The Wi.Ne.Ma Web Windchime

Catching Up

2008-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

The summer is half over and the good intentions to put something up more often as the camp's rolled along turned into just that, "Good Intentions."

Thankfully all those who have given so much to be a part of the summer's youth camp program went way beyond good intentions. They have given of themselves to provide the Christian camping experiences for the campers that have come to the first youth camps.

We are seeing that the number of youth campers is remaining about the same as usual. There is no great increase, but also no great decrease. The July camps have seen the largest numbers.

I am consistently impressed by the quality of the programs and the resources of the volunteers as the weeks come together.

I wanted to share a few images here as well.

First in relation to the Missions Building project. Here are some pictures from the Groundbreaking ceremony that was held on March 26. About 75 people turned out for the Ground Breaking Ceremony. Each person had the opportunity to jump on the gold shovel and turn a bit of dirt to symbolize the start of construction. It was an awesome and humbling experience to be in the presence of so many who love the Lord and love what God is doing through the ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp.

For an update on the project: We are still waiting to receive the building permit, but we are now planning to demolish the existing building in September. The next steps include site preparation and concrete work before the steel structure can be put up.

We are starting a new capital campaign as we still need to raise funds in order to complete this project. It is called "Our Devotion-His Glory" as we devote ourselves to making the dream of this new building into a reality.

2008-05-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

I came across this challenging statement: What if the way you lived, loved, and led actually reflected what you believed. It challenges the tension between who we are on the inside and what we portray on the outside. Perhaps yes we really do believe in Jesus in our heart, but for one reason or another we fall short in portraying that belief in our actions. Or, no we really haven’t totally given ourselves over to trusting in Christ, but we do a good job of presenting a veneer of faith in our daily lives.

While the Scripture says that “God looks on the heart,” we also learn from Scripture that our actions reveal the attitude of the heart. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” In these verses the action of confessing is linked with what we believe in our hearts.

The ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp is vitally connected with putting into practice what we believe concerning Jesus and God’s love for the world expressed in Him. We believe that God works through His church to establish His healing presence in the world. We believe that God calls us to cross cultures to proclaim the Gospel. We believe God wants families to be strengthened and exhibit relationships that reflect His love. We understand that God entrusts us with the ministry of hospitality, to provide a safe place where people can rest and be renewed in their relationship with Christ.

We believe that God calls the Camp to be a place for people to experience His call, His grace, and His love. The Camp is a place where people can practice what they believe so that they can be more effective servants of Christ when the return home. We believe the Camp is place for God to use to draw people to Himself.

In light of what we believe, we keep working to enhance what God has to work with here. The summer camping programs are almost upon us. We have over 200 young people pre-registered in the camping sessions. That about 100 more campers registered than at this time last year. The family conferences are also ahead of schedule in preregistrations. The most significant is Week of Missions which is also over 200 people and 100 more than last year.

On the Missions Building project; the plans were submitted in application for building permits. We did decide, however, not to start physical construction until after Family Bible Conference. This will let us use the current building through the 2008 camping season. But, if the permit process goes smoothly look for things to start happening rapidly this fall.

We are planning a Groundbreaking Ceremony and Reception on May 26 at 2:00 pm here at the Camp. You are invited to attend as we officially launch this project.

So it has been a long time

2008-05-06T15:56:00.001-07:00

So, it has been a long time since I have taken the time to update the reflections of this blog.

We have had a number of things going on this spring. The picture here is of the new crosses that were placed on the hill overlooking the Camp. The December storms blew down the big center cross. My dad from Mill City built these out of some trees on his place. Then a bunch of guys from Mill City came for their annual men's work retreat and put them up.

The second picture here shows them here working with Phil to set them up. We have had a number of work parties this spring that have added great improvements to Camp: the new trail to the crosses was expanded, a sidewalk from Myrtleward to the Dining Hall was created, the basketball area between the Dining Hall and Lakeside Lodge was first broken up and then poured afresh. These along with a number of cleanup projects has the Camp set up for the new season.

