By Joanie Yonker, Executive Assistant

When Matt and Emily Lambert “tied the knot,” little did they know the rich heritage they were building at Warm Beach Camp.

Matt grew up attending camps at Warm Beach. His grandfather was a pastor in the Free Methodist Conference and Matt’s father came here as a child, growing up and enjoying Warm Beach Camp in its infancy.

Matt became a Warm Beach camper early in life, attending Junior Camp at Chinook and Junior High Camp at W-Bar-B. Soon, he became a C.I.L.T. (Counselor in Leadership Training) and then, became a full-fledged counselor, a Dean, on into recreation, working in The Lights of Christmas and then, to Guest Services. Wow! Do you think he might know his way around Warm Beach Camp?

He wanted to work at WBC, “because I felt God’s calling to.” The match was made – Matt and Warm Beach Camp.

Emily came to Warm Beach as a day camper when she was eight or nine years old and began coming to camp every summer. Finally, the day came when she applied to be a camp counselor and was accepted. She worked as a counselor every summer during college and spent her Decembers working at The Lights of Christmas.

Emily relates how much she admired the counselors she had at camp, “They inspired me to want to be a part of camp.” She also wanted “to create places for people to meet with Jesus.” She found that spot at Warm Beach.

She wanted to work here because, “I could see the genuine desire that the Camp’s staff had for people to come and meet with Jesus.” She has worked in several departments since coming to the Camp and is now the Outdoor Education Coordinator. She also oversees the interns, staff dorms and will oversee the summer Day Camp program this year. The match was made – Emily and Warm Beach Camp.

Matt and Emily met at Warm Beach and fell in love. They were married and began the next phase of their journey – together at Warm Beach Camp.

Now, after three years in Guest Services, Matt is moving into a new arena. He will be the new Program Partnership Coordinator where he will be strengthening the partnerships we have with organizations who are working with at-risk youth, and helping to develop new partnerships to bring more at-risk youth to Warm Beach. Matt desires others to “experience what I have – the transforming power of Christ and the great joy God gives because of that.”

The match was made – Matt, Emily, and Warm Beach Camp. This young couple has become a part of the rich heritage of Warm Beach. They met here, ministered together here, traveled to Burundi on God’s mission from here, and are continuing to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and growth in Him here.

And the heritage continues. Matt and Emily are expecting their first child this spring. This little one will grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ because of the cord of three strands – Matt, Emily, and God. However, you can probably add one strand to that cord – Warm Beach Camp and the ministry of Jesus Christ that is being built daily through His love and care.

The match, indeed, has been made.