Christian Camps & Conferences News

That They May Be One

by  Craig Higgins, Resident Theologian

Just before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for us, and he prayed for something specifically: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23). Jesus prayed that we, his followers, might be one so that the world may know the Good News.

One of the things that I love about camp is that—at Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost—we work very hard to practice the unity for which Jesus prayed. And we do this so that campers and their families might hear—sometimes for the first time, sometimes in a deeper way—the Good News, the gospel.

Another thing I love about camp is that, for several years now, I have had the privilege of helping with “Staff Week” (which is actually the better part of two weeks) by teaching the amazing people that God raises up to serve as our summer staff. This is—year after year—a group of young men and women who love Jesus, love camp, and love campers.

But this group is very inter-denominational, representing just about every denominational affiliation that you can think of! And one of the points I stress to them is that while we are an explicitly Christian camp we are also a broadly Christian camp. We stress the importance of not dwelling on those things that separate us as Christians but on what we have in common—and that those truths we hold in common—the Trinity, the Incarnation, the atoning work of Christ—are, in fact, the most important truths! We emphasize that “the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing,” and that the main thing is Jesus and the gospel.

This ecumenical emphasis can be life-changing. First of all, I’ve seen staff discover that the Body of Christ is larger than they realize, that Christians of other denominations are truly their sisters and brothers in the Lord. And the campers discover that, whatever their church background (or none), they are loved and welcomed.

Camp is a beautiful example of Christian unity in practice! But, of course, this doesn’t make our “unhappy divisions” (in the words of the Book of Common Prayer) go away. What can all of us—in our homes and home churches—do for Christian unity? Here are three things:

First, recognize the unity of the church. Remember that what (Who!) unites us is more important that what divides us.

Second, pray—daily!—for the unity and reunion of the Body of Christ.

Last, fellowship! I am a member of a Christian organization (comprised of Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and just about everyone else) in which we all commit, at least monthly, to working/talking with Christians from outside our immediate faith community. Building inter-denominational friendships is a great way to recognize our unity and to be reminded to pray for it. Plus, it’s fun!

And if you want to see a good example of genuine ecumenism—genuine Christian love across the sad divisions of the church—come to one of our camps. Here, we believe in the unity of the Church and we do our best to practice it every day!

Dr. Craig Higgins is the founding and senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in the Westchester suburbs of New York City. Whenever possible, however, he is at camp, where his nametag reads “Resident Theologian.” His wife, Ann, serves year-round as camp’s Director of Development. They have three young adult children, all three of whom were campers, and all have been either LDPs, on staff, or both. You can find him on email, craighiggins@trinitychurch.cc

 

 

 

Camp Pictures Forever

by Melissa Yonan, Alumni Director

Not gonna lie, my life as a full-time camper is pretty great. During the academic year, the “Central PA CCCI Office” is located in State College, PA (is the voice in your head saying “We Are…Penn State!). I patiently (and at times, not so patiently) wait to flip the calendar to June so that we can pack our duffles and head north to Camp for the summer. But that is simply the last step to connect us to Camp. Even though I’m far away from Camp distance-wise, it’s not hard to find camp in our home all year round. From camp shirts in the laundry, to my kitchen clock of two canoers with the words “Camp Forever,” to cabin pictures scattered about, to Peter Ferber’s “The Waterfront” that was commissioned for Deer Run’s 50^th birthday hanging over our mantel—they all tell the Camp story and remind us of the place we love. And, over the years, I’ve realized that I’m not the only one with “The Waterfront” hanging in plain view; I’ve seen it in many of your homes, from Colorado Springs to Philadelphia, as you look out to the Boathouse, too.

Several years before Deer Run’s 50^th birthday, Donna Cordes Lehmann suggested that we contact Peter Ferber and see if he would consider painting a watercolor of a camp scene that we could reproduce and make available to our extended camp family. Bob Strodel invited Peter over to camp one sunny summer day and during the tour, Peter took many pictures for possible paintings. I remember Peter saying, “There are so many beautiful places to paint, we could do a series.” That always stuck with me. At the time, we were certain that we wanted a larger painting and unanimously agreed on the waterfront, the place etched in everyone’s memory. Peter set to work, pencil sketches, then watercolor, and then Peter took the original to Hunter Printers where it was made into giclée prints.

When we started planning Brookwoods’ 75^th Anniversary, we immediately talked about more art for our walls, and yours! We picked three scenes that celebrate Brookwoods’ ministry—all that God has done in this sacred place, through His people, for His children (campers and staff alike!). Peter’s initial idea of doing a series came to life with three new paintings, “The Front Lawn,” “Brookwoods Waterfront,” and “To The Boathouse.”

