Greetings from Covenant Pines Ministries! 2026 is off to a busy start at camp. Since the New Year, we’ve been hosting groups on site—churches, youth groups, women’s retreats, and Trailblazers – all coming together to enjoy winter fun and meaningful time at camp. Alongside these retreats, our staff is hard at work preparing for the months ahead. There is much to look forward to in 2026.
Before we look too far into the new year, we want to pause and reflect on the close of 2025. As you’ll see elsewhere in this newsletter, we ended the year in a strong financial position, exceeding our year end goal by more than $75,000. This milestone was only possible because of the faithfulness and generosity of people like you.
Entering a new fiscal year with this kind of support is a true gift for a nonprofit organization. In 2025, we welcomed more than 8,000 campers to our sites. While we did not fully meet our summer camp registration goals and experienced some unexpected costs associated with operating the new Worship Center year-round, the strength of our year-end campaign provides both relief and flexibility as we plan for 2026.
We are deeply grateful for your continued partnership. The theme of our 2025 year-end campaign, Camp Tells a Story, highlighted the vital role camp plays in the unfolding story of a person’s life. Because of your generosity, that story continues – one where campers are encouraged to take a next step in Christian faith.
So what’s ahead in 2026? A strong and dedicated summer staff at Covenant Pines, a full season of Canoe Trips at Adventurous Christians, and exciting plans across all our sites as we prepare for the future.
Thank you again for your support – and here’s to a great year of ministry ahead. Let’s do this, 2026!
As we close out the year, we’ve been sharing the stories of camp: our favorite camper moments from the summer, funny memories from our own staff days, and the ways camp has shaped our lives. As these stories have surfaced, one theme has clearly emerged-the shared experience of camp creates lifelong memories and cherished relationships.
Camp leaves an imprint early. A safe, fun, gospel-centered environment gives children, youth, and families a place to step away from the noise of everyday life and create the kinds of shared memories that inspire spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. These moments, big and small, become the scenes that help write each camper’s story.
Think about a teenager on a canoe trip at Adventurous Christians. We’ve heard countless stories of young people saying their Boundary Waters trip was the hardest thing they’ve ever done, and yet one of the most transformational. Instilling confidence, perseverance, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment can change the direction of a teenager’s story in a profound way.
We’ve also heard plenty of lighthearted stories from former summer staff – funny skits by the campfire, chasing animals out of buildings they didn’t belong in, teasing each other between cabin duties. But every story ends the same: working at camp created some of their favorite memories and some of their most meaningful Christian friendships. And those friendships, rooted in faith and shared mission, continue to help write their stories long after the summer ends.
So, what is your camp story? And how has camp shaped the story of your life? As we wrap up the year, we hope you find a moment to connect with a camp friend, share memories, and celebrate the ways God has worked through Covenant Pines Ministries to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith.
Your story, and the stories of so many others, remind us why this ministry matters. Thank you for considering a year-end gift to our Camp Tells a Story campaign. Together, we can keep creating the spaces where faith grows, friendships form, and life-changing stories begin.
As we close out the year, we’ve been sharing the stories of camp: our favorite camper moments from the summer, funny memories from our own staff days, and the ways camp has shaped our lives. As these stories have surfaced, one theme has clearly emerged-the shared experience of camp creates lifelong memories and cherished relationships.
Camp leaves an imprint early. A safe, fun, gospel-centered environment gives children, youth, and families a place to step away from the noise of everyday life and create the kinds of shared memories that inspire spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. These moments, big and small, become the scenes that help write each camper’s story.
Think about a teenager on a canoe trip at Adventurous Christians. We’ve heard countless stories of young people saying their Boundary Waters trip was the hardest thing they’ve ever done, and yet one of the most transformational. Instilling confidence, perseverance, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment can change the direction of a teenager’s story in a profound way.
We’ve also heard plenty of lighthearted stories from former summer staff – funny skits by the campfire, chasing animals out of buildings they didn’t belong in, teasing each other between cabin duties. But every story ends the same: working at camp created some of their favorite memories and some of their most meaningful Christian friendships. And those friendships, rooted in faith and shared mission, continue to help write their stories long after the summer ends.
So, what is your camp story? And how has camp shaped the story of your life? As we wrap up the year, we hope you find a moment to connect with a camp friend, share memories, and celebrate the ways God has worked through Covenant Pines Ministries to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith.
Your story, and the stories of so many others, remind us why this ministry matters. Thank you for considering a year-end gift to our Camp Tells a Story campaign. Together, we can keep creating the spaces where faith grows, friendships form, and life-changing stories begin.
For the first time this year, we offered a Clergy Canoe Trip at Adventurous Christians. Pastors from across the country – from California to Connecticut – ventured out into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness together. Rev. Mike Coglan, from Real Life Church in Waseca, MN shares his reflection on the trip below.
WHEN STRANGERS MEET GOD IN THE WILDERNESS
By Mike Coglan
We were lounging on a stone shelf that sloped from our island campsite, surrounded by blue water, rocky shorelines, and endless green pines. A thoughtful spiritual discussion was underway when I noticed a dot in the distant sky. The dot grew and became a bald eagle and silently glided over us. I was overwhelmed with the presence of God. The noise of life had faded, and creation itself was speaking. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1).
