After a summer full of ministry, we have transitioned into our retreat ministry here at Covenant Pines Bible Camp. This summer was the first time we experienced worship in our New Worship Center. It was, of course, an adjustment – but it was amazing to see the Spirit of God so present in campers as they worshipped and had fun in this new space. Campers continued to take next Steps in Christian faith – it was a great introduction to what the future holds here for us at CPBC.

Now that retreat season has began, we have begun to see even more what the effect of the New Worship Center will be on our ministry. We have had a busy fall – hosting multiple midweek groups and large groups on weekends. The busyness is tiring, but the impact of ministry is worth it. Here are just a few examples of ways the new Worship Center has made a difference in our retreat groups this fall:

  • We hosted the Minnehaha Academy Middle School Retreat which included almost 250 people. They were able to comfortably worship together in the Worship Center altogether.
  • Emmanuel Covenant Church was able to open their Middle School Retreat to other Twin Cities Covenant Churches, allowing for more participation across youth groups of our owner churches.
  • CPBC was able to host 160 Christian Camping Leaders from across the state to gather for worship and lunch at the beginning of October.

A year ago, we would have had to make major adjustments to accommodate groups like this. While raising money for the Next Steps Campaign, one of our goals shared for the New Worship Center was to increase our retreat ministry. Even in the short time we have been able to utilize this building, we’ve been able to begin to accomplish this goal. It is just a glimpse of what we hope is a flourishing retreat ministry for years to come.

One faculty member from Minnehaha, who is a former staff and board member, shared,

“Covenant Pines has an amazing new Worship Center but I was worried the singing wouldn’t feel the same. Nope…still impactful. I love CPBC.”

We are looking forward to continuing through our retreat season, and many more retreat seasons like this in the future. It is truly remarkable to see the plans and hopes of this space come to fruition, both in summer and retreat season. We can’t wait to see what God has in store next for us…including this weekend with 150 Senior Highers at our MEA Retreat!

Summer ministry has concluded, and we have transitioned to our retreat season here at CPM. The fall is a lovely time to be up at camp, and we are reminded about how instrumental retreats are as we engage with our campers. As a camping ministry, we believe in the importance and value of retreating – both as individuals and in community. We talked with Associate Superintendent of the Northwest Conference, Scott Nelson and Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Covenant Church, Chris Studentski about this topic.

Retreats are important as they allow people to get a break from routine. Often retreats are at a slower pace with a focus on relationships or individual growth. But what is the impact following retreats? What difference does it make in the life of a church and an individual?

Emmanuel Covenant Church in Shoreview has made retreats a part of their church rhythm. This church joins us at Covenant Pines sometimes 5 times/year for different retreats, including multiple for their students. When asked why Emmanuel began to make retreats a part of their church rhythm, Lead Pastor Chris Studenski answered, “I was first introduced to retreats as a junior high student. I had never experienced anything like them before. I’m passionate about extending the invitation to others that changed my life! When done well, nothing has the potential to draw people closer to God and one another like getting away and immersing ourselves in a distinctly Christian community.”

What is the impact when the church returns from the retreat? Studenski says, “On a corporate level, friendships are made, existing relationships are deepened, and people come back with memories that they’re excited to share. On an individual level, personal walks with Christ are energized, strengthened, and more evident in their daily decisions.”

We love church retreats at CPBC and encourage as many churches as possible to host one. However, not every church is able to host their own, but retreating as an individual is still important. Scott Nelson, Associate Superintendent for the Northwest Conference chimes in about the value of a retreat for an individual, “Blaise Pascal, who was a Christian mathematician and philosopher, wrote that his world was full of “diversions.” People filled their lives with diversions to distract themselves from the broken state of their souls. Without distractions, people quickly comprehend their need for a Savior. I am not sure how many diversions there were in the 1600’s, but I know there are more now! Retreats gift people with distance from their diversions and distractions, giving space to soak up creation and opening up hearts to hear from the Creator.”

As you can see, the idea of taking a break from the busyness of life and focusing on connecting – with God and with others is an overarching theme of retreats. Nelson mentions this when asked about the role camps play in providing retreats for churches and individuals in our conference, “One of our most important values is connection. This is also one of our greatest needs. Ironically, the more digitally connected our world has become, the less personally connected we are. Loneliness is at dangerously high levels. Retreats allow us to connect face to face and side by side, making memories and deepening our connection. This also grows our connection as Covenant people who are committed to living the mission of Jesus together.”

Covenant Pines invites churches to host their own retreats while also offering CPBC  programmed retreats for individuals to participate in – we hope you can join us sometime this year!

