# Christian Camps & Conferences | Summer Camps, Retreats & Conferences > Christian Camps & Conferences has offered transformative outdoor experiences since 1944, operating summer camps for youth and retreat/conference centers in New Hampshire and Maine. This LLMS.txt file guides AI models and indexing agents toward our core programs, policies, and trusted content. > ## Core Programs & Camps - [Home](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Camp Brookwoods (for boys, NH)](https://www.christiancamps.net/brookwoods/) - [Camp Deer Run (for girls, NH)](https://www.christiancamps.net/deer-run/) - [Moose River Outpost (adventure / teen programming, ME)](https://www.christiancamps.net/moose-river-outpost/) ## Conferences & Retreats - [Brookwoods Conference Center](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Moose River Outpost Conference Center](https://www.christiancamps.net/moose-river-outpost/) - [Retreat / Group Reservations](https://www.christiancamps.net) ## Enrollment & Resources - [Dates & Rates](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Parent Dashboard](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Safety at Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Tuition Assistance](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Blog & News](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Employment / Staff Opportunities](https://www.christiancamps.net) ## About & Trust - [About / Our Mission](https://www.christiancamps.net/about) - [Camp Histories & Values](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Meet the Team / Staff](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [FAQ / Parent Info](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Donate / Supporting Our Mission](https://www.christiancamps.net) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.christiancamps.net/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.christiancamps.net/terms-and-conditions) ## Pages - [Donate - Credit Card](https://www.christiancamps.net/donate-credit-card/) - [Ways to Give](https://www.christiancamps.net/waystogive/) - [Alumni Camp Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/alumni-camp-registration/) - [Store - Main](https://www.christiancamps.net/mainstore/): Clothing & Snacks Your camper will not need cash for Store. As a part of our programming, campers will be... - [Professional Positions](https://www.christiancamps.net/professional-positions/): Current Open Professional Role No current opportunities available. - [Enroll - Thank You](https://www.christiancamps.net/enroll/thank-you/): Thank you for your registration. You will receive an e-mail confirmation, and camp will also send you a confirmation letter... - [Christmas Orders](https://www.christiancamps.net/christmas-orders/) - [Berea CCCA Sectional Conference](https://www.christiancamps.net/bereaccca-sectional-conference-2/): Registration is currently closed. - [CCCA Sectional Conference](https://www.christiancamps.net/ccca-sectional-conference/): Registration is currently closed. - [Early Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/early-registration/): Thank you for joining us for Alumni Camp! - [Donor Impact - Your Gifts at Work](https://www.christiancamps.net/donor-impact/) - [Our Program](https://www.christiancamps.net/our-program/): Experience a Summer of Faith, Friendship, and Fun We believe camp is more than just a place—it’s a life-changing experience.... - [Upcoming Events](https://www.christiancamps.net/upcoming-events/): There’s always something exciting around the corner! From upcoming retreats and registration launches to reunion weekends and workdays, we love... - [Employment](https://www.christiancamps.net/employment/): Join Us for a Summer That Matters Whether you’re looking for adventure, purpose, community—or all three—spending your summer on staff... - [Summer Camp Food and Nutrition](https://www.christiancamps.net/summer-camp-food-and-nutrition/): Meals at Camp: A Shared Experience At Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, mealtimes are more than just a... - [Man Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/man-camp/): Man Camp is an amazing volunteer work weekend and is scheduled May 1-3. Join us for an incredible opportunity to... - [Alumni Perspective](https://www.christiancamps.net/alumni-perspective/) - [Donate Weekend of Giving](https://www.christiancamps.net/donatewogmc/) - [Boomerang Back](https://www.christiancamps.net/boomerangback/): - [Three Camps Women's Retreat](https://www.christiancamps.net/deer-run-alumnae-weekend/): April 10-12, 2026 Join us April 10-12 at the Brookwoods Conference Center for a time of friendship, rest, and refreshment.... - [Leadership Development](https://www.christiancamps.net/leadership-development/): Summer Programs Leadership Programs Brookwoods, Deer Run and Moose River Outpost offer a variety of opportunities for summer leadership development.... - [Winter Reunion 2026](https://www.christiancamps.net/winterreunion/): Where: Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run 34 Camp Brookwoods Rd. Alton NH 03809 When: Tuesday December 30th 2025-Thursday January 1st... - [Resources For Summer Staff](https://www.christiancamps.net/resource-center/resources-for-summer-staff/) - [Alumni Camp Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/alumni_camp_registration/) - [Potential Refer A Friend](https://www.christiancamps.net/dates-rates/potential-refer-a-friend/) - [No-Deposit Registration Enrollment](https://www.christiancamps.net/prepaid-enroll-now/): Enroll in Camp Today! We’re sorry, this link is no longer available, it changes every year. Please request this year’s... - [The Fieldhouse](https://www.christiancamps.net/multi_purpose/) - [WILD Pavilion](https://www.christiancamps.net/wild-pavilion/) - [Here We Go MRO](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/here-we-go-mro/) - [Leadership Development / Salt Program Universal Permission Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/ldp_universal_permission/) - [Weekend of Giving](https://www.christiancamps.net/weekendofgiving/): Weekend of Giving 2026 Thank You! Thank you to everyone who made a gift, prayed for the Weekend, or helped... - [Registration - Scroll Down for Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/waitlistenroll/): You are invited to enroll from the Wait List! - [Alumni Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/alumnicamp/) - [Tuition Assistance](https://www.christiancamps.net/dates-rates/tuition-assistance-2/): Tuition Assistance Form - [MRO Work Weekend](https://www.christiancamps.net/mro-workweekend/) - [Planned Giving](https://www.christiancamps.net/ways-to-give/planned-giving/): What Will your Legacy Be? Planned giving provides an opportunity for you to support the mission of Christian Camps and... - [Year End Giving 2024](https://www.christiancamps.net/year-end-giving-2024/) - [Safety at Our Summer Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/safety-at-camp/): Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. endeavors to conduct safe programs and to inform our families of inherent risks. We believe... - [You Met the Challenge!](https://www.christiancamps.net/weekend-of-giving-2021/): Thank You! Weekend of Giving 2021 July 23-25 YOU did it! We met the goal... and then some! Wow! We’ve... - [The Ranger](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-ranger/) - [The Campfire Circle: Our Monthly Giving Initiative](https://www.christiancamps.net/monthly-giving/): Join the Campfire Circle by Giving Monthly The Campfire Circle is the monthly giving program for Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run,... - [Employment: Come Work at Christian Camps & Conferences](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/leadership/employment/): Our organization currently is looking for some incredible talented and creative people to join the team. Please select the link... - [Brookwoods Conference Center Employment](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/employment/) - [Donate](https://www.christiancamps.net/donate-2/): This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: - [Horsemanship Program Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/horsemanship-program-registration-paid/) - [Areas of Need](https://www.christiancamps.net/give-back/areas-of-need/) - [Giving to Camp in 2021](https://www.christiancamps.net/giving-to-camp2021/): 2020 was a challenging year for everyone. Here at Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, we are thankful... - [Donate to Support Our Camps and Conference Centers!](https://www.christiancamps.net/donate/) - [Scholarship Endowment](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/scholarship-endowment/) - [Our Vision Prev](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/our-vision-prev/) - [Historic Timeline](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/our-vision-prev/historic-timeline/) - [Campaign Goal](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/financial-progress/campaign-goal/) - [Financial Progress](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/financial-progress/) - [Programs and Activities](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-next-75/programs-and-activities/) - [Camper Permission Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/camper-permission-form/) - [Family Work Weekend Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/family-work-weekend/): Grab your work gloves and your sleeping bag and head to Brookwoods / Deer Run for The Family Work Weekend... - [Parent Acknowledgement](https://www.christiancamps.net/parent-acknowledgement/) - [Pastor's or Youth Pastor's Reference Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/pastors-or-youth-pastors-reference-form/) - [Teacher's Reference Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/teachers-reference-form/) - [Staff Reference Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/staff-reference-form/) - [Online Payments](https://www.christiancamps.net/online-payments/) - [Thank You](https://www.christiancamps.net/online-payments/thank-you/) - [Registration Duplicate](https://www.christiancamps.net/registration-duplicate/): This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: - [](https://www.christiancamps.net/5988-2/) - [Latest Summer Camp Updates](https://www.christiancamps.net/latest-summer-updates/) - [The Eagle Cabin](https://www.christiancamps.net/the-eagle-cabin/) - [Private Rooms at the Loon Cabin](https://www.christiancamps.net/private-rooms-at-the-loon-cabin/) - [Horsemanship Program Registration](https://www.christiancamps.net/horsemanship-program-registration/) - [News & Announcements - Thank You](https://www.christiancamps.net/thank-you/) - [Staff Application Form](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/leadership/staff-application/) - [Leadership Program Application](https://www.christiancamps.net/leadership-program-application/): Preparation Checklist Fully completed applications are due by December 1This includes both your application and completed references. Tip: References often... - [Refer a Friend](https://www.christiancamps.net/dates-rates/refer-a-friend/) - [Stocks & Bonds](https://www.christiancamps.net/ways-to-give/stocks-bonds/) - [Why Christian Camps?](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/) - [Christian Camps & Conferences Resource Center](https://www.christiancamps.net/resource-center/) - [Conferences & Retreats](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/) - [Christian Camps Dates & Rates](https://www.christiancamps.net/dates-rates/) - [Give Back](https://www.christiancamps.net/give-back/) - [Contact Us Today!](https://www.christiancamps.net/contact/) - [Request Camps & Conferences Information](https://www.christiancamps.net/request-info/) - [Enroll In One of Our Camps Today!](https://www.christiancamps.net/enroll/): Enrollment for Summer 2027 Opens September 1st! - [Frequently Asked Questions for Parents](https://www.christiancamps.net/faqs/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.christiancamps.net/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it through our compliance with... - [Choosing a Christian Camp Program](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/choosing-a-camp/) - [Our Camps' Histories & Mission](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/history-mission/) - [Meet Our Team](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/leadership/) - [Welcome, Alumni!](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/alumni/) - [Alumni Events](https://www.christiancamps.net/about/alumni/alumni-events/) - [Parent Dashboard](https://www.christiancamps.net/resource-center/parents/) - [Resources For Campers](https://www.christiancamps.net/resource-center/campers/) - [Alumni Resources](https://www.christiancamps.net/resource-center/alumni/) - [Brookwoods Conference Center](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/brookwoods/) - [Our Conferences and Retreat Facilities](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/brookwoods/facilities/) - [Lodging & Dining](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/brookwoods/lodging-dining/) - [Directions to Brookwoods Conference Center](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/brookwoods/directions/) - [Brookwoods Conference Center FAQs](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/brookwoods/faqs/) - [Moose River Outpost Conference Center](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/moose-river-outpost/) - [MRO Conferences and Retreat Facilities](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/moose-river-outpost/facilities/) - [Lodging & Dining](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/moose-river-outpost/lodging-dining/) - [Directions to Moose River Outpost](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/moose-river-outpost/directions/) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.christiancamps.net/conferences-retreats/moose-river-outpost/faqs/) ## Posts - [How Summer Camp Can Help Your Child Build Lifelong Connections](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/how-summer-camp-can-help-your-child-build-lifelong-connections/): How Summer Camp Can Help Your Child Build Lifelong Connections Our lives, whether we like it or not, are dominated... - [A Day in the Life at Camp Brookwoods Christian Summer Camp For Boys](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/day-in-life-at-camp-brookwoods/): A Day in the Life at Camp Brookwoods Christian Summer Camp For Boys A summer at Brookwoods is filled with... - [Building Tomorrow’s Leaders: Leadership Development in Christian Camps](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/leadership-development-in-christian-camps/): Building Tomorrow’s Leaders: Leadership Development in Christian Camps There is something incredibly powerful about watching a camper grow up at... - [Giving Tuesday](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving_tuesday/): To me, Camp is the most beautiful place in the world. Of course, the lake, the mountains, and the stars... - [Spring Man Camp 2024](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-man-camp-2024/): Written By: Al Latario, Conference Staff Brookwoods May 3rd – 5th Spring is slowly coming and the ice on shore... - [Spring Man Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-man-camp/): Written by Brent Lane Tools not required – but at the same time welcome! If you haven’t yet participated in... - [Deer Run Retreat](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/deer-run-retreat/): Deer Run Retreat Meet you on the Front Lawn... A few of us were gathered on the front lawn last... - [Three Camps Women's Alumnae Weekend](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/dralumnae/): Three Camps Women’s Alumnae Weekend Registration is open for our first, camp alumnae retreat on April 5-7, 2024. This retreat... - [Welcome Robert Dawson](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/welcome-rob-dawson/): Dear Camp Family, I am thrilled to share with you that Robert Dawson has been hired as the next Director... - [Groundbreaking](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/groundbreaking/): Groundbreaking for The Fieldhouse By Bob Strodel, Director Emeritus Saturday, November 4, 2023 was a significant day for Brookwoods and... - [Winter Reunion 2024!](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-2024/): Reconnect and Rejoice Are you still thinking about those warm summer days by the lake, the laughter of friends in... - [Spring 2023 Man Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-2023-man-camp/): Spring 2023 Man Camp “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. ” Ecclesiastes 9:10 Man... - [New Hampshire Summer Camp Packing List](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/new-hampshire-summer-camp-packing-list/): There is something enchanting about getting ready for summer camp. The idea of leaving your parents, pets, and home behind... - [Perks of Having Events at Christian Conference Centers](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/perks-of-having-events-at-christian-conference-centers/): Planning a retreat for your church, Christian School or ministry can be a big job! The most important decision that... - [Looking Ahead](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/looking-ahead/): Executive Director Search Dear Camp Family, As you may recall, shortly before the 2022 summer camp season Bob Strodel announced... - [Winter Winni Weekend](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winni_weekend2023/): Winnipesaukee Winter Weekends Temperatures are dropping, the lake is freezing, and the snow is (finally) starting to fall! Winter at... - [Giving Back to Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving_back_to_camp/): My Family’s Gift to Camp by Rachel LaPlante, Campfire Circle Member This past year was the first year my daughter,... - [The Weekend of Giving: July 22nd - 24th](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-weekend-of-giving-july-22nd-24th/): The Weekend of Giving: July 22nd – 24th by Molly Murray, Deer Run Counselor & Camp Alumna Finding the right... - [Alumni Camp 2022](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/alumni-camp-2022/): Labor Day Weekend – September 2 – 5, 2022 It’s almost time for “Alumni Camp! ” We are so excited... - [Family Camp 2022](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/familycamp2022/): Join the Camp Fun Looking to experience the summer magic of Brookwoods and Deer Run as a family? Sign up... - [10 Questions Every Camp Parent Should Ask](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/10-questions-every-camp-parent-should-ask/): Spring is here! It’s finally time to start thinking about the summer and leaving the winter mittens behind. As you... - [5 Tips to Having the Best Christian Summer Camp Experience](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/5-tips-to-having-the-best-christian-summer-camp-experience/): Every winter our camp directors put in hours making sure we are offering the best Christian camp experience we possibly... - [Man Camp 2022](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/man-camp-2022/): Man Camp is coming! Another year is flying by and the winter is moving on as quickly as it came.... - [Camper's Favorite Activities at Moose River Outpost](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/campers-favorite-activities-at-moose-river-outpost/): By Seth Coates Kids come to camp for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s their friends that bring them to... - [Lent & Digital Detox](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/lent_digital_detox/): Lent & Digital Detox By Susan B. Arico, Deer Run alumna & parent What is Lent, and why is it... - [Winter Winnipesaukee Weekend](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-winnipesaukee-weekend/): AS OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH WE ARE ON A WAIT LIST BASIS FOR HOUSING. PLEASE CALL COREY IN THE CAMP... - [My Gift to Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/my-gift-to-camp/): My Gift to Camp by Sarah Burd, Deer Run Alumna We’ve reached the end of 2021! By the time you’re... - [The Invitation](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-invitation/): The Invitation by Joe Lehmann, Camp Pastor On a side table in my living room sits a crèche, a nativity... - [Winter Reunion: Top 10!](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-top-10/): Winter Reunion: Top Ten By Amanda Gagne, Deer Run counselor After my first summer at camp in 2011, I was... - [Advent is Here](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/advent-is-here/): Christmas is coming. But first, there’s Advent. And what is that, you may ask? The word “advent” means “coming” and... - [Giving Tuesday 2021](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving-tuesday-2021/): Ahhh, November, it seemed to fly by this year. It is typically the month that brings cooler temperatures, lovely foliage...... - [Cabin Night: Special Edition!](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/you-are-invited/): Cabin Night: Special Edition! Cabin Night: Special Edition was our first ever virtual event which offered an opportunity to hear... - [Announcement](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/announcement/): New Facility Director in New Hampshire By Bob Strodel, Executive Director We are pleased to announce that Bob Rathbun has... - [Thankful for "Changemakers"](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/thankful-for-changemakers/): Thankful for “Changemakers” by Ann Higgins, Director of Development As I sit in my office at camp with my window... - [The Gift of Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-gift-of-camp/): The Gift of Camp Guest Author: Elise Vasko, Deer Run Alumna It is hard to overstate the value of giving... - [Winnipesaukee Getaways](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winnipesaukee-getaways/): Join the Camp Fun Last summer, over 1,000 of you came to Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run for a Winnipesaukee... - [Clean Slate](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/clean-slate/): Clean Slate Guest Author: Madeleine Schlenz, Camp nurse (and camp mom! ) “Hey son, what are you looking forward to... - [Don’t Leave Home Without It: Little Things to Bring to Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/dont-leave-home-without-it/): Don’t Leave Home Without It Guest Author: Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna & Camp Mom Sure, you’ve seen the... - [Camp: The Highlight of Summer](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-the-highlight-of-summer/): Camp: The Highlight of Summer Guest Author: Madeleine Schlenz, Camp nurse (and camp mom! ) I know that most people... - [Camp Anticipation](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-anticipation/): Camp Anticipation Guest Author: Anna Huebner, MRO Assistant Director Spring is my favorite season. I love to watch the flowers... - [Money in Your Twenties](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/money-in-your-20s/): Money in Your Twenties by Kristen Jacks, Camp Mom ‘Tis the season for graduations of all kinds—high school, college, grad... - [How to Prepare for Camp 2021](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/how-to-prepare-for-camp-2021/): How to Prepare for Camp 2021 by Ben Tabone, Brookwoods Director Summer Camp at Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River... - [Easter for 50 days!?](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/easter-for-50-days/): Did you know that traditionally, the Church has celebrated Easter as a season, not just as a single day when... - [Join Us for Family Work Weekend!](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/family-work-weekend/): Join Us for Family Work Weekend! by Bob Strodel, Executive Director It’s that time of the year again! Day by... - [Camp In Three Words](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-in-three-words/): by Bob Strodel, Executive Director This will be my 29th year on staff at Brookwoods, and as a 2nd generation... - [It’s Not Just About Dirty Feet](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/its-not-just-about-dirty-feet/): By Craig Higgins, Brookwoods Staff Alumnus Scripture: When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and... - [A Great Summer Job: Why You Should Try Being a Summer Camp Counselor](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-great-summer-job/): You Can Get a Great Summer Job... . By Jason Daily, Brookwoods alumnus In 2003, I pulled down Camp Brookwoods... - [What I Learned at Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/what-i-learned-at-camp/): What I Learned at Camp by Pam Brown, Deer Run Alumna I first went to Camp when I was 64.... - [A Camp Director's Off-Season Life...](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-camp-directors-off-season-life/): A Camp Director’s Off-Season Life... by Bob Strodel, Executive Director Maybe you’ve heard the story where a man asks a... - [Leadership Development Programs at Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/leadership_programs/): Leadership Development Programs at Camp By Ben Tabone, Brookwoods Director If you’re anything like us, you’re counting down the days... - [Safety at Camp in a Covid-19 Season](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/safety-at-camp-in-a-covid-19-season/): Safety at Camp in a Covid-19 Season By Tim Nielsen, Director of Ministry Services Operating a safe camp has always... - [Breathing Deep and Holding on to Hope](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/breathing-deep-and-holding-on-to-hope/): Breathing Deep and Holding on to Hope By Andrea Gurney, Deer Run alumna, camp mom, and clinical psychologist Winter is... - [Embracing the Uncomfortable](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/embracing-the-uncomfortable/): Embracing the Uncomfortable By Michael Hallman, Brookwoods alumnus It was 6:50 am on Monday and time to wake up the... - [The Goodness of a Phone-Free Setting at Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-goodness-of-a-phone-free-setting-at-camp/): The Goodness of a Phone-Free Setting at Camp By Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna and Parent I was a... - [Epiphany: Guide Us to Thy Perfect Light](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/guide-us-to-thy-perfect-light/): Epiphany: Guide Us to Thy Perfect Light By Esther Baird, author and camp mom Well, here we are – we... - [What is “normal”…in the new year](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/what-is-normal/): What is “normal”... in the new year by Sarah Piek Ravindranath, Deer Run alumna Last week, as my husband and... - [Christmas Lights](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/christmas-lights/): Christmas Lights by John “Coach” Crowers, Brookwoods staff “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,... - [Winter Reunion 2021](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-2021-2/): Greetings Brookwoods and Deer Run families, I am writing this blog to let you know about this year’s Winter Reunion.... - [There’s More Room This Year](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/theres-more-room-this-year/): There’s More Room This Year by Jill Thompson, Camp Mom Preparation is the point of the Advent season. You can,... - [Advent and Christmas Resources](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/advent-and-christmas-resources/): Advent and Christmas Resources by Elizabeth Eichling Gatewood, Deer Run Alumna In past years, these early December days have been... - [Love that Transforms](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/love-that-transforms/): Love that Transforms by Ann Higgins, Director of Development How’s your Inbox looking these days? If you are like me,... - [Thanksgiving](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/thanksgiving/): Thanksgiving By Tim Nielsen, Director of Ministry Services In 1621, the Plymouth colonist and the Wampanoag Native Americans celebrated what... - [Idol of Predictability](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/idol-of-predictability/): Idol of Predictability by Bob Strodel, Executive Director In the last few weeks I have experienced a “check engine light”... - [Fall Family Project Camp](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/fall-family-getaways/): Fall Family Project Camp Summer 2020 was a very different one for us as we were not able to hold... - [MRO Cabin Camping](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/mro-cabin-camping/): Our two biggest concerns in the coming months are staying financially sound and staying connected with the MRO tribe. Many... - [Brookwoods and Deer Run Announcement](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/brookwoods-and-deer-run-announcement-2/): Brookwoods and Deer Run will not be running summer camp in 2020... but we will be having “Winnipesaukee Weekends! ”... - [Moose River Outpost Announcement](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/moose-river-outpost-announcement/): Dear Moose River Outpost Families, Greetings from Jackman, Maine. 