This was my first visit to Adventurous Christians camp (AC) in northern Minnesota. I had heard of the AC Camp, and I love the lake country known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. So, when I saw an invitation to a “clergy canoe trip,” I quickly registered for this one-of-a-kind adventure.
Not only was I new to the camp, but new to everyone else in our group. I joined a team of eight leaders from various Christian ministries, most of whom had no prior association with each other. We had three women, five men, and a 50-year age range. Our ages included all life-decades from the 20s to the 70s. Paddlers traveled from as far as California and Connecticut. The team included lead pastors, a family pastor, a hospice chaplain and a retiree as well as our camp ministry leaders. There was diversity of experience, strength and skills.
We were strangers in a strange land. Together we shared a strenuous journey through pristine wilderness. Friendship developed quickly as we shared the burdens of paddling, portaging, gathering wood, cooking, cleaning and sorting dishes. We would share our stories of life and our common mantle of Christian ministry. The result was a unique communal experience of God.
On arrival, we met our skilled and experienced leaders. Trisha Haugen is a professional wilderness guide. David Cairns is the Director of Covenant Pines Ministries, which manages AC. Trisha gave us a thorough orientation. Canoes were taken out of racks. The parts were named: bow, stern, thwart, gunnels, and the yoke. We were shown the proper ways to hoist and carry heavy equipment. We were placed on the water, and coached in our paddling mechanics.
Together, Dave and Trisha assessed our skills and strength. In the evening, we ate a nice meal at the common lodge, and were taught the requirements and ethics of wilderness travel. We examined our gear, and culled unnecessary weight. Then we all tried to sleep while anticipating the adventure ahead. In the morning, we paddled into the unknown.
Trisha crafted an ambitious route for us through seventeen lakes that required fifteen portages of varying difficulty. Together, we pulled our weight. And we shared our stories. We prayed together. Times of intentional silence and meditation were encouraged. Wonderful campfire meals were seasoned with gentle teasing and loud laughter.
I’m still processing lessons from this experience. For one, I was reminded of the gift of strangers. Years had passed since I had emersed myself in an unknown community. It’s sometimes easier to open up with strangers who don’t bring the same history or expectations, especially when we all know the unique pressure of professional ministry. God reminded me that the church family is bigger than my usual circles.
Wilderness travel strips away distractions and comforts. We had to trust that we would have all the supplies we needed, but not the excess luxuries that would add weight on a portage trail. I had to ponder what is essential. I had to trust that what I needed would be in my pack, or someone else’s pack.
I also had to trust that the strength and skills of the group would be shared as necessary. I had to learn to ask for help. At one point, I overestimated my agility while carrying a canoe over a patch of wet rocks. I took a fall, and was briefly pinned under the canoe. I waited for friends to lift the canoe and help me up. Other than my ego, I was not seriously hurt. This was an opportunity for humility on my part, and for mutual care. Moments like these made me feel a depth of connection that might otherwise take years to develop. And in that companionship, I was reminded that we are the Body of Christ—many members, but one body (1 Corinthians 12:12).
I think what I loved most about this trip was the change of roles. The yoke of a canoe felt lighter than the yoke of leadership. I was neither the teacher nor the shepherd. I felt cared for. Mornings began with the gentle voice of Trisha singing, “Give Me Jesus.” Daily devotions were blessings without burdens. It was refreshing to take direction rather than take charge.
Something sacred happens when strangers enter the wilderness. Walking into an unfamiliar territory with unfamiliar companions is like the journey of faith itself: stepping out without full knowledge of what’s ahead. God meets us even when we don’t know the people or the path. In the end we were no longer strangers. We parted as brothers and sisters, knit together by shared vulnerability, laughter, prayer, and God’s unmistakable presence in creation.
For more information on Adventurous Christians, click here.
One of the most valuable things camp provides is community. Spending intentional time together to refresh, connect, and grow spiritually while sharing a camp experience is what creates and strengthens the communities we come to cherish.
One of these communities at Covenant Pines Ministries is our Foundation Builders, a group of monthly donors who are committed to supporting the ministry of CPM as we encourage campers to take their next step in Christian faith.
Our Foundation Builders truly live up to their name. They are the foundation of our ministry, the people who keep us going month after month. The reality of camping ministry is that registration fees alone don’t cover all our expenses. We rely on donations to operate at our full potential and to keep camp as affordable as possible for everyone. Monthly donations allow us to plan responsibly, set our budget, and meet needs throughout the year.
Every gift makes a difference. Foundation Builders help fund things like summer and seasonal staff salaries, facility improvements, and program costs — all of which help us provide the best camp experience possible.
Our Foundation Builders include former staff and campers, parents, pastors, retreat attenders, and many others who believe in the mission of Covenant Pines. One Foundation Builder, a former summer staff and ministry staff member, shared why they give to camp monthly:
“Our family has chosen to support camp since our days of working on staff, because we are living, breathing examples of the power of camp to change the course of our lives. And we believe everyone deserves an opportunity to experience God in the best place on earth!”
We’d love for you to join this community. By becoming a Foundation Builder, your recurring monthly gift will literally strengthen the foundation of Covenant Pines Ministries, helping us continue to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith.
To become a Foundation Builder today, click here.