I will try to type to you again sooner with the update on how the summer camping season is shaping up and how the Missions Building project is coming along.

Thoughts in February

2008-02-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

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

2007-10-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

“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

2007-10-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

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.”

2007-09-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

The biggest share of the summer camping season has come to a close. A common sentiment is, “I can’t believe the summer is over.” Stores are advertising “back to school” sales, practice is beginning for the fall sports, and people are trying squeeze in last minute vacations. It has been a good summer for the ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp.

Again I am impressed by the quality and passion of the leadership for our youth camps and conferences. They match creativity with a desire to share the gospel with the youth campers and the result is memorable experiences that form a foundation in building relationships with Jesus Christ. If you are ever in a place to say, “Thank You,” to these folks please do so – Tim Long, Ken Swatman, Cherie Friend, Matt Rader, Mike Nichols, Bruce Jones, Andy Johnson, Clare Buhler, Ken Harvey, and Raeann Suckow. They were the program directors and they along with their staff became the hands and the heart of the Camp’s ministry.

What do Siberia, East Africa, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, and New England have in common? All were featured at the 2007 Week of Missions. Registering 700 people this unique event has taken place continuously since 1950. Many thanks again to the program committee and the missionaries.

We are also pleased to present an artist conception of the renovated Missions Building (pictured above). The total to date received for this project is $173,620. We are moving ahead to be ready for plans and building permits. A geotechnical engineer and crew were out here this week drilling 50 foot holes around the Missions Building to prepare a report required by Tillamook County prior to preparing the plans to submit for the building permits. So we are trying to match the preparatory work with the funds coming in so as soon as we reach our target financial goals we can start construction. We are closing in on the preliminary goal of $250,000 to start construction, but don’t forget that we will need an additional $300,000 to finish the project.

A Bit of Week of Missions History

2007-08-08T10:20:00.001-07:00

We recently came across this account of the beginnings to Week of Missions. It is posted here to preserve and enjoy it.

