Jordan Anson has been working at Falls Creek since 2015. She has helped in many different areas of Falls Creek and knows the ins and outs, but her reach goes much further. Besides serving at Falls Creek, Jordan is also a youth pastor’s wife and serves diligently with her church. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about her time here.

Creek News: What was your experience with Falls Creek as a student?

Jordan Anson: I began attending Falls Creek as early as Young Musician’s Camp with my home church of FBC Midwest City. I remember visiting my older brothers one night during their week of youth camp and experiencing the evening service for the first time. Bill Green was leading the students in a song called “Saved!” and all I could think was, “what are they even talking about? Saved from what?” Visiting Falls Creek that night changed the trajectory of my life. I realized the importance of asking good questions, including that of my eternal salvation. I’d soon give my life to Christ as a result of what I’d experienced at camp that night. I was 9 years old at the time. I would attend Falls Creek as a camper or sponsor every summer beginning in 2003. 17 years and counting!

CN: How did you end up working at Falls Creek full-time?

JA: My husband and I were called to serve at First Baptist Church in Ardmore in the fall of 2014. I knew nothing of the area or what work would be available for me, but was trusting God’s timing. After six months of unemployment during that transition, a childhood friend of mine called with a job opportunity at Falls Creek. He knew we’d recently moved to the area and thought I’d be a good fit for the opening. I met with Dr. Swain, director of Conference Centers at the time, and interviewed for the job of Marketing Representative. I was hired in January 2015.

CN: What work areas have you served in?

JA: My position for Marketing Representative quickly evolved and was adapted to Guest Experience Leader within the first year of being here. My main job responsibilities include handling all booking events through the conference season.

CN: What is the dynamic like working for Falls Creek AND being a youth pastor’s wife?

JA: This is the best! Working for Oklahoma Baptists is the perfect match for me, while serving in student ministry at our local church. Same mission, same mindset, and it’s often a blessing when events overlap “at work” and with my local church.

CN: What is a highlight of your time here?

JA: Fun fact – my husband and I got married at Falls Creek in 2014! A small, intimate prayer garden is built behind the FBC Midwest City cabin and means so much to both our families! April 5, 2014 was one of the best days of our lives and that took place right here at camp. Related to work? Anytime I’m able to lead a student to Christ during the summer months – that is always the highlight!

CN: What has been the most difficult thing for you during the COVID-19 pandemic?

JA: Lack of travel, being pregnant, running out of [toilet paper…hmm.] NO. I’d say the absence of quality time with family and friends, including our student ministry kids, has been the biggest challenge to COVID-19. It’s also been quite a mental game of not always knowing what’s best to do!

CN: How can people best pray for you during this season in your life?

JA: My husband and I welcome prayers as we welcome our second child into the world near the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021! We have one daughter and are excited to welcome our son in the next month or two!

We’re so thankful for Jordan and the work she does! Please join us in praying for Jordan and her family as she finishes out this pregnancy!

Running two campgrounds in the middle of a pandemic when no camp happens is quite an endeavor. I can imagine each of you would say the same thing about trying to figure out the constant logistics of holding church services with your congregations.

Though we had to lay off eight full-time employees because of financial concerns and lost another two for other reasons, we are grateful to still be operating and are looking forward to 2021. At the time of the writing of this article, everything is pretty much a “go” for 2021. Vaccines are on the way and some of the politics surrounding this pandemic might be quieting soon, hopefully creating a path to some level of normalcy.

Though it’s been a difficult season to navigate, it’s not been difficult to see God’s hand in the middle of it all. A fast-spreading virus causes us to deal with our mortality. Political upheavals cause us to find hope outside of elections. Societal unrest causes us to long for the heavenly home being prepared for us by our savior. C.S. Lewis said, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

In his sermon at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Oklahoma Baptists, Dr. Dilbeck said, “Meeting as a church in 2020 is difficult, but we need to realize, it has always been difficult.” The early New Testament churches all had problems; problematic people, problematic attitudes, and problematic situations. We overcome this, said Dr. Dilbeck, “by keeping the cross at the center of what we do.”

When I see cabin owners on grounds working on their cabins, I always smile. It means someone from that city and that congregation is preparing that cabin for guests. And those guests will come on grounds, participate in a camp or retreat, and be confronted with the message of the cross. If you don’t hear it anywhere else, hear it from me…Thank you for loving our Lord and cooperating with other churches to support the ministry of the cross that takes place on these hallowed grounds! Your investment in this campground and its commitment to the Gospel will echo through eternity.

May God richly bless you all!

Article for Creek News: The Falls Creek Cabin Owner Newsletter, Issue No. 3 | December 2020

In light of the CDC’s recommendations concerning social distancing, and their strong encouragement to not gather in groups larger than 10 people, and with a heartfelt concern for the well-being of all of our potential guests, we will be closing the Falls Creek and Crosstimbers campuses through May 1^st. We will be making and communicating decisions regarding the summer by that date.

