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Red Bird Missionary Conference Staff Bio |
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Angela Cunigan,
Associate Director of Conference Ministries & Camp Director |
Angela Cunigan works as the Associate Director of Conference Ministries and as the Camp director at Camp O'Cumberlands.
She is originally from Iowa but met her husband in Kentucky working at a camp. She is married to Bill Cunigan, a Kentucky
native, and they have two daughters, Jubilee and Blessing. Jubilee is in ECD at the Red Bird Mission and Blessing stays at
home with her daddy. Bill is a full time student at Lindsey Wilson College (satellite campus in Cumberlands).
Angela had heard about the Red Bird Missionary Conference while volunteering through Americorp after college. She was
always interested in working there and when she returned to Iowa she found a job in a United Methodist church. After
she and Bill were married they decided to move closer to Kentucky and found themselves in North Carolina. Four years
later their daughter Jubilee was born and spent many hours screaming each night. One night Angela handed the baby off
to her husband and decided to take a break. She frequently checked the Red Bird Missionary Conference website and that
night she found a position had opened. She had 5 days until the deadline, but applied, interviewed and got a job as
the Camp Director.
"As soon as I saw it I knew I was coming here to work. I loved it instantly and my heart was always called to mission
work. As a child, I couldn't wait to hear the missionaries coming to speak at church and while other kids were playing
house, I was always playing church. I believe that God called me at a very young age to work in mission. I know that
it started as a child. I look back and see so clearly now all the ways that God was moving me here. I can clearly see
the ways that I fought against him, and the ways that I answered faithfully. Every step of the way, God has been clearly
guiding me to this place and to the ministry that I have here. I only wish that I could have recognized now with ease
the "road signs" that are so obvious now. My call hasn't stopped though; it is forever changing and developing. In the
fall, I left Camp O'Cumberlands and moved to a new position at the Conference office. Even in this, I can look back and
see how God was shaping me and preparing me for this. I find myself wondering what "road signs" are currently right in
front of me that are preparing me for His purpose down the road in my life, that I haven't even recognized yet.
Angela openly admits that her biggest struggle in ministry is confidence. "I frequently feel like a "stuttering Moses"
telling God you should probably send someone more qualified then me." He doesn't listen though, He just sends me on."
She says that she also struggles with a desire to do so much more then she has the resources to accomplish.
"I have so many memorable moments, including last summer when I felt God literally enter the camp through the gate and
kids just started pouring out of their cabins wanting to pray. It was spectacular and delightful and all together
frightening all at once." The kids had been a tough group to reach and when they sort of gave up as a staff, very
discouraged, it felt like God just said, "Now step aside, and let me show you what I can do." It was miraculously
beautiful.
"I love the Red Bird Missionary Conference because its mission is to reach the entire person. It does not just win
souls for Jesus, but it develops disciples for Christ, ministering to the entire person and their needs. I especially
love the people and the fact that we all work together, be it individuals that have grown up here locally or moved in
here from far off. We all love Christ and let that love for Christ guide us."
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