelia Woodworth; Kristin Mills; Andrew Shaffer; David Herman; Kate Natzler

I try to convince all my classmates to come to the monastery because it's like organic Prozac. These men are so calming and soothing and it's wonderful. The surroundings and the sermons are always wonderful and intelligent and educated. It's just very warm and accepting.
Cecelia Woodworth, Boston University (Divinity and Social Work)

I just tell my friends it's awesome, the brothers they are all really cool people and it's so much fun to come. I love this place; it is so beautiful and relaxing.
Kristin Mills, Boston University

And at the service tonight I really appreciate how beautiful the monastery is, the stain-glass windows and the architecture. I am really glad I came tonight.
Andrew Shaffer, MIT

It's an amazing experience, the acoustics, the hymns and the smell. It is the only place I have ever been at that actually uses incense; it makes it more powerful.
David Herman, Boston University (Electrical Engineering)

Coming to the 515pm service on Tuesday is my favorite part of the week, it's just so relaxing, and it's so welcoming. It's the only place I found that you just walk in and know it's automatically a community. The brothers are so welcoming every time I come.
Kate Netzler, Boston University (Theology)

From the Society of St John the Evangelist e-newletter. The monastery is located in Harvard Square.

2007-09-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Feels like life's on hold going the speed of light

When you live in a house and decide to get all the floors refinished, life sort of goes on hold. What do I mean? Well, between 4-9 tonight we can't use our bathroom upstairs (I actually drove to the office!). Next week, when our kitchen and front hall are done, we'll have long periods of time when we can't access our whole house! Not only that, but everything in those rooms is removed. So, we've been sleeping at our friends' house and will continue to do so until we can walk on our floors for good.

Now, the speed of light part? Well, our schedules haven't thinned out just because we can't really live in our house; they have actually gotten a little fuller. The drywall has to be complete before the floors are coated so the dust doesn't ruin the finish. That means we've been drywalling and spackling nights and days for over a week. Thanks to those who have lent a hand. Francois is trying to write papers and read books in the meantime for class, and Joy is continuing to tackle a hefty load at the office. The next four weekends include a trip to NC for a missions conference at a supporting church, a McGlauflin (joy's mom's side) family reunion, a conference, a wedding that 'Cois is in, and a Rippey Street Christian Community retreat!

Jackie-dog is also taking the brunt of it. She is seriously disturbed with the disarray and noise of the house (altho' the floor guys love her and throw the ball for her on their smoke breaks). She must weigh an extra 5 pounds with all the sawdust and plaster dust that is in her coat!

Now, on to a more positive note. We love our nieces and nephews. Here they are. Ian and Lydia at the bus stop for the first day of school. Ian is in 2nd grade, and Lydia in kindergarten. They belong to Karl and Bea ('cois' sister). They live 1/2 block away - so close we can see their front door from our back door!Here is Deborah. Look at that smile! She is Jon (joy's brother) and Lydia's second. What a ham.
This is Rachel. She is the oldest and a very good older sister to Deborah and...
Titus McGlauflin Barron. He's just so cute! Can you stand it?? The Barrons live in Alabama and we'll see them at the reunion next week. What a treat.
Well, this has turned out to be a bit more of a personal update. Hope you enjoyed it.

2007-08-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

Ethics and Orientation

Francois spend yesterday with Carnegie Mellon's first year MBA students supervising a work site around the corner from our house. Given the landscape of today's business world, CMU decided that the first day of orientation for these business students should be about ethics-in-action: an introductory lecture on ethics followed by a day of community service. It's also a great way to connect these incoming students to life outside their new campus home.

check out the story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

2007-08-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

A Long Obedience In The Same Direction.

Although we did not read Eugene Peterson's book by the same title, it's one of the lessons students learned on LDW this summer while we paddled 170 miles on the Georgian Bay.

