Answering the Call -Gwen Sprague and Andrew Bertka, Bluffton YFC
Six years ago, after a middle school club night, our ministry leaders were gathered together for our regular debrief conversation and planning for the next week. As the site director, I led the leaders in an activity to uplift each other by saying something encouraging about the person beside them. Sitting beside me was Andrew Bertka and though he was new to our team, I quickly noticed his God-given gift for ministry with middle schoolers. So, I told him, “you’re a natural leader and someday, you’ll take my job!”
Six years later, I am really excited to say, Bertka has answered the call to ministry and has taken my job! Years ago, I was taught to “work myself out of a job” by building into the next generation of leaders. I have had many years of exceptional ministry leader teams and I knew the Lord was calling me to work toward this wise idea. Around this time last year, I was asked to fill a Ministry Director role within YFC of NWOH. I have truly fallen in love with inspiring, training and building up leaders while helping guide the big picture of our local ministries! As we write this, we are preparing as Gwen hands off the Site Director reins to Bertka! What a blessing for God to fill both roles and for us to look back on how God has been working on this for many years. Summer will be filled with camp, small groups, and some fun and meaningful events to stay connected with the students. Our hope is to keep them a part of scripture-led studies to encourage them in their faith. We are super excited for the summer! Please continue to keep us in your prayers as well as the students we get to interact with every week!