Here is what this will mean for you:

• We will not be allowing any groups to stay on grounds through May 1^st.
  • This will include groups who have rented your cabin, so you will need to let any groups, with whom you have contracted to occupy your facility between now and May 1^st that they will not be allowed to stay on grounds.
• We will not host any overnight guests in our lodging facilities.
• You CAN have an individual or a workgroup smaller than 10 people come and work on your cabin, as we will allow you access to your facility, but we are requesting that individuals and/or groups not stay overnight to accomplish any work tasks that need to be done. If you think this will be an issue, you can call me to discuss your particular situation.
  • The Falls Creek office will be open Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
  • If you do have individuals to come to work on your cabin, you should note that we are locking down all our facilities and restroom access will be limited to your cabin.
  • Also, all people will need to access Falls Creek via the high road. We will be closing the black metal gate at Prices Falls in order to limit the access on campus to just the main gate.

We are expecting and hopeful to host summer camps as usual. Outside of the CDC’s recommendations and our desire to protect you as individuals, we feel it is vitally important to do all we can to insure our campus is as unaffected by this virus as possible, so that our summer events can be successfully carried out.

On a completely different note, Falls Creek has become aware of a risk of electrical fires that could potentially result from the failure of FPE (Federal Pacific Electric) breakers and switch boxes. These breakers were manufactured between the 1950s and the 1990s and have been known during power surges, to fail to trip. We have taken inventory of all of our facilities and are currently in the process of replacing any and all FPE breakers in buildings owned by the Conference Centers. You might consider examining your cabin and replacing any FPE breakers it might contain. Our insurance company was very straightforward about making us aware of the coverage issues associated with having any FPE breakers. I am sharing this information with you as a matter of safety and ethical responsibility.

Thank you for your understanding in these matters. We will continue in prayer with you for our people, our camp, and our nation.

Blessings,

Andy Harrison

Geoff Hughes, Food Services Manager

Falls Creek made a major impact on Geoff Hughes’ life during his teenage years. When camp recruiters visited him at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) his freshman year, he said he felt a calling to apply for summer staff.

“I spent a summer working in concessions at Falls Creek and had a good time,” Geoff said. “The former food services manager, Don Brown, invited me to help out in the kitchen during conference season and I learned that I really enjoyed working in food services.”

Geoff did not have much cooking experience prior to his job at Falls Creek.

“I had no interest in food and was only able to cook basic meals, but I soon became interested in learning how to cook more advanced dishes,” he said. “I was attending OBU at the time for youth or pastoral ministry and God said, ‘I have something else planned for you.’”

Two years later, Geoff discovered that plan was to serve at Falls Creek and CrossTimbers full-time. He worked in the kitchen as a food services associate for five years until transitioning into his current role as Food Services Manager. Geoff has contributed to adding new menu items during his time at camp, including chicken bacon pasta. The dish includes penne pasta, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, spinach, Italian seasonings, and Tuscan garlic, all smothered in a white cream sauce.

“My hope is that when people eat in our dining area, they are refueled and ready to listen to what God has to tell them while they are at camp. I never want them to be distracted by their hunger.”

When Hughes isn’t working he enjoys reading, playing video games, and eating a properly made lasagna.

Jan Shaffer, Food Services Assistant Manager

Jan Shaffer’s love for cooking began at an early age. She cooked her first meal, a southern classic chicken fried steak with okra, at 10 years old. During that time, her mother had her plan and cook one dinner per week under close supervision. She learned how to prepare various recipes and experiment in the kitchen. It wasn’t until 2006 that Jan’s culinary background merged with her career.

“I was the assistant manager at Camp Canyon when our food services director had to leave on worker’s compensation,” she said. “It was then that I was asked to take over in the kitchen and it was trial by fire but I had a good time.”

Four months later, Jan left Canyon and accepted a full-time food service position at her local church. It was there that she was told about Falls Creek and an opportunity to serve on the camp’s food services team.

“In November of 2017 I came to do hands-on observation in the Falls Creek kitchen, and two months later I was hired. My favorite part about working in the kitchen has been baking.”

Since her hire date, Jan has contributed to adding new dessert ideas to the menu, including her lemon blueberry cake recipe (a staff favorite) and caramel apple crumble cake recipe. During her free time, she experiments with other recipes to find crowd-pleasers.

“There is a common misconception that camp food is not high-quality food, but Falls Creek’s food is,” Jan said. “I hope guests are pleasantly surprised with the food they have consumed when they visit, and that it is above typical ‘camp food’ quality.”

When Shaffer isn’t working she enjoys antique shopping, reading, crafts, and discovering walking trails with her two dogs, Scout and Lucy.