Dear Camp Family,
We know that your lives have been turned upside down by our nations struggle with the Coronavirus. We want you to know that we care, we’re thinking of you, and we’re praying.
We’ve heard from several places that we are not merely to endure this trial and return to our lives after it’s over, but that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to examine and reset the rhythms of our lives.
Tami and I are listening to “Bible in One Year 2020 with Nicky Grumble” on “YouVersion” each morning. What’s neat is that several of our family and friends are also listening and sharing their comments on the app. It’s been so cool to read their thoughts on each passage.
We’re also eating our dinner together on the back patio near the fire pit. We’re talking a lot. We’ve had some arguments, but I’m listening to her more now. And after 41 years of marriage I’m still learning more about her, what she thinks of things, and what makes her smile.
Life wasn’t bad before Covid-19, but it wasn’t perfect, and I think it can be better. A closer connection to God and better, more genuine relationships with people in our lives. That’s what I want.
I’ll be praying for your “Reset”.
Please click here to read about summer camp, summer plans, and refunds.
SUMMER CAMP I know you are wondering if we are going to be able to have our scheduled youth camps this summer. As of today, we are very sad to say that we will not be having any of our conventional camps this summer and we are waiting week by week to hear from the County what we might be able to do instead. We will be emailing, posting on Facebook and on our web page any new information we get. You can also call the camp if you’d like to talk. We know your kids and grandkids love camp and we hope to be able to offer something for them, but as always, their safety is extremely important to us.
Just like I mentioned the idea of resetting during this time in our lives, we are open to the idea of God making camp even better than it was before. We don’t know what that might look like, but camps across the country are all talking about it. Pray with us.
CAMP PROPERTY
Wow, just wow.
Last month the camp was hit with the biggest, fastest, most destructive storm I’ve seen in the twenty years I’ve been at camp. Four feet of very heavy snow landing in twenty-four hours. Four buildings were hit by trees, dozens of trees broke off or fell all over camp, all the power lines in camp were destroyed, leaving us with no power for a week, and no phone lines for 6 weeks. The snow also blocked the internet at camp.
Then we’re all told to shelter at home for Covid-19. What do you do when your shelter is a disaster?
Today the snow is mostly gone, the sun is shining, and some very good friends have been coming on Saturdays to help with trees and repairs.
STAFF TRAINING
Because we are uncertain about this summer and because we know that churches appreciate the training our staff receive in the summer when they come back to church to volunteer, we are working on providing some quality online training and hopefully small group training when that possibility opens up.
These staff training will be a combination of online study and small group camp activities. In order to host the small group activities, we will have to wait for the County to allow them. We will open registration for the new staff training when we are able.
FAMILY CAMP Because of the complications of managing large numbers of youth to keep them socially distant and safe at camp, it may make more since to offer a couple Family Camps. Parents could keep their children safe and families could make it to camp. The County still must allow this.
If you would be interested in a family camp, please email TJ at tjmorris@forwardbiblecamp.com and put Family Camp as the subject line.
At this point we have been preparing for months in anticipation of this summer. Our staff are excited about the summer theme and looking forward to being a part of what God has done on this beautiful property for over 80 years. Family Camp might just be the way that this could happen. We know that our community, local churches, and nation have had a rough couple of months. We want to be a light in the darkness of fear and the unknown.
FINANCES AND REFUNDS We know that there is a high probability that some of you are hurting financially. For those of you that have registered for camp already, we are preparing to send out complete refunds. If you do not contact the camp by Monday May 4th, you will be receiving a complete refund of your registration fees, we also want to give you the option to give your registration payment as a donation to help keep the camp afloat through this summer. We want you to know that we care about you and we feel we’re in this together.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13
With the loss of income that Forward Bible Camp is facing in the coming months, the McEfees have offered to forego their housing allowance of $1,500 per month that comes directly from the camp, as well as ministry funds of $125. Fortunately, the Morris’ will be able to stay in their home at the camp, but they too will lose their ministry fund of $125.
We are praying that God will use his people to provide for the Camp and the Camp Missionaries so that they can continue to serve the Christian camping ministry. If the Lord leads you to help, you can use the links below to give your support.
Thank you and we are praying for you,
Mitch McEfee, Executive Director