Exemplary Service through Ohio Brigade Camp

We want to thank Dave Buncher for his exemplary service through Ohio Brigade Camp.

This year we celebrate 80 years since Joe Coughlin and the young Frontiersmen of Christain Service Brigade started Brigade camp in Ohio. God has forged this ministry through the talent of many great leaders throughout our history. Each leader has faithfully passed the torch to the next generation. Dave will be stepping out of a central leadership position after serving twelve years as camp director and two years as ministry director. He has the distinction of longest serving director in the 80-year history of Brigade camp in Ohio!

Dave Buncher’s leadership and big presence has helped set an exciting atmosphere of ministry at Brigade Camp for fourteen years. Several generations of junior counselors and collegiates have matured and flourished in their knowledge and practice of worship, skit presentation, and spiritual focus under Dave’s leadership.

Dave’s absence in a central leadership position will create a large hole to be filled. Pray that our camp director and program director, as well as collegiates, junior counselors, and volunteer staff will be endowed with vision and confidence from the Holy Spirit to fill the ministry atmosphere that Pastor Dave infused with passion. CSB exists to equip lay leaders to carry out God’s call in these areas. We trust God will use camp to grow our next generation of leaders into the tools He desires as they carry out His ministry at Ohio Brigade Camp.

We pray Dave will continue to be blessed and be a great blessing in his ministry at Cross of Hope Church (Parma Hts. Baptist). He continues in his role on the Stony Glen Board, and we trust he will not be a stranger to Brigade Camp in the years to come.

New Tree Climbers Materials released: CHESS

Tree Climbers is designed for dads or other mentors of first and second grade boys. As you may know, I have been leading the redevelopment of these materials. 

CHESS, the second installment of the new Tree Climbers Guild materials is now available! It follows on the heels of our successful test module on Birds, which included a terrific birdhouse project. 

CHESS is designed to help mentors engage very young boys in the world of chess and in learning about serving the King, the creator of all things, through the Bible and exciting original stories.

Are you a father of a young boy? I would like to encourage you to give it a try. You can do this on your own with your son or multiply the fun by inviting a couple of friends who have young sons as well. It is a short commitment of meeting four time to have fun, build relationships, and learn valuable life skills.

 You can get your copy of Chess here.

In His Service and Yours,

Dale Kinkade

2025 Ohio Battalion Klondike Derby

The 2025 Ohio Klondike Derby is in the books. Snow turned to cold rain but couldn't take away the snowpack or dampen the spirits of the participants.

It was great to have Cross of Hope Church (Parma Heights Baptist) back after more than a decade to join Hope GMC, Portage Community, Goss, Huntsburg, and North-Mar in friendly competition.

Our Brigade Representative, Dale Kinkade, spoke about how he will never look at a saw the same way again after recently gained insights into how to sharpen crosscut saws. He used this to build an analogy about looking at our own lives and our world differently through discovering the truth of God's word. He gave examples of some of those truths, especially from the book of Genesis which was the focus book of the Bible quiz.

All teams exhibited great strength despite the weather, and even smaller teams were competitive in many of the events.

All teams competed in memory verses, Bible quiz, knots, fire building, winter survival, orienteering, axe throwing, log saw, biathlon, and sled race. 

Congratulations to North-Mar C&MA, Battalion #1180, who took top honors.