Thoughts in February

It is kind of nice to see the sun starting to break through now and again. The sun is starting to warm us up after a tough weather winter and is creating that special shade of new growth green signaling the beginnings of spring. Another sure reminder of spring are the registration forms arriving in the mail or online. There has been a good response to the discounts being offered for early registration. We think it will help the campers by providing a less expensive way to experience camp while at the same time helping the Camp by providing income in the lean spring months and by giving the program directors earlier information on the number of campers they might expect.

We were saddened a few weeks ago as one of our promising young summer staff workers died tragically in a car accident on Highway 101. Beth Bryson was a local girl who had worked for us in the kitchen the past two summers and also helped occasionally as we provided food service for various retreat groups. Beth was a hard worker with a quirky sense of humor and a desire to make friends with every person she met. She really worked her way into our hearts as she represented the Camp’s ministry well. At her memorial service held at Nestucca High School, her deep faith in Christ was presented as a witness to the community. It just makes me stop and think and praise the Lord for the number of young people who work behind the scenes in the Camp’s ministry and their positive influence on the lives of others because of the presence of Jesus in their lives.

The work is progressing on the Missions Building project. The foundation plans are near completion and we are working with the contractor concerning the timing of actually putting up the structure. At the January board meeting the Board of Directors approved a loan with Oregon Coast Bank for up to $400,000 to make sure that we have the funds to complete the project. Our plan is to use first that which has been designated for the Missions Building project so that when we need to draw on the construction loan we can keep that amount as low as possible.

Since the Our Dream-His Glory campaign is coming to a close here in 2008 we will be launching a new program, seeking fresh commitments to underwrite the loan and pay off the construction costs of the Missions Building.

As these plans are coming together we are so excited to see this new gateway to the Christian camping experience here at Wi-Ne-Ma. The memories and the ministry that was carried out in the old building will be carried on by the coming generation of missionaries, campers, families, and friends as the Missions Building continues to be a place where people are challenged and encouraged to by dynamic witnesses for the Gospel of Christ.

Some More Camp History

This has been an interesting week for weather. Started with snow on the ground yesterday, rain and wind today, and a heavy surf warning for tomorrow. So it seemed good to stay inside. The crew, along with the help of the Thursday volunteers have been working on remodeling the bathrooms in Morse Lodge. Meanwhile, I went back through Bill Morse's book to collect information about the history of the Camp. Here is a link

http://www.winema.org/Documents/History/camphistory.htm

to several things put together in a collection of information on the Camp's history.

I also found a really good website telling about the person Wi-Ne-Ma. Follow this link
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/spring/winema.html

Enjoy looking around at this.

Starting the New Year

A January Storm - Watch the Waves Pound Around "the Rock."

The turn of the New Year marks the time when I have to get serious about preparing for the summer camping season. But it is also the time of year when staff members get in their vacations, go to camping conferences, and enjoy the holidays with their families, friends, and churches. While the storms keep hitting us (and thankfully, there has not been any significant damage)they force us to slow down on getting the various projects done that we would like to get done.

But, I am glad to announce that a new look website is now published. We tried a couple of new things and cleaned up a bunch of old files that had been hanging around since the Camp first got on the Internet several years ago. I can't remember how long it has been. Go to www.winema.org and poke around.

We are trying some new things with discounts for early registration. It helps campers to find a less expensive way to enjoy Camp. Early registration also helps us have a better idea of how many to expect.

A number of things seem to be coming together on the Missions Building Project. I will have to make a post just to reflect on the various answers to prayer we are seeing there.

After the Storm

It is Thursday December 8 and the power has just been restored to the camp following the storm we experienced from Sunday through Monday night. The power went out on Sunday afternoon as hurricane force winds shook us up a bit. Here is a link to the local paper's article on the storm.

The Camp did not sustain a great deal of damage. The main effects were dealing with the power and communication outages. Cell phones came back into use on Wednesday and the power this morning. We had a number of trees go down on the access road up to the crosses. Here are a couple of pictures of the cleanup.






The big middle cross above the Camp blew down. This picture is a view of the Camp at the height of the storm Monday. Check out the gazebo.



In Camp we did have a couple of trees come down on the Morse Lodge roof. But it seems like they just rested there and did not break through the roof.

The winds also blew some of the roofing off the Missions Building as well. Compared to what other communities are experiencing around us the Camp really came through pretty well.

We just come to appreciate those who worked throughout the storm and thank God in our prayers for the emergency crews who worked to get the roads open so quickly, the power crews who have a tremendous task in getting us all hooked back up again, and the various community groups who opened places where people could get hot food and shelter. Thanks also to the many Wi-Ne-Ma friends who called to offer their prayers and assistance at this time. Here is one more picture looking from the crosses over the surf on Monday morning.

In the midst of the storm on Monday, trying to stand against the wind by the crosses, I was reminded of the story in Mark 4:35-41 of the time the disciples were caught up in fear in the midst of the storm. Jesus tells the winds and the waves to "Be still." In that moment the disciples realized that in Jesus lay a greater power. Jesus' power is such that he commands the wind and the waves to obey and they must. Yet, for us he invites us to obey his commands.