Sometimes it's not easy to explain to folks how transformation happens in the wilderness. Students often need time to process the intensity of the experience and its application back on campus. Other times it cristalizes in a way that inspires. Here's what one participant said at the end of the trip:

"We learned a lot about many different aspects of leadership during this trip - how to communicate effectively, different leadership styles and when they're appropriate based on the needs of the group, and tons about group dynamics. At first I thought I was collecting a grab bag of skills and knowlegde having to do with leadership or a list of areas I would have to consider in any leadership roles I take on, but I realize now that we were learning a lifestyle - a new level of Christlikeness that I had never seen before. On one of the last nights, Francois introduced us to the idea of 'yada' - to know. He told us it involves identifying what is true and responding to that truth, and the truth is that God loves each and every one of us, that He designed us all fearfully and wonderfully unique, and that He designed us to be known by one another and be in relationships with one another. It is in these relationships that we may image Him, both as a community and in all of our individual relationships. We learn to communicate effectively first and foremost so that we might understand one another, so that we have a more finely-tuned means of knowing one another and also allowing others to know us. We practice different leadership styles so that we might discover how to lead out of our own characters and in a way that best responds to and develops the characters of those we are leading. We study group dynamics because studying a community that strives to follow Christ is studying Christ himself. It's learning how Christ can work through any and every interaction and then just watching him do that. The next time I take on a leadership role, I will see it as the chance to work with a group of people, learn who they truly are, and love them with a Christlike love so they can grow more into who they are in Christ - as his beloved, all while they are revealing to me more of who I am as well. I've seen that leadership isn't about having a certain type of personality or a certain amount of knowledge, it's about relationships and discovering Christ with and through other people, and that's something God created all of us to do.
-Kelly Royer, LDW 2007 participant

2007-05-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Leadership and discipleship in the Wilderness 2007

June 2-July 3—Georgian Bay—Ontario, Canada

We are going on a journey—a pilgrimage of sorts—a sea kayaking adventure with 11 college students this summer. LDW has traditionally been held in the Wyoming mountains, but this year while CCO is training new mountaineering instructors, we will pilot a new destination for this summer program. Nate Tiefenbach, Charity Haulbrich and Emily Bean will join Joy and I in leading this 32-day voyage. During the trip, students will focus on 5 areas of discovery– Spiritual Disciplines, Leadership, Community, Knowing, and Servanthood.

In the story of Israel, God tells his people that he led them to the wilderness for an attitude check and a time of discovery (“to humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands." Deut 8:2). Over the years we have found that this is still true. On LDW, in the quiet of the wilderness, students have a chance to reflect on their lives on campus and to hear in a new way the still small voice of God calling them: “Since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you…” (Isaiah 43:4).

Unlike the powerful mountaintop moments that mountaineering offers, a

150 mile sea kayaking journey gives a chance to experience what Eugene

Peterson calls “the long obedience in the same direction”- the perseverance

and discipline that are needed for a life-long journey of faith. Please pray for

us and the students as we engage on this pilgrimage.

2007-05-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Moving and Packing
We have spent the last few days packing and moving our belongings to our new house. We have a few days of preparation now before we leave for the Georgian Bay in Ontario to lead the LDW trip for a month. Please pray for our safety and that we may teach and learn all that God has in store for this time.

Bomber Biscuits and Lattes
Last week we spent our mornings making breakfast and espresso drinks for the CCO staff at our annual Spring Institute training week. It was a successful fund raiser for our renovations at the new Equipment Room (see that blog). Francois learned the art of making great lattes and cappuccinos from a man on staff whose been in the business for years. Joy adapted great breakfast recipes from camping to the regular kitchen. "Bomber Biscuits" are garlic and cheese biscuits with sausage, egg, and cheese. Here are a few pictures of our fun.

Group Games and Instructor Training
During the Spring Institute week, Joy taught CCO staff two sessions on games and group initiatives to use in their work with students and other groups. Francois taught up and coming wilderness leaders valuable experiential education teaching techniques and how to grow people in their judgment and decision making. Here is the group in an activity that facilitated good communication and teamwork called "Toxic Waste".

2007-03-21T10:23:00.001-07:00

A Pat on the Back

It's not always well looked upon to toot your own horn, but we thought you would like to hear this bit of news. I hope you know how much we appreciate your support of our work with the CCO. Transforming college students to transform the world is Kingdom-building work. As a mission it is a living out of and sharing in the message and person of Jesus in today's North American culture. Along with its core values (1. All things belong to God, 2. Jesus changes people's lives, 3. We love college students, 4. Faithfulness is pursued together, 5. We celebrate life.), it is also a reflection of this organization of which we are a part. Please celebrate with us as the CCO wins for the fifth year in row the Best Christian Place to Work Award in the large missions/parachurch category. Thanks for making possible our participation in this great adventure possible.

Check out the CCO news room for more on the award.

2007-03-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

NEW CCO WEBSITE

Did we mention that CCO has a new website?