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Five Tips to Help Prepare Your Child for Camp by Andrea Gurney, PhD, Deer Run Alumna,... - [I Wish I Could...](https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/i-wish-i-could/): I Wish I Could... by Ann Higgins, Development Director Have you ever said, “I wish I could make a gift”... # # Detailed Content ## Pages - Published: 2026-05-05 - Modified: 2026-06-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/alumni-camp-registration/ var gform;gform||(document. addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",function{gform. scriptsLoaded=! 0}),document. addEventListener("gform/theme/scripts_loaded",function{gform. themeScriptsLoaded=! 0}),window. addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function{gform. domLoaded=! 0}),gform={domLoaded:! 1,scriptsLoaded:! 1,themeScriptsLoaded:! 1,isFormEditor:=>"function"==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return! 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(null! =n&&n! =o. tag||null! =t&&t! =o. priority)}),gform. hooks=e)}}); Alumni Camp New Your Name First Last If anyone in your group is under 2, they are more than welcome to come along at no cost. Just leave them out of the pricing fields when completing the form. We’d still love for you to include them in the name section, please be sure to add their birthdates. Are you or anyone in your group spending the weekend with us and sleeping at camp? (A $100 registration fee will be charged and the remainder will be invoiced)(Required) Yes No Number of people you are registering who are spending the weekend and sleeping at camp012345678910Names of people who are joining us for the weekend and sleeping at camp. (First and last please) Add RemovePlease click the plus sign on the side to add more names. Are you or anyone in your group coming for day... - Published: 2026-04-30 - Modified: 2026-04-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/mainstore/ Clothing & Snacks Your camper will not need cash for Store. As a part of our programming, campers will be able to choose a soda, candy bar, snack, or “slushie” three days a week. This is included in your tuition. Shirts and souvenirs will be available for purchase on Incoming and Outgoing Days at the Camp Store or they can be purchased prior to arrival online through AmeraSport of Newton, MA. Brookwoods Store Deer Run Store One camp uniform t-shirt is required for each camper to wear on Sundays. By identifying what size you need on your registration, shirts will be provided on the first day of camp. Additional Items - Published: 2026-01-29 - Modified: 2026-06-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/professional-positions/ Current Open Professional Role No current opportunities available. - Published: 2025-12-19 - Modified: 2026-01-09 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/enroll/thank-you/ Thank you for your registration. You will receive an e-mail confirmation, and camp will also send you a confirmation letter as well. Registration for horseback riding and SCUBA is also open. Every year, we have kids that cannot afford to come to camp. Historically, at least one-third of our campers require some form of financial assistance to attend. For this reason, Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost have established the Scholarship Fund. Donations to this fund allow us to say “yes” to campers needing assistance and helps us keep tuition within reach for more families. It is our desire to see as many campers as possible experience the transforming love of Jesus and grow up to love and serve others in His name. If you'd like to make a donation, please follow the link here. // - Published: 2025-10-03 - Modified: 2026-03-18 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/bereaccca-sectional-conference-2/ Registration is currently closed. - Published: 2025-10-02 - Modified: 2026-03-18 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/ccca-sectional-conference/ Registration is currently closed. - Published: 2025-08-27 - Modified: 2025-08-28 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/early-registration/ Thank you for joining us for Alumni Camp! Camp Registration Step 1 of 2 50% You can sign up for camp with a downloadable paper application, or you can use our easy to use on-line registration system. Camp registrations are on a first-come-first serve basis, and a deposit will be required to secure a space at camp. If the session you are looking for is not available, it means a Wait List has been started for that session, so please call the camp office at 603-875-3600 and we can add you to the list. *Select how you would like to sign upOn-Line ApplicationPaper ApplicationPlease email corey@christiancamps. net to request a paper application. HiddenStart Date of Camp in 2026* Month Day Year How many kids would you like to register? * 1 2 3 4 Camper 1Camper 1 Name* First Last Camper 1 Sex:* Male Female Camper 1 Date of Birth* Month Day Year Age on June 1stSelect a Camp*Brookwoods for BoysMoose River OutpostSelect a Camp*Brookwoods for BoysSelect a Camp*Deer Run for GirlsMoose River OutpostSelect a Camp*Deer Run for GirlsCamp Session Camper 1 at Brookwoods*Select a Session1st Month (June 28 to July 25)2nd Month (July 26 to August 22)1st Two Weeks (June 28 to July 11)2nd Two Weeks (July 12 to July 25)3rd Two Weeks (July 26 to August 8)4th Two Weeks (August 9 - August 22)Explorer Club 1 - Ages 8 - 9 (June 28 - July 4)Explorer Club 2 - Ages 9 to 10 (July 5 to July 11)Explorer... - Published: 2025-05-26 - Modified: 2025-08-29 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/our-program/ Experience a Summer of Faith, Friendship, and Fun We believe camp is more than just a place—it's a life-changing experience. Whether your camper is joining us at Brookwoods, Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost, they’ll encounter a summer filled with adventure, growth, and faith. Our programs are built on the foundation of fun, personal development, skill-building, and learning about God in a supportive and vibrant community. Campers choose activities that challenge them, make friends that encourage them, and meet counselors who walk alongside them in faith. Whether you're looking for a one-week intro program or a leadership experience for older teens, we’ve got something just right. Read more about each of our camps and specialty offerings below. Brookwoods Brookwoods Camp is a place where boys can try new things, grow stronger in their faith, and—most importantly—just be kids. Campers choose three instructional activities each week, ranging from sports to arts to water skills. Evening programs rotate between Cabin Night, Unit Night, and All-Camp games. Wednesdays and Sundays bring a change of pace with Lazy Day Breakfasts and Beach Afternoons that are always a hit! For younger boys not ready for a full two-week session, our Explorer Club is a one-week taste of camp (ages 8–10). Older teens can continue their camp journey through our Leadership Development Programs. Specialty Programs Include: Explorer Club Program (Ages 8–10) BASIC (Ages 15–16) Leadership Development Programs Horsemanship Program SCUBA Program Deer Run At Deer Run, girls enjoy the same incredible mix of activities, community, and... - Published: 2025-05-26 - Modified: 2026-08-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/upcoming-events/ There’s always something exciting around the corner! From upcoming retreats and registration launches to reunion weekends and workdays, we love staying connected with our camp family all year long. Check out what’s coming up next and be part of the adventure—whether you're joining us lakeside, trailside, or online. All Camps: Summer Camp Registration We open the gates (well... the registration gates) every September 1st! Apply anytime to snag your spot for a summer packed with adventure, friendship, and faith at Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost. Enroll Now Moose River Outpost Staff Alumni Camp September 4 - 7, 2026 Former MRO staff get together in Maine to spend a weekend encouraging each other, sharing stories, and making some new memories. Housing and meals are included in the cost of registration. For more information or any questions, please email Seth. Brookwoods and Deer Run Alumni Camp: September 4 - 7, 2026 For four days you can be a camper again! Alumni Camp runs from the Friday afternoon of Labor Day weekend through Monday afternoon. Over the course of the weekend, it’s camp just like you remember it (with a few minor changes, no Blob, sorry). Saturday and Monday mornings there are regular activities: archery, riflery, sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoeing, crafts, outdoor cooking, rocket assembly, etc. In the afternoons, we’ll have “open waterfront. ” In addition, you can hike Pine Mountain or canoe over to Plum Island in Roberts Cove. Our evening program includes campfires, singing, and s’mores. Alumni Camp... - Published: 2025-05-26 - Modified: 2026-01-29 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/employment/ Join Us for a Summer That Matters Whether you're looking for adventure, purpose, community—or all three—spending your summer on staff at Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost is an experience like no other. You’ll live in one of the most beautiful places in New England, form friendships that last a lifetime, and pour into the lives of campers in a way that’s fun, challenging, and eternally meaningful. Camp isn’t just about activities and s’mores (though we have plenty of those! )—it’s about serving with joy, leading with faith, and discovering who God is calling you to be. Ready to make this summer count? Make a Difference This Summer Spending a summer at camp might just be the best decision you ever make. That’s not just something we say—our alumni tell us that all the time. Why? Because working at Brookwoods, Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost is more than a job. It’s an opportunity to live in Christian community, grow in your faith, and invest deeply in the lives of kids who will remember you for the rest of their lives. Whether you're leading a cabin, helping in the kitchen, driving boats, caring for campers on the trail, or running an activity area, you are part of Kingdom work—and that matters. Every role at camp is a gift of service, and when done well, brings glory to God. Camp ministry is both fun and demanding. The days are long, full of energy, laughter, worship, and connection. But they’re... - Published: 2025-05-25 - Modified: 2026-04-02 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/summer-camp-food-and-nutrition/ Meals at Camp: A Shared Experience At Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, mealtimes are more than just a chance to refuel—they're a community event. Our dining halls are among the only times each day when the whole camp gathers in one place, creating connection, excitement, and plenty of memories. Whether it’s singing songs, celebrating Taco Tuesday, or enjoying sticky-bun Sundays, camp food is part of the fun. Across all three camps, we emphasize a healthy, active lifestyle supported by well-balanced meals, with accommodations for common food allergies and dietary needs, and we have made the commitment to operate nut-free kitchens. Please reach out if your camper has higher-level needs like contact or airborne allergies. Family-style meals in the dining hall, buffet-style cookouts outside, and a full salad bar at lunch and dinner are staples across our camps. Breakfasts always include hot and cold options, cereal, fruit, and yogurt. And yes—campers will be well-fed and happy. - Published: 2025-03-13 - Modified: 2026-03-05 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/man-camp/ Man Camp is an amazing volunteer work weekend and is scheduled May 1-3. Join us for an incredible opportunity to give back to Brookwoods and Deer Run by helping us prepare for the coming summer! It will be a fun weekend to come together, to work hard, and enjoy God’s creation. (Not to mention there will be amazing food! ) We hope that you can join us at Camp, a place that God uses to shape and mold lives, including our own! We will have some worship time each day and some opportunities to gather at night to fellowship. The cost for the event is FREE. - Published: 2024-06-04 - Modified: 2025-04-15 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/boomerangback/ Boomerang Back HiddenDate MM slash DD slash YYYY Camper Name* First Last Camper Sex* Male Female Which session would you like to Boomerang Back to? *MRO Session 2 (July 6 - 19)MRO Session 3 (July 20 - August 2)MRO Session 4 (August 3 - August 16)Which session would you like to Boomerang Back to? *BW Session 2 (July 6 - July 19)BW Session 4 (August 3 - August 16)Parent Name First Last Parent Email Cell or Home PhoneHas your address changed since you enrolled in the first session? Yes No Address Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechia - Published: 2023-12-29 - Modified: 2026-02-07 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/deer-run-alumnae-weekend/ April 10-12, 2026 Join us April 10-12 at the Brookwoods Conference Center for a time of friendship, rest, and refreshment. Don’t miss this special weekend to reconnect with camp friends, study God’s word, sit around the fireplace, go on a walk through the woods, or run into town for a cup of coffee. This retreat is for women ages 21+ who are, or have been, connected to Deer Run, Brookwoods, and MRO (alumnae, camp moms, etc). And any friends who have been listening to your camp stories for years are welcome too! Check out our tentative schedule. This year our focus will be Friendship with God. Our speakers will be Dr. Andrea Gurney and Mary Frances Giles. Andrea (staff alumna and camp parent) is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. Mary Frances (staff alumna) holds an MA in Theological Studies and after many years working for L'Abri Fellowship, she now serves as the Wilson House Director and Director of College Ministry at Park Street Church in Boston. In addition to more than 20 years of friendship, Andrea and Mary Frances bring with them years of thought and experience from the worlds of theology and psychology to lend some helpful insights to what friendship with God means to us today. Call your camp friends, send a DM over social media, and make plans to come back to camp! We know you want to... you’ve been asking us to do this for years!... - Published: 2023-11-01 - Modified: 2024-09-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/leadership-development/ Summer Programs Leadership Programs Brookwoods, Deer Run and Moose River Outpost offer a variety of opportunities for summer leadership development. It is our belief that through challenging experiences in the wilderness, individuals are able to mature and expand their development as a total person. Individuals are helped to realize personal responsibility as members of the group and as the Body of Christ. Please read the program descriptions to select the program that best meets your needs and goals. Also included is a brief decision matrix that will assist you in the process. BASIC The Brothers And Sisters In Christ (BASIC) program is a four-week experience for 15 year old boys and girls. During their month at camp, teenagers will participate in co-ed team building activities in an outdoor setting. In addition to their usual camp activities, participants will spend three full days together on ropes course elements, guided by a trained facilitator. They will enjoy an overnight canoeing trip and also face the challenges of a three-day hike in the White Mountain Range. This program is limited to the oldest 12 boys and 12 girls who sign up for a month, upon approval of the Directors. Campers generally must be in 9th grade and 15 years of age or above for this 4-week program. There is no extra cost for this program, which is run at Brookwoods and Deer Run, an no additional application to the program beyond the normal camp application. WILD The Wilderness Intensive Leadership Development (WILD) program... - Published: 2023-10-10 - Modified: 2025-12-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/winterreunion/ Where: Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run 34 Camp Brookwoods Rd. Alton NH 03809 When: Tuesday December 30th 2025-Thursday January 1st 2026 Drop-off/Registration is between 5:00-6:00 PM on Tuesday December 30th. Pickup is Thursday, January 1st at 2:00 PM Bus Transportation: There will be a coach bus leaving Lexington MA on December 30th at 3:00 PM EST. Limited spaces available, so please reach out to corey@christiancamps. net to reserve your seat! Pickup location: Rt 128, Northbound side, exit #46A, Lexington Service Plaza parking lot, (There is a McDonald’s and Mobile Station). Drop Off: Bus will return on Monday, January 1st at 4:00 PM ST to the same service plaza location. What: Awesome winter retreat with all your friends at camp! Who: Any campers 12 and over. Registration Cost: $200 per camper. HEALTH POLICY: Please remember that you will be sharing a cabin with others. If you are sick, we ask that you stay home. We want everyone to enjoy the Winter Reunion and return home healthy. LDPS: LDP I and II’s from summer 2025 can plan to arrive early on Monday December 29th at 5:00pm. Dinner will be provided at 5:30 PM and program following! Registration is currently closed - Published: 2023-04-19 - Modified: 2023-04-25 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/alumni_camp_registration/ Alumni Camp Registration Step 1 of 2 50% Date* MM slash DD slash YYYY Number of Adults (11 years and older) in your Family Group Spending the weekend and sleeping at camp* 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A $100 registration fee per person will be charged at the end of this form. Full Weekend Adult Name 1:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 2:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 3:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 4:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 5:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 6:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 7:* First Last Full Weekend Adult Name 8:* First Last Number of Adults (11 years and older) in your Family Group Coming for Day Camp* 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A $48 fee per person will be charged at the end of this form. Day Camper Adult Name 1:* First Last Day - a $48 deposit will be charged now and the remainder will be billed* Saturday - $48 Sunday - $48 Saturday & Sunday - $96 All days - $120 Day Camper Adult Name 2:* First Last Day - a $48 deposit will be charged now and the remainder will be billed* Saturday - $48 Sunday - $48 Saturday & Sunday - $96 All days - $120 Day Camper Adult Name 3:* First Last Day - a $48 deposit will be charged now and the remainder will be billed* Saturday - $48 Sunday... - Published: 2022-11-17 - Modified: 2026-08-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/prepaid-enroll-now/ Enroll in Camp Today! We're sorry, this link is no longer available, it changes every year. Please request this year's link from Corey. - Published: 2022-06-10 - Modified: 2026-08-10 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/weekendofgiving/ Weekend of Giving 2026 Thank You! Thank you to everyone who made a gift, prayed for the Weekend, or helped us spread the word about this effort. We made the goal... and then some! Donations totaled just over $120,000 — praise the Lord! Every kid deserves a great summer story. And that’s what Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost provide — a summer of spiritual growth, personal development, adventure, and fun! To make camp a reality for their kids, many of our families need financial assistance. The Scholarship Fund helps with this need. This year we will be granting over $500,000 in tuition assistance. It’s not too late to help with this ongoing need! Every gift is appreciated! Give online here. Every gift will help us reach our goal and bring more kids to camp. Thank YOU! You may also mail a check marked Weekend of Giving to the Main Office at camp or give using Venmo (@BW-DR-MRO and indicate WofG) Questions? Please email Ann Higgins, Director of Development - Published: 2022-06-10 - Modified: 2025-03-25 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/waitlistenroll/ You are invited to enroll from the Wait List! - Published: 2022-05-02 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/dates-rates/tuition-assistance-2/ Tuition Assistance Form - Published: 2022-03-07 - Modified: 2026-06-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/ways-to-give/planned-giving/ What Will your Legacy Be? Planned giving provides an opportunity for you to support the mission of Christian Camps and Conferences Inc. in ways that your current income might not allow. Planned gifts provide creative and flexible options that can benefit you and further camp's work of transforming lives for Jesus Christ. Donors who contribute through a future planned gift or make a provision for designating camp in their estate plans are eligible for membership in the 1944 Heritage Society. Estate planning is a necessary and selfless act of stewardship. Whatever your stage in life, you have the ability to determine how, when and to whom to transfer what has been entrusted to you. A careful plan often minimizes estate settlement costs to those you love. Please consider Proverbs 3:9: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase. ” Including the camps in your estate planning will leave a legacy for future generations. More information coming soon... If you need immediate assistance please email Ann Higgins, Director of Development at ann@christiancamps. net - Published: 2021-11-19 - Modified: 2025-08-26 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/safety-at-camp/ Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. endeavors to conduct safe programs and to inform our families of inherent risks. We believe that young people seek adventure and that camp provides an ideal environment for exploring new activities in a prescribed and safe manner. However, some of the activities may involve risks that young people do not encounter in their every day routine. Examples of camp activities in and on the water may include swimming, sailing, snorkeling, white water rafting, blobbing, and water skiing. Land activities can involve rappelling, rock climbing, riflery, archery, paintballing, horseback riding, and activities in the facilities or on the trail where inclement weather may be involved, bicycling on public roads, travel in camp vans, and ropes or obstacle courses. Camp participants must also assume the infrequent but inescapable risks with such activities. Safety is an essential element of the activities we offer, and we observe standard precautions. We conduct our programs according to practices and procedures recommended by the American Camping Association, which is an accreditation organization of best practices for running youth camps. Our camps undergo regular visitation through the accreditation process to ensure standards are maintained. While we are aware that it is not possible to foresee every contingency nor to eliminate all risk, our risk management program includes specific criteria for staff selection, training and supervision, written safety policies and procedures, reporting and review of accidents and supervision will provide reasonable precautions for the safety and well-being of each camper. Our camps have well-equipped... - Published: 2021-06-18 - Modified: 2021-07-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/weekend-of-giving-2021/ Thank You! Weekend of Giving 2021 July 23-25 YOU did it! We met the goal... and then some! Wow! We’ve been tallying up the gifts from our Weekend of Giving and we are amazed! All of you “Changemakers” donated over $150,000 over Changeover! You met the challenge and secured the $75,000 match-- that’s over $225,000 for Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost! Thank you to all who gave, prayed, or spread the word! We are so grateful! You are Changemakers! Every gift matters — if you’d still like to give, please scroll down for giving information. Thank you for your generosity! We are thrilled to have campers back at our camps this summer. We could not have gotten through 2020 without our generous camp family (Thank YOU! ) and this year we have a special challenge for Weekend of Giving 2021 to make every donation go further! A group of generous donors have come together to pledge a combined total of $75,000 to the