It's Camp Time!

Cedar Lake Camp Counselor Training -

Late 1980's or early 1990's

Well, at least it was camp time.

Summers are always exciting for us because that means it's time for our summer ministries and a little bit of a change of pace. I just realized today that since the age of 8 or 9 there have only been about four or five summers where I have not either gone to camp or worked at a camp in some way or another. Summer camp has always been a big part of my life.

Sarah and I met when I was the program director and she was a counselor at Cedar Lake Camp in Livingston, TN. We got married at camp; had our first child, John Allen at camp (well in the hospital in Livingston not right at camp); and lived and worked at the camp full time for a few years. Yes, that is me in the above picture during counselor training week in the early days.

Good News Mission Day Camp - 2014

 



Now, we run day camps of our own at Good News Mission and, for the last two summers, have had the great pleasure of traveling during the month of August and ministering at a two wonderful BCM International camps in upstate New York and Ontario, Canada.

Cortland Bible Club Camp

 

Cortland Bible Club Camp is in picturesque Pitcher, New York. Although we have known about the camp since we first joined our mission organization, BCM International in 1997, we only had the pleasure of first seeing it last summer in 2013. We met Dan and Jeanette Rhoda a few years ago at BCM's annual North American Missionary Conference.  The Rhodas had recently become the director's of the camp and had just joined BCM. John Allen and their son Tyler fast became friends. Last summer, John Allen felt God calling him to work at the camp, applied, and was accepted. When the camp needed a vesper's speaker for a week, they asked me to come and speak. They must have been desperate again this year because they invited us back. We love helping out at Cortland not only because of the scenery, but because of the wonderful staff and great kids that attend each summer. We can't wait until next summer!

 

 

Mill Stream Bible Camp

 

Way back in he early 1980's, when I was working at Disney World, one of my favorite pavilions at EPCOT was the Canadian Pavilion. Canada seemed like a wonderful and beautiful place to visit. When we first began dating and I took Sarah for the the first time, the Canadian Pavilion became one of her favorite stops as well. For years we dreamed of someday visiting Canada and were elated when a few years ago the directors, Larry and Cindy Chupa, invited us to teach Bible and help in the kitchen (Sarah not me) for a week at Mill Stream Bible Camp. It was everything that we had hoped for a more. Canada is a beautiful country and the people are equally as beautiful. We absolutely loved our week there and even stayed on afterward for a few days to do a little bit of "the tourist thing". We were very thrilled when we were asked back again this year and had another very special week. This time I helped Sarah teach Bible to the girls and she helped me as I taught Bible to the guys. We're looking forward to returning next summer.

 

We have been really blessed! We love working at camps.Thank you Lord for the many years that you have enabled us to serve you in the camping ministry. Lord willing, we are looking forward to many more years to come!