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.
Our mission at Covenant Pines Ministries is to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith. Every summer, we make a commitment to pray and observe closely so we can witness our mission in action. We recently gathered as a staff to share and celebrate the ways we saw next steps around our four ministry centers this past summer.
Adventurous Christians: There is a group of high school boys that have attended our open enrollment trips since they were in middle school and we look forward to seeing them each year. Now that they are going into their senior year, this was the last year they were eligible to attend the trip. While up at AC, they expressed interest in serving on staff in future years and made the conscious effort to ask to be added to our mailing list AND our Portage Partners list. Though we are sad to see these canoers “graduate on” from attending this canoe trip, it is exciting to see them be thinking about ways they can still be involved as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. Hopefully, they’ll be able to guide you on a canoe trip sometime in the future!
Covenant Pines Bible Camp: There is a family who is very supportive of Covenant Pines who attends often. They have two kids – the older one being very enthusiastic, vocal and involved at camp. Their younger child is a little quieter, more subdued and has been a little more hesitant to participate – until she discovered the SWEAT program. While serving behind the scenes as a SWEAT, she found her niche. At the beginning of the summer, she was signed up for two weeks of SWEAT and by the end of the summer she had attended five. She even emailed our staff asking what the process was to work on summer staff in the future. We love helping campers find the best way for them to experience God while at camp!
Covenant Pines Off Site: In probably the first year in camp history, there was not a single overly anxious, crying camper getting on the bus as it left for camp this summer. There were actually more crying parents than campers…ha! But this actually showed how much of a next step it is for parents to send their children to Covenant Pines. We are grateful for the trust parents place in us to assist in the spiritual formation of their children. We recognize how big of a deal that is, and we’re thankful to help parents take their own next step of the faith journey of their own families. \
Silver Beach Family Camp: This summer, we had a few rotating Silver Beach Directors. Some of them were past staff members or past Silver Beach Directors, and some were Silver Beach families who had an extra week to help out and minister to the families that were up for the week. It was so fun to see families take the next step from attenders to helping other families experience the community of Christ!
Summer is always such a good reminder to us of what a unique ministry we have at Adventurous Christians. As our staff spends weeks leading canoe groups through the BWCAW, lives are being transformed. Living in Minnesota, we can often forget how lucky we are to have such close access to something like the Boundary Waters – but it really is a destination for many groups across the country. This summer, we are serving groups from Indiana, Illinois and Iowa and are offering a Clergy trip at the end of the summer, where Covenant Pastors will be joining us from all across the country.
Southport Presbyterian Church traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana to AC earlier this summer to return for another canoe trip after going on one three years ago. This group of fathers and sons traveled nearly 12 hours to have this experience that brought challenges, rewards and great spiritual growth. Here are some reflections from their trip,
“This trip helped me let go of comforts and instant gratification and caused me to rely on God for his providence. I realized through this I have more mental strength, grit and drive than I thought.”
“Thank you Adventurous Christians for providing an experience focused on God through physical challenge and adventure. This was tremendous for my son and I, and the whole group.”
We just finished leading a canoe trip for Decorah Covenant Church in Decorah, Iowa and are currently out on trail with Hinsdale Covenant Church from Hinsdale, Illinois. These groups travel long distances for this unique ministry experience and we are grateful to be able to provide that for them! We work hard to provide an experience that is rooted in the wonder of Christ through leadership, hard work, and spiritual renewal that makes it a destination trip worth taking.
We encourage groups from all over the country to join us on a guided canoe trip through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. If you’re interested in planning your canoe trip, we’d love to work with you. You can start by checking our website, here or emailing us.
Big Chapel was a beloved space to many at Covenant Pines Bible Camp. A holy place where lives were transformed. It was hard to say goodbye at the end of 2024, but we knew that due to the structural issues of the building it wouldn’t last forever. Though the building won’t last forever – we’ve always had plans to keep the space sacred and let the memory of Big Chapel live on. We are excited to share these plans with you!
Later this month, we will begin construction on Chapel Point. In the architect rendering, you will notice the A-Frame – we will be using original Big Chapel beams for this. This space is a patio with a fire pit that we hope can be a place for solitude, cabin conversations, retreat reflections and more. Though the purpose for this space is different, we hope that the same birch trees, look over the lake and long walk around camp provides campers with a rich spiritual connection.
We are thankful for the many years we were able to use Big Chapel. We also know the Worship Center will serve us for years and years to come, allowing us to encourage campers to take a next step in Christian faith. We are looking forward to honoring and utilizing the Chapel Point space in this new way, only adding to our ministry impact and the camper experience. We hope you can check it out the next time you are at camp.