Scholarship Fund if we receive donations totaling $75,000 or more over Changeover Weekend, July 23-25. This summer, we have experienced increased summer operating expenses due to required COVID related protocols like testing, stringent cleaning requirements, multiple seatings for meals, and PPE. Additionally, camp families have expressed a significant need for scholarship assistance to make coming to Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, or Moose River Outpost a reality. This year, your gift counts double—it helps cover critical operational expenses AND brings kids to camp! Camp changes... - Published: 2021-04-16 - Modified: 2025-01-08 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/monthly-giving/ Join the Campfire Circle by Giving Monthly The Campfire Circle is the monthly giving program for Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and MRO. As a member of the Campfire Circle, your donations provide scholarships to campers who could not attend camp without financial assistance and also help fund other unanticipated items not covered by our operational income. A recurring monthly gift is a blessing to camp as it allows us to budget confidently and evens out our cash flow. Our participating donors appreciate this option as it is convenient and automatic. (Credit Card or EFT). If you are interested, we request that you join the Campfire Circle with a minimum gift of $15/mo. To get started with a credit card, make your initial donation here and mark your gift as recurring. To give by EFT, please call the office at 603-875-3600. Please email Ann@christiancamps. net with any questions. Here are some things your monthly donations might provide*: $15/mo. ($180/yr): Fuels one of our boats for a full day of waterskiing or tubing. $25/mo. ($300/yr): Provides two weeks of ammunition for the rifle range. $50/mo. ($600/yr): Provides a half-scholarship for a camper at Moose River Outpost. $75/mo. ($900/yr): Replaces those backpacks that are worn-out at the end of each summer. $100/mo. ($1200/yr): Brings an Explorer Club Camper to camp for the first time with a full scholarship. Regular, dependable, monthly support gives camp the ability to budget confidently and evens out our cash flow. And for you, the donor, Campfire Circle membership... - Published: 2021-04-07 - Modified: 2025-12-08 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/about/leadership/employment/ Our organization currently is looking for some incredible talented and creative people to join the team. Please select the link below to direct you to additional information of employment opportunities available at our many areas of ministry. Camp Brookwoods: Summer positions at our boys camp in New Hampshire. Camp Deer Run: Summer positions at our girls camp in New Hampshire Moose River Outpost: Summer positions at our outdoor adventure teen camp in Maine. Brookwoods Conference Center: Part time positions serving at our Conference Center in New Hampshire from September to June. If you are looking for full time positions, contact Tim Nielsen. - Published: 2020-12-31 - Modified: 2020-12-31 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/donate-2/ This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: - Published: 2020-12-02 - Modified: 2021-04-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/giving-to-camp2021/ 2020 was a challenging year for everyone. Here at Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, we are thankful that we could continue to fulfill our mission of creating communities where campers could experience the transforming love of Christ. Instead of ministering to our usual 1000+ campers, we hosted family groups in cabins at Brookwoods and Deer Run and for camping up at Moose River Outpost in Maine. We also experienced a significant disruption in our Conference Ministry, hosting only a fraction of our usual 7000 conference guests. We are thankful for our generous camp family who helped us overcome the 2020 year end revenue shortfall. However, there are still additional expenses that we will incur moving forward because of the ongoing pandemic. If you are able and would like to help, you can give directly here or investigate other ways to give here. Giving is an act of worship. As we share what God has entrusted to us, we are bearing witness to the truth that everything we have belongs to God. He is trustworthy and will meet all our needs. If you donated in 2020, remember the CARES Act provided special incentives for charitable giving. For instance, if you itemize deductions on your tax return, you may be able to deduct cash gifts to offset up to 100% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Ordinarily the income tax deduction for charitable cash gifts is limited to 60% of AGI. Even if you do not itemize your deductions... - Published: 2020-10-16 - Modified: 2026-03-09 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/family-work-weekend/ Grab your work gloves and your sleeping bag and head to Brookwoods / Deer Run for The Family Work Weekend (June 5-7, 2026). The whole family can help us prepare for an amazing summer of ministry! During the weekend we will help prepare activity areas, clean cabins and put the finishing touches on camp! We will also spend some time together for family devotions, games, and fellowship. - Published: 2020-10-06 - Modified: 2020-10-06 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/teachers-reference-form/ Step 1 of 3 33% Date MM slash DD slash YYYY Applicant's Name* Gender* Male Female This is to help us send the reference to the proper Staff member for evaluation. Has applied for a position in:* WILD Program in Maine LDP in New Hampshire SALT in New Hampshire I'm sorry but I can't recall specific program name. Leadership Development Programs offered at our camps are an intensive 8 or 16 week leadership and discipleship training experience. Each participant will live in close quarters with other peers and counselors. The program can be a life-changing experience for all involved, and our hope in the selection process is to put together a group of young men and women who will be willing to learn from their counselors and from each other, as teachability is of the utmost importance in this program. The ideal participant is mature, self-aware, and a willing participant in a variety of activities. The input on this reference form will be most helpful to us when the form is filled out completely and honestly by someone who knows the applicant well. To be completed by the person filling out this reference:Your Name* Address* Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechia - Published: 2020-10-06 - Modified: 2020-10-06 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/staff-reference-form/ In order that we, Chrisitan Camps and Conferences, may make an intelligent selection of our workers, we are seeking information from you concerning the applicant. The information which you give wil be treated in the strictest confidence, and we shall appreciate straight-foward answers to the following questions. When you hit the "SUBMIT" button on the bottom of this form you will see a confirmation message indicating your submission was completed. If you are not directed to that page, then scroll down and look for highlighted areas of the form that might be missing some information. Date MM slash DD slash YYYY Your Name* First Last Your Email* Name of Applicant* First Last Gender* Male Female This is to allow us to send the reference to the proper Staff member for evaluation. What Camp is the applicant applying to work on staff? * Brookwoods Deer Run Moose River Outpost Brookwoods Conference Center - Published: 2020-09-25 - Modified: 2024-08-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/registration-duplicate/ This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: - Published: 2020-09-10 - Modified: 2025-09-08 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/leadership-program-application/ Preparation Checklist Fully completed applications are due by December 1This includes both your application and completed references. Tip: References often take a few weeks to respond — start early and allocate enough time so your submission isn’t delayed. Before starting your application, please gather the following information and prepare your answers. This will help you complete the form smoothly. All applicants will be notified of decisions by January 15. Contact Information Teacher Reference – Name & Email Pastor Reference – Name & Email Parent/Guardian Email – for approval and confirmation Application Questions (Optional: You can prepare your answers ahead of time and paste them into the form. ) Describe what you think you will bring and contribute to the leadership group. Also, what do you hope to gain from your experience? What would be your goals? Please discuss your spiritual journey, recounting when and how you became a Christian. Who is Jesus Christ? How does your relationship with Him impact your daily life? - Published: 2020-08-14 - Modified: 2026-08-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/enroll/ Enrollment for Summer 2027 Opens September 1st! - Published: 2020-08-14 - Modified: 2024-05-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/privacy-policy/ Privacy Policy Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it through our compliance with this policy. This policy describes: The types of information we may collect or that you may provide when you visit www. christiancamps. net (our "Website") and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information. This policy applies to information we collect: On this Website. In email, text, and other electronic messages between you and this Website. Through mobile and desktop applications you download from this Website, which provide dedicated non-browser-based interaction between you and this Website. It does not apply to information collected by: Us offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. or any third party; or Any third party, including through any application or content (including advertising) that may link to or be accessible from or on the Website. Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It We collect several types of information from and about users of our Website, including information: By which you may be personally identified, such as name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone number, or any other identifier by which you may be contacted online or offline ("personal information"). About your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Website, and usage details. We collect this information: Directly from you when you provide it to us. Automatically as you navigate through the site. Information collected automatically may include... ## Posts - Published: 2026-07-29 - Modified: 2026-08-05 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/how-summer-camp-can-help-your-child-build-lifelong-connections/ - Categories: Uncategorized How Summer Camp Can Help Your Child Build Lifelong Connections Our lives, whether we like it or not, are dominated by digital messages and interactions non-stop. True, really true, heart-to-heart connection has become more valuable than ever. For a child, finding a community where they are seen, known, and loved for who they are—and who God created them to be—can be lifechanging. At Christian Camps & Conferences, we specialize in creating an environment where these "lifelong connections" aren't just a possibility; they are the foundation of everything we do. Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost are overnight camps that provide an opportunity for kids and teens to explore faith, friendship, and adventure all within a supportive Christian community. Our camps emphasize character building, spiritual growth, and outdoor skills, laying the foundation for priceless memories and lasting friendships. At Christian summer camp, kids can step away from the pressures of technology and experience genuine connection and renewal surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. Our faith-based communities are where the magic of camp happens, fun abounds and faith grows. Friendships Rooted in Shared Faith and Values Friendships that are built at summer camp are some of the deepest, strongest friendships that exist. How do we know? Because we can tell you stories upon stories of the lifelong friendships that are an integral part of our camp alumni’s lives. These bonds are formed sitting around the campfire, in cabin Bible Study, singing in the Chapel at the top of their... - Published: 2026-06-02 - Modified: 2026-06-02 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/day-in-life-at-camp-brookwoods/ - Categories: Uncategorized A Day in the Life at Camp Brookwoods Christian Summer Camp For Boys A summer at Brookwoods is filled with adventure, lifelong friendship, faith, and personal growth. While life at our Christian summer camp is high-energy and full of activity , our daily schedule provides the structured routine and predictability that help children thrive. Here is a look at what a typical, purposeful day looks like for a Brookwoods camper. Morning Routines: Cultivating Faith and Responsibility 7:00 AM: Wake Up and Cabin Chores The day begins at 7:00 AM. Campers use this quiet morning time for personal reflection, reading their Bibles, praying, or relaxing in their bunks. Stewardship is a core value here. To cultivate responsibility, every camper volunteers to clean a specific area of the cabin to prepare for daily inspections. To keep things fun, the cleanest junior and senior cabins win exciting prizes at the end of each week. 7:45 AM: Morning Lineup and Flag Raising At 7:35 AM, an airhorn signals that it is time to head to the backfield for lineup and roll call at 7:45 AM. During the lineup, we raise the American flag, make announcements, and share the day's exciting agenda. Afterward, designated cabin waiters head to the dining hall early to set the tables. This is another hands-on way we reinforce our values of stewardship and joyful service. 8:00 AM: Community Breakfast Campers wash their hands and head into the dining hall for a nutritious breakfast. Each cabin sits together at round tables... - Published: 2026-06-02 - Modified: 2026-06-02 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/leadership-development-in-christian-camps/ - Categories: Uncategorized Building Tomorrow’s Leaders: Leadership Development in Christian Camps There is something incredibly powerful about watching a camper grow up at camp. It rarely happens all at once; more often, it looks like a quiet, steady progression over the years. A child who was once nervous to spend a single week away from home eventually becomes the confident camper helping a homesick cabinmate. The middle schooler who once needed constant encouragement matures into the teenager carrying group gear on a backpacking trip without being asked. Over time, campers naturally transition from participants to contributors, and eventually, to true leaders. At Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost, we believe youth leadership development is one of the most meaningful, long-term outcomes of the summer camp experience. Importantly, leadership at camp is not about being the loudest voice, the most talented athlete, or "being the boss". Leadership in a Christian camp environment is deeply rooted in service, accountability, humility, courage, and integrity. It is about learning to care for others well, take initiative, and follow Christ faithfully within a community. Whether campers are paddling through the Maine wilderness, hiking the White Mountains, or learning to live closely alongside others in a cabin, camp provides countless opportunities for young people to practice leadership in real, tangible ways. The Progression of Youth Leadership Development One of the unique aspects of Christian summer camp leadership training is that it develops gradually over time. Leadership is not handed to teenagers overnight; instead, responsibility grows alongside personal maturity.... - Published: 2025-11-17 - Modified: 2025-11-17 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving_tuesday/ - Categories: Uncategorized To me, Camp is the most beautiful place in the world. Of course, the lake, the mountains, and the stars shooting across the sky after a colorful sunset are gorgeous; but that only scratches the surface of the beauty I’m referring to. Camp is beautiful because it is home to things like the sound of belly laughs coming from the Dining Hall – the kind that make your cheeks ache, or the smell of woodsmoke at Closing Campfire and the feeling that arises when Melissa Yonan reads the final sentence of the poem To An Old Camper, “Heaven can only be heaven with a camp in which to play. ” The magnificence of two Whitetails holding hands as they skip down to the waterfront after rest hour beats the Eiffel Tower for me any day of the week! What you’ll find each year at Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost is hundreds of children coming together from all different walks of life, accepted for who they are while being encouraged to grow in many different ways. Camp is beautiful because of the way it changes lives, mine included. I often find myself thinking of all the people, young and old, who have walked the pathways in between cabins, or sat in a circle in their pajamas on the same wooden floor for devotions, and been held by the grace of God. This is a place where unconditional love has dwelled for over 80 years. To witness love on this... - Published: 2024-04-18 - Modified: 2024-04-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-man-camp-2024/ - Categories: Uncategorized Written By: Al Latario, Conference Staff Brookwoods May 3rd - 5th Spring is slowly coming and the ice on shore line of Lake Winnipesaukee is nearly gone. For the gentlemen of Brookwoods that means one thing: Man Camp is back! Whether you’re camp alumni, former staff, or current campers eager to return to your home on the lake, you are invited to join us in a weekend of fellowship in which we will worship together and work to prepare camp for another summer. Join us on the first weekend in May, 3rd-5th. As always, housing and meals are free; you only need to bring bedding for your bunk. In addition to preparing our activity areas for summer use, we have demand for the usual grounds keeping projects of path clearing and spreading mulch. We also have a special need for wood splitters this year given the number of trees felled to make room for The Fieldhouse. Be ready to get your hands dirty... and maybe bring a pair of your own work gloves! If you’ve benefited from the ministry of camp and want to give back with the gift of your time and labor, or if you just want more of Jon’s cooking (totally respectable), let us know by filling out the online registration. Please make sure you include your t-shirt size for another addition to your collection of camp merch. We ask that participants be 10 years of age or older. Our very own Marcus LeTexier will be leading... - Published: 2024-04-05 - Modified: 2025-11-17 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-man-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized Written by Brent Lane Tools not required - but at the same time welcome! If you haven’t yet participated in a Man Camp weekend, you really should give it a try! When I lived on the West Coast or in Florida, I would hear that my brother John had been to Man Camp with his boys to help get camp ready for campers in the summer. It always sounded like it was a very fun, fulfilling weekend for them. Not just helping, but doing stuff that helped them bond. Once I moved back to Maine and got settled, I started thinking about Man Camp. It took me a bit to finally make the decision to attend and register. Of course, with one Man Camp under my belt, I wished that I hadn’t taken so long to go! The first time I came to Man Camp I wasn’t sure what to expect, but at least I knew my way around! Man Camp starts just like camp - cabin assignments! Once you get settled, you head up for dinner, guys trickle in throughout the evening with some folks arriving on Saturday morning. We go over the list of jobs on Friday night and again on Saturday morning, so you can think about where you think you’d be most helpful. Pro tip: if you want your pick of jobs, arrive early :-) Each day starts with breakfast followed by Bible study and fellowship before we head out to our assignments. Usually, we share... - Published: 2024-03-12 - Modified: 2024-07-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/deer-run-retreat/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: Alumnae Event, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Deer Run Retreat Meet you on the Front Lawn... A few of us were gathered on the front lawn last Labor Day, sharing life stories, connecting and encouraging each other, and the seeds of a Women’s Alumnae retreat were sown. What we share with you, dear alumnae, is the common bedrock of friendship and spiritual nurturing fostered while a camper or staff member at Deer Run or Moose River Outpost. Drawn back by friendship and shared experience, as well as a common bond of faith, it is easy to reconnect and pick up where friendships left off. What we found was a new longing for encouragement and staying connected, beyond camp experiences. We started dreaming of a way to create community based in the truth of scripture and the familiarity of a common bond. Life is hard. Camp women are wise and strong, we have a lot we can learn from each other. Think of a cairn found on the hiking trails we all traversed as campers or staff. Each rock is a symbol of an experience, an encounter, a trial in our personal story. As we stack our symbolic rocks together and dig into God’s word, we hope to create a space of encouragement and wayfinding in our adult journey together. And here we are—the weekend of April 5-7 is just for us. (Brookwoods Conference Center) With great anticipation, The Retreat Committee Mary Beth Bowling || Julie Krentel Brenner || Christie Knubel Holmes || Donna Cordes Lehman || Kathleen... - Published: 2024-02-22 - Modified: 2024-07-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/dralumnae/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: Alumnae Event, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Three Camps Women's Alumnae Weekend Registration is open for our first, camp alumnae retreat on April 5-7, 2024. This retreat is open to all women, ages 21+ and over. If you were a camper or staff member at Brookwoods, Deer Run or Moose River Outpost, you are welcome to attend. Our speaker will be Gwen Reed. Gwen has been on staff for nine years, serving as Deer Run Chaplain for the past four summers. Gwen has also led the Deer Run Staff Bible Study and was our beloved Store Queen for eight summers. (She’s the mastermind behind the slushie combos! ) If you have any questions, please email the host team. This special weekend will allow you to reconnect with old camp friends, make new ones, enjoy great food and a time of rest and encouragement. We will have plenty of free time to enjoy the surroundings of camp as well as purposeful time together, exploring what it means to retreat, rest and respond to the way-finding signs that God has for us on our journey. Hope to see you in April! The Retreat Committee Mary Beth Bowling || Julie Krentel Brenner || Christie Knubel Holmes || Donna Cordes Lehman || Kathleen Matthews || Bekah Peterson - Published: 2023-12-12 - Modified: 2023-12-12 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/welcome-rob-dawson/ - Categories: Uncategorized Dear Camp Family, I am thrilled to share with you that Robert Dawson has been hired as the next Director of Ministry Services at Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. Robert’s first experience at Brookwoods was serving as the Counselor of the Wildcat Cabin during the summer of 2008. Since then, Robert has spent three summers as a Unit Director as well as serving on the Fall Conference Staff. Robert has also been a regular member of our Alumni Camp staff for many years. Robert grew up in North Carolina and developed a love for the outdoors through the Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill with a degree in Religious Studies and Economics, and has spent the last six years helping to start and grow a jewelry business. Serving Christ is important to Robert and he has served in his local church in a variety of lay leadership roles, including children's ministry, youth ministry, men's ministry, and missions. In his role as Director of Ministry Services, Robert will be assisting across many facets of the camp organization such as marketing, human resources, staff hiring, and leadership of the Support Staff each summer at Brookwoods and Deer Run. Robert will also be involved in future program and facility improvements. I suspect he will occasionally be asked to drive the ski boat at Alumni Camp as well! Robert, his wife Kayla, his daughter Ella, and his mother-in-law Cathy, are... - Published: 2023-11-13 - Modified: 2023-11-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/groundbreaking/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Groundbreaking for The Fieldhouse By Bob Strodel, Director Emeritus Saturday, November 4, 2023 was a significant day for Brookwoods and Deer Run campers. Executive Director Tim Nielsen, and the Board of Directors broke ground and started the construction for "The Fieldhouse", which is scheduled to be completed sometime in summer of 2024. The Fieldhouse is one of the largest final projects to be constructed as part of The Next75 Capital Campaign. The facility will contain a gymnasium sized for regulation High School basketball, a fully equipped exercise room, a platform for performances, indoor climbing wall, locker rooms, a snack bar and a lobby. It will be located near Deer Run Lodge in an area that has been used for Riflery (1950's till 1963), the Stables (1964 to 2007) and more recently, axe throwing.               