- THE BEGINNINGS -

WINEMA WEEK OF MISSIONSWinema Week of Missions has its roots in a family camp, which was conducted at Camp Winema in the summer of 1949. Among those moved by the spirit in this camp were Aldis Webb,minister of the First Christian Church in Tillamook, Bill Morse, Frank Cunningham, Howard Hutchins, and Elery Parrish.The first full-scale Week of Missions was held August 14-19, 1950. Willie White, minister of the Fairmount Church of Christ in Eugene, Oregon, was Camp Director, and David and Rozelle Henry were Business Managers. This first camp included 147 paid registrations, and more than 200 people in attendance. Thirteen missionaries were present, representing 7 mission fields. Thirty ministers were registered, and there were representatives from 41 churches.Adult registration was $2.00 (which included insurance), and the price of all meals was $10.00 per person (!).Missionaries who participated in the program were Gladys Schwake, Tibet; Mrs. Franklin Smith, Alaska; Dolly Chitwood and Leah Moshier, India; Ella Hadley, McKinley Indian Mission; Arnold Karnen, Boise Children’s Home; M/M Julius Fleenor, recruits to Japan; and M/M Hugh Kafton, recruits to Tibet. Harry Schaefer, India, was the chapel speaker and James Earl Ladd I was the Bible lecturer.The morning schedule included devotions, Bible study, missionary classes, and chapel. Afternoons were free for rest, recreation, and visiting. Sunset devotions were led by missionaries or missionary recruits. Various missionaries spoke for the evening service, and the day was closed with a bonfire service.Memories of this first Week of Missions include sitting on logs overlooking the beach for morning and evening devotions, eating meals in the remodeled “stable,” services held in the outdoor chapel when weather permitted, and sitting on the 6 inch benches attached to the tables in the dining hall when it was necessary to move inside. Registration fees and offerings enabled us to pay all bills and have in excess of $300.00 on hand to contribute toward the 1951 camp expenses.The second Week of Missions, held August 13-18, 1951, saw 314 paid registrations; more than double the first year registration total. Seven states were represented by those in attendance, and 36 ministers were present.Among participating missionaries were John Chase, Korea; Ellis Back, Tibet; Mel Byers, Burma-Tibet; Gilbert Cays, Canada; Dorothy Herring, Kiamichis; Jane Kinnett, Japan; Paul Magnuson, American Indians; Ella and Edna Hadley, McKinley Indian Mission; Glen Johnson and Mrs. Franklin Smith, Alaska. Bible studies were led by Bill Jessup.On Friday evening a missionary offering of $802.38 was received and divided among the participating missionaries. At the suggestion of Brother Aldis Webb, an offering was taken to apply toward the expense of installing the chapel bell, which had been donated by the Christian Church in Beaverton. This offering amounted to $25.60.The third Week of Missions, August 11-16, 1952, saw a decline in attendance. There were 160 paid registrations, and an attendance of approximately 300. Twenty missionaries and recruits were guests, and 40 churches were represented.Missionaries participating in the 1952 camp included Rodney Northrup, Mexico; Neilan Dodson, Canada; Edna Hunt, India; Mary Craig, CWBA; Mel Byers, Burma; Arnold Kernen, Boise Children’s Home; Edna and Ella Hadley, McKinley Indian Mission; M/M David Reese, Tibet; and Lloyd Pickering, recruit to India. C. H. Phillips, president of Puget Sound College of the Bible, was the Bible lecturer and John Chase was chapel speaker. An offering of $623.00 was divided among missionary participants.It was during the 1952 camp, on August 12th, that the uncompleted dining hall was totally destroyed by fire. The building was valued at more than $10,000.00 and was not covered by insurance. There was also a large loss in equipment, food items, and personal effects of the kitchen staff. Immediately following the fire a prayer service was held, and an offering was received to reimburse those who had suffered personal loss. Offers were made of labor, money, and supplies to begin an immediate rebuilding program.Willie White served as Camp Director from 1950 through 1952. J. Frank Cunningham directed the camp in 1953. The Winema Week of Missions has been conducted annually since 1950 and experienced phenomenal growth. The blessing of the Lord has been abundantly manifest.-- Prepared by Willie W. White, June 27, 1984 --

When We See as God Sees

2007-07-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Rick Grover, the featured speaker for the 2007 Christian Heritage Conference held here over the Memorial Day weekend, said, “When we see as God sees, we will do as God does.” The theme of the conference addressed reaching out to meet the physical and social needs of those who are hurting in our communities. It was touching to hear how Christians respond to those in distress around them; sheltering the homeless, counseling women in crisis pregnancies, operating a food cupboard, offering assistance after a disaster.

It is refreshing to consider what God sees when he looks at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp. I am sure He sees the individual campers coming to a place where they can experience His love and respond to His call upon their lives. Do you suppose that He looks beyond the clothes, the hairstyle, the attitude, and the behaviors to look upon hearts open to receive Him? I think God also sees a community of people from Camp staff to a host of volunteers who work hard to find ways to present the Gospel of Christ significantly to a fresh generation. Also within God’s range of vision is certainly the hearts of those who faithfully hold up the Camp with their prayers and with their gifts.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, “The LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” May God help us to look past the outward appearance to see and minister to the hearts of those who come to this place.

We are in the midst of the summer camping season with about 500 registrations so far. Time is counting down to the remaining Family and Adult camps and conferences. We do appreciate your prayers and enthusiasm for what God has yet to do in the remaining weeks. Please continue to pray for us that having seen what God sees, he will strengthen and equip us to do as He would do.

We would like to also announce that a basic design for the Missions Building has been agreed upon. A sketch will be portrayed in the Windchime coming out in the next two weeks. We are also evaluating bids for a geotechnical survey of the building site. This survey needs to be done to prepare for the blueprints. About $169,000 has been received so far towards the Missions Building project.

