DECEMBER 2010


ThE WEsT ViRGinia UniTED METhODisT • www.wvumc.org


11 Boy Scouts to build camp in W.Va.


By Dr. J.F. Lacaria, Special Contributor


Te Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced that the organizations fourth high- adventure camp will be in Fayette County. Te Sum- mit: Bechtel Family Scouting Reserve (Te Summit) broke ground near Glen Jean, W.Va. October 22. Te location was chosen


from 80 sites to be the home for a high adventure, leader- ship formation, and summer camp. Te Summit will also host the 2013 National Jam- boree, considered the signa- ture event of the BSA. “We will have the opportu-


nity to show off West Virginia to kids from around the world to see what we see all the time,” said Joe Vatalare, who leads Troop 68 at Cross Lanes Unit- ed Methodist Church. He says it’s a chance for kids “to know there’s more to West Virginia than what you see on the news.” Te Summit can host a thou-


sand-plus scouts per week. “To have a high adventure camp this close is very exciting,” Vat- alare said. “Te cost of trans- portation alone placed it out of reach for many of our church- based scout families. Now we can take the whole troop.” Rev. Greg Godwin, who pas- tors Concord United Meth-


DiD yOU KnOW?


More than 400 scouts and leaders from all over the West Virginia Conference gathered in September on the lawn of Jackson’s Mill for the Circuit Rider Jamboree, the largest gathering of youth in the Conference. Te Jamboree was part of the annual United Methodist Men’s gathering “at the mill.” While there, scouts worked on merit badges, traded patch-


es, and received Christian witness from conference United Methodist Men. “I go to the Circuit Rider Jamboree because it gives our


troop an opportunity to be at a church-based event,” said Troop 68 (Cross Lanes UMC) leader Joe Valatare. He says it’s also a chance to hear Bishop Lyght preach, and be with the United Methodist Men. “We’re going to adjust our fall campout schedule to encourage more or our scouts to par- ticipate in the Circuit Rider Jamboree,” he said.


Te connection between PhOTO By JiMMy sMiTh


A boy scout sets up his tent on the lawn of West Virginia Wesleyan College during Annual Conference in June.


odist Church and is a United Methodist chaplain to the National Jamboree, is enthu- siastic about what the Summit means for the West Virginia Conference. “Our churches will be able to step up and get involved in supporting the jamboree,” Godwin said. He says that scouting is a


ministry of outreach for the United Methodist Church “Scouting reflects the na-


tional trend of growing num- bers of un-churched people,” he said. “Teir participation in scouting through a local United Methodist Church provides an outreach oppor- tunity.”


the Boy Scouts was affirmed during a United Methodist worship service led by West- ern Pennsylvania area bishop Tom Bickerton. Te bishop challenged a congregation of several thousand scouts to give $10,000 in offerings for Nothing but Nets, a cam- paign that raises awareness and funds to combat malaria. Te disease killed an esti-


mated 863,000 people world- wide in 2008, mostly in sub- Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO). Te United Methodist Church is an active partner in Nothing but Nets,


which encourages individuals to give $10 to buy a net and “save a life.” Te scouts answered the bish-


op’s challenge, and gave more than $12,500. “One scout told me he put $30 in the offering plate, so he could save three lives,” said Godwin. “Tis is the most engaged I’ve seen the scouts with a service project.”


Keep up with the summit online at facebook.com/TheBechtel- summit. Dr. J.f. Lacaria directs leadership formation and ministry support for the West Virginia Con- ference of the United Methodist Church. Reach him at jayeph@ aol.com or 800-788-3746, ext. 27


UMW MEET


PhOTO By aDaM CUnninGhaM The United Methodist Women met in October at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bluefield for their annual meeting. The meeting is a time for the women to conduct business, learn, and share fellowship. “We must move beyond our comfort zone,”


said UMW president Pat Mick in her address to the gathering. The UMW used Skype, an Inter- net-based live video technology to bring Julie Taylor of the Women’s Division to the meeting.


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