Over 70 people attended the special event which was followed by a delicious lunch in the Dining Hall. If you were not able to join us, the event was captured on video HERE. The Next75 Capital Campaign was started in 2019 to prepare the ministry to better serve the next generation of campers at Brookwoods, Deer Run and Moose River Outpost. The Next75 includes upgrades to cabins, new program elements, and scholarship funding. If you have not yet had an opportunity to support this effort, we invite you to visit the website HERE to discover the details of the Campaign, and prayerfully consider how you might participate. Bob Strodel was... - Published: 2023-10-27 - Modified: 2023-10-27 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-2024/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Winter Reunion - Topics: The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Reconnect and Rejoice Are you still thinking about those warm summer days by the lake, the laughter of friends in the cabin, and the joy of campfires? Do you want to come back and experience it all... in the SNOW? Well, you're in for a treat! We invite you to join us for the Brookwoods & Deer Run Winter Reunion 2024. Our hope is that this retreat will provide you and your friends with the spiritual encouragement needed to head into the New Year with renewed purpose and faith. It's a time to grow in your relationship with Christ, surrounded by the support of counselors and fellow campers. We are excited to have Jon Deming, as this year’s retreat speaker. Jon is the Associate Pastor at Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church in Wethersfield, CT. The theme will be around the unexpected Jesus. Jesus is different- it’s that simple and that profound. His way, his invitation, his call, his values... all of them depart from those of the world we live in every day. In this series, we will learn from Luke’s account of Jesus about the different kind of kingdom Jesus is building. Find more details on our Registration Page and check out last year’s video. Or you can contact us - Email Ben Email Beth - Published: 2023-03-23 - Modified: 2023-03-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/spring-2023-man-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Spring 2023 Man Camp “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. ” Ecclesiastes 9:10 Man Camp is coming back to Brookwoods! If you are invested in camp and want to help realize our vision to offer an adventure-filled and spiritually engaging summer for hundreds of children this year, join us on the first weekend in May (May 5th through 7th) for a variety of work projects to keep our camp fun and beautiful. Volunteers will be splitting wood, clearing winter debris, and doing preparation work for the coming summer. Food, of course, will be provided by the absurdly talented Jon Cooper, and we will hold worship services throughout the weekend to focus our efforts not only on our Earthly labor but on the Lord we seek to serve. There is no cost for this event. Meals and housing are free to those volunteering their time. We only ask that you bring your own sleeping bag or other bedding material so that you will be comfortable during your stay. Sign up today! Housing is limited to the Ranger Unit, so don’t wait to let us know you are coming. Man Camp is always an opportunity for a strong father-son bonding experience. We do ask that any children attending be 12 years or older, though we will be prepared to offer work projects that are accessible to all ages. HiddenDate MM slash DD slash YYYY Name* First Last The weekend is scheduled May 2 - 4. How... - Published: 2023-03-23 - Modified: 2023-03-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/new-hampshire-summer-camp-packing-list/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: packing list - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost There is something enchanting about getting ready for summer camp. The idea of leaving your parents, pets, and home behind to spend time surrounded by nature and exhilarating activities is exciting. Everyone wants to have a summer they will never forget, no one wants to have a summer memorable for the wrong reasons, so packing all the important stuff is a must. Here’s a quick list to help you get ready for your time at camp, we also have a full printable packing list on our website! Your Bible – camp is a time for you to grow in your faith, and having your Bible with you is part of that. Clothing– think about how long you’re going to be away and what kind of weather you will be encountering. Your clothes should be comfortable and easy to move in, something you are happy to get dirty. You don’t want to overpack, but you don’t want to be short of necessary items. Pack extra socks and under clothes, and don’t forget a raincoat. Toiletries and towels – All that time spent running around outside leads to necessary clean up. Also think about bug sprays and sunscreen, a good lip balm with spf protection, extra hair ties, and sunglasses. Shoes – There are so many different activities available here at camp, it’s easy to over-complicate the shoe situation. You are going to want a good pair of sneakers, something broken in and comfortable with enough support to help you run and... - Published: 2023-03-15 - Modified: 2023-03-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/perks-of-having-events-at-christian-conference-centers/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: christian, conference centers Planning a retreat for your church, Christian School or ministry can be a big job! The most important decision that you will make is the venue. Selecting a Christian Conference Center is a wise way to ensure that those serving you are prepared to help you achieve your mission. The Brookwoods Conference Center in Alton, New Hampshire serves 4600 retreat guests per year and is ready to serve your group. Focus on Growth & God The Brookwoods Conference Center hires and trains staff to serve guests with the love of Jesus! Romans 12:12-13 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ” The Brookwoods Conference Center provides a location for ministries to focus on the growth of their members while being served with great care! Excellent, God Serving Staff The Brookwoods Conference Center employs staff who understand your ministry objectives and will help you obtain them. A ministry retreat is an opportunity to step away from normal life and focus on an area of personal spiritual growth. The staff at The Brookwoods Conference Center believe in the value of a Christian retreat and they will pray with you and for your group. They will also provide the tools that you need to have a successful experience. Kingdom-Centered Goals The Brookwoods Conference Center staff are focused on Kingdom Goals, not financial profit. Sure, there are costs involved in your retreat, but they are reasonable. The retreats at... - Published: 2023-02-24 - Modified: 2023-02-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/looking-ahead/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Camps: All Camps Executive Director Search Dear Camp Family, As you may recall, shortly before the 2022 summer camp season Bob Strodel announced his intention to retire this coming August from Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. His decades of service as the Executive Director have demonstrated a focus, a willingness to give, and a passion for the incredible ministry that has allowed generations of campers to experience the love of Christ. His planning with the Board of Directors in the years leading up to this moment enabled the Board to begin a thorough search process this fall. With support from an outside firm, the Board defined key characteristics that would be required to lead the organization forward while keeping the ministry focused on the grace, love, and truth of Christ. Tim Nielsen and Bob Strodel The Board is pleased to announce that Tim Nielsen has been named the next Executive Director, Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. Tim has an extensive background in camping which began as a child when he joined his parents while they were involved with summer camp at Sandy Cove Ministries in Maryland. These camping programs were started by Miles Strodel prior to his years at Brookwoods. As a young boy, Tim even attended Camp Brookwoods for three summers, spending time in the Woodchuck and Porcupine cabins. With a degree from Houghton College and a Masters in Christian Education after attending seminary at Columbia International University, Tim spent 30 years at Sandy Cove Ministries as the Director for their summer... - Published: 2023-01-10 - Modified: 2023-03-07 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winni_weekend2023/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Winnipesaukee Winter Weekends Temperatures are dropping, the lake is freezing, and the snow is (finally) starting to fall! Winter at Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run offers an entirely new way to enjoy our beautiful property with activities for every age and pace, and we are eager to share it with you during our “Winter Winnipesaukee Weekend'' this March 3rd to the 5th. The weekend (Friday dinner to Sunday lunch) includes housing, meals, family Bible studies, and access to many self-guided activities for you and the family to enjoy. Whether you are looking for a relaxing weekend to read a book by the fire or seeking wintry recreation in beautiful New Hampshire, this affordable family retreat is sure to deliver. Guests are invited to participate in a variety of experiences on property including skating and hockey on our home-made ice rink, snowshoeing through our wooded trails, tubing on the Deer Run Hill, and even ice fishing down at the waterfront. For the extra-adventurous, we are happy to provide a “Chair Lift Lunch” to take to the Gunstock ski resort, cross country skiing in Sewall Woods, winter hiking on Mt. Pine or Mt. Major, or simply window shopping on the quiet streets of Wolfeboro. Our cheerful and accommodating staff is prepared to assist you with your weekend plans, and will keep the hot chocolate fresh for your return. To round out the weekend, we will even be offering a trivia night and a movie night in our 94-seat Theater. Relax, unplug, and... - Published: 2022-09-14 - Modified: 2022-09-15 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving_back_to_camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Camps: All Camps My Family's Gift to Camp by Rachel LaPlante, Campfire Circle Member This past year was the first year my daughter, Cece, was old enough to attend camp Deer Run. We had previously attended Alumni Camp for several years (which is awesome by the way! ) and she felt ready to experience life as a camper without mom and dad. However, going into a cabin without a buddy is hard, so she asked me to invite a friend from school to join her. Honestly, I thought the friend’s mom would say no, but I asked anyway and (surprise to both of us) she said yes! Cece and her friend, Mack, would attend Explorer Club together the first week of Camp. Fast forward to Incoming Day. We drove down Chestnut Cove Road and saw the Brookwoods and Deer Run signs welcoming us to camp. It was here — my first year dropping off my daughter at camp! We did all the things needed to check in on the front lawn and then headed to the Whitetail cabin where we settled into a bunk with Cece on the bottom and Mack on the top. After a picture and a hug (followed by an extra hug), my husband and I headed back home. It was a true joy and privilege to drop my daughter off at camp, a place I loved so much as a camper. And it was even more fun watching the camp family grow as we invited Mack to attend. We... - Published: 2022-07-15 - Modified: 2022-07-19 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-weekend-of-giving-july-22nd-24th/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run The Weekend of Giving: July 22nd - 24th by Molly Murray, Deer Run Counselor & Camp Alumna Finding the right words to describe what Camp means to me feels almost impossible. To some extent, I think this shows that many of the greatest joys in life cannot be sufficiently described. Rather, they must be experienced in order to understand the depth of which they touch the heart, mind, and soul. But, despite the difficulty and perhaps inadequacy, I will do my very best to share one of my greatest joys with you. Molly with her sisters and Melissa on Mt. Major I came to Camp for the first time when I was 10 years old (big shoutout to my gal Melissa Yonan! ) and was welcomed into the Whitetail Cabin with open arms. I fell in love with every aspect of Camp: the sunsets on the lake, lazy day blobs, calling up counselors in the dining hall for “Sing Us A Song,” winning inspection (my parents will tell you I was not a clean child but they never saw me during White Glove), and the banquet, just to name a few. Not only did I fall in love with Camp, but I fell in love with Jesus. My eyes were opened to the undeniable presence of God and I longed to grow in my relationship with Christ. After two weeks of radiant love and transformation, I came home with a mind filled with silly Camp songs and the dream of... - Published: 2022-06-17 - Modified: 2022-07-19 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/alumni-camp-2022/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Labor Day Weekend - September 2 - 5, 2022 It’s almost time for “Alumni Camp! ” We are so excited to welcome you back to Camp to see you again and to “catch up”! We will be hosting our Alumni Camp over Labor Day weekend between September 2nd and 5th. This is a popular event, so please see below for registration details. Come back to Brookwoods and Deer Run to worship, enjoy activities and eat wonderful food. For more information or to enroll, visit this link - Published: 2022-05-21 - Modified: 2022-07-19 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/familycamp2022/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Join the Camp Fun Looking to experience the summer magic of Brookwoods and Deer Run as a family? Sign up now to reserve your spot at our Family Camp August 2022! The program will operate similarly to our well known “Winnipesaukee Weekends” however, this year the days fall Monday through Friday. In 2020, around 1,000 families attended Brookwoods and Deer Run for our piloted “Winni Weekends. ” We had such a success and the families had such an amazing time that many returned in 2021 as well. This year, we are continuing the fun by offering a Family Camp August 22nd-26th. This is a great opportunity to get away as a family and experience the beauty of God’s creation, and Lake Winnipesaukee. We will have worship and devotions each morning after breakfast. You’ll be able to sign up for daily activities including archery, climbing, riflery, rocketry, outdoor cooking, axe throwing, crafts, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, wakeboarding, and so much more! You’ll be able to put your feet up on our beautiful beach, swim in the lake, or go for a boat ride. All your meals will be provided, and we’ll offer fun evening programs each night! This can be as active, or as relaxed of a week that you want! We are excited to host your family for an unforgettable week, and to hear how God is working in your lives. We pray it will be a time where your family can reconnect and grow before... - Published: 2022-04-21 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/10-questions-every-camp-parent-should-ask/ - Categories: Uncategorized Spring is here! It’s finally time to start thinking about the summer and leaving the winter mittens behind. As you prepare for your child’s summer camp experience there are certain things you are probably curious about and questions you might have! While you are always welcome to call and chat, we thought it would be helpful to explain the 10 questions every parent should ask. Why send my child to a Christian camp? If you are reading this, you are most likely thinking about their first camp experience. Moose River Outpost is a place for teens and adults to grow, to learn, and to press against the outer boundaries of their own potential. Moose River Outpost features programs that build godly men and women. These programs center on adventure—not simply for the thrill of it, but for the value of these life lessons. But let’s be honest: Everyone could go for a thrill now and then too. Is camp safe for my camper? Moose River Outpost is a member of the American Camping Association and goes through a peer review once every five years to ensure that we are running camp as safely and as close to best practice in our industry as possible. Some camp activities have inherent risk as a part of the activity and we do our very best to mitigate those risks. But we also believe in stretching ourselves to do new things. We do these things with the best safety equipment, in small class sizes,... - Published: 2022-04-20 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/5-tips-to-having-the-best-christian-summer-camp-experience/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: Moose River Outpost News - Camps: Moose River Outpost Every winter our camp directors put in hours making sure we are offering the best Christian camp experience we possibly can. Parents will often call and ask what their kids can expect. I will tell parents about all the ways we are creating an opportunity for their camper to grow in their faith while they are at camp. Towards the end of that conversation I will remind parents that while we are creating the opportunity, so much of what a kid gets out of camp rests on the shoulders of the camper. Here are five tips to having the best Christian summer camp experience at Moose River Outpost: Come eager to learn and grow. At the opening campfire I will invite the whole camp to take the next step in their faith journey towards becoming more like Jesus Christ. We believe that everyone is on a spiritual journey and that there is always a next step to be taken. For some of our campers, that looks like learning about Jesus or the importance of the Bible as a source of truth to base our lives on. Campers who come ready and eager to grow in their faith often get the most out of their Christian camp experience. Find friends to grow with. All kinds of kids come to a Christian camp. It’s important to remember that your Christian camp will have real people just like your school, church or community. Though, not everyone will be at the same point on... - Published: 2022-03-17 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/man-camp-2022/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Man Camp is coming! Another year is flying by and the winter is moving on as quickly as it came. Before you know it, the snow and ice will be a mere memory, the flowers will be blooming, and the summer will be upon us. There is a lot to do in order to prepare for this upcoming summer at Brookwoods and Deer Run. We need your help to do so! Let’s start this summer off the best and most manly way possible in order to pave the way for this big year so we can ensure that our campers have their best summer yet! Save the date, spread the word, and join the herd on May 13th to 15th for Man Camp 2022. This no cost event is open to men and their sons, 12 years of age and older, to both help create some new man sized memories and to help camp get ready for the upcoming season. Mike Brigham is modeling the exclusive 2022 Man Camp Shirt which will be given to those attending. You can come up for the weekend or just for the day. Jon Cooper, our great Food Service Director, will be serving some yummy meals starting on Friday night through Sunday lunch, including our traditional Saturday Night Ribs dinner! Scroll down to the bottom of this page to register. Theme for Man Camp: Culture has emasculated men and stripped them of their God given purpose. Our families, work places, and world are paying... - Published: 2022-03-14 - Modified: 2023-06-06 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/campers-favorite-activities-at-moose-river-outpost/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: Moose River Outpost News - Camps: Moose River Outpost By Seth Coates Kids come to camp for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s their friends that bring them to camp, sometimes it’s the location or the private lake, but often the activities are a big part of what gets them to sign up. Each summer we find several of our activities to be the most popular. During a typical session our archery program will almost always be full! Campers sign up each morning at breakfast and different cabins get to go first each day, this way even a popular activity that typically fills up quickly has different campers at it each day. In summer 2022 we are expanding the archery program to be able to accommodate more shooters at each activity period. Even with being able to handle more shooters we expect it will be just as popular as ever. In the 2021 summer, we launched a new program we call Makerspace. This is an activity where campers make projects that take both commitment of time and effort. The end product is an item they crafted that is useful as well as beautiful. Last summer we started off making knives and canoe paddles. This summer we are adding a forge and sheath making with two different materials; kydex and leather. Makespace was so well received that this summer we are doubling its capacity! Many of our activities fill to capacity each period that they are offered but the most consistent through the years is the ski boat. We run... - Published: 2022-02-25 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/lent_digital_detox/ - Categories: Uncategorized Lent & Digital Detox By Susan B. Arico, Deer Run alumna & parent What is Lent, and why is it a thing that Christians talk about? This is a worthwhile question to ask. Lent is the forty-day season that precedes Easter, a time set aside for focus on sin and repentance. During Lent, Christians prepare their hearts to mark the events of Jesus’s betrayal and crucifixion. It’s a season of remembering our sins and cultivating gratitude for Jesus’s death on our behalf. Lent also echoes and marks Jesus’s forty days being tempted in the wilderness. It also prepares us to fully celebrate Jesus’s victory over death on Easter – which marks the end of Lent. The practice of Lent is almost as old as Christianity itself, with historians placing its start between 100 and 350 AD. However, many Protestants disengaged from commemorating Lent after the Reformation, as they broke away from various Catholic practices. (There’s a great, short description of Lenten history here. ) In recent decades, more Protestants – from an array of denominations – are returning to the practice of Lent and entering the season in various ways. Lent has a solemn and confessional character to it because of its focus on sin, and it traditionally includes fasting – a practice of abstaining from food in some way. Fasting humbles us, helps us realize our true dependence on God, and enables us to draw closer to him. While we may think of fasting as only for the super-spiritual,... - Published: 2022-01-25 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-winnipesaukee-weekend/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost AS OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH WE ARE ON A WAIT LIST BASIS FOR HOUSING. PLEASE CALL COREY IN THE CAMP OFFICE AT 603-875-3600 TO DISCUSS. We are happy to invite you and your family to come to Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run for a “Winter Winnipesaukee Weekend” on February 18th to the 20th. The weekend (Friday dinner to Sunday lunch) includes housing, meals, and some self-guided activities you and the family can enjoy. Are you weary from juggling working from home, altered holiday plans, and ever-changing school schedules? Does your family need a break from way too much screen time? Camp is a safe place for you and the family to get away and take an affordable break from the daily stress. We will provide clean rooms for you to rest, great food to enjoy access to camp facilities you can enjoy, and a place to relax. If you feel adventuresome, ice skate on our rink, you could enjoy our tubing hill, snowshoe through our many paths, or take the family skiing at a local downhill ski resort Just 7 miles away, in the town of Wolfeboro are some amazing trails for cross country skiing at The Nordic Skier, and several nice shops for browsing. Perhaps you are just the indoor type and would enjoy reading a book in front of our fireplaces, challenge the kids to a game of air hockey, or enjoy some complimentary hot chocolate or coffee while you unplug. Want to start the weekend early? We... - Published: 2021-12-29 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/my-gift-to-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized My Gift to Camp by Sarah Burd, Deer Run Alumna We’ve reached the end of 2021! By the time you’re reading this, the Christmas preparations are behind you and hopefully you’re still dwelling in the celebration of Christ’s entrance into our world and hearts. While you dwell, I’d like to remind you that December 31st is days away and it’s time to get those last-minute gifts to camp in! I admit, I have been officially recognized by Melissa Yonan as a “procrastinator” with the best of them. Last year was a new level—I had decided to give to the Next75 Campaign and on December 31st , I realized I never mailed my check! Frantically, I called camp to arrange an EFT (the ever so handy Electronic Fund Transfer). I had a lovely chat with Debbie Strodel, but I have resolved to do my part to make her New Year’s Eve slightly less crazy this year by mailing my gift sooner. As I write, the days of Advent are behind us, and I find myself encouraged by God’s power to redeem. I don’t know if I’ve ever lived in a time where our collective need for a Savior has been so palpable! When I look back over my life, one of the things that has enabled me to have hope amid challenge and uncertainty is my time at camp. As a camper and then a counselor, my relationship with Christ deepened. I experienced some of my first moments of true peace... - Published: 2021-12-22 - Modified: 2021-12-22 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-invitation/ - Categories: Uncategorized The Invitation by Joe Lehmann, Camp Pastor On a side table in my living room sits a crèche, a nativity scene carved from Olive Wood that I brought back from Israel nearly 25 years ago. It is small and simple in design. A single palm tree flanks the stable, a star blazes from the peak of the roofline. The animals all face inwards, their front legs bent forward in anatomically impossible positions, heads bowed in worship. The human figures are abstract, their chiseled features so vague that it is difficult to decide who they are meant to be: Mary and Joseph? Shepherds? Wise Men? At the center lies the Christ child, his arms outstretched as if, even as a newborn, Jesus embraced the cross. I confess I’ve walked unthinkingly past this scene far more often than I’ve stopped to look at it over the years. But this year it has become the focus of my Advent meditations. Last summer, while serving as Camp Pastor for Brookwoods and Deer Run, I was challenged by the idea that we each need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day. As J. D. Greear writes in Gospel, we see the gospel story as the introduction to faith in Christ, as the “kiddie pool” used to be the introduction to swimming. The unspoken assumption is that we first splash around in the Gospels, then dive into the deeper waters of the Epistles as we mature. But the gospel is the whole pool, lake, ocean—shallow... - Published: 2021-12-10 - Modified: 2021-12-07 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-top-10/ - Categories: Uncategorized Winter Reunion: Top Ten By Amanda Gagne, Deer Run counselor After my first summer at camp in 2011, I was hooked. I loved spending my summer out in the sun with friends, and after a couple of years, I had turned into a camp-sick camper. All year I longed to be back with my friends. Thankfully, there is Winter Reunion! Here is a list of my top 10 reasons why you should come this year: 1) Hot Chocolate: This is a great treat on Lazy Days in the summer. It’s even better on a cold New Hampshire day! 2) Winter Reunion shirts: What could be better than camp swag? I love camp t-shirts and the ones we get at Winter Reunion are no exception. 