Thanks for your prayers for the ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp

October Update

“Are things starting to slow down now?” That is a question we often get this time of year. I am confident that for most of us the answer is hardly ever, “Yes.” I prefer to think of the change in seasons in terms of shifting gears. Maybe we are not in high gear so much like in the days when there are a number of people in Camp on a daily basis. Indeed today as I look out over the RV area through the mist, I think that this is the first day since sometime last May that there has not been a guest on the grounds.

Along with a number of retreat groups who have been here since our last event (Friends of Wi-Ne-Ma Day) we have had the opportunity to host three weeks of Outdoor School for sixth graders. As we shift gears into the guest group season we follow Paul’s simple words in Romans to “practice hospitality.” Our staff and volunteers are more behind the scenes to prepare and maintain the facilities, process reservations, prepare meals, and responding questions. But, I also saw times when a member of the group would seek us out to ask about the Camp and what we do. There the ministry of hospitality opened an opportunity to share God’s grace. We consistently hear how much these guest groups appreciate a place like Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp and the hospitality they experience while they are here.

We have retreat groups scheduled in on weekends now through Thanksgiving weekend. We look forward to Christmas Camp and the renewal of the retreat season in January. Over the next couple of months, however, there is another group working to plan and prepare for the 2008 camping season. Watch your mailbox in November for the anticipated schedule in The Windchime. Online registration is scheduled to be open by Christmas with paper registrations forms becoming available in January.
An update on the Missions Building project: our initial geological evaluation was completed and will soon be submitted to Tillamook County for review. Based on that review the architect and engineers will be able to start preparing plans to submit for the building permits. We are also checking on our Contractor’s schedule to see if it is possible to get into their construction list for 2008.

Financially, $229,439 has been received for this project. Please notice that we are just $20,000 short of our first goal for the Our Dream-His Glory campaign. But, you should also know that since this time last year $93,000 was given for the Missions Building project. We will likely need to arrange financing in order to complete the project and are continuing to evaluate our various options there.

Best Week Ever

We have our first winter storm of fall 2007 with the winds and the waves kicking up. The seagulls are holding close to the ground and the group in Camp will likely spend most of the day indoors. Here's a little video of today on the beach.



When I first came to Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp I would worry when these storms would come through, but after a while I learned that if it was going to blow away, it would have blown away a long time ago.

In Psalm 104 we sing,

"Praise the LORD, O my soul.

O LORD my God, you are very great;

you are clothed with spledor and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment;

he stretches out the heavens like a tent

and lays the beams of his chambers on their waters.

He makes the clouds his chariot

and rides on the wings of the wind."

It should be a great ride today at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp.

I have a couple of links to explore . . .

http://www.lookoutmag.com/articles/editorsdesk.asp?id=923 is a link to an editorial in The Lookout Magazine highlighting the value of Christian Camping.

http://dontsqueezethejj.com/blog/?p=325 is a blog post from a young man reflecting on his experiences at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp. Thanks JJ.

Post Friends of Wi-Ne-Ma Day

The 2007 summer camping season came to a wonderful conclusion with Friends of Wi-Ne-Ma Day on September 15. 170 people came together to enjoy music by the Vintage Gospel Lads, a delicious Barbecue Chicken lunch, and the opportunity to encourage the Camp’s ministry through the silent and oral benefit auctions. All told over $35,000 was raised through the day’s activities. What gave us “goose bumps” came at the point in the auction for the “special project.” At this point people are not bidding for an item but on how much they would like to give towards the Missions Building project. People were given the opportunity to bid in increments from $25 to $1,000. After the bids were recorded, $19,836.50 was given towards the Missions Building project. Along with some strong giving in the past couple of months for the project, our total raised to date is $225,000. We are closing in on our initial goal of $250,000 to be raised before physical construction. While the total cost of the project is now pushing $600,000, how wonderful it will be to start with about half the cost in hand.

Not to be outdone, but another special blessing to Friends of Wi-Ne-Ma Day were the baskets created by churches. The ten theme baskets brought $1,625. Thanks to the folks from Gates Community Christian Church, Canby Christian Church, Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Church, Stayton Church of Christ, Oregon City Christian Church, Mill City First Christian Church, Englewood Christian Church, and Tillamook First Christian Church.

A further blessing to report is found in the youth camp directors’ follow-up reports. We had 992 campers and 407 staff volunteers in the nine youth camps this summer. We have heard of 55-60 baptisms connected with those nine youth camps. Some were baptized into Christ here. Others were to return to their home churches. Along with these decisions to begin their walk with Christ as Lord, there were even more decisions to greater faith and service.
Now the Camp is shifting gears to host a number of guest groups this fall. One high-schooler here with a Christian High School group said that he had been coming every year since he was in Junior High. He said this was his favorite place to be. We had to respond, “We agree.”