McDermott's announce their retirement

Hello friends of Riverside.

The Riverside Board of Directors would like to announce that we have received a formal notice of retirement and resignation from Dave and Jan McDermott, effective October 8, 2018.

From​ ​Dave​ ​&​ ​Jan:

We​ ​drove​ ​into​ ​Riverside​ ​Lutheran​ ​Bible​ ​Camp​ ​March​ ​1997​ ​praying​ ​that​ ​God​ ​would​ ​help us​ ​do​ ​His​ ​work​ ​at​ ​His​ ​camp.​ ​We​ ​wondered​ ​what​ ​God​ ​had​ ​in​ ​store​ ​for​ ​us​ ​and​ ​our​ family!  Ephesians​ ​3:20,​ ​21​ ​says​ ​it​ ​best​ ​–​ ​​“Now​ ​to​ ​him​ ​who​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​do​ ​immeasurably​ ​more​ ​than​ ​all​ ​we ask ​ ​or​ ​imagine,​ ​according​ ​to​ ​his​ ​power​ ​that​ ​is​ ​at​ ​work​ ​within​ ​us,​ ​to​ ​him​ ​be​ ​glory​ ​in​ ​the​ ​church and​ ​in​ ​Christ​ ​Jesus​ ​throughout​ ​all​ ​generations,​ ​for​ ​ever​ ​and​ ​ever!​ ​Amen.”​ ​​​ ​Immeasurably​ ​more​ ​–that​ ​is​ ​an​ ​understatement!​ ​God​ ​has​ ​shown​ ​His​ ​glory​ ​through​ ​the​ ​ministry​ ​of​ ​Riverside​ ​in​ ​mighty ways. ​ ​We​ ​consider​ ​it​ ​an​ ​honor​ ​and​ ​a​ ​privilege​ ​to​ ​have​ ​been​ ​part​ ​of​ ​His​ ​work​ ​at​ ​Riverside​ ​for​ ​over 20​ ​years.​ ​We​ ​love​ ​Riverside!

We​ ​have​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​how​ ​God​ ​has​ ​worked.​ ​These​ ​stories​ ​mostly​ ​involve​ ​how

people’s​ ​lives​ ​are​ ​changed​ ​when​ ​they​ ​hear​ ​the​ ​Good​ ​News​ ​of​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ​ ​and​ ​His​ ​unconditional

love.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​also​ ​amazing​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​His​ ​provision​ ​of​ ​buildings​ ​and​ ​grounds,​ ​staff,​ ​givers​ ​of

finances,​ ​time​ ​and​ ​talents.​ ​His​ ​people​ ​generously​ ​show​ ​up​ ​to​ ​help​ ​the​ ​Riverside​ ​ministry​ ​to​ ​grow

and​ ​flourish.

Our​ ​prayer​ ​throughout​ ​our​ ​time​ ​at​ ​Riverside​ ​has​ ​been,​ ​“Help​ ​us​ ​to​ ​love​ ​others​ ​the​ ​way

you​ ​love!”​ ​We​ ​pray​ ​you​ ​have​ ​felt​ ​loved​ ​when​ ​you​ ​have​ ​come​ ​to​ ​the​ ​camp.  We​ ​have​ ​some​ ​time​ ​to​ ​ready​ ​ourselves​ ​for​ ​our​ ​retirement​ ​in​ ​October​ ​2018.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​a​ ​new chapter​ ​in​ ​our​ ​lives​ ​and​ ​we​ ​will​ ​be​ ​seeking​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​for​ ​His​ ​strength​ ​to​ ​move​ ​into​ ​that​ ​season. Please ​​pray​ ​for​ ​us​ ​as​ ​we​ ​transition​ ​out​ ​of​ ​something​ ​we​ ​have​ ​lived​ ​and​ ​loved​ ​with​ ​every​ ​part​ ​of us​ ​into​ ​the​ ​‘unknown!’