Irrational Loyalty to Jesus & Over-the-Top Concern for Others

2007-05-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

I came across an article from the Christianity Today email newsletter titled, The Cost of Christian Education. Since Camp is about Christian education what really caught my eye was the tag line, “Getting schooled in the faith is more unnerving than I care to admit.”

When I read this paragraph I thought, this is what Camp is supposed to be like.

The educational system of Jesus was rooted in an utterly different approach: living in and with a community, so that theology was not only taught but also lived in the context of community prayer. Jesus' educational system is not objective in the least—it is decidedly not interested in knowledge that helps us remain unbiased and neutral about life. Instead, it is profoundly subjective, that is, concerned with creating an irrational loyalty to Jesus and over-the-top concern for others. It is not the mind that is the center of attention but the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and the whole person in community.

This approach depends not on teaching technique but on people like you and me who strive to live our lives in Jesus' name. While it's nice to have saints to emulate and great teachers to learn from, most of us on most days simply need fellow believers to help us walk the walk.

Then the author goes on to acknowledge that this is the type of Christian education experienced in Christian summer camps!

So, when we are thinking about the ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp and the possibilities it holds for developing faith in Christ refer to this article. Follow the link and read the whole thing. If you are on a camp staff, share some ideas about how this looks in your camp setting. If you are thinking about sending some kids to Camp, ask yourself about the value of this kind of experience.

I think I am going to try to work some of these phrases – “irrational loyalty to Jesus” and “over-the-top concern for others” into my conversations and plans for Wi-Ne-Ma.

Christian Camping and Pole Vaulting

2007-05-15T13:42:00.001-07:00

My youngest son competes on the track team for his High School. His favorite event is the Pole Vault and he just placed third in the District Track meet and had a personal best. Now the interesting thing about pole vaulting is that in order to be successful there are a number of different elements that have to happen just right. It begins with the momentum gained during the run down the track, a successful pole plant and leap, synchronized pull, twist, and turn as you reach for the bar, coordinated release, and finishes with a clean follow-through that leaves the bar in place. If any one of these things is not performed just right the vaulter misses the mark and fails to overcome the bar.

I was reminded of all things that need to come together for significant camping ministry – facilities that are safe, comfortable, and conducive to live and ministry together and the people who build, clean, and repair them; food service providing enjoyable meals that lend themselves to table fellowship; program staff to plan and oversee experiences to usher others into a place where they can learn of Jesus and respond to His call upon their lives; administrative staff to keep communication flowing and the organization running smoothly.

When it all comes together, whether pole vaulting or Christian camping, it is a beautiful, grace-full thing to see and experience. But, when one element fails, the result can be a “crash and burn.”

Yet, we realize that God’s grace is not contingent on our perfect performance. Another interesting aspect to pole vaulting is that the competitor always finishes with failure. Even the first prize winner ends his or her competition by missing the next height above. At Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp our prize is not the ribbon handed out because we have performed at a certain level. Rather, our prize is experienced as God’s grace is revealed through the Christian camping experience, as people who are trying to honor Christ with their lives and service reach out to another generation to know and embrace Christ as Savior and Lord. There is no excuse for us not trying to do the best we can, but we rejoice that God provides the ultimate lift that helps us reach the bar.

A Christian Camping Experience

2007-04-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

We have as our purpose statement the phrase, “Providing a Christian camping experience for youth and adults through Christian education and fellowship in the surrounding beauty of God’s creation.”

When I have the chance to talk about Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp I like to unpack that phrase starting with what we mean by a Christian camping experience. When people use the terms “Christian” and “camping” they can mean a lot of different things by those words.