Peter is practically our neighbor and exhibits his work twice a year at The Art Place in Wolfeboro. If you’ve spent time in the Lakes Region, you’ll recognize his work immediately. Since 1994, he has done the annual poster for the New England Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. Peter’s illustrations have appeared in national magazines, Yankee, Antiques, and Connoisseur. He shared with The Art Place, “In a world that is increasingly complex, impersonal and high-tech, I find myself intrigued with the simple, timeless, and more comprehensible things that often go unnoticed. Having grown up spending all my summers in Wolfeboro, I am drawn to the rural New Hampshire landscape as inspiration for my paintings—the sparkling serenity in the play of evening light across the lake, the simple purity of a white clapboard board in the snow, the warm patina of weathered boathouse shingles, are refreshing to my heart, as I hope they are to yours.”

As you look at Peter’s work, you can’t help but notice his mastery of light. At camp, we are also enamored with that play of light and the beautiful New Hampshire landscape. And what about that light? It reminds us that God made this very place with us in mind—we are especially thankful for Peter’s talents, and through his work, we can be reminded of His gift to us, no matter where we are.

This summer, the original watercolors are hanging in the Main Office lobby, and we’d love for you to stop by and see them. Camp prints are available to purchase, please email me. A portion of the proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund.

 

Giclées –  The three watercolors have been made into limited edition giclées, which are museum quality, signed and numbered by Peter. They are are $150 each. Total print size approximately 23” x 17” (image is 19.5” x 13.5”)

There are 8 remaining gicleés of “The Waterfront,” which were made to celebrate Deer Run’s 50^th.  These are larger prints (23” x 35”) and the cost is $250.

 

Digital Prints – We also had the paintings reproduced digitally into smaller prints. Each print is $20, or the set of three prints is $50. Print total size 13”x 9.5” (image is 11” x7.5”)

P.S. Also available is a commemorative poster of the Boathouse, to purchase, please email me.

 

 

 

 

Incoming Day 2019

by Tim Nielsen, Director of Ministry Services

Yesterday was my first Incoming Day as a staff member at Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run. It was a busy day, full of excited (and sometimes nervous) campers and their parents. Staff were fully engaged in cleaning, greeting, conducting swim tests, preparing meals and so much more! Incoming Day is a BIG DEAL!

I have spent the last 30 years directing another camp, and I have experienced over 200 Incoming Days. Each camp manages this experience differently. Here are some highlights from my first Brookwoods Incoming Day (as a camper) since 1979.

Worship and Church – Most of the parents missed this part, but I think it is fantastic. Even though the task list was long, the staff schedule included a time of worship and a time in God’s Word in the morning. This is evidence of camp’s commitment to Christ-centered spiritual transformation!

Alumni Luncheon – What a brilliant idea! This luncheon allowed alumni, campers and parents, to reconnect and reflect on their experiences at camp. It also allowed the leadership to share the future hopes and dreams of the ministry!

New Parent Orientation – Dropping your child off at camp for the first time can be a little scary. This gathering allowed new camp parents to personally connect with the Executive Director, Bob Strodel. The question and answer time was educational for the parents and the Executive Director as well!

Excellent Parking Management – How do you fit 181 vehicles in 80 parking spaces? You need attentive staff managing this process! I thought that this was managed so well!

Campers headed to MRO in Maine – We also loaded and shipped out three vans full of campers headed north to Moose River Outpost. It is such a rich blessing to be serving campers on that amazing property.

Great snacks and multiple check-in locations! – Checking in 281 campers takes time. I loved that this was conducted at three different locations in camp. Each of these locations had beautiful trays of cookies and fruit, as well as refreshing drinks! Waiting in line is always better with delicious snacks!

A great dinner followed by a HIGH ENERGY Opening Rally! – The first meal of the summer was hot and delicious. We had Thanksgiving Dinner with hand-dipped ice cream for dessert! The Food Service staff knows how to deliver quality! After dinner the kids learned some camp songs, the camp staff were introduced, and the spiritual direction of the session was set! It was an awesome way to welcome the kids and start off the session!

There were a million other details that made the day great! Most importantly, thanks to the Lord for the perfect weather, that really enhanced the experience!

In 2019, Tim joined Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc., but he is not new to Christian Camping. For the last 30 years he directed camps in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. As a child, Tim attended camp every summer at Camp Sandy Cove and for a few summers in the 1970s, he attended Brookwoods. Tim attended Houghton College and completed a Masters Degree in Christian Education at Columbia International University in South Carolina. Tim’s wife, Adina, is also passionate about camp. They have two young daughters, Tilba and Dagny, who are happily carrying on the Staff Kid tradition. tim@christiancamps.net

 

 

 

 

Camp Brookwoods: 75 Years

by Peter Greer, Brookwoods Alumnus

 

While I didn’t know it at the time, my entire life changed underneath the giant stuffed moose outside the Camp Brookwoods office. It was in this spot that my mother, Bonnie Greer, made an introduction to Laurel Steinweg. They had recently returned from leading the Martha’s Vineyard trip and it was obvious that my mom had a subversive plan behind this introduction. Four years later, Laurel and I were rafting the Nile River together in Uganda as she moved to East Africa to serve as a schoolteacher. We were married 6 months later.