Our mission at Covenant Pines Ministries is to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith. Each summer we look forward to a full season of ministry and opportunities to see our mission in action. After another great summer, we are excited to share some next steps taken around our four ministry centers.

Adventurous Christians: A canoe trip experience at AC is powerful for a multitude of reasons. While on trail, you challenge yourself, learn new skills, collaborate with your trail group and overcome whatever endeavors are thrown your way; all while hopefully enriching yourself spiritually and connecting with God. One high school student this summer shared that coming into his canoe trip with his youth group, he wasn’t very religious. After the week on trail, he connected with God now has a better understanding of his relationship with Him. What an awesome next step!

Covenant Pines Bible Camp: Each week at Covenant Pines we have what we call a “Next Steps Night” where we present the gospel message and ask campers if they have any next steps they can take in their life. We offer staff support through prayer and conversation. During Junior High 2, MANY of the almost 200 students stayed after chapel to talk or pray with a staff member. From these conversations, there were many next steps shared by these campers that included serving in church, getting baptized once they got home and reading the Bible more. One camper who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks shared that praying really helped her, and that she is planning to talk with her parents about her anxiety once she gets home to get better help she needs. Praise God for the next steps of this camper taking care of her mental health!

Covenant Pines Off Site: After the Worship Center Dedication in April, there were many individuals, families and businesses that decided to take a next step in generosity and contribute to the Next Steps Campaign. One individual who attended the dedication is a former staff member who had not been to Covenant Pines in a few years. After feeling inspired after the dedication, this former staff member even decided to start a monthly donation to Covenant Pines!

Silver Beach Family Camp:  One family has been coming to Silver Beach for many years, since their children were young. Their oldest son has always loved coming to Silver Beach and also having the experience at the Bible Camp as a camper. This summer, their oldest son took a next step by joining the staff at Covenant Pines! He spent the summer as a lifeguard and working in the kitchen. This is one of our favorite next steps campers take – to join us on staff someday!

Now that the Worship Center building project is complete, we are filled with excitement about the future of Covenant Pines Bible Camp. We have already felt the Spirit move and witnessed campers take next steps in their Christian faith in the few weeks we’ve been using the Worship Center. We are hopeful that the impact and legacy of this new space will continue for years and years to come! As we plan for the future, we invite you to as well, by considering including Covenant Pines in your estate plan.

Planning for your legacy is important. We are committed to establishing trust and transparency with donors so you know what camp’s intentions are with these gifts. If you are considering including Covenant Pines Ministries in your estate plans, know that estate gifts to Covenant Pines go directly to funds that will help with the longevity of our ministry.

Covenant Pines Ministries has two endowments – one Scholarship endowment and one Maintenance endowment. These two funds help build the future of CPM by continuing to support camper attendance and upgrade facilities to meet camper needs. We put 10% of every unrestricted estate gift into the Scholarship endowment, along with 20% into the Maintenance endowment. The remainder of the estate gift will be put into a board restricted fund to plan for the future. Estate gifts are a beautiful reminder to us at Covenant Pines of all the people that went before us and were impacted by this ministry. It is an honor to be able to use these gifts specifically to help us live our mission for years to come.

If you are interested in including Covenant Pines Ministries in your estate plan, talk to your personal financial advisor. If you’d like to get started, we recommend reaching out to Steve Allison at Covenant Trust Company. Click here to get in touch with Steve.

 

Adventurous Christians canoe season is officially underway, with the Leadership Institute Fellows from Minnehaha Academy heading out on trail the second week of June. Fourteen Upper School students joined us on what the school calls a “Leadership Training Trip” and what we often refer to as the “Minnehaha Academy Leadership Adventure.” Camp Director, Matt White shares some reflections on the trip below. 

The group arrived very excited and ready for fun, but left with memories that hold not only fun, but thoughtful challenges. They all pretty well agreed that the lack of media, pressure and competition for their time was welcome and eye opening.  Many students said what they really will remember is the simplicity of living without many things.  A number of students claimed a sharper sense of perspective on what is important and what they would perhaps like to try to do differently.  They were challenged with the idea that if they could make the changes they aspire to a reality in their lives, at this time of life, they will be able to do it most anywhere.  We applaud them for their work and wish the best for them as they return home and practice the leadership development and spiritual growth experienced on their trip.  We hope their experience allows them to lead themselves and their peers towards a healthy school culture.

One student upon reflecting shared, I have never had quiet time and had thoughts (about God) like that.  I didn’t realize I was even capable of the thought and contemplation I experienced. When it came time to share a first word with the group I didn’t know my words could be helpful.”

This trip is such a fun and encouraging way to kick off our summer canoe season. We are looking forward to many more! 

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