Josiah Gross

Josiah Gross is joining our Programming Staff! He graduated as a second year student with the Class of 2022. He will be planning and facilitating retreats and events and working with the programming area of focus students. Josiah is excited to see how God uses him at the ranch!

Spring Newsletter

March 2024

Dear friends and family,

What a great start to 2024 the last few months have been! Our winter retreat season was a wonderful time of fellowship and connecting with everyone who attended. We had our youth winter blast and Servant Attitude Leadership Training (SALT) retreat in January. Youth Winter Blast was a fun few days of tubing, games, and chapels, while in our SALT retreat, the high schoolers who came were able to get an overview of what daily life in the School of Discipleship looks like. In February, we had our men’s and couple’s retreats, which were refreshing times of getting together with friends and family to have fun and get reminded through worship and chapels of how powerful God’s Word is and how it is to be applied to every area of life.

In January, I went on a mission trip with some friends from the ranch to the Dominican Republic. We stayed at a missionary compound in a city called Hato Mayor for a week, during which we did construction, medical work, evangelism, and children’s ministries. I went to three different villages to do children’s ministry, and I thoroughly enjoyed singing songs, reading Bible lessons, performing impromptu skits, and making friends with kids of all ages. Most of these villages don’t have a lot of food or water, and some don’t even have bathrooms or electricity. Yet a common theme I found in almost all of the villages is that the people who lived there were content in their way of life and willing to hear the gospel. This mission trip was a great reminder to me to continue to find contentment in Christ in all circumstances.

In February, I went with several staff and students to attend the yearly Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA) for the section that MMR is a part of. The CCCA conference is a three-day event that includes workshops on topics beneficial to camp ministry, chapels, and time to connect with other camps. After attending this conference for the past four years, I have decided to join the CCCA Allegheny Section Cabinet, which will involve me in planning future conferences. I’m excited about this opportunity to work alongside other great camp people!

The students in the School of Discipleship are having a great year so far! They are learning more about God and His Word through the various classes they take, and they are all growing in their area of focus for the year and making a significant impact by helping with the retreats that MMR has throughout the year. As an advisor in the School of Discipleship, I help mentor and grade homework for two of the guy students in the program alongside another staff family. Aaron is working in media, learning to take and edit photos and videos, and Kenton is in the operations department, working on all kinds of vehicles and helping with construction. I have enjoyed getting to know these guys more through weekly advisor nights with the Stanleys!

Current Support

Thank you to everyone who has supported me through financial giving or prayer. I am close to raising half of the $1,300 recommended for me to raise monthly. If you want to become a ministry partner with me monthly or through a one-time gift, you can use the “Support Staff” button below. It’s because of your support I can serve in the ministry at MMR, so thank you!

Prayer Requests

• As I work here at MMR, that I will be a light for Christ to all I come in contact with.
• That we will continue to find and hire godly young men and women to join our summer staff team for summer 2024. We have already hired quite a few!
• For staff, students, volunteers, and retreaters, that all who we reach with the gospel will have open hearts towards Jesus Christ and learning about salvation.
• That God will continue to allow me to work here at the ranch by providing for me financially.

I am blessed to work in an incredible Christian environment with people who love the Lord and strive to please Him daily. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I look forward to seeing how God works through me this next season!

Yours in Christ,
Josiah Gross