Church of Our Saviour youth check out the archery equipment during a special tour of Camp Wingmann on May 4.

In November of 2018, Church of Our Saviour sponsored a Camp Wingmann Family Fun Day on campus in Okeechobee. Camp Wingmann staff was on site to worship, meet, and interact with parish families to familiarize them with the various youth programs offered at Camp Wingmann.

It was a day filled with music, worship, a bounce house, hamburgers and hot dogs, a snow cone machine, and ice cream sandwiches. It also was an answer to the vision and prayers of COOS ministry staff – Father Jim Shevlin, rector, the Rev. Kay Mueller, deacon, and Kevin Kinnaird, director of music, as well as vestry members and parishioners.
Attendance that November day peaked at more than 100 and a great time was had by all. But, more importantly, many of the new members of Church of Our Saviour and their families were introduced to one of the greatest assets of the diocese: Camp Wingmann.

COOS’ vision to plan a Family Day at Camp Wingmann in Avon Park was on the drawing board, but “twas the season!” Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, and then the Diocese of Central Florida’s 50th Annual Convention and Revival held Feb. 1-2 in Orlando, featuring Presiding Bishop Michael Curry as honored guest and keynote speaker, followed by Lent, Holy Week, and Easter all made for a busy five months.

Needless to say, COOS did not lose sight of its goal, and members continued to pray about it. Long-time parishioners Bill & Diane Kaufman, whose adult daughters, Chrissy and Jane, are alumnae of Camp Wingmann, were led to volunteer to sponsor a fundraiser for scholarship funds and proposed a fish fry, which was held at Church of Our Saviour on March 29 during Lent.

The fish fry was promoted within the parish, the local ministerial association, the community newspaper and in advertising flyers, and posted in local businesses. Not only was it an outreach to the community, but it was a time of working together in unity, fellowship and fun for COOS members, all for a worthy cause.

Finally, on Saturday, May 4, a caravan of 20 parishioners traveled from Okeechobee to Avon Park for Family Day. This included 11 youth ranging from 1 year to 15 years of age, seven parents/guardians, Mueller and Shevlin. Of note was that one COOS family with four children was unable to attend as their oldest daughter was competing in a state cheerleading competition in Jacksonville, but had already decided Camp Wingmann was a “yes” based on the November fun day.
At Family Day, camp activities director JJ Joseph, along with counselors Jordan Vines and Mady Jones, planned an agenda that included group activities, a tour of the facilities, devotions, and a Q&A period for both potential campers and parents/guardians.

COOS staff, in turn, provided a picnic lunch for everyone that included a choice of sandwiches (chicken salad, pimento cheese, or peanut butter and jelly), chips, fruit, cookies and drink. A “surprise” to the agenda was a check from the proceeds of the COOS fish fry presented to Camp Wingmann by Shevlin and Mueller on behalf of their parish for scholarship funds in the amount of $2,064.

Mueller, a member of a prayer team at the 50th anniversary “Keep Saying Yes to Jesus” Revival, said, “This is an answer to prayer! There is power in the blood, and there is power in prayer! In one of the promotional convention videos, our presiding bishop, The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, spoke about his grandmother encouraging him to ‘have a little talk with Jesus.’ A portion of the lyrics to the chorus of that song “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” are:

Now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning
You’ll know a little fire is burning
You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right!

“We were blessed to see the fires burning within many at the Feb. 1 revival as they humbly came forth seeking intercessory prayer, and to share in the expressions of confession, adoration and thanksgiving,” Mueller said. “At a local level, we are blessed to experience the fruition of a vision, prayers, and purposeful ministry in the promotion of Camp Wingmann based on the fires burning within those in our immediate community of faith.

“As they say at Camp Wingmann … God is good – all the time,” Mueller said. “Let our prayer across the Diocese be for all of our youth to share in the journey of faith, fellowship and fun at Camp Wingmann this summer.”

– The Rev. Kay Mueller is deacon of Church of Our Saviour in Okeechobee.