3) Winter Wonderland: I love winter, and camp is so so beautiful covered in a blanket of snow. If the ice on the lake is frozen/deep enough, we might even be able to walk out on it—which is a really cool unique experience. 4) Broomball: In the summer, we have the annual Staff vs. LDP soccer game. But in the winter, we have broomball! Broomball is similar to hockey and is played in the Deer Run parking lot. It requires zero skill, anyone can play, and it’s hilarious. 5) Sledding: This is one of my favorite winter activities. The Deer Run back hill is the perfect place to go sledding. You can even catch some air if you hit the jump just right! Zoom in to... - Published: 2021-12-03 - Modified: 2021-12-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/advent-is-here/ - Categories: Uncategorized Photo credit: Alexa Tabone Christmas is coming. But first, there’s Advent. And what is that, you may ask? The word “advent” means “coming” and for Christians, Advent is a time of preparation to celebrate Christ’s birth (his first coming) as well as his Second Coming. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day, (so November 28 was the first day this year) and is celebrated with wreaths, candles, and calendars. Several of us on staff have been marking the season with Biola University’s Center for Christianity, Culture & the Arts with the Advent Project. CCCA puts together an online devotional during the seasons of Advent and Lent. This year’s theme for advent is the canticles, non-metrical songs that are found in the Bible, outside of the Psalms. If you’re looking to put more Jesus in your advent (in addition to the treat in your wall hanger) you can pull it up everyday or subscribe and have it sent to your inbox. You’ll find a scripture passage, a devotional written by a guest author, a poem, a piece of visual artwork, and a piece of music. Under the “About” tab, you can learn about the artist, the poet, and the musicians (writers and performers). It’s a great way to start your day, reflect on the mystery of Christmas, learn a new song, and hear the promises of God. We hope that however you choose to celebrate this Advent season, you will be blessed as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first... - Published: 2021-11-22 - Modified: 2021-11-22 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/giving-tuesday-2021/ - Categories: Uncategorized Ahhh, November, it seemed to fly by this year. It is typically the month that brings cooler temperatures, lovely foliage... and Thanksgiving! I’ve even heard recently that the whole month should be seen as a time to give thanks. I’m all for that! And at Camp, we have a LOT to be thankful for. At the top of the list is having campers back at camp this past summer! What a wonderful blessing it was to do all the things we love to do, Blob, eat on the Front Lawn, sing outside, swim in the lake, and the list goes on! We heard time and again that it was “the summer we needed,” and it certainly was. For decades, John Harutunian has been reading The Chronicles of Narnia to Brookwoods and Deer Run campers. One of my favorite stories from the summer actually took place in John Harutunian's Narnia class (which had been relocated to the Gaga pit so kids could be outside unmasked). One Deer Run camper, after listening to the ending of C. S. Lewis’s The Last Battle expressed a renewed desire to follow Jesus and prayed to recommit her life to doing so. * This is just one example of how God is using camp to change lives and why I am thankful for the ministry of Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost. This is also why I can confidently invite friends and alumni of camp to “Join the Journey” by supporting this ministry through... - Published: 2021-10-14 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/you-are-invited/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture Cabin Night: Special Edition! Cabin Night: Special Edition was our first ever virtual event which offered an opportunity to hear an update on Summer 2021 and was the official launch of The Next 75: Building for the Future Capital Campaign! Some of you may have heard some bits and pieces about what we have been doing to prepare camp for future generations of campers, this video is your opportunity to learn all about it! We're happy to share these exciting plans with the camp family and welcome more ministry partners as we move forward in faith to strengthen the ministry. Our ultimate goal is to see more lives transformed by a relationship with Jesus, but we need help to make that happen. Please join us as we look to the future together and, by God’s grace, continue to minister in the name of Christ. This live event was held Tuesday, November 2, 7:30 - 8:30 pm EST with guest hosts, Paul and Maddie Voge! Watch the video above to hear an update on Brookwoods, Deer Run and Moose River Outpost, and learn about the projects included in the campaign. You can also find more on the website here. If you’d like to participate, you may make a one-time gift here or enter a 3 year pledge here. For more ways to give please email ann@christiancamps. net. - Published: 2021-08-06 - Modified: 2021-08-06 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/announcement/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run New Facility Director in New Hampshire By Bob Strodel, Executive Director We are pleased to announce that Bob Rathbun has accepted the position as the New Hampshire Facility Director at Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. Bob has an extensive background in Christian camping including as a camper at Northern Frontier and Camp Spofford. He has also been a Counselor/Instructor at various sports camps, and most recently has been the Maintenance Director at Camp Spofford for a dozen years. When we asked Bob’s wife to describe him as a breakfast cereal she said: “Honey Nut Cherrios – classic, wholesome, and just the right amount of sweet. " Bob’s background will be welcome at Brookwoods as we continue facility projects based on The Next 75 Years Capital Campaign, in addition to the existing summer and conference ministries. The Rathbuns have two adult sons, Jack and Scott. Karen and Bob will be relocating from Ohio in September. Bob Strodel, Executive Director Bob Strodel has been the Executive Director at Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. since 1995, and this summer will be his 47th at Brookwoods! His favorite camp activity ismodel rockets. - Published: 2021-07-30 - Modified: 2021-08-02 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/thankful-for-changemakers/ - Categories: Uncategorized Thankful for "Changemakers" by Ann Higgins, Director of Development As I sit in my office at camp with my window open, sun shining, and voices of campers singing worship songs drifting in from the front lawn—my heart is filled with thankfulness! I am giving thanks to our God for the opportunity to minister to our campers again! What a privilege it is to be a part of this important work! And, as the Director of Development, I am also giving thanks for how faithful the camp family has been throughout these past months as we have all been challenged by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have done our best to continue to remain true to our calling at Camp: “To foster vibrant Christian communities located in awe-inspiring outdoor settings in which young people are spiritually transformed through Christ-centered relationships. ” But to do that, we have needed the prayers, encouragement, and financial support of the camp family, and wow, we have really “felt the love! ” Most recently, we held our annual Weekend of Giving over Changeover, July 23-25. The goal was to raise $75,000 to help meet critical operating expenses associated with running camp in “COVID time. ” A group of donors pledged to match donations up to this goal with gifts to the Scholarship Fund. After getting the word out using postcards, emails, and social media, friends and alumni of Camp responded with generous hearts, gifting over $150,000 during the weekend, thereby securing the $75,000 match... - Published: 2021-07-14 - Modified: 2021-07-15 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-gift-of-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized The Gift of Camp Guest Author: Elise Vasko, Deer Run Alumna It is hard to overstate the value of giving the “gift of camp. ” I know this first-hand, since I came to camp on a scholarship. My first summer at Deer Run was in 2006, just two years after my family’s sudden loss of my dad. At the time, I didn’t have any knowledge of the cost of camp or the details of how my tuition was paid. All I knew was that people who gave to camp were helping to support me and that I was excited to go. I was one of the campers who loved camp instantly. I loved the independence of walking the trails between activity periods, I loved the camp traditions, and I loved that every night felt like a sleepover with my new best friends. I’m pretty sure the first thing I said to my mom when she picked me up that summer was, “Can I come back next year please? ! ” Because of camp scholarships, the answer was “Yes! ” I was blessed to return to camp for many years as a camper and then LDP, and eventually for three summers on staff as a counselor. There are plenty of first-time experiences I had at camp: waterskiing, horseback riding, sailing, and paintball. While these may seem small on their own, trying new things and failing, re-trying and succeeding, in an environment that’s challenging but safe, gave me a sense of competence... - Published: 2021-07-02 - Modified: 2021-07-20 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winnipesaukee-getaways/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Join the Camp Fun Last summer, over 1,000 of you came to Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run for a Winnipesaukee Weekend. You were able to participate in many of our favorite camp activities and as you said goodbye to us, you asked, “Are you doing this again next summer? ” We hoped so, but we had no idea if the pandemic would wax or wane. Thankfully, it has waned and we’re excited to get back to our primary ministry focus, camp for kids ages 8-16. But at the same time, we also want to continue the camp magic that we captured last summer with you! So if you joined us last summer, or if you didn't get an opportunity, this is your second chance for a summer camp getaway! Go to our Winnipesaukee Getaway page to find out more and to register for one of the three sessions offered August 24 through September 6th! We are excited to see you, to hear how God is working in your lives, and to have more camp fun together! We are praying that this will be a time to reconnect with you and will be an encouragement to all! - Published: 2021-06-25 - Modified: 2021-06-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/clean-slate/ - Categories: Uncategorized Clean Slate Guest Author: Madeleine Schlenz, Camp nurse (and camp mom! ) “Hey son, what are you looking forward to at camp? ” “SCUBA. ” “Well, yeah, I knew that, but besides activities, what are you excited for? ” “I love that everyone starts with a clean slate. You can be yourself without any baggage from school or anywhere else and since no one has a phone, no one knows who you are. ” You know, sometimes teenagers can say profound things. Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost offer days full of outdoor activities, enjoying the sunshine, and water fun at the lake. These things often fill the stories we hear from our kids as they relay their camp experiences to us. But the best thing about camp is the friendships they make and the opportunity to relaunch themselves in a Gospel-fueled environment that encourages fresh starts and new beginnings. In our current cultural moment, it’s very difficult to reset your life -- to change, or to appropriately ask forgiveness for a past sin or wrong. We hold people to all their faults, and now that everything is chronicled online, it is impossible to escape the past. And yet, extending mercy is a task modeled by God and given to Christians. In God’s economy, mercy has and ALWAYS will triumph over judgement. The beauty of the Gospel allows us to keep returning and taking the Lord up on His offer to forgive and begin again. We can be cleansed... - Published: 2021-06-18 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/dont-leave-home-without-it/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Don’t Leave Home Without It Guest Author: Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna & Camp Mom Sure, you’ve seen the camp packing list on the website or the camper registration packet. You know how many pairs of shorts and underwear to send with your kid; you’ve got the toothbrush and bug spray covered. But what about the inside scoop? What does the list not say that the kids are actually pondering and plotting? We have all four of my kids (ages 10, 11, 13, and 15) going to camp this year, and together we brainstormed a list of things they wouldn’t leave home without. Without further ado, here’s what our kids came up with! Battery powered fan: Because the bunks and cabins get stinking hot. Thin fleece blanket: Because sleeping bags get hot at night, but you still want something covering you. A few fun small dress-up things Like a Hawaiian lei, goofy oversized sunglasses, a bandana, or stick-on mustaches. You never know when you might need something random for a contest, game, (or slow rest hour! ) Mini backpack (like a drawstring sports bag): To carry items between activity periods like your water bottle, sweatshirt, etc. Thin swim towel: Because regular towels are thick and usually don’t dry overnight! A watch: Because you want to leave your 3rd period activity as early as possible to get to the blob and tubing lines! Crazy Creek chair: Because there’s a lot of sitting and they’re so easy to carry around. (And... - Published: 2021-06-11 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-the-highlight-of-summer/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Camp: The Highlight of Summer Guest Author: Madeleine Schlenz, Camp nurse (and camp mom! ) I know that most people are over COVID, kids especially. They’re exhausted from all the difficulty, changes, and uncertainty that we all lived through. The fact that camp is going to happen this year has brought a renewed sense of hope into our home. The kids have already spent hours talking about camp and what it will be like, dreaming of adventure and rehearsing old memories. All of their excitement has me thinking too. As a young girl, camp was the highlight of my summer. Well, more like the highlight of my life. In fact, the first summer I attended, I spent the whole time sad that my experience would end and I missed out on enjoying myself because I was already sad about leaving. The next summer I determined that I would not make myself miserable and chose to live in the moment and enjoy everything to the fullest, which made for a much more enjoyable time. How I loved the friendships and letters that continued for years afterwards. So now, as a parent and camp nurse with seven summers under her belt, why do I still value the camp experience? I’ll share just a few of my many reasons. First, the level playing field. This is definitely my number one—especially for the teenage kids. We have been blessed by friendships with kids from the big cities, kids from the country, kids from other... - Published: 2021-06-04 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-anticipation/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Camp Anticipation Guest Author: Anna Huebner, MRO Assistant Director Spring is my favorite season. I love to watch the flowers grow and I enjoy the process of planting my garden. With spring comes the anticipation of another summer at Moose River Outpost. If you ask any of my lab mates, they’ll tell you camp is something I have been anticipating for a while! I can’t even tell you how excited I am to drive up MRO’s three-mile driveway with my windows down, listening to the familiar crunch of the dirt beneath my tires. I can’t wait to sit on the dock with a cup of iced coffee watching the mama loon and her babies swim by with Boundary Bald in the background. I’m looking forward to reuniting with some really dear friends, some of whom I haven’t seen since camp in 2019, and to meet our new staff and campers that will join our MRO family this year. I can’t wait to teach kayaking again, to laugh around a campfire, lay on the grass and take in the stars, and to play some Grogan ball and Polish ping pong. If you can’t tell yet, there’s so much I’m anticipating about camp right now, and, if you’ve been to camp before, I’m sure you know this sense of excitement that I feel. As I’ve reflected on this idea of anticipation, I’ve been reminded that the Bible tells us over and over again that we, as Christians, should be living in anticipation.... - Published: 2021-05-28 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/money-in-your-20s/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Money in Your Twenties by Kristen Jacks, Camp Mom ‘Tis the season for graduations of all kinds—high school, college, grad school, you name it! It’s also the time when lucky graduates begin their first real jobs. Here’s some advice from camp mom and author Kristen Jacks on how to start managing those paychecks right from the start. As a Believer, she also sheds some light on how to instill good habits to make sure there are funds available for tithing and gifts to worthy organizations. How Can Young Adults Be Charitable When Classic Budgets Don’t Work? We all want to promote charitable giving. However, as a financial educator and the author of Money in Your Twenties, I cringe when young adults are told to do a budget. Here’s why: Young people do not learn to manage money well by listing, line by line, every possible expense they might incur. The classic budget is a good way to trigger feelings of being overwhelmed and confused, and a bad way to help young people understand what they can afford based on their income. This simple formula can help anyone quickly calculate the amount of money they have to save and, ideally, to give. Step 1 – start with your yearly income Step 2 – deduct income taxes* Step 3 – divide by 12 (most bills are monthly) Step 4 – divide by 3. The result in Step 4 is used to evenly fund three allowances: rent, all other recurring expenses, and discretionary... - Published: 2021-05-21 - Modified: 2021-06-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/how-to-prepare-for-camp-2021/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture How to Prepare for Camp 2021 by Ben Tabone, Brookwoods Director Summer Camp at Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost is right around the corner and there is a lot to accomplish, whether you are a parent, camper or staff member! We are diligently getting the facilities and camper programs all buttoned up and ready for the start of camp. Staff will be arriving in 20 days for training, and then campers arrive two weeks after that! We are very excited for a long-anticipated summer at camp! As a parent, it can be daunting sending your child away for a week, two weeks, or even four weeks! Maybe it is your first time sending your kids away, maybe it’s the second or third! Regardless, it can be a challenge knowing how to best prepare for that long period of separation, whether for the child or parent! (Maybe you are looking forward to some downtime at home! ) Additionally, you may have questions about how to pack for your child while they are away at camp, or how to prepare them for any dietary needs they may have. Or as a camper, you may ask, “What is the schedule like? ” or “What does communication with my parents look like while I am away? ” Your best source of information is the camper handbook that answers many of these questions for both parents and campers. We have also prepared some fun informational videos which highlight varying topics! Click on the... - Published: 2021-04-29 - Modified: 2021-04-29 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/easter-for-50-days/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: Faith, Parent's Corner - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Did you know that traditionally, the Church has celebrated Easter as a season, not just as a single day when we wear new outfits, sing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” eat chocolate, and hunt eggs? Additionally, Easter has historically been seen as THE most important celebration in Christendom (more important even than Christmas with its mere 12 days). This actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it. After all, the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Cor 15:17, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ” The truth of the Christian message hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. That’s why we celebrate (or should be celebrating) for 50 days—right up until Pentecost, when we commemorate the sending of the Holy Spirit. During this “Eastertide,” liturgical churches add a lot of extra “Alleluias. ” (Did you know that Handel wrote “The Messiah” as an Easter piece? Only the first act is about Jesus’s birth, the second act covers His death, and the third act proclaims his resurrection. Handel premiered the piece during the Lent season in 1741. ) These “Alleluias” have become part of our written prayers and acclamations, baptisms are conducted on Easter Eve and Pentecost, and there is a celebratory mood to worship services and gatherings. Recently, I was thrilled to contribute to Household Theology, a blog hosted by Camp Deer Run alumna, Elizabeth Gatewood, where she shares thoughts about embodied theology, domestic life, and... - Published: 2021-04-08 - Modified: 2021-04-09 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/family-work-weekend/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Join Us for Family Work Weekend! by Bob Strodel, Executive Director It’s that time of the year again! Day by day it is getting warmer, the snow and ice are almost gone, and before you know it, summer will be here! In the meantime, we are all looking forward to what is approaching beforehand, Family Work Weekend! This weekend will be an incredible chance to give back to Brookwoods and Deer Run by preparing for the upcoming summer! It will be a fun weekend to come together as families, to work hard, and enjoy God’s creation. (Not to mention there will be amazing food! ) We hope that you can join us at Camp, a place that God uses to shape and mold lives, including our own! We will have some worship time each day and some opportunities to gather at night to fellowship. The cost for the event is FREE. If you and your family plan on eating LOTS of food, we will not refuse a small donation to help cover those costs. WHO: Families, who love Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run and MRO that are ages 12 and up. BRING: Bedding (sleeping bag, sheets, blanket, pillow), Bible, journal, layers of clothing (i. e. keep an eye on the weather), toiletries, and any specialty tools that can be used for projects. WHEN: Friday, May 14, 2021 through Sunday, May 16, 2021. Please plan on arriving between 5 p. m. and 6 p. m. on Friday, dinner will be served at... - Published: 2021-04-06 - Modified: 2021-04-06 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-in-three-words/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps by Bob Strodel, Executive Director This will be my 29th year on staff at Brookwoods, and as a 2nd generation Camp Director, I can tell you in ONE second why it is important to send your child to a Christian summer camp. Camp’s temporary community is a terrific investment that pays eternal dividends for your kids through great role models, learning opportunities, developmental experiences, and time away from Mom and Dad! We have had some very talented people write for The Friday Blog from the extended Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River family that delve into some of the finer points of the camp life and convey the advantages of a summer at camp. There is another reason to send your kids to camp that we don’t talk much about as much as we should, but it is a very important component of a healthy adolescence. It can’t be qualified on a spread sheet, put on a resume, or factored into some return-on-investment calculation. This reason can be summed up on three simple words. Ready? Camp is Fun! Campers get to spend 2 or 4 weeks in an outdoor environment, doing fun activities that can’t be done at home, learning new skills, and experiencing new adventures. New friends, great role models, and camper friendly food are all part of the camp experience! Camp is Fun! The past 13 months have not been fun. Life has been disrupted with changes to school, work, and family patterns. Opportunities have been lost that... - Published: 2021-04-01 - Modified: 2026-02-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/its-not-just-about-dirty-feet/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost By Craig Higgins, Brookwoods Staff Alumnus Scripture: When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you? ” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:12-15 Meditation: This story, of Jesus’ washing his disciples’ feet, is often heard during Holy Week. In fact, in many churches, not only is the story read, it is also essentially enacted. But whether or not we engage in any actual foot washing, it’s important for all of us, regularly and fully, to engage with these words. Of course, Jesus’ washing their feet was quite shocking to his disciples—and for good reason. In the Ancient Near East, foot washing was the job of a servant; in fact, it was the job of the lowest servant, the lowest slave. It is always striking to me, however, that Jesus is not doing this out of some false self-image, out of some “inferiority complex. ” Indeed he emphasizes that it is right that the disciples call him “Teacher” and “Lord,” for the simple reason that he is both. It’s common for Christians to notice this and to say, “Look! In spite of who Jesus is—in spite... - Published: 2021-03-14 - Modified: 2023-02-08 