Personal Updates from Dale Kinkade

I'm so grateful for the opportunity God has given me to be a part of His plan through CSB Ministries. It has been quite a while since I have given personal updates. Here is a very abbreviated overview of what has been going on in ministry and life…

Camp Registration Meltdown

On April 23 we lost our network server host for our camp registration site. We were left high and dry by the host company and the amount of hours it took to recover are immeasurable. Jeanne Seifert, Todd Sharkey and myself spent great efforts pulling the system back together. THANKS to your prayers and the many dedicated hours, we pulled it back together with little pain to our staff and registrants.

Camp Blessings

I hope you saw the Camp Director’s Report from Dave Buncher. We are praising God for the spiritual decisions made and the relationships built. I had a very blessed time leading the Junior Counselor Training week with Jack Reppart. Most of last year’s JC’s graduated, so we had nearly a whole group of newbies. They were a great group and we can’t wait to have them back next year! Developing young men toward servant leadership for Christ is core to the Brigade fabric.

Keeping Up With Life

This was the “year of the car” – spending money and time on them that is. Long term maintenance issues had built up in our “fleet.” I had to fix issues with the family car before we went on our summer excursions. Issues on the family car had me tearing half of the rear suspension apart as well as the top of the engine (intake manifold.)

We had to add a car for Madelyn to drive for work and her senior year of high school which involves commuting to YSU for College Credit Plus classes. We were blessed with a great deal on a 2004 Honda CR-V for Madelyn, but high mileage (240,000) demands extra and more costly maintenance. We went into the deal with eyes wide open and we are still way ahead. However, even with good deals and the ability to do the repairs, the car budget and savings has taken a BIG hit this year.

Family Time

It had been quite a while since we had taken a family excursion. We were blessed to be able to go to The Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. AIG has done an outstanding job. If anyone has doubts about the possibility of the Noah account, the exhibit answers those doubts very well and with great quality.

Our next excursion took us to the Jersey shores for a family wedding and to Niagara Falls. We dropped the kids in Buffalo, and headed to the wedding. We then blitzed back to Buffalo and did an excursion to Niagara Falls, Canada with Jennifer’s family. Great beauty and power; and great family memories.

Leadership Trails

Among all of this and more, my revision and design management of Leadership Trails headed forward – AND IS COMPLETE! This completes a full revision of our Battalion materials. Pre-print response from those who have seen the updated edition has been very positive. We pray this will increase the success of the number of the men of tomorrow being discipled in biblical, servant leadership by the men of today.

Thankful

I am so grateful for all who help me carry out God’s call on my life. Your prayers and financial support help me accomplish my role in Brigade to disciple the men of today and tomorrow. Your prayers and support also help me fulfill my role as a husband and father. Thank you for being a part of my life!

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Father & Son Winter Getaway 2019

Get ready...

for the annual Father & Son Winter Getaway 

December 6th and 7th, at Stony Glen

This event promises plenty of action and quality-time for fathers and their sons (grades 1 - 12).
Check out details, print flyers, and register through our Regional Website

• All Fathers and Sons are welcome - you do not have to be a part of Brigade.

• Brigade Leaders: please share this with your guys if it fits with your ministry schedule. 

Activities include Fire Building, Airsoft, Axe Throwing, Great Hikes, & More

Comfortable cabins along with Friday night snacks and Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bring your own bedding.

Registration opens September 14th 

Camp Director's Report - Dave Buncher

Well… We survived another summer camp season. Which is fitting seeing as our theme this year was survival. How do we survive as followers of Christ in a world that opposes everything that we believe? How do we fight against an enemy that hates everything we are? Jesus gives us the answer to these questions in our theme verse, John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” He is a God who overcomes and who carries us through our challenges and difficulties.

We had a fruitful summer at Brigade Camp this year. We had some successes and some struggles but through the grace of God we have overcome. We were blessed to serve 395 Campers this year. God moved through another great Bible Exploration studies written again by Todd Sharkey. God also used our times of cabin devotions and some great challenges from campfire speakers each night. Over the course of the summer we had reports of 7 first time salvation decisions, 25 campers rededicating their lives to Christ, and 71 that asked for prayer. We know that numbers cannot adequately quantify what the Holy Spirit of God has done, but it gives us some insight and reminds us that God is at work.

As many of you know some of our games can at times get a little rough. Boys will be boys, as the saying goes. During one of our game times one of our campers hit his head and suffered a concussion. As time went by it seemed that his injury was far more severe than we had thought. He was convulsing, somewhat delirious, panicked, and sick to his stomach. By the providence of the Lord our medical staff for that week was a practicing neurologist. We sent the young man to the hospital via an ambulance. By the time the ambulance left all of the campers had been gathered in the dining hall. As I entered the dining hall to send the campers towards the campfire, I saw an amazing site. The entire camp had circled up in prayer for this young man.

