November 2009

Sounds of the Future

Just what are those sounds?  At this time those sounds are hammers, drills, cement trucks, front end loaders, and all the other sounds that you hear at a construction site.  Not just one construction site, but three!  We are so excited that we are finally making way for a new chapel, new motel complex with meeting space, and a new maintenance building with storage space, work shop, and paintball room.

It is always exciting to get a new project off the ground, or in this instance, on the ground.  As each of you know, you never have enough storage space, or enough work space.  It happens every time you build or move.  You are all saying, 'yes, but why?'  You all know the answer!  You always take care of campers, your church members, and guest first.  Then you 'make do' with what space is left to provide for maintenance and storage.  In the past we have had stuff stored outside (only to become trash), and in ten other locations around the camp.  Thankfully, we are now taking the time, and yes money, to consolidate into one Maintenance Building.  We are excited as we think we will be able to store our tools, parts, and supplies in one location.  The ideas of being able to find the things we need and not go purchase new parts, only to find that we really did have what we needed to begin with, will be a wonderful change.  To be able to make repairs, quickly and efficiently without wasting time and money will be a real blessing.

We are also excited that we will be moving all of our maintenance operations off 'the hill'.  'The Hill' is the area behind the Dining Hall and is one of the most beautiful areas at Minnetonka.  With this wonderful area open for campers once more, we are considering several useful options.  We feel that there needs to be a smaller structure dedicated for prayer.  One of the remaining two original girl's dorms could be restored to fill this need.  The other original dorm could be restored and made into a 'Good Ole Days' history building.  The remainder of the hill area can be enhanced, with very little effort, to accommodate outdoor class rooms or primitive sleeping structures.  The last option, we feel, would be very well received by junior campers, although we are not as enthusiastic about the response from the counselors.

Please enjoy the pictures and continue to monitor our website (www.minnetonkacamp.com) for further updates as we move through the winter months and the construction process.

As a foot note:  Be apart of the excitement by physically helping with the various projects or by helping finance one or more of them.  Contact Tom Crites (tectires@yahoo.com or 918-569-7856) or any Minnetonka Christian Camp board member to see how you can contribute to the ministry at Minnetonka

October 2009

Minnetonka Christian Camp Update

What an exciting summer camp season we had this year.  For the first time in many years our attendance moved over the 2,000 mark as new churches joined us.  It is always exciting to have new people join us and have them leave us after a week's camp as new friends.  This year we had approximately 25 new churches join 'our family', all of which will be returning in 2010. That's Exciting!!  We have watched as our Lord moved through the various camp weeks for four years now.  We were humbled as 1 in 10 campers made decisions in 2006 and 2007.  Then in 2008 one in seven made decisions.  We praised our Lord for His faithfulness, for the churches that brought campers, and their faithful prayers that The Holy Spirit would move through the camps each week and campers would come to know Christ as their Savior.  We went into the summer camp season feeling that 2009 was going to be very special.  Not because everything was 'falling into place' without any problems, in fact, just the opposite.  It seemed that everything we tried to get done was a fight.  Nothing was easy!  There were set backs and trials!  Bernice, in her faith, just kept saying, 'this is going to be a great summer, Satan is trying too hard to discourage us'.  At the end of the summer one in five campers had made decisions, praise God!

We pray that the excitement here at Minnetonka never ends!  At our September board meeting the Board of Directors voted unanimously to move forward with plans to continue updating the facilities here at Minnetonka.  This decision was made based on the suggestions that are being made by the groups that use our facilities, the increase in attendance, and the big increases in our retreat groups during the non-summer months.  Wynn and Associates was instructed to move forward with plans for a new chapel with a construction completion date of May 15, 2010.  Additionally, they were instructed to move forward with plans that will add 10 new private sleeping rooms, a new private meeting room for 60 people, and the supporting housekeeping infrastructure for these new facilities with the same construction completion date of May 15, 2010.  Additionally, the construction of a new maintenance building was approved with a completion date of November 1, 2009.

With all of the new projects in progress there will be many opportunities for our friends to help us.  There, of course, will need to be work parties that assist with some of the 'finishing out' of the new hotel rooms.  We will need new furniture and bedding for their completion as well as decorations consistent with what has become the standard here at Minnetonka.  There will not only be opportunities for churches and individuals to share in the blessings of contributing their time, and talents, but assist us as we move forward to increase the ministry opportunities here at Minnetonka by helping us cover the cost of these significant improvements. 

For over 50 years Minnetonka Christian Camp has been working to increase the ministry opportunities of your church, and we pray that you will join us as we work together to grow by supporting our ministry here with your prayers and financial gifts.  Busy? Yes, we are!  Ambitious? Yes!  A Huge Step of faith? Yes!  But, it's no problem!  You see, our God is the One who owns the hills, THAT works miracles, THAT loves us, and THAT told us to go forth and build the kingdom.  Meeting challenges is what Minnetonka Christian Camp is all about.  Will you help us?"