U.M. ARMY at KUMC
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KUMC has a rich tradition of hosting and sending volunteers to work at U.M. ARMY camps during the summer months. U.M. ARMY is seen as an exciting piece of our youth program and our missional activity of our congregation made available to Senior High students. Each summer we send close to 300 students and adults to U.M. ARMY camps. The past two summers we have had the addiitonal honor of being joined by residents of the Methodist Children's Home and thanks to these experiences a new tradition has been born. If you are a Senior High student this is an experience that you don't want to miss.
2008 Summer Camp (Making a Difference for Christ)
Dates: June 15- 21
At Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX between Lufkin and Tyler.
Returning campers need to pick up an Information sheet and Stock Envelop at KUMC (these will be available after Feb 24).
Registration will be March 9 in K202 from 7 to 9 p.m. This year you will fill out registration forms at the Registration session so come prepared with registration fee, insurance card copies (2 of each front and back), stock monies, and youth need to also bring a parent to sign their forms.
For anyone unable to attend this camp week, we are investigating an alternative week in July.
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History
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In 1979, thirty six youth and adults from three Houston churches held the first U.M. ARMY work camp in Athens, TX. Numbers of participants are now over 4,000, with over 1500 work sites completed this past summer. The Department of Human Services provides most referrals of work needed, and in many areas offers extensive support. Although the Department of Human Services provides most work referrals, we often receive work referrals from United Way, Senior Citizens, Visiting Nurses, Meals on Wheels and various community service organizations.
In 2002 we received the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Department of Human Services. In 1995, U.M. ARMY was one of fifteen recipients of Exemplary State and Local Awards from the National Center for Public Productivity at the Newark Campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. U.M. ARMY has earned statewide recognition with such awards as the Texas Long Term Care Volunteer Award (1991), two Texas Governor’s Certificates of Volunteer Service (1989 and 1987). and the Texas Department of Human Services Volunteer Service Award (1987). Numerous other regional and city awards have been given to U.M. ARMY as well. We also formed a new Board of Directors to operate camps in the Southwest Texas area and several other states are working at coming on board too.
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Philosophy of UMARMY
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Preparation, Safety, Teamwork, Leadership development in teens, Free services for clients, Offering others what they may not have without us. When we leave the quality of life has been improved. Our work is the vehicle for God’s love to be shared with people, regardless of race, religion or sex.
Work camps provide meaningful opportunities for Christians to put their faith to work. Young people discover the importance of loving with actions, not just words. Participants realize the power of God’s love as they provide practical assistance to their neighbors. Through challenging experiences, young people learn what it means to be a servant.
While time, resources and ability may keep participants from doing all they want for their clients, work teams leave knowing they have brought some improvement along with the message of God’s love to each site. In fact, U.M. ARMY stresses visitation with clients as perhaps the most important aspect of each team’s efforts.
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Mission and Vision
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Our Mission is to provide Christ centered, quality youth work camps that serve people in need and promote spiritual growth and leadership development in youth.
Our Vision is to continue to grow in ministry with God and become the hands and voice of Christ while receiving guidance from the following core principles;
We are a God-led, volunteer, youth-focused organization.
We believe God changes lives through the U.M. ARMY experience.
We believe in increasing the number of lives touched in a planned and responsible way.
We believe in being proactive in protecting the persons we touch, the environment and the corporate organization.
We believe camp operation can be accomplished with hard work, compassion and honesty.
We believe in developing well-trained camp leadership.
We believe that all aspects of the U.M. ARMY® organization will be managed with integrity.
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