That wasn’t the only moment when my life changed at camp. In much simpler and less dramatic ways, my life subtly shifted because of the influence of counselors who lived out their faith, the encouragement of friends to complete the inclined log on the ropes course, the solo experience where a journal and a Bible were all that was required for significant conversations with God.

Camp Brookwoods was more than a summer experience. For ten summers of my life, it was the place where wild adventure replaced normal routine and where deep friendships with God and others took root. For 75 years, Brookwoods has been a place where these types of significant moments are woven together through faithful service and a clear mission. It has been a place where God has drawn together people from all backgrounds, transformed complete strangers into lifelong friends, and changed the trajectory of lives.

Another of the memorable moments for us was the Allagash canoe trip. As our group was canoeing across Eagle Lake, we casually paddled, but mostly were caught up in conversation and using our paddles to splash the other canoes. We sang loudly and poorly, and munched on gorp.

But we didn’t go very far. The currents and winds silently counteracted our feeble efforts and as the day wore on, the wind picked up. Small talk ended as we put our heads down and paddled with all our might against surging whitecaps. But looking at the shoreline to measure progress, it was clear that we weren’t moving. We decided to put up camp and weather the storm overnight.

We woke up at 3 am to make up for lost time and get back on the water before the winds picked up again. But once we reached the river, we faced a completely different situation. The river narrowed and sucked us into foamy whitewater. As we navigated around rocks, our small canoes journeyed where the currents took us.

The Allagash trip taught me never to underestimate the currents and the winds. You pay attention to them because they have their own agenda. You ignore them at your own peril. And at times, you fight with all your might not to let them take you to a place you don’t want to go.

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen the winds and currents at play in faith-based nonprofit organizations, too. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations are caught up in the currents and drift from their original purpose, and most never return to their original intent.

Take Harvard University, for example. Early in its history, Harvard had the mission, “To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ.” They emphasized character formation above all else, and rooted all policies and practices in a Christian worldview. Yet, today, Harvard University resembles very little of the spiritual vitality their founders espoused. At Harvard’s 350^th anniversary celebration, Steven Muller, former president of Johns Hopkins University, didn’t mince words: “The university has become godless.”

Or consider Franciscan food banks. Created as an alternative to loan sharks in the Middle Ages, these montes pietatius helped those in poverty to manage their incomes. The lifeblood of European peasants, these institutions were even endorsed by Pope Julius II. Today, however, we know these institutions as pawn shops. Over time, pawn shop owners lost sight of their identity. Designed to care for those in need, they have now become a place used to prey on families in distress.

Harvard and pawn shops got caught up in drift, and they are far from the only examples. Mission drift is all around us. But thankfully, drift is not the story of Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost.

As Brookwoods celebrates their 75^th birthday, the Main House looks a little different. The facilities have been expanded and improved. I heard that there is even air conditioning in the Main Office! And while SCUBA diving, archery, and wakeboarding are new camp activities since my time, the mission of Camp Brookwoods has remained staunchly the same: to foster vibrant Christian communities located in awe-inspiring outdoor settings in which young people are spiritually transformed through Christ-centered relationships.

In 1944, in the midst of WW II, Lawrence Andreson (Doc. A.) opened Camp Brookwoods’ doors to 8 campers on 110 acres of land. Today, Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run have grown to house over 850 campers each summer along 500 acres.

Diligently committed to the mission, Doc. A. hired strong leaders committed to Christ and skilled in teaching. When the camp changed hands in 1973, George Bennett, Sr. gathered an intentional board of directors, and the board has fiercely safeguarded the mission. Due to the careful attention of camp leaders like Doc. A., George Bennett, David Strodel, and many others, the Camp mission vibrantly lives on to this day. “The history and traditions, first established by Dr. Andreson, and saved by the Bennett family,” noted a Camp Brookwoods newsletter, “will continue to the next generation of campers and staff.”

Despite changing leadership, a rotating board, and new camp activities, Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost continue to keep the Gospel of Jesus Christ centrally integrated into every part of the camp structure – woven into camp life through Bible studies, mealtime prayers, morning quiet times (PQT), evening devotionals, relationships, and Sunday chapels.

Camp Brookwoods continues to be grounded in Christ, building lives of faith and character.

