Design Team Members
Counselor and Staff
Francis Thomas B. Serrano
Former Design Team Member
October 29, 2008
Dear Leadership Team,
As a former Design Team member as well as a Counselor and Staff member. I am compelled to speak on the latest issues that have been going around. And even though I am eight thousand miles away, I am still affected by the things that are happening with the leaderships of Christmas Institute. For one I have invested 15 years into Christmas Institute and have worked very hard like many of you to make CI what it is today. Second, my nephew and niece will be attending CI this year so as a parent I have the right and the responsibility to make sure that the people teaching my nephew and niece are consistent to the values and principles that my family has set. And lastly, it is because I still care deeply for all of you and I know how hard you have worked and things such as these although important should not diminish your contribution and sacrifices you have all made for CI and for Jesus Christ. But like many of you I am moved to say something.
For past few years since when I was still a design team member I was involved with the day to day operations of Christmas Institute, there was not an issue or problem that I ran away from. I was always ready to answer the call of the Lord as well as my fellow design team members. There was never a time where it was too late to call me (although there is too early) or too far for me not to go. There was a time when we had a problem with that we had way to many campers attending CI then the amount of food we have available. So I was asked to call the campers that turned in their applications late and give them the very bad news that they cannot attend CI that year. What made it difficult was that the day I had to call was Christmas Day. And even though I made the call, I did not stop there, I found a way for those kids to be able to attend anyway. Which for those involved know that was no easy task. But no matter how difficult it was to call these people and ruin their Christmas, it had to be done and someone had to be the bad guy. But that is what leaders do, to make the difficult choices. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians says it best, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58
But what is a leader? In Proverbs 28:16 says, “A ruler (leader) who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness will prolong his rule.” King Solomon was saying that to be an effective leader one must have the patience and be open minded else they will just enforce what they believe to those they lead.
In the past few days I have been receiving e-mails asking me to turn in a questionnaire form to determine where I am with my walk with the Lord. I have always maintained that as Design Team members we must set a bar or standard to which not everyone can just be a counselor. But what is dangerous with setting a bar is who gets to set that bar? Obviously the most logical choice would be the design team to set that bar. But who sets the bar for the design team? Logically shouldn’t the standard set for the Design Team members be higher than that of the Counselor’s and Staff members. My original proposal was that the entire counselor and staff along with the Design Team meet together and set that standards in what they all feel what is the definition of a counselor, staff and of course design team. So each member is heard and that at least at the end of that meeting you all come out with one clear mandate saying this is the bar and this is what we all agreed with. Now I don’t know if that ever happened or not, but if it hasn’t then I urge the counselors and staff and demand to know who sets the DESIGN TEAM’s standards?
I am quoting from the STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT that I received.
If this is required for Counselors and Staff than where is the STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT for the Design Team? Shouldn’t their list be longer?
The first and the last bullet point I cannot answer for those are subjective and only GOD can answer that. But the second and third (which I believe go hand in hand) is something we CAN keep accountable to each other for and definitely something that we are all charged to do. But let me talk about accountability. In Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
Oxford American Dictionaries has this to say about countenance.
countenance |ˈkountn-əns|
noun
1 a person's face or facial expression : his impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance give little away.
2 support : she was giving her specific countenance to the occasion.
verb [ trans. ]
admit as acceptable or possible : he was reluctant to countenance the use of force.
PHRASES
keep one's countenance maintain one's composure, esp. by refraining from laughter.
keep someone in countenance help someone to remain calm and confident : to keep herself in countenance she opened her notebook.
out of countenance disconcerted or unpleasantly surprised : I put him clean out of countenance just by looking at him
In this definition I want to focus on the key word in this definition. The word: HELP. It isn’t enough to just point to our brothers and sisters in Christ about their shortcomings but how can we HELP? We need to help them remain calm and confident. As per the Lord’s teaching. Sure they may not want to hear it, they may even be apprehensive about it, but it is something the Lord calls us to do. So if indeed we see our brother or sister stumble how do we help them get back up? It is like saying to yourself, hey I’m hungry. But if you don’t do anything about it. Guess what, until you do something about it won’t change. You must do something, else you’ll starve. So those making claims that one is not “Christian” enough then what are you doing to help that person make the cut?
I believe that the design team has many functions and responsibilities. With things like choosing a campsite, creating a functional budget, and putting together a coherent family groups material. We have also the added responsibility in fostering leaders and future leaders. Ralph Nader, political activist and Presidential candidate for the green party said, “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” It is often difficult when you find yourself a leader whose responsibility to create more leaders. But it is important especially at CI. The work of the LORD is never done, the battle between the forces of good and evil will continue till the final battle as prophesized by John in the book of Revelations. So it is important that we as design team members think long term, and look down the road to see who can carry the mantle of responsibility. So we must produce more leaders. Such as what Kuya John Umaging did, Ate Grace (Cainoy) Weltman, Ate Marie (Dacio) Pico, Ate Rose Lynn (Abesamis) Bell, Kuya Joey Alberracin, Michelle Quizon. These former Directors knew that one day they will say goodbye to CI but the work must continue. So if we were to make a Statement of Commitment for a design team member shouldn’t fostering the people they lead be an important point?
Now that I have made my point, the issue at hand is whether someone is Christian enough to be a counselor. And yes I do believe that a standard should be set, but it is also important as to who sets the standards. And if we require that of a Counselor than we should demand that from our leaders.
I have known Nicco for most of my life, I have seen him grow not only as a man but as Christian servant. I was also blessed to have had him in my family group and was instrumental in bringing Rosewood UMC’s first Contemporary Worship service. I have seen him be the youth member to being the youth leader to now a youth mentor. He has answered the call of the Lord on numerous occasions and yes he has his faults. But believe me his list of shortcomings isn’t longer than mine. In a time when we are looking for leaders and for people to step up and take charge, we shouldn’t knock down those who are willing to serve, but foster them to be better leaders. For there was at one time that we all and I mean all of us have had a trait that could disqualify us all, and if it weren’t for someone who had enough wisdom to show each and every one of us a little bit of understanding and a little bit of patience than we would have never gotten this opportunity to lead and serve. As someone who has trained counselors through the years I can earnestly tell you that I cannot teach someone to care, nor to love, nor to turn the other cheek. I believe that these are the characteristics we look for in a counselor, and the rest we teach, for these are the traits that the good Lord has told us all. In Matthew 22:37-39“Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
To sum up my point, I urge each and every one of you that those that demand so much of your commitment and sincerity show there heart first. Demand that the standard be higher than that expected of you, and judge the person’s heart.
In HIS Service,
Francis Thomas B. Serrano