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-great-summer-job/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost You Can Get a Great Summer Job... . By Jason Daily, Brookwoods alumnus 2004 Leadership Team at Brookwoods and Deer Run; Erin McGee, Jessica Jones, Jaci West, Jason Daily, David Strodel and Andy Morgan. In 2003, I pulled down Camp Brookwoods Road after driving 790 miles from Columbus, Ohio. I was in search of a completely different summer from the typical internships, work-study, etc. During my 13-hour drive, I did a lot of daydreaming about what the summer ahead would be like. I arrived, not knowing a soul, yet excited for the experience awaiting me. June through August was a brief period of time that drastically changed the trajectory of my entire life, including my relationship with God. I’m not exaggerating this—I’ve heard many fellow camp alumni say something similar. I’m continuing to find that the impact is exponential. Banquet fun at Brookwoods in July 2003. Jason is second from the left. Click on the photo for additional fun! First, I gained lifelong friends. When I arrived, I didn’t know a soul. Fourteen short, fun-filled, intense weeks later, I left with awesome memories, best friends for life and a huge network of brothers and sisters scattered around the world. I experienced the joy of being a part of a Christian community in a new way. My experience this first summer is one reason why my wife and I continue to seek this kind of deep community in our local church. I appreciate now just how much of my time at... - Published: 2021-03-11 - Modified: 2021-03-12 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/what-i-learned-at-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost What I Learned at Camp by Pam Brown, Deer Run Alumna I first went to Camp when I was 64. That seems strange... and wonderful. I am so grateful that I got a chance. My husband, Peter, and I were asked to join the Brookwoods and Deer Run senior staff in 2011. Having never gone to camp, I had no idea what that meant. My daughter, Heather, encouraged me by saying ”Oh, Mom, it is so fun. ” And she was right. Little did I know that this experience would add many wonderful lessons to my life. I already enjoyed being mom of 2 Deer Run alumnae, wife of a Brookwoods alumnus, Nana for 4 grandchild campers, and now I would add being a Tennis Coach, Wimbledon Tennis Tournament tour organizer and marketer, Senior Staff Game Instigator (in a good way), and best of all, a chance to be part of Deer Run counselors’ lives. My “paid” job was to coach tennis for a band of campers during regular activity periods, for 8 weeks. I love playing tennis, so that was perfect. I learned a lot about campers, about parents, about staff, and a lot about myself. Campers: My class roster included campers between the ages of 9-12, boys who like to hit the ball “out of the park” and girls who wanted to learn a fun sport. A wise 10-year old camper once told me “I want to learn to play tennis because it is a LIFE SPORT. ”... - Published: 2021-02-26 - Modified: 2021-02-27 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-camp-directors-off-season-life/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps A Camp Director's Off-Season Life... by Bob Strodel, Executive Director Maybe you’ve heard the story where a man asks a young boy what he wants to be when he grows up and instead of the expected normal responses from a 5-year-old, he replies, “I want to drive a garbage truck so I only have to go to work one day a week! ” The question that you’re curious about asking a Camp Director, but maybe shouldn’t ask is... “What do you do in the off-season? ” People know you have to do some work in between summers, but the fact they ask implies they really don’t know. Perhaps... just perhaps... you might just be sailing around Lake Winnipesaukee or playing ping-pong in Moose Hall from September to June. Let me tell you about some of the stuff that happens around camp in the off-season... First of all, I will admit that on a weekly basis we work less hours during the off-season. That’s not because we don’t come to work every day, but because the pace of working 15-hour days, 6 days a week, as we do in the summer, can’t be sustained the rest of the year; we are exhausted at the end of the summer! The off-season provides us a better work/life balance, a chance to spend time with our families, and stick to working 5 days a week. I can speak for the camps I've been associated with over the years and from serving on national camping... - Published: 2021-02-19 - Modified: 2021-02-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/leadership_programs/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Leadership Development Programs at Camp By Ben Tabone, Brookwoods Director If you’re anything like us, you’re counting down the days until Incoming Day. Just 127 days away which, when you think about it, isn’t all that bad, considering we added a whole year to our countdown. (And if you know someone returning on summer staff, their countdown is 113 days, “Staff Week (2-weeks)” starts June 13th! ). Yes, there are some things (given the pandemic) we just don’t know yet. But there are some things that we do know about summer 2021! To start, we’re super excited for the chance to do what we do best! There’s no time like the present to register for camp. Along those lines, we’ve got some room in our Leadership Development Programs: LDP at Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run in NH and WILD at Moose River Outpost in ME. Campers in these programs are typically age 16 and in their sophomore year of high school. Another summer at camp, reconnecting with friends, making new friends, having new experiences, spending time in God’s creation and studying His word might just be what you need—it’s been a LONG year. The LDP and WILD programs are full of opportunities for learning, self-discovery, challenge, and adventure. More than ever, now (after this extended period of “shelter-in-place”) it’s important to try new things, accomplish new things, sing on a summit, push yourself in a new way, and laugh until you cry. These are the kinds of experiences that will... - Published: 2021-02-12 - Modified: 2021-02-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/safety-at-camp-in-a-covid-19-season/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Safety at Camp in a Covid-19 Season By Tim Nielsen, Director of Ministry Services Operating a safe camp has always been a priority at Brookwoods, Deer Run and Moose River Outpost. This summer, safety involves protocols to avoid the spread of Covid-19. While this task might seem daunting, we are grateful that we are not alone in this process. We have been provided with a wealth of guidelines, policies, examples, and research. This information provides us with the tools to craft a safe and healthy camp experience for this summer. We are all aware the CDC has been studying Covid-19 and providing direction to our nation to avoid the spread of the virus. The implementation of this information, at camp, requires interpretation by State and Local Officials as well as industry experts. In the spring of 2020 the American Camp Association (ACA) developed a Field Guide for Camps on the Implementation of CDC Guidance. This extensive document was a product of a collaboration with YMCA USA and Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. This guide provided State Health Departments with significant direction as they developed their state guidelines for camps. The ACA has published multiple updates to the document over the last few months to reflect changes in the CDC guidelines, best practices and information gathered in their research initiatives. Since our organization operates camps in two different states, we function under the guidance of each state government. In New Hampshire and Maine, we have seen an incredible amount of collaboration... - Published: 2021-02-05 - Modified: 2021-02-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/breathing-deep-and-holding-on-to-hope/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Breathing Deep and Holding on to Hope By Andrea Gurney, Deer Run alumna, camp mom, and clinical psychologist Winter is in full force (even for those of us in Southern California! ) and as we enjoy the colder days we also yearn for warmer weather so we can gather safely with loved ones. As the pandemic continues to surge, we are yearning for so much more, of course, than sunshine. We yearn for widespread vaccination distribution, long hugs with our grandparents, indoor dinner parties with neighbors and friends, political peace and stability, and racial equality. These, I know, are just some of our collective yearnings and hopes. They are big and many. And at times, feel unattainable and out of our control. Yet as believers in Christ, we know that God remains on His throne and HE is in control. What a gift we have in Jesus. If you’re anything like me (or the rest of humanity! ) feeling like things are out of control is unsettling and anxiety producing. So—what can we do to take care of ourselves during this season of waiting and hoping, yearning and longing... Acknowledge all emotions as real. These are hard times and sadness, anxiety, stress, and frustration are incredibly normal responses. Accept those feelings as they are; don't try and deny or repress them. Psychologist Carl Jung said it well when he wrote, "What you resist will not only persist, but will grow in size. " When we name the emotion for what... - Published: 2021-01-29 - Modified: 2021-01-29 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/embracing-the-uncomfortable/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Embracing the Uncomfortable By Michael Hallman, Brookwoods alumnus It was 6:50 am on Monday and time to wake up the kids. We all frantically swept and tidied up the Moose cabin as I corralled and somewhat contained the fully-energized eight to ten-year-olds. I remember thinking, “How could a parent possibly have enough energy to do this non-stop? ” Prior to arriving at Brookwoods, I had full confidence in my ability to be a fun camp counselor. But there were a few small details I didn’t take into consideration, such as being their fearless leader when it came time to “Sing Us a (silly) Song” at lunch, not being surprised when a camper wet the bed, or having to ask the hard questions. You get the picture. At times, I was uncomfortable. Moosers “Exploring” the woods. Michael pictured far right. As Christians, what are we to do when we face the uncomfortable? Are we to run and maybe just ignore the problem all together? Or become frustrated? This past year, everyone could come up with various reasons for why they may feel uncomfortable. And I could too! But even in this season, the Lord has been teaching me to embrace the uncomfortable—whether it is a lack of income, fear of the future, or having difficult conversations. Perhaps the Lord desires us to embrace exactly where He has us, comfortable or not. Let me take us back to the story of those wild eight to ten year-olds. I had a decision to... - Published: 2021-01-15 - Modified: 2021-01-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-goodness-of-a-phone-free-setting-at-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost The Goodness of a Phone-Free Setting at Camp By Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna and Parent I was a Deer Runner from 1986 to 1991 and we didn’t have phones. Obviously! Flip phones didn’t come into circulation till the late 90’s, so even when I was on staff I didn’t have one. It was a different time. There was in the 1980’s and ‘90’s, a simple, carefree, nature-first feel to camp. And blissfully, there still is today. It’s more important than ever. Camp functions as a return to innocence, to the unhindered beauty of the natural world; it’s a setting where souls can be recharged and faith in God rejuvenated. And the fact is, these occur much more readily when devices are omitted. Camp has always been great for kids for a thousand reasons, but today a widely-touted one is the respite it offers from the modern over-connected life. Phones and other devices aren’t allowed at camp, so the weeks that kids spend there often serve as digital detox. While they’re at camp, kids are, only and always, in the present moment and in the company of IRL (in real life) peers – no virtual ones. There’s no checking of texts. No scrolling of media or watching of clips. No selfies. No decisions about what to post or not. A total reprieve from FOMO (fear of missing out). This kind of simple, what-you-see-is-what-you-get world is foreign to the vast majority of today’s kids. And in a world where play... - Published: 2021-01-06 - Modified: 2021-01-05 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/guide-us-to-thy-perfect-light/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Epiphany: Guide Us to Thy Perfect Light By Esther Baird, author and camp mom Well, here we are - we made it to the new year. All our hopes and dreams of 2020 have been deferred to this year, and that’s a lot of pressure. We may need to cut 2021 some slack. For example, the flip of a calendar can’t suddenly make it O. K. that there was no regular summer camp, no overnights on Plum island, no hikes up Boundary Bald, no loud, all-camp, renditions of These Are the Days of Elijah, or color wars. We missed it, our kids missed it, and we can’t get it back. And that’s not even talking about the real and devastating toll on families who lost loved ones, jobs, and homes during the economic mess the pandemic created. So, I’m trying to not hyper focus on 2021. Plus, sometimes when I fixate on things, I later (and often) learn I had the point wrong anyway—that I got tangled up trying to force an outcome that never was mine to force. Take for example, the grand finale to 2020 - - the Christmas Star. Depending on which article you read, it either was, or wasn’t, the same convergence of planets that the wise men saw in Matthew 2 prompting them to seek out the young King Jesus. Regardless of historical accuracy, it would be something spectacular to see in this otherwise challenging 2020 Christmas sky. It served as a reminder of hope... - Published: 2021-01-01 - Modified: 2020-12-31 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/what-is-normal/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost What is “normal”... in the new year by Sarah Piek Ravindranath, Deer Run alumna Last week, as my husband and I gathered together with our family for a virtual Christmas Eve trivia party, we became painfully aware of just how lonely some of our family members and friends have become. In the first few months of the pandemic, when we weren’t quite sure how long physical isolation would last, many embraced the rare opportunity for solitude. But as the months went by and quarantine mandates persisted, the allure began to fade. In recent weeks it has become more and more apparent the emotional toll that physical distance has taken on some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in our community. It’s no wonder that so many people are thinking, “When will life return to normal? ” And of course, there are plenty of valid reasons to crave what was once normal. For some of us, it is the simple things we took for granted just months ago, like dining out at our favorite restaurant or stopping by our friend’s house unannounced on the way home. For others, it is more grave. The losses of this year - physical, financial, and emotional - can’t help but be met with the sincerest yearning for a return to what once was. Though to varying degrees, our day-to-day lives have been drastically disturbed; our patterns and habits and ways of being are very different than they were just one year ago. Again, we... - Published: 2020-12-25 - Modified: 2020-12-18 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/christmas-lights/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Christmas Lights by John “Coach” Crowers, Brookwoods staff “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ” (John 1:1-5) At Christmas we love to see light displays. The days of December are the shortest in terms of sunlight, and therefore dark. However, during this time of year, the lights of Christmas illuminate our neighborhoods and towns. Not only that, but with the clear air of winter and the long nights, we can view the stars so much better. The light from the brightest of these stars, Sirius, which sits at the foot of the great winter constellation Orion, has taken eight and a half years to reach us. Go outside—dwell on the lights of Christmas. Then find a quiet place to view the stars and consider all of God’s creation. In this moment of reflection, think about the light that has come from Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost for more than 75 years. Who or what was the true light referred to in the passage above? As all who have come to camp know, the true light that came into the world at Christmas was Jesus. Although, this physical birth... - Published: 2020-12-16 - Modified: 2020-12-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/winter-reunion-2021-2/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Greetings Brookwoods and Deer Run families, I am writing this blog to let you know about this year’s Winter Reunion. Due to COVID, things need to be different and we are running a “Family Winter Reunion. ” This retreat is for families with children of all ages. Much like our summer Winnipesaukee Weekends, we are looking to provide a similar experience this New Year’s. The dates are December 31st thru January 2nd. Check-in is between 2:00 PM and 8:30 PM on Thursday 31st. Check out will be 4:00pm Saturday January 2nd. Click here to register for the retreat. The holiday season tends to be busy for most families, finishing up school, putting together a meal schedule, figuring out how to get your gift giving accomplished, or coordinating family Zooms! We would like to encourage families to take advantage of this unique opportunity to escape to Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run for a winter getaway. Book a cabin or private accommodations for your family and forget about cooking meals because we have that covered! Additionally, we are providing programs that we believe your family will enjoy. New Outdoor Ice Rink Tubing Snow Shoeing Gingerbread House Building Fireworks Worship Board Games Movies in the Theatre Campfires with hot chocolate, and hot apple cider We are also going to celebrate New Year’s with an awesome fireworks show and plenty of good food. You may participate in as much or as little of the activities as you desire. If you are looking for even... - Published: 2020-12-11 - Modified: 2020-12-12 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/theres-more-room-this-year/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost There’s More Room This Year by Jill Thompson, Camp Mom Preparation is the point of the Advent season. You can, as if overnight, sense anticipation in the air. After a year like the one the world witnessed in 2020, we have an uneasy anticipation. We have been living in an atmosphere of “when is the other shoe going to drop? ” We have allowed anticipation to fall to the side of “the uh oh’s” in uneasy uncertainty. Anticipation of Messiah was similar, no one really knew what was to transpire. Anticipation can be exciting and exhilarating, not just an emotion focused on the fear of the uncertainty, but on the excitement of the unknown. Choosing the exhilarating side of uncertainty can happen only when we are focused upon the One who is and has been Faithful. While listening to ‘Joy to the World’ on the radio, the phrase “let every heart prepare Him room” hung suspended in the air before me. The lyrics lingered there for a bit prompting a response. “Yes, hello? I see you. What do you want, lyrics? ” What came to mind was a question on process. How is room prepared? Well, most seemingly, we prepare room two ways, one by emptying out and the other by stretching. Typically, we intentionally seek to let go of some things in order to make room. This year however, it seems the entire year was set aside to expose, shake, empty out, and stretch. As a result, we begin... - Published: 2020-12-04 - Modified: 2020-12-04 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/advent-and-christmas-resources/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Advent and Christmas Resources by Elizabeth Eichling Gatewood, Deer Run Alumna In past years, these early December days have been filled with activity. Some years I’ve hosted Thanksgiving and am preparing to host family for Christmas. I’ve made elaborate grocery lists, stocked the fridge in my basement, and bought extra sets of sheets. Other years, I’ve traveled for one or both holidays, and have been consumed with the logistical feat that is packing up three small children for long road trips. Usually we welcome Advent with a full calendar and the smells of a freshly cut North Carolina Christmas tree wafting through the house. Griff and Elizabeth Gatewood - Christmas 2019 But this year, we’re not hosting or shopping, packing or planning. The calendar for December is strangely empty. My family and I are tucking into the house with a family-wide Covid diagnosis despite our rigid and uncompromising precautions. “Advent begins in the dark,” writes pastor and theologian Fleming Rutledge. No year has this been more true for us. In the dark we cry out to God with our deepest questions and laments. In the dark we wait. In the dark we hope and strain towards the light that we know will come. With quarantines and light holiday party schedules, many of us will have plenty of time for cozy fireside reading this Advent. Give yourself the gift of setting aside your devices (just like at camp! ) and curling up with a good book and perhaps a child or... - Published: 2020-11-27 - Modified: 2020-11-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/love-that-transforms/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, Moose River Outpost Love that Transforms by Ann Higgins, Director of Development How’s your Inbox looking these days? If you are like me, there’s the regular work emails to answer, including scheduling those zoom calls and webinars — flag and file — check! There are the retailers’ emails about “that thing” I’ve never heard or that I can’t do without, or special sales on Black Friday or Cyber Monday — hesitate for just a second and... DELETE! I don’t need more stuff. And then there’s the updates from the organizations I support — these, I generally open and read, or scan at least. I want to know about how they are doing, even if they are asking for financial support as many are doing this time of year. (And if I’m honest, as a Development Director, I like to see how other organizations are communicating their needs to their supporters. ) And next week, I expect to get lots of emails regarding Giving Tuesday. (And yes, I’ll be sending one from camp as well. ) And while having multiple organizations asking for monetary gifts all at the same time can be overwhelming, I love the idea behind the day. The origins of Giving Tuesday are laid out on their website. They define the day, created in 2012, as “a day that encourages people to do good. ” I like this, it’s straightforward, and I like how it fits in with my Christian worldview. We, as followers of Jesus, are encouraged to “do good... - Published: 2020-11-20 - Modified: 2020-11-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/thanksgiving/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Thanksgiving By Tim Nielsen, Director of Ministry Services In 1621, the Plymouth colonist and the Wampanoag Native Americans celebrated what is thought to be the first Thanksgiving feast in the colonies. Over 200 years later, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated each November. I love the three “F’s” of the Thanksgiving holiday... Food, Family, and Freedom. I confess, I immediately think about the food. I am getting hungry just thinking about turkey, gravy, potatoes, stuffing, and several different types of pie! I think it is very appropriate to connect Thanksgiving Day with a love of good food. In its origin, this celebration is linked to the success of a harvest season. However, that is not the only aspect of this great American Holiday. Thanksgiving is often a holiday that brings family together. Many Americans hunker down at home, pull out the board games and puzzles, watch the parades, and enjoy watching football games together. If you enjoy spending time with family, Thanksgiving is typically memorable; the kind that keeps you telling Thanksgiving stories for years. We tend to forget that the Plymouth colonist were also celebrating their newfound religious freedom. They took great risks to leave England and move to the wild, undeveloped North American colonies. Approximately half of the colonist died before the first Thanksgiving dinner. The risks that they took for their religious freedom still impact us today. In this Covid-19 season, Thanksgiving may look a little different than in the past. Like the... - Published: 2020-10-31 - Modified: 2020-10-31 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/idol-of-predictability/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Idol of Predictability by Bob Strodel, Executive Director In the last few weeks I have experienced a “check engine light” on my car, a situation where the ignition coil on the Air Nautique failed while out on the water, photos not syncing on my computer and a problem with the camp website that didn’t allow me to make an update. In all these situations, I did nothing wrong, and I could not have prevented their occurrence. Each situation was not expected, and could not have been expected. Why did I feel frustrated? Were any of these situations “life or death”? Did any of these situations impact my relationship with someone else in a negative manner? No, of course not. I was frustrated simply because I did not expect the situation to occur. I had been worshipping the idol of predictability. This idol guarantees expected outcomes, rewards good deeds, ensures you always get what you deserve and delivers “normal” predictability to life. Many of us have been unknowingly worshipping this idol for far longer than we admit, in ways many of us have not yet processed. Senior Proms always happen each spring, families gather for High School and College Graduation celebrations, we enjoy an assortment of toilet paper in our local grocery stores, eating out is a regular event, we hug our friends when we gather, The New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl each year , we worship in church on Sundays and sing our favorites songs, and we... - Published: 2020-10-12 - Modified: 2020-10-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/fall-family-getaways/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Fall Family Project Camp Summer 2020 was a very