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Faith and Echoing Hills!

Faith and Echoing Hills! Does Faith Make a Difference?
At Echoing Hills We Believe It Does!

Mennonite Health Services (MHS) Alliance recently published a video series asking, does faith make a difference? Through interviews with Presidents, CEOs, and Executive Directors for organizations across the United States, they explore how faith works alongside building community, the treatment of staff, organizational success, and more.

As a nonprofit Christian organization serving individuals with developmental disabilities, Echoing Hills believes faith does make a difference. For us, it was faith that gave us our start in 1967.

Before starting Camp Echoing Hills, our founder, Cordell Brown, had a clear dream for his life. It did not involve opening a camp. No, he was going to become a pastor. That was until a couple of encounters changed the course of his life.

Born with cerebral palsy, Cordell experienced times in his life when he was not accepted. Experiences where others would judge him based on what they perceived he could not do versus seeing his capabilities.

One spring day in 1965, while facing a time of loneliness, Cordell heard directly from God. Instructed to embrace who he was, God shared he made him different and he would have Cordell use this difference in his work.

What was that work to be?
After a friend suggested starting a camp for individuals with disabilities, God’s vision became clear. Although not his original plan, Cordell went all in on the idea. Going strong over 50 years later, we are glad he did!

What does faith look like at Echoing Hills? Let’s take a look.

Fruit of the Spirit
Today, faith continues to play a vital role in our work. It all starts with our culture of being lead through the Fruit of the Spirit. 

Those fruit – love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, kindness, and gentleness – allows us to provide caring support to those we serve and a safe and supportive environment for those who work at Echoing Hills. We discuss these fruits often and recognize those that display each of the different fruit.

Daily Devotions
Across our 53 locations, you can also find a copy of the same devotional (changed each year) for daily devotions. This allows us the opportunity to start every morning in each of our locations with a time of reflection. Then, once a week, we have the opportunity to gather as a whole organization during virtual devotions led by our Corporate Chaplain. A time to read His word and offer both praise and prayer together.

Prayer
On any given day, you can find team members and individuals praying with and for one another. It is not unusual to see someone ask or offer to pray. In fact, it is what grounds us before every meeting, meal, and event.

Faith is the foundation for Echoing Hills. It is what gave us our start and what allows us to continue to grow and serve hundreds of individuals each year, revolutionizing lives where people live, learn, connect, play, and worship.

Love. Learn. Worship.

© 2024 by Echoing Hills