George Bennett said of Camp Brookwoods, “The goal of camp still remains to introduce young people to Jesus Christ and to help them develop their relationship with God… the purpose of camp life is to integrate a spiritual life with daily activity.” And each summer, more and more students are introduced to the saving grace of Jesus and equipped for lives of service. What a powerful history and legacy!

Happy 75^th Birthday, Camp Brookwoods… and to many more!

Editor’s Note: Peter will be preaching Sunday morning at Brookwoods’ 75^thAnniversary, July, 28th.

Peter Greer is President and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered microenterprise development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining HOPE, Peter worked internationally in Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. More important than his occupation is his role as husband to Laurel and dad to Keith, Liliana, and Myles. For more info, visit www.peterkgreer.com.

 

 

 

 

Kid-Sick or Kid-Free-Jubilee?

Tips from a First-Time Sleepaway Camp Parent…

who also happens to be a child and family psychologist

Andrea Gurney, PhD, Deer Run Alumna, Camp Mom

 

Okay, parents of campers—let’s be honest, for some of us, the mere thought of dropping our kids off on the shores of Winnipesaukee causes our stomach to drop and our eyes to water. We are going to miss our kids so much! For others, we cannot wait to have some down time and our “to-do” list is growing by the day. Perhaps for many of us, we find ourselves somewhere in between—excited for some kid-free time but worried that we will be the ones crying on Incoming Day as we wave goodbye.

Wherever you fall, let me start by saying this: it’s okay! It is completely expected and “normal” to experience a myriad of emotions upon separation from our children (whether it’s the first time or the tenth time you’ve been separated!); it’s known as “kidsickness.” Here are five tips and reminders to help you (and therefore your soon-to-be camper!) relish the camp experience:

One: Remember the Benefits. There are numerous reasons we send our kids to camp: a positive Christian experience and strengthening of faith, establishing new friendships, learning new skills, experiencing the outdoors. Think through why your family chose to send your child to camp. Remembering the specific reasons will remind you of the gift you are giving your child by sending them to Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost!

Going a little deeper – be assured that:

• Getting kids outside of their comfort zone leads to growth.
• Sending children to camp gives them the oh-so-important message you can do this; it empowers them and helps them develop tenacity and grit.
• When kids are away from home, they learn decision-making and problem-solving skills, which in turn increases their competence and self-confidence.
• Living, playing, and working together encourages teamwork and increases collaboration and negotiation skills.
• Being unplugged and outdoors not only promotes appreciation and stewardship of God’s creation, but also allows children to delay gratification, reflect, slow down, and fully embrace human connections (which is what we are created to do)! Taking a break from technology also improves sleep.

Note: this is true for all of us!!

 

Two: Stay in the Present. As parents, it’s natural to want to protect our children. We want to keep them from harm and make sure nothing goes awry. We might even believe that somehow, if we worry just enough, we can control things and make them go right. However, this often leads us down a path of anxiety as we begin to parent out of fear. So when you find yourself thinking of “what if” scenarios, ground yourself in the present, evaluate whether your concern is based on fact or fear, and think about realistic and reasonable courses of action.

 

Three: Focus on the Positive. Optimistic thinking is a resiliency skill that we develop in face of hardship or stress. Although it won’t change the situation—in other words, it won’t bring your child back home from camp tomorrow—it gives us perspective and changes our attitude.

 

Four: Keep in Touch. Although there will be no care packages this summer at Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, rest hour will always be a highlight of the day, with the million dollar question being, “Did I get mail?”  There is no better time and place for good, old-fashioned letter writing. (This is a great skill to teach your kids, not just the lost art of writing a letter, but addressing an envelope!) And if you can’t wait for your news to get to Camp in three days, you can subscribe to Bunk Notes and send your camper letters, puzzles and pictures from home.

 

Five: Practice Self-Care. While your kids are away at camp, this is the perfect opportunity to take time for yourself! Be mindful to not fill all your time with additional tasks, but rather enjoy activities that you wouldn’t otherwise do with kids in tow (e.g., a long or strenuous hike or bike ride, spa day, eating out at an adventurous restaurant, sleeping in, a weekend getaway, etc!).

As summer approaches and you and your child make your packing list for camp, tuck these reminders away in your head and heart, breathe deeply, and trust that the Maker of heaven and earth goes before us, behind us, and beside us.

Andrea Gurney, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor of psychology at Westmont College, and author of Reimagining Your Love Story: Biblical and Psychological Practices for Healthy Relationships. An East Coast camp girl at heart, and Deer Run staff alumna, she currently lives in Santa Barbara, CA with her husband, two daughters, and playful goldendoodle. Connect with her at AndreaGurney.com or Instagram @andrea_gurney for practical tips and insights on life!