different one for us as we were not able to hold our traditional summer kids' camp, but our mission to share the love of Jesus in this beautiful place has not changed. Therefore, we are excited to invite your family to come enjoy a weekend with us on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee! The weekend of October 30th - November 1, 2020 will be a Fall Family Project Camp. Each participant will also be involved in work projects around camp for about 5 hours during the weekend. These projects will help prepare camp for the winter and for next summer! Everyone will also have a chance to participate in some camp activities, worship and time in God's Word. The $35 minimal cost per person helps us to cover the expense of food and program costs. You can make this a Father-Son experience, a Mother-Daughter memory or perhaps bring the whole family up for the weekend. We will have some projects for everyone to accomplish. Housing options will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis, so don't delay, reserve the weekend at Brookwoods and Deer Run in three easy steps today! To comply with currently existing State guidelines (as of August 1, 2020) the following expectations will be maintained during the weekend: Families will be assigned individual cabins and remain in their "social distancing" unit for a mask-free environment. A mask is required when social distancing cannot be maintained, for you, as... - Published: 2020-06-18 - Modified: 2025-11-18 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/mro-cabin-camping/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Camps: Moose River Outpost Our two biggest concerns in the coming months are staying financially sound and staying connected with the MRO tribe. Many of you have donated this season’s tuition to help spur us on to 2021, thank you. If you have space in your life to send a donation to our organization, it would be a huge help. Here are a few opportunities to stay connected with MRO this summer. We are excited to open for Cabin Camping and Rustic Tent Camping. Included with your stay: enjoy the waterfront (swim at your own risk), canoes, mountain bikes, and property during the day; with evening devotions around a campfire and outdoor Sunday worship time. We have 9 bunk house cabins (6 bunks and 2 singles/cabin), 4 private lake front houses (ranging from 1-3 bedrooms), 4 private rooms (personal bathroom), and plenty of woods for rustic camping. Bring a grill or camp stove, cooler and food, as our kitchen will be shut down during this time. Some of the cabins will have refrigerators, most do not. Pricing options are as follows: Private Lake Front Houses: $125/night Bunk Style Cabins: $100/night Private Rooms: $75/night Primitive Camping: By Donation. Campsites have tent platforms but no utilities and no electricity. We also have a remote Lean-to on property by a quiet stream if you really want the camping experience. Payment through Credit Card, Check, Cash, or Venmo accepted. (If using Venmo search for "Camp Brookwoods Deer Run MRO") Brookwoods, our associated camp in New Hampshire, has begun... - Published: 2020-06-06 - Modified: 2020-10-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/brookwoods-and-deer-run-announcement-2/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Brookwoods and Deer Run will not be running summer camp in 2020... but we will be having "Winnipesaukee Weekends! " Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding over the past few months as we worked to respond to the unprecedented public health concerns presented by Covid-19 and figure out how, in this environment, we might be able to safely and successfully deliver a meaningful camp experience this summer. Based on the recommendations of the New Hampshire Re-Opening Task Force released on May 19th, we were thrilled to be able to inform families this past Monday that camp would be opening, albeit with some changes and adjustments, for this upcoming summer. Based on the communications from parents, we know many of you were thrilled as well. However, late this past Friday night, June 5th, the Governor of New Hampshire released the final set of guidelines for the opening of New Hampshire residential camps. These guidelines were dramatically different than the ones released prior by the New Hampshire Re-Opening Task Force, upon which we initially based our decision to open camp. The final guidelines would require us to operate camp at 50% occupancy with cabin size limited to 8 campers; campers and staff would need to endure multiple nasalpharyngeal swabs at a significant expense; campers would need to remain socially distant from those outside of their cabin groups for the entire duration of the 4 weeks at camp and complete a much stricter Pre-Camp Health Screening. Staff would not be able... - Published: 2020-06-01 - Modified: 2020-10-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/moose-river-outpost-announcement/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Moose River Outpost Dear Moose River Outpost Families, Greetings from Jackman, Maine. As you know, the last few months have been different than anything we’ve experienced in our lifetime. Since the middle of March, we’ve been carefully monitoring the Coronavirus situation. I’ve been meeting with Christian Camps and Conferences Inc. leadership as well as our local Health Directors. We’ve had many discussions with our local health department regarding the specific challenges of running a children’s camp in this environment. We’ve studied public health guidelines and consulted with industry experts, including the Maine Youth Camp Association. We’ve prayed and sought the Lord, asking Him for an open door to move forward with MRO as we know it. I’m proud to work with such talented people who love the Lord. But despite our best efforts, myself, Bob Strodel, and our wonderful Board of Directors, believe that we have exhausted every option that would allow us to run camp SAFELY. We have made the very difficult decision to suspend the opening of MRO for Summer 2020. We don't believe that it is feasible to run Camp safely in such a remote location in this Coronavirus environment. Ultimately, we believe this is in the best interest of our campers, staff and the long-term mission of MRO. This decision was not easy to make and our hearts are hurting along with you because we know that MRO is a place where we all love to be seeking Christ, building community and embracing adventure. So please pray... Pray for... - Published: 2020-05-29 - Modified: 2020-09-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/deer-run-mentoring/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Deer Run Deer Run Mentoring by Sarah Bartlett Cohen, Program Director When I arrived at Camp Deer Run for the first time at the wise age of 18, my visions of what I would be doing as a camp counselor included lines of little girls trouping behind me through the woods, assembling one s’more after another, and reading Bible stories by flashlight after “lights out. ” While many of these visions became a reality, there were unexpected blessings that rounded my experience and keep me coming back to Deer Run summer after summer. One that I still reflect on is the Deer Run mentoring program. In the summer of 2004 I was paired with camp legend, Bekah Peterson. I don’t remember much of what we talked about, likely funny stories of what my Whitetail campers did or said or how I spent my day off. What I do remember is that Bekah made me feel comfortable to be a clueless, eager, and overwhelmed first-year staff member. She had been around camp longer than me and she had more life experience. She listened and asked good questions that helped me see the bigger picture of camp and God’s Kingdom. Plus, she was just fun and cool and I liked hanging out with her. Sarah Cohen (right) visits mentee Ellen Goodling in Nashville this past fall. At this point in my “camp career,” I have spent at least a decade of my camp experience as a mentor. It is still one of my favorite... - Published: 2020-05-22 - Modified: 2020-05-22 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/love-affair-with-a-lake/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Faith, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods Love Affair With A Lake by Phil Lehmann, Waterfront Staff Let’s face it, Lake Winnipesaukee is the best place on earth and there is nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. Sure, archery is fun and I guess horses are ok, but we (I) all know where the best activities are at camp. As a camper I fell in love with sailing, SCUBA diving, and wakeboarding. As a counselor I was blessed to be able to teach swimming and most of the other waterfront activities at some point. However, once I joined waterfront staff, my relationship with the lake changed—no longer was it simply the place where I got to teach and do activities. The lake became a grounding place for me. A place where I have most clearly heard God’s call to me and the place where I go at my lowest. Those who have been on staff know the Diving Pier after dark is a place for hanging out and chatting with friends (before curfew of course! ). It is also one of my favorite nighttime haunts, but for the opposite reason. I go to the diving pier to stand alone and stare out across the still waters towards Rattlesnake Island. The wind quiets and I find one of the oft mentioned “thin places” in which God seems most accessible. It is in these moments that I have felt the irresistible urge to pray about anything and everything. Eventually, the moment passes and I head to the... - Published: 2020-05-15 - Modified: 2020-05-15 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/full-circle/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods Full Circle by Amy Holbrook Nichols, Deer Run Alumna I still remember the drive up to camp. I was 8 years old and I had never been that far away from home and I was terrified. I spent the entire car ride so nervous I thought I was going to throw up! Two weeks later I was calling them on the camp phone asking if I could please PLEASE stay two more weeks. Camp is special like that. It is magical. It makes you want to stay and experience more of what it has to offer. I loved it all, from the days on the beach, to cabin nights, to the horseback riding lessons to all my new friends. I loved it so much I came back, 15 years later... I was looking to do something different the summer in between my junior and senior year of college. The Lord brought camp to mind and I decided to give them a call. Turns out they needed a Horseback Riding Director, but I wanted to be a counselor. Camp very graciously gave me the opportunity to do both. When I arrived at camp, the term “Horse Chick” (we know how girls love horses) was affectionately batted in my direction. Not only do we have a special nickname, we also have special housing, fondly known as “The Chicken Coop” or “The Coop” for short, located at the top of the camp road. Since horses smell, and this smell is clingy—Horse Chicks preferably... - Published: 2020-05-08 - Modified: 2020-09-01 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/summer-magic/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Summer Magic by Bob Strodel, Executive Director I’ve heard it said that your most favorite music is probably the tunes you enjoyed in high school. That’s not surprising as the developmental years in life are so formative and make such long lasting impressions. One of the BEST parts of my job at camp is visiting and catching up with alumni, and the FUN part of that is hearing “old camp stories. ” Last week I enjoyed a phone call with an alumnus, both a Brookwoods camper and staff member from the 1950’s. He is 83 years old and his memory of his camp days seemed as sharp as the day he served. His enthusiasm was contagious as he regaled me with camp stories, including the ability to recall the names of his fellow staff members and some of the challenges they faced “back in the day. ” I was ready to hire him once again on our waterfront staff! Occasionally, I post a “Throwback Thursday” picture on my personal Facebook page. I’m always fascinated to see the comments unfold from alumni that recognize themselves or their friends who were “tagged” in the photograph. The comments are never anything like, “that was the worst time of my life,” but rather tend toward wonderful, uplifting memories of people, places, and events they enjoyed at camp and look back on fondly. Last week, I posted a photo of the 1981 Deer Run CITs. It resulted in a long string of comments, including: “Such... - Published: 2020-05-01 - Modified: 2020-09-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-generous-time/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Brookwoods A Generous Time by Ann Higgins, Director of Development We have heard so many adjectives used to describe this current era, as we navigate life during a global pandemic—historic, unprecedented, strange, interesting, weird, scary, and the list goes on! But a word I have rarely heard used in this way is generous. Amongst all the shortages we are seeing (think toilet paper and hand sanitizer), I have noticed generosity everywhere. In my town, near New York City, there have been efforts to collect donations for medical supplies and to provide food and snacks to hospital staff, restaurants are donating meals to essential workers, while others are giving their time to make masks for those who need them, teachers are voluntarily providing childcare for essential workers, and children are sending notes and messages to the elderly where visitors are prohibited. The list goes on. What an encouragement to witness these acts of kindness. This spirit of generosity is what #GivingTuesdayNow is all about. #GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Participating in #GivingTuesdayNow is about joining a global movement for generosity in whatever way you are able. Whether you give your voice, goods, your time, or your money, being generous is a way to reflect the generous God that we serve and to show your support for the causes you care about and help people in need. At Brookwoods, Deer... - Published: 2020-04-24 - Modified: 2020-09-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-lessons-for-quarantine/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Deer Run Camp Lessons for Quarantine by Ellen Goodling, Deer Run Staff Honestly, I am getting tired of reading about, “these unprecedented times,” mostly because the phrase is accurate. Our world has been turned upside-down as we globally take on the practice of dying to ourselves in order to save the lives of others. It is scary, it is difficult, and we don’t know when it will end. However, I have been reminiscing about the pre-corona days at camp to get me through. In fact, during quarantine, I have come to the conclusion that Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost people are more prepared for these unprecedented times than most, and here are just a few reasons why: We Can Do Hard Things Wapitis having fun! Ellen second from right. I tend to sum up my first summer at camp with the phrase: “It was the hardest summer of my life... and it was awesome. ” We do difficult things at camp, like hiking, putting up the H-pier, and going on 12 day fishing trips in the middle of nowhere Canada—and most of time we do them in the rain after four hours of sleep. But, every time we are faced with a challenge, we have previous camp stories of perseverance and hilarity to get us through. Like camp, quarantine is hard, but remember that you have likely seen darker (and rainier) times than these, and you have previous stories of God’s faithfulness to give you hope! I know that... - Published: 2020-04-03 - Modified: 2020-04-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/baked-oatmeal/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Hot from the Kitchen: Baked Oatmeal For many years now at Brookwoods and Deer Run, campers and staff have enjoyed our Baked Oatmeal on Lazy Days. It can be enjoyed hot out of the oven, or it can be enjoyed in a bowl with some milk, like cereal. We are sharing the recipe so you can make it at home. In fact, here is a video our Food Service Director, Jon Cooper, making Baked Oatmeal. Go grab some ingredients and make yourself a bowl of camp happiness! Baked Oatmeal Ingredients: 3 eggs 1 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup canola oil 16 oz. container of plain yogurt 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 cups oats ½ cup golden raisins (optional) 1 cup nuts (optional) Directions: Beat eggs until light and airy. Then mix in the white sugar until fluffy. Then add in the brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in the oil, yogurt, maple syrup, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Once combined, mix in the oatmeal, raisins, and nuts, until fluffy. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 (or similar sized) pan. Cook for 45 minutes at 325* F. Rotate pan after 20 minutes. Enjoy! Jon and April met at Cairn University (then Philadelphia Bible College) as undergraduates and they married in 2006. Since then, they’ve always been cooking up something! They joined our staff in time last year to celebrate the Brookwoods 75th Anniversary. This... - Published: 2020-03-30 - Modified: 2020-03-30 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/whats-happening-at-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run What’s Happening at Camp? By Bob Strodel, Executive Director With all the recent news about COVID-19, I thought I’d reach out to our camp family with some comments about the approach that Christian Camps and Conferences is taking regarding our summer season. Currently our plan is to open the camp gates on June 28th to welcome our first session of campers to Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost. This date is still three months away and while we know things are tenuous right now, we are assuming that camp will go forward as planned. We believe that after the disruption the quarantine has caused, parents will be really ready to see their kids head up to camp for recreation, fun, and meaningful interaction with other campers. If you have been at camp before, you know that health and safety are at the top of our priority list. As each camper arrives on Incoming Day we check him or her for temperature, outward signs of illness and medical history. We always have campers use hand sanitation stations when entering the Dining Hall at meal times, and encourage that throughout the day. We also have experienced medical staff on-site to care for campers and staff, with the latest up-to-date information. Between now and the summer camping season, three months away, we will be monitoring information from the CDC and the Christian Camp and Conference Association to ensure we are staying on top of developments. We are continuing to accept applications for the summer, and spaces continue to... - Published: 2020-03-27 - Modified: 2020-09-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/10-tips-for-staying-sane-working-from-home/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps, Camp Deer Run 10 Tips for Staying Sane Working from Home by Rebecca Moore, Camp Mom and Entrepreneur #1 Create A ScheduleCreate a schedule for yourself and your family. Let them weigh in, but make sure that the non-negotiables are crystal clear. Examples: breakfast on your own, clean up after yourselves, phone-free time during "remote school hours", lunch together, chores before entertainment, daily fresh air minimum, screen time limits, if the dog barks let him out, etc. #2 Be StillThis is important. Get up 2 hours before your family. Before starting your work or making breakfast, take 30 minutes of quiet time to center yourself. For us as believers, we can meditate on Scripture and spend time in prayer. Remind yourself what is truly important: your and your family's health and well-being, safety, and shelter. The rest is frosting. Think of one person whom you can help and set your intentions to reach out to them during the day. #3 Eat Healthy MealsPlan out healthy meals for your family. Plan to eat at least one meal together daily. Don't let your teen's lunch times slip to mid-afternoon. Resist the urge to snack all day. Put out a "Kitchen Closed" sign in between meals (the kids hid ours! ) If that doesn't work, cut up fresh veggies and set them out on a plate to ensure your family munches on healthy stuff first. #4 Time Block TasksEither on a calendar or an app, identify the top 3 things you must complete each day and... - Published: 2020-03-20 - Modified: 2020-03-20 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/for-such-a-time-as-this/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run For Such a Time As This: Living in quarantine, but not in exile. By Esther C. Baird, Camp mom and Author (Editor's Note: Please don't leave the blog without clicking through Esther's new devotional book on Kindle, free from Amazon) We’re studying the books of Ruth and Esther in our women’s Bible studies at church (and now virtually). It’s been encouraging to step back and see the common themes running through both books. Namely, God is in control and has a plan that is far greater than we can understand or recognize in the day-to-day moments of life. You know, just in case your life feels a little out of control right now.   In the case of Ruth, she was a pagan widow who was welcomed into the family of God, during the time of the Judges—not a time anyone would ever describe as Israel’s golden era. It was a violent, dark time, full of people who turned away from God. Yet God, in His divine plan and providence, guided this young widow into His land, to His people, and showed her, and all of us, what redemption looks like. In the case of Esther, in many ways she was the opposite, a young Jewish girl living in exile in Persia who found herself in the King’s house as his Queen. Unlike Ruth, she had access and power and status, and yet she too was living on the razor’s edge of survival, as a plot to kill the Jews... - Published: 2020-03-11 - Modified: 2020-03-11 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/cookie-camp-2020/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Cookie Camp 2020 by Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna & Camp Mom Cookie Camp. What a sweet time! (Literally, and figuratively! ) In 2008 I moved away from my beloved New England to distant lands, but a few months before I left, I attended Cookie Camp. It was the first time the event was open to alumni (and the second time that Cookie Camp happened), and I got to be part it!  I lived about 45 minutes away in Rollinsford, NH at the time. I got a sitter for my two babies, as my husband had already departed in advance of our pending move, and drove to camp for 24 hours.   The idea of Cookie Camp was simple. Bake cookies and mail them to camp staff at Valentine’s Day to let them know they were loved and appreciated. Cookie Camp 2008 With three of my closest staff friends – about a decade out from the last time we’d been on staff - I aproned up, rolled dough, pressed cutters, sprinkled sugar. It was magic. After all, what’s not to love about camp, old friends, girl time, and lots of sugar? There were about fifteen women there that year, and I got to meet a few new friends too. Fast forward twelve years to this year, February 2020. I was back living in New England again for the first time in nearly twelve years. What did I want to be sure my first winter back included, of course? Cookie... - Published: 2020-01-16 - Modified: 2020-01-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/stand-2020-winter-reunion-reflections/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps Stand: 2020 Winter Reunion Reflections by Ben Tabone, Brookwoods Director Over New Year’s, I was blessed to watch 130 staff, campers, LDPs, and SALTs come together, unified under the same mission at the Winter Reunion. Yes, we were faced with inclement weather, (two days of snow! ! ) but everyone made it safely and we were blessed with a beautiful winter wonderland. We were thankful to have Joe Lehmann, our summer camp pastor, share God’s word with us. Over the course of the weekend, we came together, worshipped our Lord, learned more about Him, and had a lot of fun! Our first night kicked off with icebreakers and a message from Joe.  Joe broke down our theme verse, Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ” Joe talked about what it means to be “justified” through faith. His key question was: Do you have peace with God? Joe challenged all of us by asking: Whose side are you on? The world’s? Or God’s side?   Tuesday, we had a lot of fun activities planned. After breakfast, we had morning worship at Deer Run and headed back to cabins for devotions. Following that, we had a cardboard sled building competition where the Lodge was converted into a building area. The sleds... - Published: 2020-01-03 - Modified: 2020-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/think-about-this-happy-new-year/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Think About This... (Happy New Year! ) by Andrea Gurney, PhD, Deer Run Alumna, & Camp Mom At the beginning of each new year I examine five areas of my life, asking and answering a question in each: Interpersonal (think relationships! ) – How (and who! ) can I love better? Intrapersonal – In what area I can grow in emotionally? Spiritually – How may I serve God and others better? Physically – How can I better care for my own body? Work /School life – In what specific way can I challenge myself to grow in my career? This has been an annual ritual since my junior year in college after a professor encouraged us to be intentional with our time. He said something along these lines: “Life will keep moving forward. And with each passing year, it will move more quickly. Before you know it—you will be five years out of college. Then ten; even fifteen. So often, we talk about our five and ten year plan—but it would behoove you to make specific goals each year. ” Small chunks. Small hopes. Small steps forward. Keeping the big picture in mind. That was my interpretation. Ever since 1994, as one year turns into another, I have done just that. As this new year begins, I encourage you to consider how you can love yourself, your neighbor, and your world better. Happy New Year. Andrea Gurney, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor of psychology at Westmont College, and... - Published: 2019-12-24 - Modified: 2019-12-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/trouble-at-the-inn/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Faith - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Trouble at the Inn For years now, whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally's performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened. Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty keeping up. He was big and awkward, slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that matter, in which winning was important. They'd find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway—not sulking, just hoping. He was a helpful boy, always willing and smiling, and the protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. If the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would be Wally who'd say, "Can't they stay? They're no bother. " Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd in the Christmas pageant, but the play's director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally's size would make his refusal of... - Published: 2019-12-20 - Modified: 2019-12-20 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/christmas-traditions/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods Christmas Traditions by Tennessee Bowling, Deer Run Alumna In the Bowling household our Christmas traditions are serious business. We have traditions for every aspect of the holiday season. Christmas Eve we always drag our table in front of the fireplace and eat our dinner of fish chowder. Christmas morning breakfast is always southern style biscuits and gravy (with my dad’s famous homemade biscuits. ) A tradition started by my grandmother is our “sock tins”. Everyone in the family has a tin with their name on it, still in my late grandmother’s handwriting. The older my cousins and I get, the more exciting those Smartwool socks in the tin become. Whether we realize it or not, every community we are a part of has its traditions. Closing campfire is one of our most sacred traditions at Brookwoods, Deer Run, and MRO Camp is full of traditions too. No Deer Run staff meeting is complete without the counselors circling up, sticking in their left hand (because that one is closest to your heart) and shouting “ahhhh Deer Run! ” It’s not really an opening day rally if we don’t end with a rousing “Days of Elijah,” complete with hand motions and dancing on the chapel stage. A hundred other traditions could be named: Sing-us-a-song, breakfast cookout, Staff Special, Krazy Karnival, Allagash rocks... the list could go on forever. The final tradition of the summer is always the candle lighting ceremony to end closing campfire. We form a circle around the campfire, Mary... - Published: 2019-12-09 - Modified: 2019-12-09 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/advent-he-is-on-the-move/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Faith, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Happy New Year - It’s Advent – He is On the Move by Matthew Kozlowski, Brookwoods Alumnus Every December, in the season leading up to Christmas, Christians celebrate Advent. But Advent is more than just a countdown. Here are three points to remember about this season. 1. Happy New Year! In the church calendar, Advent is actually the beginning of the year. We start anew, as we await the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It’s interesting that the year starts with a period of watchful waiting. So much of our culture demands action – what can be done now? Advent says the opposite: don’t rush to act, but wait, stay alert, watch. This is the only way that we will recognize the coming of Christ. I remember at camp how counselors would lead devotionals at night. A lot of times they would ask, “Where did you see God today? ” This is a good thing to ask ourselves in Advent! Keep watch, stay alert, He is on the move. 2. The Second Coming While Advent most clearly awaits the incarnation of Jesus on Christmas, the season also speaks of the time when Christ will come again. As it says in Mark 13:26, “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ” What will this be like? The Bible gives us descriptions of the end of times, and many of these descriptions are troubling. But Jesus also says in John 16:33, “Take... - Published: 2019-11-27 - Modified: 2019-11-27 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/making-time-to-be-grateful/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Faith, Parent's Corner - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Making Time to be Grateful by JB Hecock, Brookwoods Alumnus No doubt that your calendars are filling up with holiday events, parties, get-togethers, and shopping trips. It’s super crazy this time of year. It’s hard to find time (or more accurate, give time) to reflect on what we are thankful for. Ever since our kiddos were little, my wife Iris has had each of us take a piece of construction paper and draw or write what we are thankful for since last Thanksgiving. Stickers, markers, and crayons cover the table each year. If we had guests, they were no exception to our Thanksgiving morning tradition—everyone fills up a piece of paper with thanks. It’s pretty cool to go back now over the last decade or so, and see what was going on in our lives. Call it a tradition, or a spiritual discipline, it’s definitely worth giving time and space to these moments. And about those moments... for me, it’s hard to live in the moment. It’s hard to be present to what is going on around me. I tend to be focused, albeit too much, on the future. This is even more true when I am going through a difficult or stressful time. Over the last few years, we have faced some incredibly difficult and challenging times, almost feeling as though the entire world was against us. Against me. And in the moment, it is hard for me to see God in the midst of it all. I can... - Published: 2019-11-22 - Modified: 2019-11-22 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-beach-and-the-blob/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run The Beach and the Blob by Conor Grennan, Author & Camp Dad When Finn, now 10, was a toddler, our family moved from Connecticut to LA for a single year. I’m not much of a beach person but when you live in LA you sort of have to go to the beach. Otherwise when your friends back east will say “I bet the beaches are amazing, huh? ” and you’ll have to admit that you don’t really love the beach and then they’ll look at you like you’re some kind of mole-person. I don’t want to go to the beach. The beach is where sand gets in your swimsuit and your shoes and on your tuna fish sandwich. You feel like it will never come off and you will never be clean again. So it was a relief when Finn, age 3 at the time, didn’t want to go to the beach either. Liz tried to put his feet in the sand and he just cocked his little legs higher and higher, like she was trying to lower a cat into a bathtub. But last year, when he was 9, Finn was going to Camp Brookwoods for the first time, and everyone talked about the beach. “The beach is amazing! ” our friends told him. There was swimming and playing and something called the Blob which people couldn’t quite describe physically but only emotionally – the Blob made you feel like you were some kind of magical beast flying through... - Published: 2019-11-15 - Modified: 2023-01-03 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/merry-friendsmas/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Moose River Outpost News, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Moose River Outpost Merry Friendsmas Spending a combined four summers at Moose River Outpost, we have had the privilege of getting to know some tremendous people. We spent our MRO summers having loads of fun, ministering to some really neat kids, getting to know Christ better, and growing alongside staff members who quickly became some of our most formative friends. Being a member of the MRO family has meant so much to us. Life, as we all know, comes with ups and downs—joys and sorrows. We have been blessed with these relationships that allow us to turn to these friends through it all. And time after time we are met with compassion, celebration, and comradery. No matter the distance, no matter how long it has been, as soon as we walk through the doors to Merry Friendsmas it's like picking up right where we left off. Gathering with our camp family truly feels like coming home, being surrounded with people who have shared a similar experience and who love each other. It doesn’t matter if we served alongside one another or if we just met that night, we are bonded. At the root of it all is Christ, the perfect foundation. What a blessing it has been for us to hear how God is working at MRO and in the lives of our friends over the years. And He is doing so much! This is what Paul envisioned in Hebrews 10:24-25 when he reminds us to “... spur one another on toward love...... - Published: 2019-11-14 - Modified: 2019-11-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/cheryl-crawford-1955-2019/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Remembering Cheryl Crawford: 1955-2019 Cheryl Crawford, a member of the Christian Camps and Conferences community, passed into the arms of her Savior on November 3, 2019. Cheryl committed more than 45 years to the ministries of camps Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost. In her early days she served as the Deer Run Tripping and Program Director, and in the winter traveled to recruit campers. Cheryl was instrumental in transforming the CIT program into the Leadership Development Program, with the emphasis on training and raising up future camp leaders. She also served as Director of Camp Deer Run over a span of summers in the mid 80’s and 2000’s. She transitioned into the role of Camp Pastor, while also serving on the Board of Directors for 20 years until her passing. When on camp grounds Cheryl could often be found with a paint brush in her hand as easily as preaching in chapel or helping a staff member connect with a camper. She also enjoyed a boat ride on the lake, a hike in the woods, and a bowl of Moose Tracks ice cream. Camp Staff 1980: Uncle JJ, Cheryl, Miles Strodel, Becca Johnson Cheryl had gifts in counseling and ministered to thousands of campers and staff through the years. She was never too busy to have a conversation and lend a listening ear. Cheryl was active in her support of others and many know that once she found out about a problem or need she was busy creating... - Published: 2019-11-01 - Modified: 2019-11-01 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camps-community-of-faith/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Camp Community is Crucial for Faith: One Mom's Perspective by Susan Bradley Arico, Deer Run Alumna & Camp Mom Camp is in my blood, and in the blood of my family. I came to Deer Run as a camper for six summers in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I even did a month-long “January term” winter study at camp in 1995, sandwiched between a summer as a cabin counselor and two more as an LDP counselor. I met my closest friends and even my husband at camp! And when our oldest was ten, my husband and I became camp parents. For the past four summers we’ve been camp parents—to one, two, and now three of our four kids. Despite my deep love for Brookwoods and Deer Run, though, I had no way of knowing at the start of our parenting journey how meaningful it would be to send our kids there, and how much they would need it. You see, our family lived in Greece for the past three years, and it was a dry time spiritually. The Greek Orthodox church is the church of Greece, but very few Greeks attend services, let alone non-Greeks. Since our family spoke little Greek, it wasn’t an option for us. There were three tiny international churches in our city, each with a congregation of less than 50. In the Hellenic Ministries church plant we attended, there were virtually no children other than ours. During the sermon my husband and I ran an... - Published: 2019-10-25 - Modified: 2026-01-26 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/impact-of-camp/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run The Impact of Camp by Daniel Forkner, Brookwoods Alumni I started going to Camp Brookwoods when I turned eight years old. I remember being unsure if I was really going to like this strange place that I would spend two whole weeks. I had no idea that Brookwoods would be one of the most impactful places of my life. Over 11 summers, I spent 52 weeks at Brookwoods, not including multiple Alumni Camps and Winter Reunions. Building a fire is a great life skill. One of the greatest parts of camp is the skills that kids learn. Throughout my years at camp, I learned many different skills that my friends from outside of camp seldom possessed. Some of these skills include: how to sail, use a band saw, water ski, wind surf, SCUBA dive, shoot a bow, shoot a rifle, rock climb, throw a Frisbee, build a fire, read a map and compass, catch fish, save lives, canoe through whitewater rapids, build a shelter, set up a tent (quickly in the rain), mountain bike, ride a horse, serve others, be vulnerable, teach Bible studies, and so much more. Without a doubt, there are other places that kids and young adults can learn these skills, but there is nowhere besides camp where they can learn such a bevy of diverse skills in the context of a Christ-centered outdoor experience. Camp is definitely one of the most fun places on Earth. At the same time, camp is also incredibly challenging and stretching.... - Published: 2019-08-23 - Modified: 2019-08-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/post-camp-re-entry/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Post camp RE-ENTRY: How Parents Can Help Children Transition Well by Andrea Gurney, PhD, Deer Run Alumna, & Camp Mom Campers investigating Frog Pond The sweet time on the shores of Winnipesauke and Heald Pond have somehow come and gone. Campouts, blobbing, Color wars, waterskiing, Narnia, morning devos, and Chapel times filled and nurtured our children’s hearts, minds, and bodies. And now it’s over. Our kids are back home, getting ready to transition to the school year yet still holding on to the memories of camp. How can we help them re-enter smoothly? Here are some quick tips to help both parents and campers reboot. 1. Give your kiddo space. Like all of us, kids need time and space to process an experience. Although we as parents are incredibly eager to “hear all about it”, let’s be mindful that our children are still mulling over their camp experience and insisting that they share it all right away impedes their process. 2. LISTEN actively when your child wants to share about camp. Refrain from questioning, correcting, or giving instruction, as this undermines the choices they made and ultimately, their competence and confidence. Simply take the posture of a listener and allow stories and memories to be shared over time! 3. Related to the first two points, remember that being away at camp has given kids psychological ownership – the feeling that it belongs to them. It’s one of the reasons (whether we realize it or not! ) that we send kids... - Published: 2019-08-16 - Modified: 2019-08-16 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/prayer-makes-a-difference/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Prayer Makes a Difference Madeleine Schlenz, RN and Camp mom Camp nursing is different from serving in a hospital: it’s a little bit of mothering, a lot of community health and a ton of smiles and reassurance. Whenever possible, I take time to pray with the kids who come to receive care, and this week I was reminded of the difference that makes. Homesickness strikes early at camp. Within the first few days we see some kids struggle with being away from family. One that I met this summer will stick with me forever. A young camper attending Camp Brookwoods from overseas came to visit the Loon on his first night. He was clearly fighting back the tears and just wanted to go home. We spent time with him, encouraged him and prayed with him. Then, he reluctantly went back to his cabin. The next night he stopped by, less weepy but still wanting to spend time with us. When I asked him if I could pray for him, his demeanor changed and he quickly told me he would love that. Three nights in, he melted my heart. While other campers were getting ready for bed, he walked into the Loon (our medical facility) smiling, and just stood there. We asked him about his day. He smiled as he told us what he had done and about all the fun he had. Then we asked if he needed a good night hug. He shook his head, no. We asked if... - Published: 2019-07-26 - Modified: 2020-09-23 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/indispensible-anchor-points-of-great-living-2test/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods Indispensible Anchor Points of Great Living! by Uncle Woody Strodel, Brookwoods alumnus “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. ” Psalm 118: 22-23 The Strodel Family On behalf of the entire Texas Strodel family and my dear departed wife, “Aunt Dawn,” I want to express my deepest joy to Camp Brookwoods and its current leadership on this marvelous 75th Anniversary. We celebrate this time remembering Miles and Grace Strodel and their many years of camp leadership in Massachusetts, Maryland and New Hampshire. Dawn and I had the privilege to walk beside them and assist in many years of service together—these years have provided incredible focal points in my Christian camping ministry and guided me as I served as executive director at First Presbyterian Church Camp in Pittsburgh years later. Camp Brookwoods Staff, 1959 Uncle Woody first row, 2nd from the left I firmly believe when we blend home, school, church, and Christian camp, four key anchor points of true discipleship in Jesus Christ are born. Brookwoods has emulated the perfect example nation-wide like no other institution of such a framework. It has done this with huge success over these 75 years and I have no doubt will continue. Much of my personal Christian growth at Brookwoods was due to the kindness of Dr. Harold Ockenga, who released me from Park Street Church in Boston during the summer months to assist and... - Published: 2019-07-17 - Modified: 2020-09-01 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/the-weekend-of-giving/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: All Camps The Weekend of Giving by Ann Higgins, Director of Development “What is the Weekend of Giving and why does camp do this? ” you may be asking. It’s a good question! Many people may not realize that Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and Moose River Outpost are incorporated as a non-profit organization called Christian Camps and Conferences, Inc. That basically means that we are not in operation to produce profits which go to shareholders or owners, but that camp tuition and conference fees go back into running the organization. In our case, back into a ministry of creating communities where lives are transformed for Christ! What a mission! And we’ve been at it for 75 years! Camp staff helping to promote the Weekend of Giving With that in mind, Camp, as a non-profit, is allowed to accept tax-deductible donations from folks who love what we are doing and want to be a part of it. That is why we regularly try to communicate the needs of the organization and invite our Camp family to join the mission, or “join the journey” with us through giving financially to the ministry. Hence, a Weekend of Giving! Instead of sending you zillions of emails on Giving Tuesday, (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving) like other organizations, we decided to try a concentrated fundraising effort for our Scholarship Fund over Changeover weekend (the mid-point of Camp). Approximately 20% of our campers require financial assistance to attend each summer, and this year, we plan to gift $300,000 in... - Published: 2019-07-12 - Modified: 2019-07-12 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/that-they-may-be-one/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Faith - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run That They May Be One by Craig Higgins, Resident Theologian Click on Photo to see a short worship video 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. Bible Study at Camp Deer Run But this group is very inter-denominational, representing just about every denominational affiliation that you can think of! And... - Published: 2019-07-05 - Modified: 2019-07-05 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-pictures-forever/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run Camp Pictures Forever by Melissa Yonan, Alumni Director The Waterfront 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 50th 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. The Front Lawn Several years before Deer Run’s 50th 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... - Published: 2019-06-28 - Modified: 2019-06-28 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/incoming-day-2019/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run 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! A Brookwoods camper moving into his cabins 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! Deer Run campers on Incoming Day 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... - Published: 2019-06-21 - Modified: 2019-06-21 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/camp-brookwoods-75-years/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run 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... - Published: 2019-06-14 - Modified: 2019-06-14 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/kid-sick-or-kid-free-jubilee/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run 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,... - Published: 2019-06-07 - Modified: 2019-06-07 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/whats-in-your-suitcase/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, Parent's Corner - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run What’s in Your Suitcase? Five Tips to Help Prepare Your Child for Camp by Andrea Gurney, PhD, Deer Run Alumna, Camp Mom As the days get longer and our children become antsier it means only one thing—summer is approaching and camp is around the corner! Blobbing, Inspiration Point cookouts, hiking, new friends, silly songs, and cabin devos await our children. Excitement can also be accompanied by nervousness—whether it’s articulated or not. So as you get out the backpacks and duffle bags, I’d like to offer some packing tips to help your child have a successful camp experience. One: Get organized together! In this case, organization equates to three things: Make a checklist. Or really, just refer to the great one that is in Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, and MRO’s handbook. Think through, with your camper, what might need to be purchased or borrowed in order to cross off all the essentials. Feeling equipped and prepared will boost your camper’s confidence. If items need to be purchased, go shopping together. This can be a sweet time of bonding and enable your kiddo to get excited as they visualize a bit of their day-to-day experience and all the fun ahead. Pack alongside them (not for them! ), empowering them to choose specifics, and talking with them about actually using the items they are packing! For example, when you are both going through toiletries, talk about the idea of putting sunscreen on each morning before they leave the cabin, flossing their teeth every... - Published: 2019-05-31 - Modified: 2019-05-31 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/i-wish-i-could/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run I Wish I Could... by Ann Higgins, Development Director Have you ever said, “I wish I could make a gift” when someone asked you to support a charity or cause that you feel strongly about? Have you ever said or thought that about camp? You are not alone! Many people struggle with trying to budget their income in a way to cover current living expenses and give to organizations that they believe in. It can be a daunting task, to say the least! It may not be immediately apparent, but one way to support causes you believe in is through estate giving. While the terms “estate giving” or “estate planning” may not be familiar to you, it’s just another way of talking about something very basic—the terms of your will! Everyone goes about this differently. Some leave particular assets or an exact dollar amount to causes they support. Others might designate a percentage (a tithe of 10%, for example) of an asset to an organization, and still others give whatever may be left from a certain investment or retirement account. There are many ways to arrange it so that you can support Camp Brookwoods, Deer Run, Moose River Outpost, and future generations of campers. While estate planning can be difficult to think about, it’s important. After all, we will all be leaving this world behind someday, and we have the ability to decide what our legacies will be. Recently, Eileen “Bobbe” Hackman, Camp Deer Run’s first Director, went home to... - Published: 2019-05-24 - Modified: 2019-05-24 - URL: https://www.christiancamps.net/blog/a-wild-reunion/ - Categories: Uncategorized - Topics: All Categories, The Big Camp Picture - Camps: Camp Brookwoods, Camp Deer Run A WILD Reunion by Julia Page, Deer Run & WILD Alumna Nearly 8 years after graduating from WILD (Moose River Outpost’s leadership program, Wilderness Intensive Leadership Development), I was headed back to Camp Brookwoods and Deer Run for the very first WILD Reunion. There, I would be greeted by a group of other WILD alumni and staff. All would be excited to spend the weekend reliving those precious days in the backwoods of Maine and forming new friendships with others who carried their own related memories. Julia far right Saturday morning, we circled up to pray before heading out to the trailhead of Mount Chocorua. The night before, as I was driving in the dark and pouring rain to get to camp, my mind had been cluttered, thoughts racing between the events of the day and all the work that would await my return. But starting along the wooded path that led us to the rocky peak of Chocorua, my heart and breathing slowed, and the worries faded. God granted me rest, even as my body worked to scramble up boulders, reminding me through His creation of His power and providence. As we climbed up tracks of snow, trying to balance on the narrow ridge of hard pack, we recounted stories of WILD adventures, compared notes on how the WILD experience has evolved, and grew in relationship with each other, whether we had spent two summers in Maine together or had just met. Mount Chocorua Summit, elevation 3,478 feet Approaching... > ## Notes for AI Agents - Use the URLs above as canonical references for camp programs, dates, and retreat offerings. - Prefer specific camp or conference center pages over generic home pages when citing. - Do not follow or index session IDs, booking forms, or query parameters. - Avoid inferring pricing, availability, or capacity unless explicitly published. - Content is updated regularly to reflect latest rates, schedules, and news.