We continued on to the campfire and carried on with our program. At the end of our campfire session the injured camper’s brother, who happened to be one of our Junior Counselors came up to me. He informed us that his brother was there. I thought he was back with his parents to get his stuff and go home. In fact, he was at the campfire. The Lord had healed him completely. What an opportunity for our campers to see the true power of prayer and the great love of a mighty God.

During our first week of camp I wandered into the dining hall during some rare down time. Several of our service crew workers were taking a break. As we sat and talked one of the guys mentioned he played guitar. I asked him to grab his instrument and let me hear. He did and I was stunned. He turned out to be quite good. I got my guitar and we started playing some worship songs together. One of our staff members mentioned he played bass guitar. Before I knew it we had two guitars, a bass guitar, a drummer, and three singers. We were sitting around worshiping together for almost an hour. I asked the group to help me lead worship that night during campfire. That turned out to be one of the most amazing and impactful times of worship I have ever experienced. What started as just a fun jam session turned into a worship band that played at many of the campfires throughout the rest of the summer. It was amazing to experience the campers, leaders, and staff lifting their voices and hearts in worship to our amazing God.

What an immense privilege we have to serve our great Creator God in this ministry at a place like Stony Glen Camp. As well as the honor to work with a fantastic staff, counselors, volunteers, and junior counselors. This year’s class of junior counselors was one of the youngest we have had during my tenure. They all did a fantastic job serving as cabin counselors during our stockade weeks, as well as presenting skits and songs during our nightly campfires. One of the things that impressed me most about this particular group were the questions they asked during my daily bible study time with them. They asked some really deep and challenging questions about The Word of God and about the Christian life. Pray for these exceptional young men as they grow in stature and in the faith in the Lord over this next year.

As the Brigade Camp Director for nine years now, I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me the opportunity to be involved in such a great ministry. A huge thanks goes out to all of the phenomenal Senor counselors that gave up a week or more of their lives to impact our campers with their passion for Christ. As a rare blessing, our entire central staff were seasoned veterans. I want to give each one of them public praise for how they gave of themselves this summer to help make this year a success. Perhaps you might want to ask the Lord how you might get involved in Brigade Camp 2020 summer camp season.

Dave Buncher 

Brigade Camp Director

Linda Sharkey Goes Home

Our brother, friend, and fellow worker in ministry through Brigade, Todd Sharkey, lost his beloved wife, Linda Sharkey, to a long and courageous battle with cancer. Pray for Todd, Christopher, Stephen, Andrew, and Makayla as they travel this journey of loss. We rejoice that Linda is in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, experiencing complete joy and a new, imperishable body. (2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

Linda Sharkey Obituary

Registration Is Back Up!!

Wahooo Registration is up!!

SPREAD THE WORD!!!

REGISTRATION IS BACK UP for both the Father & Son Spring Getaway, May 10, 11 and for Ohio Brigade Camp 2019.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to correct the problems created by our hosting company. We are now able to accept new registrations and are working to restore the information of those who registered before the server failure. Remember, we have extended the summer camp early bird rates until May 10th.

Father & Son Spring Getaway Registration

Ohio Brigade Camp Registration

Father & Son Spring Getaway 2019

Mark Your Calendars and Register Today!!

Ohio Valley CSB announces the second annual Father & Son Spring Getaway for May 10th & 11th, at Stony Glen Camp. This event promises plenty of action and quality-time together for fathers and their sons (grades 1 - 12).

You can check out details, print flyers, and register through our Regional Website.

• All Fathers and Sons are welcome - you do not need to be a part of Brigade.
• Brigade Leaders: please share this with your guys if it fits into your ministry schedule.
•  NEW Tent Camping option!!!

Activities includes riflery, archery, making hiking sticks, special speaker, and more 

Choice of cabins or bring your own tent along with Friday night snacks and Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Free-time activities include scenic hikes, fishing, and games (Bring your own fishing tackle).
 

Online registration is open now

Ed Streisel Passes Into Eternity

Ed Streisel and the SCUBA Cabin of 1983

I’m saddened to announce the passing of Ed Streisel. After 92 years on this earth, Ed passed into eternity Saturday, February 2, 2019, to meet his Lord and Savior face to face. Ed said goodbye and closed his eyes to die peacefully at home with his family by his side.

Ed was our long-time SCUBA instructor at Ohio Brigade Camp at Stony Glen in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Ed was a generous man with a great sense of humor, who knew how to reach the hearts of teen guys with high energy and good clean mischief. Anyone who went to camp in that era was very aware of the energy of the SCUBA cabin. I had the privilege of having Ed as my counselor in 1983.

It was obvious that Ed had a passion for life, and he used that passion to share Christ at summer camp. See you again when I arrive Scubaman.

“Scubaman, Scubaman, Does whatever a fishy can…”

(Picture Trivia – can you spot the CSB Regional Director?)