Denise Gindlesperger
Campus Life M- Crestwood
I have been married to Erick who is a Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff, for 23 years. We have 3 children: Amanda, a college student at Shepherd University in WV; Andrew is at Tuscarora High and Aaron is in his last year at Crestwood Middle.
I grew up in Rockville, MD and went to Rockville Free Methodist where I gave my life to Jesus at a teen summer camp in Spencerville, MD. After leaving home at age 18, I wandered away from God. When our daughter was about three years old I realized God was what we were missing in our lives so we went back to the church where I grew up and the loving congregation welcomed us with open arms. When I was almost 6 months pregnant with my oldest son, I felt the nudge from the Holy Spirit to rededicate my life to the Lord. I became a Sunday School teacher and a regular at summer family camps and was also active in the choir. We attended there for many years until God wanted us to attend here in our own community of Frederick.
We now attend Frederick Church of the Nazarene where I am currently teaching Sunday School to 3-5 year olds. I am currently co –coaching the teen bible quizzing team that my boys are a part of. I also volunteer for lunch duty at Crestwood Middle once a week. I started with YFC as a volunteer for Monocacy Campus Life and felt God‘s calling when getting my own 2 middle schoolers to Monocacy Campus Life and we quickly grew to an average of 5 students being transported from Crestwood on Thursday afternoons. Out of Monocacy Campus Life was born Crestwood Campus Life.
We meet at Parkway Community Church at the corner of Crestwood Blvd and New Design Road in Frederick on Tuesday afternoons from 3-5pm. We have an average of 17 students but we are growing through invites from our regular attendees. At Crestwood Campus Life, games are a favorite. We play basketball (the church has two nets inside) and we have lively discussions on a wide variety of topics
My family and I are huge Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins fans. You could say we bleed Black & Gold during football and hockey season.
Music is a favorite in our house; you can also find me walking with our 2 mini- dachshunds, Penny and Abby, all around the Crestwood area.
As a teenager I had many loving & carrying Christians that had dedicated their lives to young people involved in my journey. I feel that now it is time for me to be the ‘hands & feet of Jesus’ to the young people in my own community. Getting involved in the journey of their lives that will guide them to a closer with the Savior who loves them so is the goal at Campus Life Crestwood.
If you feel the same calling to work with middle school students please contact me at dgindlesperger@yfccm.org or 240-357-3331
Thanks and God bless!
Denise Gindlesperger