Massanetta Story: Good Growth
“I really thought about backing out,” Katelyn said, recalling how she first came to Massanetta Springs. “I was actually almost ill.” Coming from South Alabama and never having heard of Massanetta or the Middle School Conference, she wondered if saying yes to being the Theme Assistant was the right decision. More than five years later, she’s so glad she did.
After Katelyn’s experience as Theme Assistant, she was asked to be an Advocate Coordinator. AC’s lead high schoolers who, in turn, lead key areas of the Middle School Conferences. “They are just the coolest humans who could ever human. No matter how bad the world seems, I get to see them share the story of Jesus with middle schoolers. I get to see Massanetta Springs foster good growth in them by being safe and welcoming. But more than that, it’s a place where they are encouraged to try Christian leadership in their own unique ways, and that growth inspires me as a leader too. They give me hope.”
She’s not only witnessed the power of Massanetta’s near-peer leadership model; over the years, she’s been crucial to its success by stepping into the role of mentor herself. “It’s been meaningful to be able to transition from college student to trusted adult.” Katelyn will be the first to tell you that Massanetta Springs is where she felt a call to ministry. As an Advocate Coordinator, she gets to know the students, prays with them, and helps them lead the conference. Experiencing that growth in others helped her hear the still small voice of God nudging her toward pastoral leadership. “I’m in seminary now largely because of those holy experiences. Now Massanetta is a place where I can take what I’m learning and practice it right away in a safe space.”
Just as Advocates shape middle schoolers and Katelyn shapes the Advocates, she too has been shaped by mentors like Colleen Earp, Massanetta’s Program Director and others who have modeled effective ministry in countless ways. Conference ministry provides a wide array of opportunities. Some are easily recognizable, like leading prayer or providing care for participants. Others, like fixing showers or changing PowerPoint slides on a 92-degree day in Hudson Auditorium, may be less obvious. But all of it contributes to the good growth Katelyn experiences as she prepares for ministry. “I’m now more confident in so many things; public speaking, prayer, hard conversations, pastoral care, Massanetta has strengthened every aspect of my calling.”
Katelyn’s journey is a living example of the good growth Massanetta fosters at every level. Middle schoolers grow in faith through the guidance of Advocates. Advocates grow in leadership under the care of trusted adults like Katelyn. And Katelyn herself grows through the support of her mentors. It’s an environment where faith, mentorship, and service ripple outward, equipping people not just for a single conference but for a lifetime. The generosity of the Massanetta Springs community ensures that good growth happens, cultivating leaders, strengthening gifts, and multiplying impact far beyond the conference walls. Thank you.