Join Us in the Next Exciting Chapter

Dear Friend of CSB:

I want to thank you for your partnership in the ministry of Christian Service Brigade.
It has been my honor and privilege to serve CSB in a “dual leadership role” since November 2009, when I accepted the invitation to serve as president of CSB US while continuing as president of CSB Canada. At that time and throughout the past five years, both the US and Canadian Boards of Directors and I recognized the tremendous advantages of this model to empower greater collaboration and synergy between the North American ministries as well as providing strong stewardship gains. We also recognized this model might not be sustainable long term, while feeling strongly that God had led us to this for this chapter of our ministry. 

Throughout this past summer and fall, I reached the difficult realization that it was time to step back from my added role in CSB US and focus exclusively on the ministry in Canada. I am pleased to announce that the CSB US Board of Directors has asked Scott Haima, our Director of Finance and Operations, to serve as Interim President while we seek to identify the right path for this next exciting chapter of Brigade’s ministry in the US. I am delighted that Scott will be providing strong, fiscally responsible leadership to the ministry while moving the ministry forward with continued momentum. 

Stockade reVision Update: Space

Exploring God's Greatness

We've been working hard and are proud to announce our new Space Outpost Adventure and Leader's Guide! This Stockade Module is jam-packed with fun and interactive activities, as well as God-centered stories and scripture. Keep reading for a look at the action and some awesome discounts!

Turn out the lights!

Many of the activities in this book are fun and interactive. In the "Constellations" activity, boys are asked to poke holes in the shapes of constellations. When they're done, they get to turn off the lights and enjoy the show!

Who needs a wrist watch ...

In the "Star-Clock" activity, boys get to cut-out and pin together their very own clock. After venturing out at night, they will be able to tell what time it is based on the position of the stars and the current month. How cool is that?

The people have spoken

"Just wanted to let you know the boys in my Stockade are loving the Outpost Adventures - I cannot keep enough on hand to fulfill their needs!  It doesn't take long to complete one, and they love being rewarded with the patch."

Chief Ranger in NY

Raising Your Ebenezer: What's Your Story?

After a great event of God's provision ancient Israel would erect "Ebenezer" stones so that they would be reminded of the greatness of their God (1 Samuel 7:12). Our lives and the stories that comprise them are living, breathing, Ebenezers and telling our stories is an important way to honor our God.

"Is this the end?  Or only the beginning?  The second chance You never thought you'd get. The question is Will you do something with it Or spend your days lost in your regretThis is the story of your life  You decide  How the rest is gonna read  This is your chance between the lines  To redefine what kind of legacy you leaveThis is the story of your life  And it's a story worth telling" -- Matthew West, in the song "Story of your life"

We all have a story, and CSB believes that the legacy you leave is the life you lead. Matthew West wrote an entire book on the stories he received, appropriately entitled The Story of Your Life.

We desire to hear YOUR Brigade or mentoring story!

Stories of how Brigade has impacted your life, or the impact you’ve made in someone else’s life.  

Please email your story to:  Scott Haima at shaima@csbministries.org or mail them to CSB Ministries, Attn: Scott Haima, PO Box 1010, Hamburg, NY 14075.

Employment Opportunity: Marketing Coordinator

This new position with CSB Ministries will provide marketing, communications, public relations, and social media campaigns, as well as develop and execute strategic marketing and sales plans for CSB Ministries.

Candidates will possess a Bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience, solid understanding of core marketing principles, and advanced communication (written and verbal), organizational, and problem solving skills.

Please send resumes to office@csbministries.org or mail to CSB Ministries, Attn: Human Resources, PO Box 1010, Hamburg, NY 14075.

All CSB Staff positions must agree with the CSB Statement of Faith, demonstrate a growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ and a passion for Brigade.  Candidates will be asked to share a testimony of their Christian faith journey and provide information for a criminal background check.

Employment Opportunities: Midwest Regional Director

Midwest Regional Director Brian Stebick was led to accept the position of Assisant Camp Director at Camp Hickory Hill in Western New York, where he grew up.  We are pleased Brian will still be working in Brigade circles, as Hickory Hill is a Brigade Camp.

If you are interested, or you know of a mature Christian man, who wants to know more about this leadership role – please contact Joel Fiscus, the National Field Director,

The candidate would need to commit to a minimum of 20 hours a week with great potential for growth.

Email me at jfiscus@csbministries.org or call 716-526-0026, ext 109.

Danger! Waterfall Ahead!

Why young men suffering gives us hope

I’m often perplexed why young men get so excited about some of the adventures we offer them. As one example, every three years we offer a trip to canoe a circuit of frigid lakes in the damp far reaches of British Columbia. The guys are required to schlep the canoes and seven days-worth of food and gear up muddy trails while the mosquitoes treat us like a human happy hour, “Drinks on us!” We assure the young men that after the mosquitoes have their fill many of them will have faces that resemble whoopee cushions, but they still choose to come. If warmth is to be had it is only found on the other side of a pile of wood that must be perpetually chopped. Their major source of protein ... SPAM; the meat product of all great risk takers. Young men are willing to do laborious chores there, the easiest of which back at home they would creatively and desperately seek to elude, and they are willing to suffer deprivations that would cause a fountain of complaints to whine from their mouths if it was mom asking it of them. All of this is sandwiched like cramped bookends between 2 days of solid driving in a van full of un-showered adolescent males.

We never have trouble filling this trip.

The Cheerios Dad Ad #HowToDad

We aren't necessarily endorsing peanut butter cheerios as a breakfast cereal, but we are endorsing that dads are awesome and this is finally an ad that promotes dads in a light we can get behind.

Funny and inspiring, be awesome and watch the video.

Stockade reVision Update: Reporter, Swimming, Weather

In the past week the Stockade reVision team just released  three new resources:

One full "Reporter" module for use in weekly meetings

Reporter Leaders Guide

Reporter Outpost Adventure

You can view more information regarding this exciting new module in our store:
View "Reporter" Leaders Guide
View "Reporter" Outpost Adventure

Two new stand Alone "Outpost Adventures" for Swimming and Weather

Our Newest Regional Director: Bill Mellien

Jehovah Jireh: God the provider.

God does indeed continue to provide. The most recent example is the addition of Bill Mellien to CSB's team of Regional Directors. We'll introduce Bill more fully in the next Brigade Connection issue but we wanted to let you all know the exciting news now.

Bill will be working with churches in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. If that means he's your regional Director and you have any questions or needs feel free to contact him or just say hello.

You can email him at bmellien@csbministries.org

The Brigade Portal SURVEY- Tell us what features you want!

Take the 6 question survey and help set our priorities

The Brigade Portal has been launched!

We built a strong foundation on the back end of the new portal website and our initial feature available to users is a church registration and management tool for Brigade Chairmen.

As we build features on top of this strong foundation we want to aim well and prioritize our development on the features you leaders feel are the most vital first.

You can help control the direction of our development and the features we work on first by completing this 6 question survey which is really just a list of potential features that you can rank for us.

Take The Survey

CSB Leaders! Don't miss this key opportunity to help us identify the tools that can make your ministry easier and more powerful.