Our​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​to​ ​help​ ​in​ ​every​ ​way​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​transition​ ​at​ ​Riverside​ ​go​ ​smoothly.​ ​It

is​ ​God’s​ ​camp​ ​and​ ​He​ ​is​ ​faithful!​ ​We​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​involved​ ​as​ ​supporters​ ​and​ ​volunteers​ ​at

Riverside. ​ ​It​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a​ ​joy​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​camp​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​reach​ ​people​ ​with​ ​His​ ​Truth​ ​and​ ​love.

There​ ​will​ ​be​ ​many​ ​tears​ ​that​ ​flow​ ​throughout​ ​this​ ​next​ ​year,​ ​but​ ​we​ ​are​ ​really​ ​excited

about​ ​what​ ​retirement​ ​will​ ​mean​ ​for​ ​our​ ​family​ ​which​ ​includes​ ​eleven​ ​grandchildren!​ ​Summer

2019 ​ ​will​ ​be​ ​the​ ​first​ ​summer​ ​we​ ​will​ ​be​ ​available​ ​for​ ​our​ ​family​ ​in​ ​22​ ​summers.​ ​​​There’s​ ​got​ ​to

be​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​fun​ ​awaiting​ ​us!

Thank​ ​you​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bottom​ ​of​ ​our​ ​hearts​ ​for​ ​your​ ​constant​ ​love,​ ​encouragement,​ ​and

support!​ ​We​ ​love​ ​you​ ​&​ ​pray​ ​God’s​ ​continued​ ​blessings​ ​on​ ​your​ ​lives!

From Rachel (President, Riverside Board of Directors):

We are so grateful for Dave and Jan and the impact they have had on this camp and ministry. God has done amazing things in this place because of their faithful leadership. They leave a beautiful legacy here. We are excited to honor and celebrate that legacy, and we hope you are, too! Please send them a note of congratulations and thanks.

There will always be some concern and unease during times of transition. Dave and Jan have been at Riverside for twenty years. Many, many lives have been impacted during their time here, and I suspect that includes many of you who are reading this. My personal experience with Riverside is as a camper for many summers, a staff member for two summers, and a board member for the last five years. When I think about the way Riverside has shaped my faith, and subsequently my family, my work, and my community, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I imagine most of you feel the same way.

God gets the glory for this. All of it. I will not, however, discount the fact that He gets the glory because that’s how Dave and Jan have led this ministry for the last twenty years. He gets the glory because they have been faithful. He gets the glory because they have been obedient to Him. He gets the glory because they walk in confident humility and love others as Christ does.

I want you to know that the Board of Directors will be seeking a leader with the same attributes so Riverside can continue to be a place where God gets the glory. The Board already has a Transition Committee in place and has done much work to prepare for this moment. We will be looking for a leader who loves and leads like Christ, and then steps aside to give God all the glory. While we are searching for this leader, we will be striving to lead that way as well. We are working really hard to be faithful and obedient. He is good, and He knows what’s in store next for Riverside.

In the meantime, I have a few asks. Please be praying for the Board of Directors and the Transition Committee! There is a lot of work to be done, and we would be blessed by your prayers for wisdom, faithfulness, and energy. Next, please know and remember that Riverside exists because of the Body of Christ. Please continue to be a part of this community. We need you now more than ever! If you have questions or concerns about this transition, please don’t hesitate to contact me at rachel@riversidelbc.org, or reach out to one of the Transition Committee members listed below.

Finally, the Board invites you to come celebrate with us! Save the date for a retirement celebration on September 1st, 2018. We’re excited to celebrate the legacy Dave and Jan are leaving, and congratulate them as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Rachel Gustafson

President, Board of Directors

Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp

Transition Committee

Rev. Judy Converse, Northwood

Rachel Gustafson, Clive

Sherry Maakestad, Pella

Rev. Tim Maybee, Iowa Falls

Kim Muller, Urbandale

Enrique Ochoa, Cedar Falls