Check it out! at www.ccojubilee.org

If you want jump straight to the Outdoor Leadership Team page, click here

2007-03-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

MICHAEL POLLAN LECTURE

Last week we went to see Michael Pollan speak about his recent book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. As "nature writer who doesn't like camping", Michael Pollan researched the origins of the foods we eat. Taking a sometimes humorous, sometimes disburting look at four meals, he traces the ingredients back to their origins. The question that emerges through the book's uncovering of the environmental, economic and political dimensions of our meals is not the usual "what should eat?" but rather " How should we eat?"

For example, Michael Pollan's account of the use of corn in our diet (way beyond the high fructose corn syrup believe me!) leads him to quip that we are the corniest people on the planet. But beyond our unconscious love for everything corn, our new passion for ethanol is having global impact and not the kind advertised by car companies.

Needless to say, I was a little spooked when the next morning after the lecture, the Washington Post ran a story on the implications of rising cost of corn on the diet and businesses of Mexico (click here for article)

On the heels of Jubilee and our presentation on Wisdom at the Wilderness Education Association Conference, Joy and I have been thinking about how the stewardship we teach in the wilderness works itself out when we are back in the city. How does the "universal flourishing" of Shalom we seek to offer our students through adventure education, come to be lived out in the way we buy our food, cook our meals, and eat together?

Michael Pollan talked about a visit he made to Joel Salatin's farm in Virginia. Joel and his family have built a thriving farm on the model that God created the world and its creature to be in symbiotic relationships. His story is a facinating challenge to our individualistic culture where the environmental chickens may be coming home to roost (see Dead Zone in Gulf of Mexico or for NOAA's report on another cost of our "love" of corn)

2007-03-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

The CCO's annual event called JUBILEE took place in Pittsburgh recently. Over 2,000 college students gathered to engage the topic of God's vision for His Kingdom in the here and now. Jubilee is a weekend to for students to be challenged to listen and be open to how they could join in God's redemptive work in this world - especially in the profession they are studying towards.

The Saturday night keynote speaker was Gary Haugen, President and CEO of International Justice Mission. He spoke to students about slavery in the world today. In coordination with Amazing Change Weekend, a special screening was arranged for students to see the Amazing Grace movie about William Wilberforce's fight to end slavery in the British Empire of the 18th century. To see more pictures from the weekend, click here.

Francois and I spent the bulk of the weekend talking to students who were interested in spending a month this summer on our Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness trip (LDW). Our design for the trip is to pour into the leadership and spiritual development of future CEO's, pastors, parents, and citizens. Our desire is that students will come away with a fuller knowledge and practice of servant-leadership based in their commitment to love and follow Jesus Christ. We believe that will help change the world.

2007-02-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

A Unique Classroom
Many of you know that when Joy worked with the adventure program at Westminster college, her colleague, Steve Montgomery, was asked by the college to develop a graduate program in adventure education. Francois and Steve taught graduate students and CCO staff in this program for the last couple of years until Westminster closed the program. Ever since, we have been looking for a new partnering institution to accredit the program. Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU) has expressed interest in partnering with the CCO to re-open the graduate program. CCO staff are excited about this as are students we met at the Wilderness Education Association conference last week. WJU is currently reviewing our proposal. Check out the website that Joy designed for the program http://web.mac.com/outdoorleadership. We should know in a month or two if we have the green light from WJU and look forward to start teaching this summer.

2007-02-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

Francois and Steve Nystrom taught a Wilderness First Responder recertification class for CCO staff a few weeks ago. We spent three days together at Ligonier Camp brushing up on our backcountry medical skills. With 16 spring break trips going out next month, the course was a good review for situations we'd rather not find ourselves in but ones we need to be prepared for. Francois has been teaching these courses for CCO staff and students through SOLO, a school for wilderness medicine and rescue (www.soloschools.com).
Here's a video from our time together.

2007-02-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

Our new "ER"

OLT folks (Outdoor Leadership Team of the CCO) often get teased for the abundant use of acronyms. It's true we like to abbreviate ("I need to get my WFR and ITC before LDW so I can be a WEA NSP CI!")
Anyway, our ER (Equipment Room), pending board approval, will soon be housed in this big barn. Many thanks to a wonderful family who loves to support the work of the OLT, we will have a clean, dry, spacious and free place to store our gear all in one place. It is also a quiet place where staff and students can spend a day or two packing, preparing, and getting aquainted before trips, as well as drying out, unpacking and having space for reflection on the experience they just had.
In the 20+ years the CCO has owned equipment for adventure activities, God has always provided a place at little to no cost for the ER. As we move out of Cabot, PA, we are thankful for the last family who generously gave their space and smiles. And, we celebrate the provision of a new place with limitless potential for transforming college students!

