This is the Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, NJ. I was the first of many of the youth in my church to work at this mission for the summer. These summers were two of the best, and most Spiritually and mentally educating (and difficult) summers of my college career.
This year, our church sent two of our college students to the Boardwalk Chapel. They are both there for their second summer. God has really blessed them and the others they have worked with through this ministry. Their work at the Chapel began the first week of June, and will be finish between August and September.
A summer at the Boardwalk Chapel begins with two weeks of intense theological training. Although all those accepted to the Chapel mission are Christians, they often come from varying church backgrounds. This training course is used to unify the workers. Since nightly evangalism is done in pairs, it is essential that everyone is coming from the same perspective.
During the course of the summer, workers are required to either obtain outside work, (in town, or on the boardwalk) or work a minimum of 20 hours a week at the chapel, itself. Those who work at the chapel: hand out pamphlets, witness, clean, prepare the cottage for weekly guest speakers, and various other tasks. Those who find jobs away from the chapel work at various places, ranging from: candy shops, ice cream shops, sports stores, lifegaurding, sunglass shops, to running the rides on the piers.
Workers follow a daily schedule. Everyone is required to work during the day, and return, by a set time, for dinner every evening. Everyone in the house, including the Chapel staff, takes turns planning, preparing, and cleaning up the evening meals. One night a week the director of the chapel, and his family, share in the evening meal at the house. After dinner and clean up, workers go to the chapel for practice and then to participate in a nightly service.
There are services at the Boardwalk Chapel every night of the week. Monday through Saturday, the chapel staff, workers and a guest speaker do the service. On Sudays, a regular worship service is held in the evening.
Nightly services at the chapel consist of: a testimony, (usually from one of the staff or workers) group singing, solos, musical performances, (by staff, workers and/or guest speakers) skits and a short sermon. All the workers are required to participate in the skits and group singing. However, solos and musical performances are done by those who volunteer. (Of which there is always an abundance :] )
After the nightly service, the workers and staff are paired up to do "Boardwalk Evangelism". Pairs take time to pray together, and then walk up and down the Boardwalk, witnessing to people. Workers never go out alone, and the time pairs spend doing evening evangelism is for an alloted time. (usually an hour and 1/2) After finishing, workers come back to the Chapel, to "check in" (this is to make sure everyone is accounted for)
After the evening service and witnessing, workers have 'free time.' This is most often spent in the kitchen, or on the front porch talking. Due to the fact that days at the chapel are long, and a strictly enforced nightly curfew, workers usually do not venture out at night. However, sometimes they do go to a movie, walk the piers, or ride the rides. Every second Monday, workers have a 'free day,' and participate in a group activity. Since most people do not bring cars, this is usually done somewhere outside of Wildwood itself.
While there is no doubt that working at the Boardwalk Chapel is difficult, it is most certainly worth it! There are more benefits than I could begin to name. Sometimes, the affects of a summer at the chapel are not completely felt until years later. However, there are many immediate benefits, and certainly life-long memories and friends. Those who spend a summer at the Chapel form an indescribable bond with each other... one that can only be discribed as Christ glorified, in love.
If this seems like something you would like to know more about,
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