Here we use the word Christian to help describe the kind of camping we offer. We want the experience here to be modified and described as “Christian.” We want all the activities, experiences, and relationships to connect somehow with Jesus Christ reflecting His message and His purpose. At the heart of the camping experience needs to be a significant connection with the person and work of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures and reflected in His church. This sets Christian camps apart from other camping experiences. While we might include sports, outdoor activities, arts, or some other skilled activity in the camp program, learning about or experiencing those activities are not ends in themselves. They are useful and beneficial to us insofar as they help communicate the Gospel of Christ and create a setting in which people might come to know and confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We can fill a lifetime with what it means to be “Christian,” but what do we mean by camping? For some, camping is what happens when you set out into a wilderness with a backpack carrying the essential stuff to meet your needs. The person gets to the spot by a secluded mountain lake, sets up the tent, builds a fire, and perhaps miles from the nearest road declares, “Now, I am camping.”

Another person rolls into a nicely manicured RV park, carefully levels her RV, connects water and electricity, rolls out the awning, positions the slide outs, and when she sets the satellite dish up to receive the signal, then she sits back and declares, “Now, I am camping.”

At Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp, the image of camping as setting up a tent or of really “roughing it” does not hold true. But, the other image of camping in a destination resort type setting is equally off the mark. Here, campers stay in barracks style housing. Ten to fourteen people in a room with bunk beds. All the rooms have bathrooms, some have showers in them as well. So, if it is not the lodging that makes it camping, what does?

Camping has been defined as living in a temporary community. Follow this link to the Christian Camp and Conference Association website to pursue this further. The Bible is filled with temporary communities. From Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness (leading to the observation that Moses was the first and perhaps the greatest camp director), to David and his followers camping out to escape Saul, to the people of the Exile, to Jesus with his disciples, to the nature of the Church, we see that temporary communities are formed in which people build special relationships and find themselves open to learning new lessons.
In John 1:14 it says of Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” It is not much of a stretch to translate “made his dwelling” read “He came and camped for a while with us.”

Christian Camps, like Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp, can be place to experience living for a while with Jesus apart from the distractions, responsibilities, and blinders of everyday living. And, perhaps by experiencing Him, you may be able to follow Him more closely out there.

Looking Ahead to Summer 2007

2007-03-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

The 2007 summer camping season is fast approaching. Even now the youth camp directors and the conference program planning committees are working to craft significant Christian camping experiences that will honor God and encourage us all to deeper faith and service as disciples of Jesus Christ. The ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp means to be an extension of the Church’s ministry. The Camp’s ministry reflects the thousands of hours contributed by hundreds of program volunteers from the Churches who see their participation at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp as a way of faithfully serving Jesus Christ. They want to be obedient to the Great Commission to “make disciples.” They want to communicate the Gospel of Christ with love and grace. They want to make a difference in the world for Jesus.

We believe that even now God is preparing the young people in your congregation and even their friends and acquaintances to experience His love and hear His call upon their lives in a youth camp session this summer. We trust that God will use the resources of your congregation to help get the word out about the Camp’s opportunities and encourage people (young and old) to seek Him in the various events at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp.

A Blog for Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp

2007-03-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Wi.Ne.Ma Web Windchime! I want this to be another way for the Winema Christian Camp community to interact with each other. I am very interested in how to enhance the Camp's ministry. We have a number of conversations about the Camp. We hear lots of stories about how God has used the Camp to change lives. Over the years I have been encouraged to see a span of young people grow from 3rd grade First Chance campers to become counselors, teachers, and other servant-leaders in later camping seasons. The significance of our family confernces focusing on churches of the Restoration Movement, on Missions, on Family life, and more is deep and powerful.

What do I want for this Blog . . . Let it be a place to share our thoughts, stories, observations and concerns about the ministry of Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp. It can also be a place to catch up on announcements and get more informed about the Camp's ministry. I would like this also to be a place to record our growing understanding of Christian Camping and God's purpose for this place.

I invite you, if you have a particular concern, question, or issue to contact us at the Camp Office. You can find the contact information through the Camp's website www.winema.org , email to winema@winema.org, or call (503) 392-3362.