2007-01-29T15:37:00.000-08:00

Suspending the Normal

Take a moment. Step into the mind of OLT member, Sam, as he strives to put into words the essence of his work with college students through the wilderness setting. He labors to explain and define the unseen power of God’s ministry to students through creation, community and Christ’s call on our entire life ...

“Leading trips in every condition with every kind of student has not only been deeply wonderful, but it has also made me acutely aware of one thing:

Suspending normal is as simple as replacing self-serving cafeteria lines and big tables in a clean environment with a bag of ingredients, a four inch "stove" and the forest floor. Add in a cold layer of snowflakes and a pinch of darkness, and voila! Mealtime is brand new, requiring inter-dependence among these experts on self-sufficiency.

Suspending normal means replacing i-Pods with silence, homework with play, and wrist-watches with listening to the natural cycles of hunger and sleep.
Furthermore, it means removing the distractions that keep many of them from dealing with essential questions about life and faith.

This is the heart of it for me. Students frequently say that God is more easily found in nature than other places (even if they aren't sure there IS a God), as though the outdoors were his living room where they feel comfortable sitting. For so many, their internal questions converge with the activities and experiences and conversations on a trip and they begin to respond to Christ's invitation, "Come, all who are thirsty...."

What a privilege it is to watch them grapple with this first-hand, and then later, to hear from campus ministers about how these students' lives continue to be transformed on their campuses.”

Francois and I are going to "suspend the normal" with students this summer in Ontario, Canada on a 30 day kayaking trip: Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness... more details to come!

2007-01-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

One resolution

Happy 2007! One resolution I made was to post more on the blog. That wont be too difficult since I only posted 2wice last year.
This picture of Francois and our friend Ryan is taken on the summit of a mountain in Wyoming. Ryan works in OH and wrote an email recently looking for some help for his spring break trip. It is a good example of why we do what we do. Here it is:

"FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!! An all expense paid trip to FL, THAT'S RIGHT!!! There is no catch except the giant SNAPPER you will be eating for dinner! No need for certification but it is certainly not a problem if you have it! this is a great opportunity to apprentice with a veteran instructor or to work with a great guy, and work with some fabulous student leaders!

WHEN: March 9 – 18

Where: 10,000 Islands Florida

What: OWU Wilderness Trek, Canoeing. It is called, “Creation Speaks, a theology of ecology” The group will be looking at the connection between the ecology of the everglades and how it connects to the ecology of relationships and life together! The curriculum and design is being created by the student leaders. Your role will be to be present, Risk management, Assist student leaders in their leadership, teach technical skills that are beyond student leaders reach."

2006-11-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

Here's another look at the Kayak-a-thon.

2006-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

6th Annual Kayak-a-thon
(an event to raise funds for CCO ministries)

It was dawn when 10 kayakers started the day. 11 1/2 hours later, the last kayaker pried himself out of his boat in the dark and there was much celebration!
Francois raised a record-breaking amount of support this year, breaking over the $1000 mark! Thanks to all the people who made that possible!
Here are some pictures from the day.

Getting ready to go early in the morning.

The view of "dawntawn" Pittsburgh from the water.

2006-10-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our blog.
Neither Francois nor I have ever blogged before, so it is an exciting step. This will primarily be a space where we share stories and pictures about our ministry in the CCO, but hopefully we'll add the occasional blog-like free-write ruminations about life and learning.
Enjoy!

On the sharp end

2006-10-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, not as often as Francois, I get philosophical. I'm usually overtired and have had too much caffeine on a long road trip or I just get stuck with an image in my head that I can't let go. My latest image is rock climbing. When I step back and imagine what it looks like to the general public, I can understand the absurdity, meaninglessness, and apparent stupidity that I know many see. I think the same about things like nascar.
I heard Lynn Hill (world class cliimber) speak last week. She has lived and traveled around the world to climb rocks. A lot of very high rocks and ones with very little to hold onto. That does sound absurd. But I love climbing rocks, too. On the sharp end of what? a marshmallow stick? a cliff edge? a poker game gone bad? No.
A rope. A what? On the sharp end of a climbing rope.