Throughout the years, we've had many faithful and enthusiastic volunteers help with all parts of Grace Bible Day Camp. We wanted to share our heartfelt thanks for them along with some of our favorite pictures of their service this year!

GBDC is such a large undertaking, our biggest outreach of each ministry year, and it takes many people working on stage, with the kids, and behind the scenes to run as smoothly as it does. We are so thankful for the church family God gave us that is willing to give of their time, energy, and resources, and is even willing to look goofy in order to share Christ with the children who attend! They are a great example to us and our community of love and faithfulness.

A few of this year's volunteers shared how serving in various aspects of GBDC is a blessing to them:

For several years, I have assisted my husband in teaching 5/6 grade Sunday School, and we have gotten to know and love each of our students. However, it was delightful getting to know some of our former students in another light while working along side them as counselors. As we get older, it is a joy to know we have had a small impact on the next generation of GCM becoming solid Christians with sweet spirits.
Rhnae King

I had the opportunity to talk to a parent who has sent their kids to GBDC for many years. The parent expressed gratitude their daughter loves to learn about Jesus Christ & the Bible. This parent also stated a real interest in visiting church & in learning the Bible. We talked a little bit about reading the Gospel of John where John explains who Jesus truly is. Praying we’ll be able to talk again.
Katie Knutson

It is simply a pleasure to get the opportunity to work with the church family to accomplish something for eternal purpose. It was a special blessing just to see in the opening and closing programs what all those children learned about God. It was obvious that the good seed of the Word was being planted in their hearts with the hope that it will bear fruit in the days to come.
Chuck Laughlin

What I love about GBDC is that it is an opportunity to serve the Lord with some of the talents and gifts that the Lord gave that I don’t get to exercise in the same way throughout the rest of our church family’s year!
Kent Hobi

Serving the Lord through GBDC was an incredible privilege and blessing on multiple levels. It was a blessing to serve alongside my church family who loves God and loves the souls of the families we were reaching. I learned so much by watching them interact with one another as well as with the kids and parents.
It was also a privilege to introduce the children to Jesus. One morning as I was going through the memory verses with a first grader, I pointed to the phrase, "Christ died for us" in Romans 5:8. I asked her who "Christ" is in that verse. She said she did not know. So I explained it's Jesus, the One we've been talking about all week in lesson time. She told me she had only ever heard of Jesus or Christ as a swear word until now. I pray for each of the kids who were in my groups during both weeks, that they would come to know the Lord Jesus, not as a swear word, but as their personal Savior.
Amy Greenwood

As a teacher, I'm used to spending time with children and watching them learn, but this was my first time working with kids in a ministry setting. I didn't expect to learn so much. God taught me through GBDC that as a "grown up" I can focus too much on myself and my-life-application in my walk with Him. I was reminded of John 3:30 "He must become greater, I must become less". It was so refreshing, convicting, and exciting to learn about the attributes of our amazing God and the truths of the gospel!
Being a counselor for GBDC also taught me a lot about evangelism because kids aren't afraid to ask questions! Talking about faith can be intimidating with adults, so it was so sweet to be able to engage in spiritual dialogue with 5-years-olds. The kids didn't have fear to ask big questions that as an ambassador for Christ, I need to be prepared to answer at any moment to anyone. I think we should all be able to articulate the gospel or biblical truths to a kindergartener - it doesn't need to be as complex as we make it sometimes.
It was also moving to see the care the leaders took to pray for the souls not only campers, but parents. It wasn't just babysitting, but an outreach opportunity and an intentional exercise in both praying for and actively caring for our community. And of course, it was lots of fun to get to know my brothers and sisters at Grace, to play games, and to get dressed up like a mystery islander with Karla and Amy, my awesome co-counselors!
Colleen Shannon

The thing I loved the most was all the smiling faces and knowing that for a while each day they had a “safe” place to be where they didn’t have to worry about anything and just be a kid; plus seeing all of them hearing the Bible taught to them each day Mr. Teske was awesome! Just to be there and be a small part of all that was a blessing for me and prayerfully we will see much fruit from what was done and said this year! just thankful to be a part of it!
Brian Hull

It's a joy to work with kids, and it was one the highlights of my summer! One kid especially had a lot of good questions about salvation, Catholicism, being a good person, and more. I really hope he gets saved, or is already!
Oliver Richard

If you have served in any capacity for Grace Bible Day Camp (this year or in the past), Thank You!! Even if you are not pictured below, you know who you are, and more importantly, so does the Lord we are serving!

"For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints." --Hebrews 6:10